jacobpb said:

Obviously, you've never heard Rave. Surely you don't think that Planet Earth is worse than Rave.
What contemporary artists are doing songs like Lion Of Judah, Resolution, and The One U Wanna C?

I love this album. It's easily the best of the "Musicology Trilogy", in my opinion. A great album from start to finish, without any filler a la 3121.

gubbins4ever said:

Now... see... I felt that PE had the filler. I suppose you and I come from different places here on PE. Aniwaze..... PE is not the best album Prince has ever done for sure when piling them all together and judging them one against the other... of course good lord, he gives us a new album every year which is more than other artists even attempt to do... and for that alone I am grateful.

Giovanni777 said:

actually even TRC songs didn't get much play..with it being only 5 tracks played live and even less when it got 2 europe. so the trend has been happening since emancipation and that truly sucks balls

The bottom line is the album sucks.

I've listened to it four times and, still, don't like it.

purplecam said:

This thread is half give me the feeling... didn't people used to think that 3121 wasn't all that great? And when the new guy comes along, you're like "Oh my mistake. 3121 is brilliant compared 2 this piece of..." well, u get the idea. Using PE as an excuse to like 3121 in that manner
I'm not against praising 3121, but not because of PE's "disappointment." If anything, PE made me look back at 3121 and I saw little tricks he used on there that he used on the PE as well. Their similarities bring them closer together (but kinda leaves Musicology out in the cold because its "different"). That's just me.

I agree that 3121 would be a good way to keep going in this direction that Prince is going in musically & lyrically, but I'd like to see an album that flows. 3121 does not flow for me. Like someone here said it right, it does have that mix-tape feel. PE really felt like he was on the verge of something, but he came up short. By the time I get to Resolution, I'm like "awww... its the last song, I want to hear more." Now, if he could combine elements I saw in both albums, I'd be just as happy as with anything he could dish out.

As for that "energy" in 3121, I really didn't feel that. At least not until some of the later tracks. It's the complete opposite. Planet Earth had such an energy that it felt like magic to me and each track seemed to flow well into the next, although it does peak once or twice. PE felt alive, not like "studio plastic" with some of the 3121 tracks. PE felt like it had heart & soul in it, especially in the really special tracks. [Future Baby Mama, Planet Earth and Somewhere here on Earth come to mind 4 me.]

People have said that by combining tracks from the last 3 albums you'd have a decent one. I've mixed Musicology & 3121 a couple of ways and got interesting results, but I was initially against touching PE at all because each track flows into the next flawless. I wouldn't want to spoil that. Although mixing up 3121 and PE wouldn't be a bad idea

When PE came out, I had no expectations except for it to be better than 3121. I got my wish and several surprises on the album I didn't expect to find. Then when I go back to 3121, the similarities came together and I liked it more. When this new album does come out, I have my idea of what I'd like to see, but I think I'd prefer not having too much of an idea in mind. Because if he goes ahead and does something completely different... I don't want that kind of disappointment. Or to have to work through an album to get it to work for me. I've already had to do that too many times. I'd rather like an album right way because its less work on my part, haha.

Actually... PE came off so well on the first shot, I can't remember having that good of a first listen since... even 3121.

williamb610 said:

sometimes it takes more than 4 times to get the gist of an album.

Two albums took me 7-8 listens before I felt any sort of connection to the music or understood what his direction was.
And they happened to be two of his most reputable albums.

Don't go by me, though.
I work through Prince's albums very intently until I know for sure what I think of it. And pretty much all that I have, I get along with very well

L4OATheOriginal said:

Me too! Hell, I'll take Carmen Electra's album over Planet Barf. Yeah, no contemporary artists are doing songs like Lion of Judah, Resolution & The One U Wanna C because those songs SUCK! Planet Earth =

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Getting opinions on black music from a white dude from Finland is like going to Harlem to get the lowdown on the latest Willie Nelson album.
It just don't jive.

Accujack said:

love2thenines2003 said:

That's the great thing about it, you know. It all comes down to taste. The two albums where W&L probably had the most input - ATWIAD and Parade are two of my least favorite Prince albums. They each have their moments, but neither is one that I listen to much. They are not boring to me, just not as much my thing as some of his other stuff.

I've never quite understood all the fuss about W&L. I just listened to a pressed version of Dream Factory and I am sooooo happy that the album was replaced with SOTT. Again, some of the songs were cool, but the W&L influence muted the funk and soul. It is really apparent to me with the difference in the DF and SOTT versions of Strange Relationship. So, I knew from the vibe of PE that W&L were not that inlfuential on this one, which for me is a good thing.

L4OATheOriginal said:

It's cause the music sucks, and Prince knows it.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

I can't speak for everyone else but I was ALWAYS in support of 3121 from the day it came out. That was and will always be my album. I actually did something I don't usually do and that's compare CD like that. PE is it's own CD and I like it for what it is. 3121 is it's own album nd it is what it is too. I do hope that PE grows on me. I'm optimistic it can. But first I have to play it again.

I find Planet earth to be the most dissapointing album he has released. It's really hard to like. The lyrics are by far the worst on any album he has released and it is totally uninspired (which Prince effectively confirmed with next to no promotion and giving it away).

At least NPS had Come On, The One and Wasted Kisses.

I really hope he gets some inspiration back. I'd give anything for another Rainbow Children.

L4OATheOriginal said:

It's cause the music sucks, and Prince knows it.

bkw said:

I beg to differ.
NewPower Soul MAY have those three stand-out tracks (well, actually, I still haven't gotten into Wasted Kisses yet... but its his fault for putting 40 something blank tracks b4 it what a way to kill w/e vibe he started).

I wasn't even considering that album at all, but just because it was on the shelf, I figured it couldn't hurt to have one of his lesser-known albums. Only after getting it do I see why... most of the music isn't my style AT ALL.

Planet Earth has the title track, Somewhere here on Earth and Lion of Judah as stand-out tracks and some of his best material from the last three releases.

Come to think of it, though, it might boil down to different tastes. While not exactly the same, the style that Prince used for Planet Earth. The overall vibe of it, becoming more of what a contemporary artist would sound like. And that vibe, I have probably felt in some of the other music I listened to before he came along. But I do feel that the album WAS inspired. He had me going after PE's solo. That's got to be worth something.
It feels like a cross between beauty (Somewhere here on Earth, Future Baby Mama) and music so upbeat you can't help but tap your foot to (Guitar, The One u wanna c, Chelsea Rodgers, Lion of Judah)

The only thing disappointing about PE is the overall reaction towards it. I've heard a lot of nice things here, but a lot of not-so-nice... usually from the same people. Negative comments only lead too more. The only reason I'm still posting is to keep things in balance by posting all of my positive feelings towards the album and why I like it so much.

As for NPS, I do not want to discuss my thoughts after 2 listens. It made me almost want to take a long vacation from Prince's material just because it was the weakest thing I had ever heard from him. He's so much better than that and I'm so glad he didn't repeat that "mistake"

I like Planet Earth I dont particularly care what anyone else says


That includes U Freddy L4OAtheorigional

BartVanHemelen said:

Damn Bart, you're a misreable MF'er, arent you? Your continued negativity always brings the party down.

Get a life dude...before you find yourself being that grumpy old fart sitting on your porch in a dirty white robe with no underwear on yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off your lawn. Wait, what am I saying? You're doing that in here now. My bad...
[Edited 2/12/08 11:34am]

I will not say that PE is weak, and I will call the title song weak. Guitar is great... it really is. There are a lot of great tracks on it. I still think 3121 is stronger. I am just glad he is writing strong songs and music once again. It really makes for some cool summers.

Rainbow Children seemed to be a turning point for him. He has really been churning out some good stuff. Many people call Musicology the turning point, but there was hints as to what was to come on RC. Mellow, for instance, has the sound that was heading towards Musicology. Maybe everything was headed for Planet Earth.


NPS was a big disappointment to me too. So much beneath Prince's potential.

Before 'Planet Earth' came out, I predicted that this album would divide Prince's fans more than any other album.

Well it most definitely did.

Does anyone here think that perhaps Prince shut down his site out of frustration with both the reaction from his fans from 'Planet Earth' (which I believe he thought would be greatly appreciated), and from the "fan backlash incident"?

I do.

Giovanni777 said:

Ah dood, it is so difficult for me to form an opinion on this. Prince has dropped offline before and then came back. I don't know. I feel like he is just revamping, and I can see him smiling a bit for our anticipation. Maybe he won't come back to online... I don't care, as long as the new album comes out.

hollywooddove said:

This is an example of why I love this place. You find people who share your opinions and you can talk for what feels like forever. Positivity is really catchy. I think the people who keep coming back to bash the album should take a lesson in that and spread their positivity in other places that need it.

Haha... I really don't believe in "turning points" all that much, but I see what you're saying. Everyone has a diff. POV. I think that Musicology was just one of those albums he released just to send out a message and try to promote his beliefs. Ironically, that's what he tried to do with The Black Album in dissing hip-hop and how he says he doesn't want to go in the direction (unfortunately, he does end up eating his words with some of his NPG tracks).

Musicology came off in a more positive way where Prince didn't so much criticize how the quality of music has gone down, but says that he wishes to promote real music and how music should be heard. It was a more/less a concept album where a lot of people believed he was coming back from a long leave of absence, so that's why they see it as a turning point.

While it is good, I think 3121 might fit the definition more. Like I said, I heard vibes throughout PE that reminded me of 3121, so that was his next step and he'll be going in this particular direction for a while... at least I hope.

I haven't been to the recent albums lately, so I can't back-up my claims. I still don't believe he had any sort of turning point since the 80's where he had a bunch of those (Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain... SOTT). But that's because I haven't done my research elsewhere as of yet. I'll have more to say on this matter after I get back to the 90's material and sort through that.

The way I see Musicology now, after your remark on promoting real music, I think Mlogy is his first really strong leg with his battle against the board system in music. FOR that, I think he is the boss. His moves have been keeping the monopoly powers off balance.

chillichocaholic said: