I just now got around to hearing this album, as my first purchase of Crystal Ball had the disc cracked, and at the time I was more excited to hear the other CB stuff...

But damn, I'm extremely impressed. I can't stop listening to "Don't Play Me," and the other tracks are really well-executed... Really atmospheric and moody stuff, and better produced than anything that he's released since then.


What's the general concensus around the 'org on The Truth?

One of the most brilliants CD's he's put together IMHO.
He should release The Truth and the One Night Alone piano CD together as a box set. That would be a killer combination. It always upsets me that some of his best music was not released commercially.

During a BBC special(?) several years back one of Prince's cohorts (former cohorts?) stated that he felt that if the album had been promoted properly it would've been a hit. I've felt that way myself for a long time. One of his best and most unpretentious albums IMHO.

illimack said:

great idea! they'd go nicely together. The Truth is absolutely one of my favs.

i had to purchase the whole of Crystal Ball twice when my Truth CD got stolen out of my car. honestly i never listen to the CB cds, just the Truth. same goes for ONA. i never listen to the other CDs, just the original ONA music does it for me.

because there was a lag in my membership at NPG i never got to hear other unreleased CDs such as Chocolate Invasion and i think one more in that time period . . . does anybody here know if they were really good?

some good stuff on that album.....and some stuff that is pretty out there

Great music-and that's the truth!

sexxydancer said:

This CD was very raw and dare i say intimate. It flows easily from mood to mood in true Prince fashion. Although I would have loved to see this record get more exposure, I'm glad it was done the way it was. A nice little gem for the fam. I simply love this album!

one of my top 10 prince albums. it's very special to me.

love every single song on it and listen to it very often

I don't hate the album, but I never had any thoughts it might be a commercial hit if released properly, I can't understand people who think that. Prince has had enough trouble getting hits with the type of music he is known for, odditys such as this and ONA piano would sell about as poorly as NEWS and The Rainbow Children did, ie just for hardcore fans.

I tend to think of acoustic albums like black&white movies, more arty but usually not commercial hits.

I wouldn't say The Truth is that perfect anyway, songs like Man In A Uniform and Animal Kingdom are a bit clumsy.

To me an acoustic album should have a warmth to it's sound, something that this album is sorely missing. Whether it's the production, the mastering, whatever it is, the end product doesn't have that 'warmth' one might expect from an acoustic record.

The album has a lot going for it, some great songs and ideas for starters.... something that IMO, One Night Alone is totally devoid of.

NouveauDance said:

Agreed.

Last album of his I really cared for.

I absolutely love 'The truth', my fav is animal kingdom when he says, "If God wanted milk in me the breast I suck would have a line around the hood" he is so great!

Love it. "Don't play Me" is 1 of my favorite songs he's ever done. I don't remember the last time he wrote so honestly and vulnerably.

I love this album! The Other Side of the Pillow is one of my top 5 favorite Prince songs. I also loved Comeback (even tho it is very sad ), Dionne, and Fascination. The whole thing is great really. Man in a Uniform is naughty too.

Its ludicrous that it was never released as a proper album. He disappointed a lot of people with Emancipation, and this is completely the opposite kind of album that would have made up for that. Stripped down, honest, bitter, beautiful. I do feel it could have done with a little more work, perhaps if it had been a commercial release he would have done.

This and the acoustic set from the Celebration a few years back are prince at his raw best. Rather than an Truth / ONA set, how about a Truth / Re-recorded acoustic CD package like the sets he was doing on the Musicology tour. Songs like 7, Little Red Corvette work so well like that.

then he could re-release ONA as a set with a similar Piano CD. Just a thought.

The last good Prince album.

CrozzaUK said:

Agreed.

I got back on the purple bus about a year ago after a long hiatus. If I'd known that he put out something like The Truth, I woulda been back on board way before I was. I remember in his really dirty days.. I'd tell people that I couldn't wait til he calmed down a bit and would do some cool mellow stuff. Here it was and it went largely un-noticed. Shame.

I do recall someone on the org saying that adding it as a "surprise" into the Crystal Ball set was Mayte's idea. Oh well. It happens. She was just a kid, so we can't blame her.

CrozzaUK said: