Sorry, but i never understand people defending TRC, IMO its by far his most overrated album ever. And its not a great album either.

Why?

First, the lyrics are horrible, sometimes laughable almost. I hear a person obsessed with JW-dogma's, but expressing them like he is brainwashed. I hear no soul or passion, i hear a lost person who is in the end doubting about the things he is trying to express.

Second, when it comes to the music its not that great either. Jazz-rock or 'fusion' is one of the most irritatingly 'rational' kinds of music, and halve of TRC is filled with this kind of shallowness.
Next to that, the more organic, 'live' sound of the music is a relieve after the Kirk Johnson years, sure, but Prince doesnt do something really interesting with it. A few songs on TRC are grabbing back to earlier Prince songs, almost copying them, and even an 'anthem' like The last December sounds halfbaken, like he is not 'there' with his head.

Even without those crappy lyrics, TRC is a mediocre Prince album, an album that shows a person lost in life, mistaking the sound of a technically tremendous drummer (surface) with the impact of a will written song or composition (substance).

So, for me its clear how i rank the Rainbow Children:
- Music and lyrics combined: 4 out of 10 (maybe even lower)
- Musicwise: 5,5 out of 10.

I am curious to hear from you what makes TRC so special? such a
'masterpiece'?

Hey ya love it or you don't- and boy do I. The ONA concerts were the best in years. It was all new and fresh to me- I'd pay to relive those days again.

I wouldn't say it's a great album by any stretch of the imagination.

I hardly ever listen to it, but i think the reason i'm fond of it is that it came off the back of 'Rave un2.." and such projects. Prince trying to be accepted by the masses.

Rainbow Children is Prince experimenting and doing something different - not him going for sales etc.

He also did 'one night alone' after which i enjoyed.

Shortly after he went back to trying to get public recognition with musicology and 3121. Hardly inspiring Prince records.

2 bad 4 U.

It isn't all that great. I do like it, because after the boring Emancipation/NPS/Rave/High sounds, it at least seemed like he had an idea. Some spark of creativity. Something he actually wanted to sing about. And I like the music, even though it is pretty watered down.

i agree with some of what you say...it is far from being a great album....it is way too preachy and i am afraid larry graham had an unhealthy hold over him at this stage...i was in paisley park for the celebration in june 2001 and they played the album to a group of fans who were there and it was a weird experience to say the least and then we had to listen to rev. graham giving us his religous views for nearly 3 hours when all i wanted to do was listen to some prince music
i think the album has some great moments and i would love to hear it without the 'god' vocal which does ruin it a bit for me...not a great album but not his poorest either...i like it when he experiments with his music...

Raze said:

i agree...there was a freshness needed after some over produced albums of the late ninties which i think was the poorest years of his career although he still released some great music during that period...

I wouldnt say its great...But its defenetly not a bad...
i think your being to critical,and over analizing the album.
Theres something different about, but thats what i like about it

The work
Th Digital Garden
Every where
Muse 2 the pharrow
Mellow
1+1+1=3
She loves Me 4 Me
Last December

over all i give it a 7 1/2 out of 10
but i thats my opinion

Musically it is superior to Musicology and 3121.

blackbob said:

That would have killed the album 4 me

He was enamoured with "Neo soul" at the time and I see TRC as his musical take on this genre. Perhaps with slightly jazzier undertones granted. Musically its not a patch on the stuff D'Angelo was doing though and the lyrics are obviously annoying.

I unapologetically much prefer Emancipation, NPS and Rave.

At the ONA tour on stage you could see that he enjoyed playing TRC music, in my opinion he did this album for himself it was lovely 2 see the joy in his face and the spark back in his eyes while playing, all the musicians on stage looked like they where enjoying themselves the audience seemed 2 enjoy 2. I enjoy the album as real music that is played by talented musicians, some of the lyrics i am still not sure about but the muscians craft 2 me is a joy 2 hear.

I respect and appreciate Prince doing the album for himself, if that's the case. I just feel like in the process he shut out, put off, or downright offended a lot of the people who had stuck with him through a whole lot of ups and downs.

I don't like the album but have a much stronger dislike for C and D and NPS.

One possible reason: I think if you added them up, you'd see that TRC gets more threads devoted to it than any other album on this site, probably more than all of them combined. There's a new thread about it almost every day. You've started another one. No matter how you feel about it, people here can't stop talking about it, analyzing, debating it. Hard to say something that evokes so many passionate responses isn't art. And I say all that even though I have some major issues with some of the themes in the album.

Dude, it's art. Either you dig it or not. I can't change your mind.

Personally, I think there's a lot of meat on the bones of those songs.

Love it or hate it, bit like Marmite!! I love it (and marmite)!!!

On first listening, I though wtf! but now its grown on me & in my top five favs, don't know why, just is!

Musicianship...far exceeds most CD's he's ever put out.

The first time I heard "TRC", I had this look on my face:

I called my friend and said, "Is this Prince's gospel album?!" I was completely baffled and blown away by that "voice".

Then I experienced ONA- out of all the Prince concerts/shows I've seen, I have to say I truly enjoyed that one the most- still to this day. I agree with Katt- the relaxation and joy that he exhibited made us (at least those around me) enjoy it more.
I wasn't even "prepared" when I went to the concert, because I hadn't really been listening to the album prior. I gave it another listen after that concert. I got bored with "Musicology" and "3121". I still play "TRC" from beginning to end. I may not agree with all the philosophies behind it, but I feel the passion with which it was produced.

for me.

It's alright. The voice is fucking stupid.

I get bored of saying it, but the album is amazing. Wether or not you take the whole 'story' on board, is another matter. I would say even just lyrically, it is extremely imaginative. I aint into religion, personally, but it is an amazing piece of 'work'. Musically, fantastic. I like his music when he seems focussed, and TRC is a very focussed album.
And has anybody actually seen Star Wars?, he DON'T sound like Darth Vadar!

I'm not saying everyone, but alot of people who dislike this are the same people who love all his really commercial songs, and were dissapointed when this album wasn't full of hit songs.

Most Prince 'MUSIC' lovers, LOVE the musicianship on this album, regardless of 'story'.

If it was an instrumental, with the same tunes, most would say it was genius.

I think The Rainbow Children is genius!

From what I recall, is it true you rate 3121 and Musicology highly??
Forgive me if my memory don't serve me correctly, but IF this IS the case, I can understand your 'problem' with TRC

i like it because its conceptually spiritual and i UNDERSTAND it (i'm not one of those ppl on this site whose mad at where P is spiritually; not glad he's a JW per se, but...) the themes, and songs are good once you get past the annoying voice. IF you get past it.

he deals with some heavy subject matter beyond the spiritual JUST the spiritual like on Family Name. the instrumentation is GREAT; Madhouse like at times. i can see why the commercials dubbed the album "controversial" it IS that, polarizes people very easily. She Loves Me for Me is my vote for his best song of the 00s so far, Everywhere is BRILLIANT and elicits worship from me. Tamar killed the vocals on that. i'll stop there, but i love P for being daring and putting out the TRC, i was pleasantly surprised. its the album that made me pay attention after a long hiatus

bonedaddy said:

You sum it up brilliantly there.

Lyrically, it's open for debate. Musically, it's Prince at his most intricate and fascinating.
The lyrics are possibly the most listened to and dissected amongst the fans, so for that alone, it deserves respect.

Haystack said:

cosign to both comments.

I'll be back on this one, because TRC is GREAT!

I would love an instrumental version 2 be released

Riverpoet31 said:

Haven't you posted a thread with a question like this before? If you don't get TRC by now, you never will.

Well like most of Prince's stuff it is way better live! Same with this album. I cant stand the over produced album, but the songs live were pretty good.

Almost made me give up Prince

Riverpoet31 said:

Ummm...you must havent seen the cover art for the album.