Given how much some people used to pay for btlgs, I'm sure Prince knew he'd have a sufficient market for the value of the web site offerings. But he leaves some to consider sharing "Crimson and Clover" — since he can't possibly expect those who pay top dollar online to pay for the rest of the songs a second time for the cd just to get the C&C — one of his best ballads in years.

NouveauDance said:

yep I noticed that....it just kinda stops

You are so right about the Bria part, I think her cd is pretty cool. It doesn't sound all "Princey", by that I mean corny! 'Cause his shit is down right corny these days![/quote]

Well I certainly don't agree with that but... (Prince sounding corny)

I really took a good listen to Bria today. On the drive to work and then back home. What was most striking is it doesn't at all sound like a Prince album. It just doesn't even when the linn is used on Another Boy. There is one section of Everytime where the keys in the bridge kinda sound Parade"ish" or Family/Madhouse but thats it

I liked that it doesn't sound like Prince. Also Prince's vocal on the song Exlir is just sick. He is such a beast when he wants it
[Edited 4/1/09 20:33pm]

LOTUSFLOW3R and MPLSoUND are the first Prince albums in I don't know how long where I'm not pressing the skip button. At all.

After many listens, I am convinced that any Prince fan not digging these discs may as well call it a day and just stick to live performances from now on, because I doubt you'll ever be happy again with his studio work.

JulesWindu said:

i think there is an element that is largely being ignored here.

in my own personal experience, the first few listens, i couldn't make it all the way through a single song on 'mplsound.' after repeatedly forcing myself to listen to it i've started to really like some of the songs.

i think the reason i had so much trouble with it is because i literally couldn't hear the music under the distortion. everything is eq'd and amplified and clipped to the point of simply hurting my ears. i thought 'musicology' and '3121' were really bad on this point as well, but 'mplsound' just sounds like grease frying.

once i strained to hear past the distortion, i really like some of these tracks. the phased drum machine cymbals is more a hallmark of his late '80s/early '90s work, but it is used to good effect on several of the slower songs. 'dance 4 me' and 'old school company' have great rhythm guitar.

'lotusflow3r' seems less distorted. songs like 'feel better...' could still benefit from a wider dynamic range, but overall the quiet spaces are further from the loud spaces, and the drums seem to sit in the right place in the mix.

this has been a problem since at least 1995 but it's become truly intolerable since 'musicology.'

i think a lot of folks are not really hearing the textures in these albums. i know i didn't at first. i literally had to listen to other music immediately afterward to sooth my headache.

stanleylieber said:

http://www.turnmeup.org/


[Edited 4/1/09 23:16pm]

yep.

unfortunately, the 'crystal ball' collection is also compressed and amplified a bit beyond reason. it still sounds mostly okay, but some of the 80's stuff is a little brittle owing to the reduced dynamic range.

Can't really get enough of this album, really! It's a Lovesexy kind of thing; I could listen 2 it over and over again.

Surely DREAMER is the gem, but the hypnotizing COLONIZED MIND serves me good as well.

I think I like almost everything on this record, xcept maybe for $.

Finally got my hands on these albums after someone having to burn them for me coz i cant download them off that damn site altho its in mp3 and the sound quality isnt great but its listenable.
Lotusflow3r is brilliant definitely the best ive heard since TRC, maybe even better that ive heard in more than a decade or so absolutely love it.
Didnt like Colonlised Mind or 4Ever when first hearding a while back it was quite disappointing but now hearing it blending in with the whole album its just sounds so different has a different vibe to it really love these songs.
Dreamer is so funky fab, $ is so funky cute, lotus and back to lotus is dreamy, feel better is funky, boom is good, just digging this whole album and i never say that with any albums. i am very surprised by how good this sounds, actually quite shocked cant get enough of it, love it!
Our boy did good!

I'm loving this music.
Both LOTUSFLOW3R and MPLSoUND are very funky, catchy and interesting. They are growing on me more and more each day, and they are actually fun to listen to too. I think Princes talent shines through with these albums. It's almost a pity that it wasn't a normal album release - I think Prince has cut off his nose despite his face - the focus has been almost completely on the problems with the website (understandably). I think a normal release with regular publicity would have had the critics and general public acknowledging this as the best music Prince has released in years.

I LOVE Lotusflow3r CD. I absolutely love the song Boom. Does anyone know the lyrics to this song or to any of the songs on this CD. I can't find them on the web.

This album started off great and is growing on me with every passing day, thanks P sincerely.

ebrantl said:

There are lyrics to Boom? Not much going on lyrically in that song

The lyrics are on the Lotusflower website

hiya know y'all are discussing LOTUSFLOW3R here but gotta say....cuz i can't find the Elixer conversation.

There's two super sweet trax on Bria's Elixer.

2Nite (great dance toon) & Another Boy.

(there's a section in Another Boy reminds me a bit of Benny and the Jets by Elton John)

& Something U Already Know is also super sweet./.

Can't wait 2 get it myself seems like boom iz the but please let it be better than PE, please that one sucked!

I'll go.

I like the "organic" feel this album has, something a Prince album hasn't had in a while, and the songwriting is miles better than anything on Planet Earth. I bet there's a lot more to discover here with some headphones, a candle or 2 and a few rips off a bowl. At first i thought it was a letdown before I realized I'd already beaten 4 songs of it practically to death from listening to the leaks.

From the Lotus 5/10 Decent intro. Probably start skipping it after a while.
Boom 7/10 Catchy and deceptive. The chorus takes you by surprise. I like it.
Crimson and Clover 7/10 Nice cover, even though I'm tired of it by now. Pretty darn sweet guitar work and I like the vocal distortion.
The Morning After 1/10 Brutal and cheesy. Reminds me of the Osmonds or some shit.
4EVER 6/10 It's grown on me over time. Was my least favorite of the 4 early tracks that leaked, but - like a lot of people have said - is another one that at least keeps you away from the skip button.
Colonized Mind 9/10 A near instant classic in my book, from the first time I heard it. I love how it builds until it's kicking your ass in the end, and I always enjoy when prince sings in this style.
Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful 9/10 One of my favorite tracks. I think it's a real slammer and, again, I love Prince's vocal style here; angry and raw. I really dig the little coke bottle percussion noise he peppers in ever other measure too.
Love Like Jazz 1/10 Can't deal with this at all. Not my style.
77 Beverly Park 4/10 Nothing really here as far as I can discern. It's barely a song. Sounds like something they'd play while Prince changes outfits at a show or something, but tolerable enough not to skip at least.
Wall of Berlin 6/10 Decent enough. Not the greatest song writing, but the "jam session" part and the guitar work saves it. Would probably destroy at an aftershow.
$ 7/10 Fun rockabilly style tune. Makes me picture Prince as Elvis for some reason.
Dreamer 8/10 Loses a point or 2 for sounding SOOO much like Hendrix that it's almost distracting, but a really nice showcase for what Prince can do with a guitar. Nice vocals. Again.
. . . Back to the Lotus 6/10 Not really a song, but I like it better than the intro.

So what's that, like a 7 or an 8? Once I remove Love Like Jazz and The Morning After, which I think are 2 of the worst songs he's written frankly, that's a pretty decent album there. The guitar and vocals are excellent throughout, almost like he captured whatever the fuck he was shooting for with Planet Earth by adding better song writing, MUCH better production and a bit more coherency.

This record feels organic, for lack of a better word, without the plasticness that too often took the edge off of Musicology and 3121. I bet if he did this whole set live (especially in the loose jamming style of an aftershow) it would be tremendous.

edit: forgot "4Ever"
[Edited 4/2/09 14:39pm]
[Edited 4/2/09 14:40pm]
[Edited 4/2/09 18:39pm]

herb4 said:

JulesWindu said:

Bingo.

I waited to listen closely to this one, knowing that I'd devour the first disc like a starving man devours the free bread & butter.

This may explain my favorable take on MPLSound ("that's not a regular cracker! That must be a Ritz!"), but my take on LotusFlow3r is hopefully objective.

From the Lotus--a nice li'l opener. Pleases this fan of The Rainbow Children. I have long hoped for an album with the musical breadth of TRC but without the nonsense that turned so many people off of it. As this song shows, it seems early on that Prince is attempting just that. He hasn't had any "narration" on any album since then. Maybe he felt it was a mistake, too. This also sets the tone for the album, which, while having some decent songs, is not so much of a collection of great songs as it is a sequence of music. I do like that idea, as Prince has shown himself lately to be a much better musician/arranger than songwriter.

Boom--cool & creative opening, not such an interesting chorus, but the music is once again what is important, and this one builds nicely. Some of the "trippy" lyrics are not working for me, but it's Prince, what do I expect? I'm still liking the progression of this experience.

Crimson and Clover--eh, I guess it'll do. Doesn't add or subtract from the overall feel for me. I suppose he needed one cohesive pop song, and at least this is a less obvious choice for a cover than, say, Come Together (or Voodoo Child )

4EVER--again, a weak chorus, and I am not particularly thrilled with the verses, either. "Lips," "hips," I suppose the rhyme is the only thing that matters. "Eternity is just one kiss away" yech. Still, it builds nicely, musically speaking.

Colonized Mind--I was prepared to dislike this. Prince preaching to his fams is a little like the blind leading the blind But damn if this one doesn't get kinda hot by the end. I prefer it to the inoffensive & cliche 4Ever, and by a mile.

Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful-- Here is where the album really starts to pick up. Not an amazing song, but fun, and cool sounding.

Love Like Jazz--I don't like the little instrumental break, but it's cute, I guess, and the playing is top notch.

77 Beverly Park--well, I was hoping for a song that builds on the cool fade-in from the previous song, but oh, well. I'm not sure this song actually fits the sequence. But it's nice, if not totally original sounding. Something that shows how diverse Prince's abilities are. And considering that this is this album's Wedding Feast, I think it's great!

Wall of Berlin--once again, fun, cool creative, exciting. Not crazy about the recycling of the idea from 3121, but he fleshed it out into a song that I like. This album does not peter out at the end, it gets better.

$--Love how this album keeps up the momentum towards the end. Great track.

Dreamer--Like 77, I don't know if this fits the album. It's kind of distorted where the rest of the album is so clear. Decent song, but it's also a blatant ripoff of Voodoo Child.

. . . Back to the Lotus--and a perfect bookend, a more interesting take on track 1.

Overall, this album is not perfect. Song for song, I wouldn't say it's as good as 3121. But as a whole I like it much better. I prefer to hear Prince challenge himself and enjoy the process for its own sake, rather than to chase some falling star.

This is one of the most gifted musicians of the last 100 years, and he owes it to himself to make more music like this. The songwriting can be lazy at times (4Ever) but he captures the thing that makes him such a special live performer lately. It's the explosion of music that is missing from much of his albums from 1996 & later. This might be his best album of the decade. Planet Earth sounded so simple & uninspired in comparison.


out of 5

Prince is 2 for 2 thus far. Now it's onto Elixer

NouveauDance said:

Just got a version of the CD, and that is butchered to say the least

is it me or does Feel Better ruin the flow if this record. Just doesnt fit the pop/rock sheen of the rest of the record. Should be swapped with No More Candy

Se7en said:

Yeah, I pretty much agree too. This is one of the best albums he has ever produced, quite frankly, and everything from his vocal performance (especially his urgent and spirited delivery in Feel Good...) to the basic songwriting is generally very strong. I don't usually say something like this, but I genuinely believe that if a song like $ had come out in the 1980's, it would be a cult favourite among most fans.

Seriously, how good are the verses in Boom?! Simple but brilliant!!

stanleylieber said:

I've yet to share your experience.
'Dance 4 Me' is excessively pushed forward, in a in-your-face type mix. But I never notice that in the car, only with headphones.
Lotus has great Prince guitar work but I like MPLSound better.
I think Lotus is mixed and mastered better. MPLSound has better songs.
'Boom' and 'Wall of Berlin' are excuses to play guitar.
'U're Gonna C Me', is getting major love, more than any song on the three releases.

My faves in order;

COLONIZED MIND
BOOM
DREAMER
LOVE LIKE JAZZ



(still love 2NITE & ANOTHER BOY ON ELIXER)

2nd favorite of the three CDs. Thanks again Prince, nice job!

PurpleKnight said:

im with this.

WetDream said:

Me too!

After consideration, i think i have to lower my Lotusflow3r score to 9/10. I would say it's because it's hard for an album to be perfect and i think its 4ever that does this to Lotusflow3r. I cant get with that chorus fully! Everything else is spot on for me....and 4ever may be someone elses jam so its all good.

Probably one day, say when i get married, this song may then speak to me....it must mean something to Prince so therefore i respect it being on there.
[Edited 4/3/09 11:37am]

"4ever" is WAY out of place on this album. If he wanted a ballad, he needed one with more cool, laid back guitar work. Something along the lines of "When The Lights Go Down", "Damn U", or songs in that vein.