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Era of the '90s Which era in the '90s do you feel P created the finest body of work?
1990 - 1992 Graffiti Bridge Diamonds & Pearls 
1993 - 1995 The Undertaker Come The Gold Experience 1996 - 1999 Chaos & Disorder Emancipation The Truth Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic My personal opinion: it's usually 1993 - 1995 but right now 1990 - 1992 is hitting the right spot. There is a certain buoyancy to the music that I am finding refreshing in a decade characteristed largely by anxiety and struggle. This era yielded extremely strong singles (e.g., Gett Off, Cream, Diamonds & Pearls, Sexy MF and 7), a plethora of excellent album tracks including Joy In Repitition, Strollin', Willing & Able and And God Created Woman, not to mention some classic slow jams (The Question Of U, Money Don't Matter 2Nite, Insatiable and Damn U). I also enjoyed the includion of side projects (We Can Funk being a highlight) and various members of the NPG playing cameos such as Tony M. and Rosie. And who can forget the typhoon?! As much as I really dig the entire 1993-1995 era, I do feel that the released work does not quite match the raw, exciting power of the previewed live material and that the manner and delayed timing of each album release ultimately ended up overshadowing the music. However, one can simply not overlook the importance of The Most Beautiful Girl release and the enduring power of songs like Days Of Wild, Shhh and The Ride. 1996 - 1999 is a mixed affair scattered with brilliance (e.g., The Truth) but also littered with bittersweet send offs that took away from the discography (Chaos & Disorder); false hope and failed attempts at exorcising demons of the past (Emancipation and Rave). That said, there is some truly beautiful music too, especially when P lays it on the line for Mayte (Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife) and his hopes for their family to be (Let's Have A Baby). | |
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I like the live era '92-'93. Great concerts, especially the act II, where he performed lots of fan favorites like The Beautiful Ones, Irresistible Bitch, She's Always In My Hair, Sign O'The Times....even Sometimes It Snows In April. Plus the brand new stuff Peach, Come, Endorphinemachine. Plus the Mayte/Prince interaction was hot...
The Nude concerts were a bit lame, but also had their highlights (The Question Of U, Bambi, Partyman). They lacked the horn section, and i didn't like the bulk of programmed beats. Wasn't necessary, because Michael B. had just joined the band. The stripped down NPG '94-'95 was a complete change. Overshadowed by the whole Warner-Slave thing. The gold Experience is great, but i never had the chance to see it live, and it seemed lots of Prince fans were confused at this time. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
My Name is Dita...I'm your mistress tonite... | |
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So hard of course...but I will have to choose 96'-99' because of the dense versatility of music...The sound from each album has it's own overall feel...
"Chaos and Disorder" is agressive. "Emancipation." is colorful, meaning...I'd have to write a paper on it. "The Truth." is...sexy, however, it has so much guitar craftsmanship...I don't know how else to say it. "Rave." is Fun, Tender, and Sweet. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight... | |
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Again I have to mix and match here. I believe the best period of the 90's was through The Gold Experience. That material, I feel, is some of which that can give his 80's material a run for its money.
is like a miniaturized SoTT, where there's a large variety of music in different genres and such, but they don't really connect or tell a story.
Come is a thorough, homogenous sounding album that does tell a bit of a story. Haha, actually, in that way, its sorta like Parade. (basing this on the last tracks alone... Solo is like his "dying" eulogy and Sometimes it Snows in April is the eulogy told after the death occurs... both albums end up "death"). TGE, I don't know what I can compare it to. Its like a large variety of music and genres that really don't tell a story. I think I'd compare it to 1999, which does the same thing. Has that large amount of music and variety and doesn't really tell a story. Of the three, I think is my favorite because so much of the music is positive and about love and romance. And Prince does have a way with love songs 
Though for other reasons, TGE is just as amazing if not more. See this is why I don't choose favorites. Change my mind way too much  had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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I would go with 1993-1995. Prince had become and the music was a direct representation of the changes he was going through. He was angry and pissed at where things were with WB and as a result, the music was louder, harder and much more in your face. There was an excitement of where things were about to go with and I for one was excited about the future. The Undertaker is so damn cool. I wish he had officially released that album. Come is great because it's consistant with the mood, which was very "dark". The Gold Experience is one of my absolute favorites from that period and a lot of other fans favorites too. The energy in that CD is just insane. Even the outtakes on Crystal Ball and other boots from that period reflect how incredible Prince & his music was as this point. It's a damn shame Prince didn't get all the accolades and success he should have when this period was happening, but with that, it's still one of my favorite eras in the Purple World.I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that | |
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when I look at the list, and call those the 90's, man... he sucked in the 90's, no wonder he has had to battle to get back on the radio, he really dropped the ball in the 9 - 0 decaade. We are all so full of  here | |
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Not bitchin', just sayin' - C&D should probably be with the 93-95 bracket since a) the material largely belongs to the same period as Come and TGE and b) it is also a WB record.
Also NPS and Exodus, I feel, should be included in their respective eras since at the time of release promoting them was Prince's chief activity, publically. (I wouldn't include them in a Prince discography since they're 'NPG' - but for this, I enjoy the pedantic distinction )
I also had a similar pedantic hard-on about Purple Rain and whether it belonged in the previous era band or not in the 80s thread. 
Any way - I'm for the 93-95 era, just because it stands the test of time, it's still very much the 'undiscovered country' (or 'New World' ho,ho,ho) as far as Prince newbies, casuals or the general audience is concerned. The start of the era was exceedingly strong musically, it seems like the anger towards WB and the record industry hadn't quite set in as bitterly as did later on, and the music and projects recorded and started in 93/94 were very strong and felt fresh and new.
96-99 is still the worst era of his entire career IMO. Not without it's merit of course, but overall, there is far less to praise and much more to criticize (or to turn a blind eye to if there's any fammy-fams reading). The 90-92 era is a mixed bag, Graffiti Bridge, well much of it dates from years earlier, so I can't praise Joy In Repetition or Question Of U as 90s tracks, when they are not. Diamonds & Pearls is a jumble of the sublime (Willing & Able, Money, Strollin') and the ridiculous (the usual suspects), even more so maybe - a stronger album than D&P IMO, but over-long and what seemed interesting at the time, seems masturbatory now
I don't really care for the singles from D&P, Money Don't Matter being the exception - whether that's over-exposure or what, I dunno, but Gett Off, Cream & D&P are songs I haven't listened to in years and would trip over myself to reach for the 'skip button' had I not got a remote control at hand. Howzat. [Edited 3/24/08 13:54pm] | |
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Easily he 90s. I think dat 'Symbol' album is his most diverse genre album 2 date.
Hitting number 1 in UK critics described it an album before its time, said could be released after millenium and people would still like it, if u listen 2 it, it is phenomal and Prince best album in many ways. I'm sure u area Diamonds & Pears set from there Prince legacy, his new band & sound dat mutured 2 present. Sam 8) Prince 2010 Good Luck for Future & Tour | |
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1993 - 1995: GoldNigga, The Hits 1, The Hits 2, The Hits & The B-Sides, 1-800-NEW FUNK, Come, The Black Album (official release), Exodus & The Gold Experience.     wish U were here baby, on me--
Stuck like glue!  | |
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NouveauDance said: Not bitchin', just sayin' - C&D should probably be with the 93-95 bracket since a) the material largely belongs to the same period as Come and TGE and b) it is also a WB record.
Also NPS and Exodus, I feel, should be included in their respective eras since at the time of release promoting them was Prince's chief activity, publically. (I wouldn't include them in a Prince discography since they're 'NPG' - but for this, I enjoy the pedantic distinction )
I also had a similar pedantic hard-on about Purple Rain and whether it belonged in the previous era band or not in the 80s thread.
Any way - I'm for the 93-95 era, just because it stands the test of time, it's still very much the 'undiscovered country' (or 'New World' ho,ho,ho) as far as Prince newbies, casuals or the general audience is concerned. The start of the era was exceedingly strong musically, it seems like the anger towards WB and the record industry hadn't quite set in as bitterly as did later on, and the music and projects recorded and started in 93/94 were very strong and felt fresh and new.
96-99 is still the worst era of his entire career IMO. Not without it's merit of course, but overall, there is far less to praise and much more to criticize (or to turn a blind eye to if there's any fammy-fams reading). The 90-92 era is a mixed bag, Graffiti Bridge, well much of it dates from years earlier, so I can't praise Joy In Repetition or Question Of U as 90s tracks, when they are not. Diamonds & Pearls is a jumble of the sublime (Willing & Able, Money, Strollin') and the ridiculous (the usual suspects), even more so maybe - a stronger album than D&P IMO, but over-long and what seemed interesting at the time, seems masturbatory now
I don't really care for the singles from D&P, Money Don't Matter being the exception - whether that's over-exposure or what, I dunno, but Gett Off, Cream & D&P are songs I haven't listened to in years and would trip over myself to reach for the 'skip button' had I not got a remote control at hand. Howzat. [Edited 3/24/08 13:54pm] Yes, C&D should belong with the 1993 - 1995 era. I disagree with naming Exodus and Newpower Soul (unless I was to name all side-projects) as they are not listed Prince albums. I do think, however, that all side-projects should be considered in choosing an era. I would tend to agree with you that the 1993 - 1995 era is sublime, however, I do feel the recorded material does not quite flow. Whilst I may prefer the era, I think the finest body of work was 1990 - 1992. The music was in flow, albeit rather commercially as you point out. Then again, I don't see anyone complaining about the commerciality of the '80s... | |
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My favorite 90's era was the 1993-1995 "birth of " era. It was probably
his most prolific and consistently good songwriting period since the 1986/7 Dream Factory/Camille/Crystal Ball/Sign O' The Times period. However, I agree that with the exception of The Gold Experience, this era isn't very well represented by the officially released albums from that period. In fact, I'd have to say that as far as commercial releases go, the whole era was a bit of a mess. So many great tracks though! As far as representation by the officially released albums go, I'd have to say that the 1990-1992 albums show a much more cohesive and consistent flow. So album wise, I'd have to say this period was the strongest, even though I prefer the tracks produced during the 1993-1995 era. As for the 1996-1999 era, there are certainly some good tracks, but overall I think the 'great song' to 'filler' ratio dropped considerably during this time. Also, starting with Emancipation, there seemed to be a 'blandness' to the production values of the songs, with much less experimentation and off the wall spontaneity. | |
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Though I think he was jerk at the time and I could hardly call myself a fan, I believe 1993-1995 was definitely a creative peak for him; however, I think you'd have to've been around him (or at least seen/heard a lot of the shows and unreleased material) to know this. In 1996, he became a changed man, but unfortunately the musical highlights were few and far between in comparison to previous years. | |
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1990 - 1992
Graffiti Bridge Diamonds & Pearls
This may not be a fair comparison in my case because out of any of the era's, this is the only one I know any song(s) from. | |
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