I love Prince but this album is straight trash. I'm understanding the give away idea now.

intha916 said:

I love reading shit like this.

If this album was a newly discovered bootleg from the 80's everyone who claims that they hate it would be calling Prince an idiot for not releasing any of the songs from it!

Now go ahead and lie and say you wouldn't.

intha916 said:

Damn that's harsh! Many have said the same about the last 2, but I liked them.

superspaceboy said:

Wow, had my first listen today.....Bad, Bad, Bad, Boring, lifeless...terrible production....what's up with Prince?? Guitar was good, but the rest is boring.....Somebody said it was a Guitar album or JW Rock, but as a JW it was a lame performance...
Just my .02

Accujack said:

You're right! I love PE and 3121 too...Musicology so-so.

majdawg said:

After playing it again today, I can't believe how bland some of the music is. The last two songs are complete filler and Lion of Judah has got to be one of the worst things he's ever put out. If you like Christian rock, this is the album for you. If you like rock and roll, stay far, far away from this one. If Wendy and Lisa were involved in the last two tracks and The One You Wanna See, they sure know how to take the wind, funk, adventure and music out of Prince. Those are fluffier than clouds.

The title track and Chelsea Rodgers are keepers, Guitar is destined to become a great live song if he wants but falters a bit on record like Fury, and the rest is completely disposable.

I'm continually baffled at how Prince can rock live but when he has to put it on record, he sounds like a complete amateur.
[Edited 7/9/07 15:28pm]

As much as I hate to admit it after how excited I've been for this album, I am disappointed.


I'll post more later when I'm able to talk about individual tracks... need to listen a few more times.

Wall said:

COnsidering he produces himself (still) and I am led to believe he's probably behind the controls in the studio and engineering, it's not surprising. He's in complete and absolute control.

I am shocked at your assessment on W&L, though. Didn't you say they have no influence on his music what-so-ever That it's ALL Prince... If that's true how could they taken the funk, wind and adventure out of his music? And considering that it was Prince who included them on the tracks, wouldn't it then be Prince's own doing?

emilio319 said:

There's nothing on PE even close a "Call My Name" or "Black Sweat", While I wouldn't call either Musicology or 3121 great, they were way better what we have here with Planet Earth.

superspaceboy said:

Perhaps I wasn't clear -- I said they had no substantial influence on Prince's zenith, circa 80-88, and I'd add in the NPG days and the TRC-ONA.

If he asked them to join in on those tracks, obviously they had influence, though it wasn't for the better was it? I have no idea how involved they were in the tracks they supposedly are inolved in -- perhaps they werent at all beyond backing vocals -- I'm just looking for a reason that the songs are so downright horrible and I'm suggesting it may be because of Wendy and Lisa.

Accujack said:

I can swear on my children's lives I wouldn't. I take the songs as they are. I could care less about the era they were recorded in. There are plenty of 80s Prince boots that I can't stand.

I was waiting for this song to at least be on the cd.

I love love love this song. Well at least the snippet I was able to hear.

Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful
http://www.prince.org/msg/7/193819


M

This division between fan reviews is a constant. That's because Prince surfs between masterpiece and mediocre in terms of musical output

Wall said:

Because that would OBVIOUSLY be the reason. Cuz you know everything they do turns into a pile of doody.

MikeMatronik said:

Absolutely.

That is precisely why I love Prince so much. Name another artist who would put something like Somewhere Here On Earth on the same album with Mr.Goodnight?

If this was a debut album from someone we had never heard of I believe we would all be blown away.

Instead, it's Prince, and some people always have to compare it to previous works.

this is a perplexing cd and set of songs. I think the first few tracks are really strong and engaging. In fact I would go as far to say some of the best of the last five years, especially if you like Prince guitar playing and more pop orientated work. I 100 per cent agree with alot folks that songs like 'Mr Goodnight' and 'Lion Of Judah' are sub par and too embrassing to be played out loud...

In my opinion this is not one of Prince's best albums but it does have some of his mostinteresting songs and arrangements of recent years - 'Planet earth' The One u wanna see and 'Somewhere Here On Earth' included for reference others included in 'interesting' would include 3121, 'The Rainbow Children various' Reflection, and Cinnimon Girl (for its pop sensibility and song writing marriage).

The big plus - On this cd he does sound fresh and engaged in stretching the boundaries of song writing and musical structure. Its 80's without being a retread...

All in all - a mixed bag, frustratingly brilliant as usual. Hey, Its a Prince album what do you expect.

Wall said:

Bruce Swedien(MJ's engineer) sent me a track of Michael Jackson's Earth Song a few months back to illustrate the quality that an Mp3 can have when someone takes time to make it correctly. Needless to say it was a fantastic sounding file...Well, I hadn't heard it in quite some time, but I decided that I'd listen to it today because it was right there on the desktop next to the new Prince tracks...well..


I just realized that the opening to Prince's Planet Earth starts with the same lone-piano playing in the intro...it gives you that same anxious feeling... Prince went a little darker with the theme(as expected). Beautiful, beautiful song.

Can't wait to get a better-sounding copy of this cd.
[Edited 7/9/07 16:04pm]

intha916 said:

- Black Sweat? Black Sweat is one of the less creative songs Prince released in the last years. It´s ´Kiss´ poor cousin. It doesnt have a strong melody or hook. The chorus is borrowed from The Work pt1 (not a great song also)
The live version is a lot better.

I like ´Call my name´ a lot, but it´s another ´Do me baby´ Prince ballad. I hope ´Somewhere here on earth´ is better.

MikeMatronik said:

While I think that part is true. I think it's more so that the fans are thinking he's going to churn out a masterpiece. And in reality he going to churn out what he normally has a decent album with a few gems, some regular fare and a few stinkers. Expectations other than that are going to be disappointments. i.e. FURY. I think those that are pleased aren't expecting much. I think those NOT pleased were expecting an album with lots of guitar and the Revolution as the band. I think that that is going to be the only thing that will placate the masses...oh and if was at least 2 CD's in length. Basically anything falling short of the Crystal Ball or Dream Factory is going to be met with the same divisiveness. The fans feel robbed damnit!

superspaceboy said:

I could be very wrong and it could just be Prince was totally unispired in those songs. Or perhaps they only provided backing vocals, I have no idea, but yes, if I had to guess, it would be that he allowed them to influence what was likely already a handful of songs that were already destined to become fluffy filler and they watered them down even further.

emilio319 said:

I agree with you, because when I first heard the Purple Rain album I was not all that impressed.By the end of the summer I loved it.

This is my opinion:

When Prince tries to hard to have hits, he ends up delivering sub-par material (Rave in2...is an example!). But when he's going with the flow...wham! bam! he delivers some magical stuff (Diry Mind...).

Musicology and 3131 are just regular efforts because Prince wanted something that can create hits.

About Planet Earth, I have enjoy a lot of songs. Shame about the crappy quality of the rips.

But I still prefer Prince's subpar material too the piece of shit that is mainstream music these days. New Power Soul isa diamond compared to the shit-hop that floods airwaves
[Edited 7/9/07 16:11pm]

GustavoRibas said:

I never said Black Sweat was creative. But what the hell is so creative about Planet Earth? Nothing here but some vanilla pop/rock tunes and a so-so R&B cut.

intha916 said:

the live version of Black Sweat is really good.

While I think that part is true. I think it's more so that the fans are thinking he's going to churn out a masterpiece. And in reality he going to churn out what he normally has a decent album with a few gems, some regular fare and a few stinkers. Expectations other than that are going to be disappointments. i.e. FURY. I think those that are pleased aren't expecting much. I think those NOT pleased were expecting an album with lots of guitar and the Revolution as the band. I think that that is going to be the only thing that will placate the masses...oh and if was at least 2 CD's in length. Basically anything falling short of the Crystal Ball or Dream Factory is going to be met with the same divisiveness. The fans feel robbed damnit![/quote]

No I'm going to judge is up against the last 10 years. I just hope for an album like Emacipation or TRC. An album that will give me 4-5 songs that I really dig. I don't think that's unfair at all. I'm not asking for another 1999 just some better than average music. He couldn't even do that this time around.

intha916 said:

- I didnt hear PE yet. But, judging for the reviews, it seems to be a more melodic and down-to-earth album than 3121, for example.

3121 had some good songs, but sounded like he was too desperate to show the world that he influenced Pharrell, or to show the world he could sound modern (Incense and candles). And some songs were very 80s (Lolita, Black Sweat).

At least PE seems to be more ´clean´ and less overproduced, with more of a ´live band´ feel. But I will only hear it when it´s released. I didnt like ´Guitar´ much.

MikeMatronik said:

yeah it is. the way he worked it with kiss is tight as hell. i bump the bet awards after party cd all the time.