~∞*∞~

It's now 2002, pretty soon, 2003.

Sooo, which is the most dated Prince album or era? What songs?

I say Diamonds & Pearls as far as style goes and Emancipation through New Power Soul. Nasty radio RnB poopiness.

ESPECIALLY Emancipation. Just too syrupy in some songs and sound so typical 1996 R & B sounding. Yuk.


And some songs on The Black Album (AKA The Funk Bible), like Dead On It. But 2 Nigs, just wild and super funky!

Discuss on.

For You sounds VERY old. As far as resembling its time period, I'd say that Emancipation through New Power Soul is it.

Grafitti Bridge. I'm not even sure why. Maybe because some of the songs have a weird 90's synthesized pop vortex feeling. I love it for Joy in Repetition, and The question of U, though. So I won't hate on that album.

blacksatin515 said:

Hm. Give me another example of that weird 90's synthesized pop vortex sound. Like another song from another artists...like a reference, I'm curious.

I actually really like the Bridge album. Well, most of it. The style is kinda okay. But some of it is really great.

From the first few listens back then I thought it was like an greatest UNRELEASED hits album.

Like a compilation of all his eighties projects he never got around or and OPPORTUNITY (from WB) to finish or release.

Like The Time album from 1988 with Shake and stuff.

Crystal Ball outtakes with Joy In Repetition.

Elephants and Flowers from Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic.

Tick Tick bang from the early eighties Dirty Mind era, etc.

Alright, I just about broke my head tryinta come up with an example, and all I can think of is The System, the Don't Disturb This Groove album, which I was an 1987 album I think.

Really, I can't quite explain what it is, Grafitti Bridge is a funky album, but it sounds kinda 90's to me, kinda cold, with industrial beats and (some) dated lyrics ("pumpin' the big noise in the 90's", "party people in the crib get hype, let's get this party funkin right" etc). {{ running out of the room now and beating myself for talkin sh*t }}

I've gotta go with Diamonds and Pearls on this one, it just reaks of 1991-ness.

His other dated albums can be narrowed to a couple of years.

savoirfaire said:

Yes I agree!

I'd have to say Dirtymind.
It'll always be a great album, but that new wave sound is quite dated.

For U

savoirfaire said:

I think if you remove the three crap songs (Daddy Pop, Jughead and Push) D&P doesn't sound too dated at all.

I would go for Dirty Mind - still a great album tho'.

Love Sexy is the most dated one to me. When I listened to it again for the first time, they heavy synth really stood out.

for you, 4 the most part...there's some other albums i wanna name, but somebody'll come along and name one or two 4 me in the meantime...

I would have to say...his first three albums sound very seventies... For You, Prince, and Dirty Mind. I am not too sure about Dirty Mind tho...but sure enough to post it.

Jade said:

I feel the same way about Lovesexy. I listened to it recently and it just sounds very dated. I was suprised since I really like this album, but no one would ever think it was recorded during any era except mid-80's.

Flame away...

For You- 1970s written all over it.

1999- The 80s pop-funk sound is clearly heard.I like it though it's a classic.

Purple Rain- A pure 80s album,and a classic.





My name is Biscuit...and I am funky!

What about Prince STYLE? You know, the hair, clothing styles, the themes, era's.

Lovesexy though maybe be synth driven but, it really didn't sound like anything at that time in popular music. Lot's of artists and producers were still trying to extrat that Prince sound of the mid 80's.

Lot's of synth sounds are used in dance music nowadays.

blacksatin515 said:

That's so funny, we were just listening to this the other day, cracking up. "Get hype, it's 1990!!" Okay, I guess you had to be there. Anyway. "Violet The Organgrinder" sounds very early-90s rap. "Come hither, my sweet - lend me your attention. Come hither, lend me your ear." Meeemoriiieees...

Diamonds and Pearls suffers from that disease peculiar to its era whereby every soul/R&B-type song had a rap break in the middle. Shit, how long did he have "rappers" in the band?

The prime example of this trend is "Black Or White", which I think is Michael Jackson's greatest song...but OH, that rap thing clanks today.

I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned the Symbol album.
Don't get me wrong, I love it to bits, but it sounds so much like Prince was desperately trying to sound 'hip' (Interestingly, the recent commentary on NPGMC makes a reference to it's conformity to the sounds of the time - although I still think that that was Prince's decision rather than Warner's. I wonder what it would have sounded like if Rosie G had remained in the band?). One thing I will say in it's favour is that it's got more energy than a lot of Prince's albums both before and after, but unfortunately, for me it was the first album where Prince started to sound generic.

Great topic!
I've been considering this recently after going through a period of listening to Prince/Controversy/Dirty Mind.
For me, these albums, although older, sound somehow to be "fresher" than the early 90's stuff like Diamonds and Symbol.
Maybe its because the singles were so big, or maybe some of the formulaic sound that was so popular at the time. Either way, I'd say the early albums sound original today whilst the later stuff when he was trying to be all hip sound mostly unremarkable.
For me, Symbol is the one album which sounds dated the most,

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone here, but I honestly think that the subject of music sounding dated really shouldn't be negative thing. If one loves the 80s, what's the harm in an album sounding like it was made in 1986- nothing!

With that said- I would say his most dated albums are For You, Prince, Dirty Mind, 1999, Batman, Grafitti Bridge, and Diamonds and Pearls.

Then there are the albums where he actually sounds behind the times- a la Rave and New Power Soul. Sounding behind the times is not necessarily a bad thing to me either.

DewMass:

I totally agree with you about the three you mentioned. It's really amazing. Out of all of the Prince CD's I have so far in my collection, Dirty Mind, Controversy, and For You (Prince comes in afterwards for me) are the ones that get the heaviest rotation in my car. Dirty Mind especially. It has that "garage-basement band" sound to it, and that's always fresh.

1999 and Grafitti (sp?) Bridge. I always forget...2 f's or 2 t's

Tina (~!~)

definitely 1999. it has such a compressed, synthetic sound, drums sound like they are hitting wet cardborad boxes. 1982!!!

Dated music gives its personality, its like wine!!! But really now, I think For You sounds the most dated, I personally love the late 70s sound of prince and grace jones, it reeks of funky minimalism...

NettieSmiles said:

You're not alone...I have the same problem. I just HAD to tell ya!

Wouldn't it be cool if Prince made an album that kinda souned like his 70's output??? I'm all for new sounds like TRC but I think it would be cool to hear it.

fms said:

Once it's remastered everybody would change their tune.

Supernova said:

I agree with that.

Supernova said:

If it ever is remastered.