After the paris listening session this morning, the first REAL reviews of Planet Earth can be found on www.schkopi.com/forum in french.
Well the reviews are very bad.
I can feel a big disappointement in the 3 reviews there.
The album is oriented pop/rock, just one funk title (Chelsea Rodgers). But they all say the melodies all over the cd are very average. Nothing mind blowing at all.
And probably the worst Prince song ever "all the midnights in the world" apparently.
Well, I'm looking forward to the next Pirnce cd already.

-----
UPDATE

This review is by Calhounsquare from www.schkopi.com/forum.
Many thanks to these great french fans and the amazing work they do. Please visit www.schkopi.com. It is time to try your french !

The following is a very quick translation. I have no time to read it again to correct the numerous english mistakes I'm sure I've made.


Planet earth :
Surpising intro the anna stesia way.
This title changes quickly to a mid tempo rock based tune with a bass/guitar put forward. It is one of the pearls of the album ; dynamic title and adventurous like musicians used to do back in the 70's. Then it carries on with a quicker part then another break with the melody from the intro. At the end, very good guitar solo effort. very good starter ! If he opens the london shows with this title, it's gonna be quite something !

Guitar
Same as the version we all know by now. Shame that it is shortened right in the middle of the guitar solo at the end.

Somewhere her on earth :
Nice ballad that starts with the sound of a record. pretty slow with a piano and flute but still rythmical, another layer with a trumpet à la Miles that makes it sounds a bit like Power Fantastic.

The one u wanna c
Simple tune with weird and surprising arrangements. You can dance to it. A party tune but in a rock manner, like Play in the sunshine (without looking like this tune at all). The guitar solo is shortened, like for Guitar which is pretty sad.

Future baby mama
Mid tempo ballad whose style ressembles Call my name but more rythmical. There are elemnts from rythm boxes used during the Purple Rain era. But do not worry, you won't fall asleep.

Mr Goodnight
Very weird tune that follows right after the previous one. He sings in a rap style with a very low voice like in Sexy MF. The chorus is sung by women but not w & l. This tune ends up abruptly with Prince saying "turn off the lights".

All the midnights in the world
It starts slowly, with a folkish piano and acoustic guitar. This style ressembles the pop tunes on Musicology but left us speechless due to its lack of originality and energy. Pretty bad.

Chelsea Rodgers
Great tune : disco rythm, in duet with an unknown soul diva, some great Prince on this tune , commercial and unique at the same time ! It is a massive hit that will make you dance throughout the summer, fall and winter, depending on when it will be released. because it must be otherwise all the djs in the world are going to hijack it. It is not a very brillant tune but so evily effecient. Some more ! Some more ! What a contrast with the previous song !

Lion of Judah
Not as catastrophic as I could have imagined with such a song title but a tune that starts with some rock guitar and a good beat that changes into some mid tempo pop song with choir. It reminds me of Chaos & disorder/Musicology. Ends up with a good guitar solo.

Resolution
With Wendy ? The intro starts with an acoustic guitar then drums and bass, pop/rock oriented. Very accessible.

Conclusion :
Pretty energetic album (3121 seems pretty flat compared to this album),homogeneous in terms of production but it lacks from memorable hits and it is a bit too much pop/rock oriented. One only funk tune with Chelsea Rodgers. Good balLads, not boring. But one or two titles are very bordeline and despite their energy, they just don't fit.
[Edited 6/25/07 6:20am]

I wish he took more time to think about his albums not. He mixes being prolific with producing quality imo.
[Edited 6/25/07 5:09am]

http://www.pabw.net/pabw/...024#118024

1ère séance d'écoute ce matin chez Sony Music/BMG.

Au global, un album plutôt orienté pop/rock que funk, avec 2-3 titres très forts ("Planet earth", "Chelsea Rodgers") des ballades plutôt bien calibrées, mais aussi quelques titres dispensables dont "All the Midnights In The World" dont l'infâmité (?) fera sans doute l'unanimité.

review + détaillée :

Planet Earth
Etonnante intro au piano façon Anna Stesia
Le titre devient rapidement un mid tempo rock avec une basse puis un rythme plus soutenu avec basse / batterie souvent mis en avant. C'est une des perles de l'album: un titre péchu et grandiose comme on en faisait dans les années 70's. S'ensuit un break plus rapide puis un autre break reprenant l'intro du début. La fin est un très bon solo de guitare, très en avant. Très bonne entrée en matière, donc! S'il ouvre les shows de Londres avec ça, ça va tuer!

Guitar
identique à la version connue, dommage qu'elle soit courte et coupée en plein solo de guitare à la fin

Somewhere Here On Hearth
Belle ballade, débutant par un bruit de craquement style disque vinyl, c'est un slow avec piano et flute mais bien rythmé, une trompette "à la Miles" vient se superposer et rappelle un peu "Power Fantastic". La voix aussi d'ailleurs.

The One U Wanna C
Un titre simple dans le fond mais la forme surprend avec un rythme et des arrangements étonnants. C'est un morceau plutôt dansant et assez festif mais plus dans le style rock, comme "Play In The Sunshine" (sans ressembler toutefois à ce morceau). Le solo de guitare final est coupé, comme sur Guitar ce qui est dommage Sad

Future Baby Mama
Ballade mid tempo dont les voix rappellent un peu Call My Name mais le rythme est plus soutenu. On retrouve des éléments de boite à rythme du temps de "Purple Rain". Rassurez vous, on ne s'endort pas Smile

Mr Goodnight
Titre étrange, enchainé avec le précédent. Le chant est plus tourné vers le rap avec une voix plus grave un peu à la "Sexy MF". Le refrain est chanté avec des choeurs féminins, mais ce n'est pas Wendy ou Lisa. Le titre se termine brusquement: Prince lance un "turn off the lights".

All the Midnights In The World
Titre qui commence doucement, au piano et avec une guitare acoustique assez folk, le style rappelle les morceaux pop de Musicology mais nous laisse sans voix: aucune originalité malgré une certaine énergie. Bof bof.

Chelsea Rodgers
Le titre imparable: un rythme disco, en duo avec une diva Soul inconnue, du grand Prince à la fois commercial et tellement unique! C'est LE tube planétaire qui vous fera danser tout l'été /automne/hiver, selon quand il sortira. Car il faut qu'il la sorte en single c'est obligé, sinon tous les remixeurs de la planète vont s'en emparer. A défaut d'être supra-brillant, le titre est diaboliquement efficace. Encore! Encore! Quel contraste avec le morceau précédent... wahou !

Lion Of Judah
pas la catastrophe qu'on aurait pu imaginer avec un titre pareil, mais un morceau qui débute par une guitare rock et un beat qui devient mid tempo/pop puis encore plus soutenu avec des choeurs. C'est assez péchu, ça rappelle certains titres côté Chaos & Disorder/Musicology. Se termine par un solo de guitare assez appuyé.

Résolution
Titre avec Wendy? l'intro est une guitare acoustique folk puis on retrouve une batterie et basse assez pop/rock. Le titre est assez accessible dans l'ensemble.

Conclusion: un album énergique ("3121" parait fade à coté maintenant) globalement homogène en terme de production, mais qui manque d'un plus grand nombre de titres accrocheurs et qui balance un peu trop dans le pop/rock, le rayon funk n'étant quasiment pas représenté sauf disons par Chelsea Rodgers. Les ballades tiennent bien la route, on ne s'ennuie pas. Mais il y a 1 titre ou 2 un peu limité, ou malgré l'énergie déployée le truc passe moyennement.

Voila, après une seule écoute ce que j'en pense mais les avis peuvent encore changer. Il y avait une 2ème écoute, mais je ne suis pas resté.
_____
stand up, organize!
www.calhoun-square.info

Can somebody translate this into English?

Christaro said:

Yeah, 'Sarkozy', I know you be knowing the 'lingo', please find the time to translate.

I used this http://www.freetranslation.com/

It gives you the gist - but nonetless a distorted translation.

that's not a bad review. only one song gets a negative comment. i'm ready for it now!

it wasn't that bad of a review to me.. Most of the album sounds like its not the best, but I did read that there are some of the "raw" moments in here (a la acoustic guitar, piano, negative space perhaps) that I hope can change the atmosphere and not be produced so tight there is no breathing space...

See update at the top.
[Edited 6/25/07 6:21am]

Sdldawn said:

I've taken the best one out of the three. The other two are very negative.

Thank you so much for the translation Sarkozy

Christaro said:

A votre service, mon cher !

Can we all agree to NOT read any "reviews" until August 15 ?

Hell if I would hve posted a review after I heard SOTT you all would have thought it was shit too.

sarkozyiszeman said:

just cuz it's simple and non linear doesn't mean it's lacking
originality. i can't wait to hear this.

MAYBE THE EARLY REVIEWS CAME OUT SO PRINCE CAN GET A FEEL OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF THE CD. IT WOULDNT BE OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR PRINCE TO CHANGE THE SONGS THAT ARE ON THE CD.

ANYWAY ITS ALL INTERESTING!

muleFunk said:

The thread title is very clear. It is only for those who do not care about reading reviews before PE is released.
If you're not interested, then you just don't read it. It as simple as that.
There are listening sessions everywhere in Europe this week. Some of them happeened today so I guess it is too late to prevent people from reviewing the cd.

IstenSzek said:

I have two more reviews now so that's 5 in total now. They all say it is one of the worst Prince tunes EVER. They even thought it was some kind of joke.

[Edited 6/25/07 6:37am]

Interesting 2 read

IstenSzek said:

Well, from the description alone, it might as well sound like Courtin Time, and I really dislike that song.

vinx98 said:

i think the cd is printed and ready to be shipped by now. it's only
what, 18 days before it hits european stores.

hardly enough time to listen to feedback from listening parties and
change the tracklist.

besides, i don't think prince gives a flying fuck what we think of
the tracks as long as he's happy with the disc.

sarkozyiszeman said:

Two words...

GROUP THINK

sarkozyiszeman said:

that sound really bad, lol.

...dont pay too much attention to reviews...thats just one persons interpretation ,one person comments on his or her taste...millions of fans out there with millions of different tastes...and from what I know about Prince music is that you might seem to not like certain songs and then boom they grow on you & end up being favorites...for me fury did just that ...i just could not figure out the big deal every one was talking about ..one day i put on my head phone and cranked it up real loud because the girlfriend was nagging me,and damn!!! Then it grabbed me and now i am hooked ...

sarkozyiszeman said:

Maybe as funny as Wedding Feast off of TRC.

sarkozyiszeman said:

is there one in the netherlands?

I, for one, am very excited about the pop/ROCK vibe on this album!

muleFunk said:

Two words...

Fuck O** (joke !)

IstenSzek said:

Everywhere where Sony BMG have offices ! So yes !

jaynoonan said:

me too, i love the mention of guitar, more guitar, acoustic guitar
and piano on many of the tracks.

sarkozyiszeman said:

Every album needs a clunker. We all love to have a track to complain about, like Life O' The Party, Wedding Feast, Jughead... The list goes on