tho' it not my favorite, i can listen to it all the way thru, but the stand out gem alone is "a million days' why this song was never released as a single baffles me.. the strongest cut on the CD and then comes "call my name" and "Dear Mr, Man", 3 of Prince's most adult contemporary pop/urban songs - tho the best Prince I enjoy is the funky Prince

seems sad if people can't admit that Musicology contains good, spirited songwriting and performances, not to forget to mention, it's beautifully recorded... try it without "Life O' The Party" and you might be surprised... of course, tell me i've got on my lavender glasses, but i didn't think Prince was a terrible actor either (at least not in PR and UTM,) and to me, this is Prince doing another character, that of: chillin, mature, grounded, humored dude who wanted to make his 'grown folks' album... this is sort of another Prince "concept album" in that respect, and it has some great music, and some merely "pleasant" stuff, too... the snap-pop of "Musicology," the surge of "A Million Days," the patience of "Call My Name," the breeze of "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?," the simultaneously overblown and precise "Marrying Kind/If Eye," the cheeky "On The Couch," the muddled but honest "Dear Mr. Man," the man behind the makeup of "Reflection"... get off your disappointed, kick-my-ass-from-the-past-to-the-future-and-back asses and give it up for what IS actually here-- that being, a solid, tight, assured album by a guy who usually makes wild, spasmatic, clusterfucks of genius-- and dig it as another side of this weird dude who has bucketloads to offer... what's wrong with you!!! Prince can do more than be the man out of time, he can be a pretty great man OF his time, too... and don't tell me you don't like anyone out there who is actually OF their time...

DUDE, totally love the comment about calling it "Pipe And Slippers"... brilliant!

Is it just me?

I think Musicology is the strongest of the last 3 Prince albums. True--none of the songs stand out as singles in my mind, but the overall feel and groove of the album is much more cohesive than 3121 or Planet Earth, both of which sound like vault material stuck together.

Don't get me wrong--of the last 3 albums, 3121 is by far my favorite. but I think Musicology is is the best of the 3.

Though I agree--it's quite tame and safe. It sounded to me as if Prince has been writing music that was designed to sound better live on tour than in the studio. Like he wanted songs that were easy to duplicate or improve upon live. It's very hard to do that with When Doves Cry, Kiss, or COME, but quite easy to do with his last 3 albums.



Either way, what I wouldn't give to hear something on par with his 83 to 88 years.

Imago said:

Misicology the song its self was kinda gay even for Prince...

NastradumasKid said:

That shit will end up in my signature

PurpleKnight said:

i agree somewhere here on earth is a great song ..but besides that and guitar that album is worthless

musicolgy 4 me at least has musicology, illusion coma pimp circumstance, cinnamon girl, if i was the man in ur life, dear mr man that i like

Imago said:

if only he would have done more songs from his past 3 albums live then i would have 2 agree with ya ..but the last 2 tours plus vegas offered little in new material being played

mikedelic said:

This is very insightful. I totally agree with your assessment.

I agree. It's the one album I never listen to - I think I've only played it through twice. I can't understand how a lot of people love it, called it a return to form and say it's better than 3121. Puh-lease! I do like the title tune & "Reflection" though.

PurpleKnight said:

Holy crap! I couldn't disagree more. The second half of Musicology is PURE BLISS! The couplet of Marrying Kind>If I was the Man in ur life is SUBLIME! Listen to the piano breakdown at the end. The tight-as-a-nun's-snatch vocals?! Delicious! And Reflection is too lovely...Can't listen to it without welling up with tears. I ADORE most of this record, which is more than I can say for "Chaos and Disorder"(the most aptly named Prince record), 3121, or RAVE.

But, then again, I absolutely ADORE Emancipation as well, which I know most orgers detest.

Whatevs...that's why Ipods have a click wheel...choices.

he still made tame and neutral interesting, i thought it was interesting. there's a few sweet political/ethics tracks on it that stick, and everything else is chill, but an enjoyable chill.