Sometimes there are Prince albums that you admire and respect as works of genius, and yet you just don't feel compelled to listen to them. I'm like that with The Rainbow Children. I played it again last night, and even though I love its production and think it has absolutely brilliant songs on it, playing it felt like a tiring process. I have way more fun playing 3121; an inferior album in every way.

Does this happen to anyone else with certain albums you acknowledge as brilliant but don't really listen to?

PurpleKnight said:

Simple answer: Parade. I accept it as landmark work by Prince and an important album in his career, but with the notable exception of "Kiss", "Girls and Boys" and "Sometimes it snows in April" (killer tracks!), I personally don't find anything on this record that really moves me. If I want to hear Prince being playful and experimental, then ATWIAD (very underrated imo!) is my pick because it doesn't come over as forced as "Parade". If I want to hear Prince mastering and mixing all possible styles, then my pick is SOTT, because it is much more mature and natural imo. I haven't played "Parade" for quite a while, actually. It's the Prince album from the 80's I like the least, though I understand why many people like it.

EmancipationLover said:

Co-sign. I could never really get into Parade. Although I can sit through it easily, I rarely do.

PurpleKnight said:

You and me are on the same boat with The Rainbow Children. It's a great album, that can't be denied but I have to be in a certain kind of mood to listen to it. It's not an album that I can hurry up and find to listen to on my iPod. Maybe I'll listen to it later in 2009.

Purple Rain....squeezed that muther 2 many times.

Gets ready for a beating...

Sign o' the Times

::ducks punches::

There are great tracks on this album, but I don't believe it's Prince's masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. I find it enjoyable enough, but I also find it annoying in many places.

So, while I enjoy it, I wouldn't say I enjoy it ALL "much" :p

As for what I consider to be his masterpieces - 1999, Purple Rain, The Gold Experience, Emancipation and Musicology.

bleutuna said:

This is something I never thought I'd find on this planet: someone who prefers Musicology to Sign.

Simple answer for me. Lovesexy.
I recognize the album as genius, and most certainly think that releasing this album was a bold move from a real artist.
I hardly ever revisit the album as a whole, but frequently put it on to hear I Wish U Heaven, which is one of my favorite songs period.

PurpleKnight said:

If you had more fun, then how is it "inferior"? Not everything has to be deep and meaningful, nor does it have to be fun and commercial to be "good". They're just different. There's nothing wrong with appreciating both of them equally for different reasons.

toejam said:

I differentiate between albums that are good and albums that I enjoy.

It has nothing to do with the albums' respective depth. TRC is better produced, more inspired, has fewer poor songs, and is way more important to Prince's recording legacy.

I'm like that with movies too. I can't say with a straight face that Star Wars: Episode III is a more well made movie than Citizen Kane, but I still enjoy it more.

SOTT

i cant get into that stripped down late 80's drum machine oriented sound

where r my funky guitar licks coated in synthesizers?

Purple Rain.
Its a great, well balanced album. But with the exeption of When Doves Cry, nothing really reaches out and punches me in the face like his other albums. All of the songs are good. But not "Oh my God I just got f'ed in the ear" awesome. Except for When Doves Cry, I have to keep mentioning that b/c its my favorite P song. (yay, I'm so unique. )
I'll contrast it with my fave album, 1999. It has some good songs (ex: 1999) some kinda mediocre ones (Lets pretend) and great songs (Corvette) and them some aural body slams (Lady Cab Driver, Automatic, Something in the water)
Its got personality to it.
But, cha'll know, that's just what Tora thinks some.

But I still know PR is a kickass album. Not ONE weak track. Thats something.
[Edited 1/15/09 16:45pm]