stanleylieber said:

Constant references to the old school and always criticising something if it sounds new? That ain't just disliking the new tracks which i wouldn't have a problem with, that's being a fool and i will tell those ignorant people to be quiet.

"open the vault, open the vault!" BE QUIET and move on. If he opens it great but, i for one, am looking forward to whats to come.

U JUST OLD!
[Edited 4/2/09 10:45am]

WetDream said:

physician, heal thyself

This cd is my second favorite of the three and really, to me, the only sound in it is the percussion rim shot sound heard all through the songs that was in PR era. Everything else sorta sounds like the music he put out since Musicology until now, which isn't bad, but it's not the trade mark MPLSound that For You through LoveSexy hadm really For You through ATWIAD album. When I listen to it just doesn't remind of that era, which is the definative MPLSound.

My two favorite songs on the CD are "Here" and "Valentina" Those songs just are IT!!! Ol Skool is a good song and Chocolate Box pretty awsome too

Over all I'd give this product a 8/10

stanleylieber said:

i'm still waiting 4 him 2 do this song live

JulesWindu said:

post of the day easily... Wall this means you

geeze folks, can we have one thread without someone telling someone else to stop listening to prince.

Wall said:

Yep. That song screamed "Emancipation cutting room floor". Like I said before, I really dislike his attempts at "modern R&B" with songs like this, "Jam Of The Year", "Acknowledge Me", "Right Back Here In My Arms", "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold", etc. They just sound so damned forced. He can do songs like this in his sleep any day of the week, and he doesn't need to TRY to write radio hits. All of his hits came when he did his own thing and radio picked up on HIS style, not the other way around.

In all genres, there are always rare exceptions. I have never heard of him, nor do I care to hear from him, but where in any of my posts did I single his name out? Actually, I had forgotten that he was even on the album. I was so busy listening to Prince making a fool of himself that I didn't even notice the other clown's presence on the album. Hell, Prince sounded so foolish himself, he probably blended right on in with him.



Well, while you are concentrating on the now, I'm concentrating on the future in music in general and hope it changes from the now.



I never had to dig in the past and I'm not going to start now. I shouldn't have to. I also don't have the time or the patience for it.



New or up to date? Up to date is more like it. As for new, it's definately not new. Shit hop has dominated R&B for nearly 20 years so how is adding shit hop all over your music doing something new? You said you aren't looking for repeats, well how is doing a genre that has been done to death for 20 years not doing repeats? If he were doing something new, it would be a totally new sound altogether that no one has ever heard of.

And as for not catering to the disease of the industry, not only is he catering to it on this album, he is bowing down and kissing it's ass. And the really crazy thing about is, on the very song that sounds the most like what has diseased the industry, he has the nerve to brag about himself and talk about the current artists. It's like he wants to sell out but he still wants to down the other artists while he's doing the same time shit they are doing.




You don't want him stuck in the brief past doing stuff like that but you don't mind him being stuck in the past 20 years like all the current artists are. That's not change, that's SOS.....Same Ole Shit.

Where have I criticized something that sounds new? I'm criticizing something for sounding current (not as in current Prince but current music in general) and these days, current is no longer new because current has not changed in 20 years.




No, your problem is because you didn't like me using the word "shit hop". It wouldn't have mattered if I was using it in reference to Prince or not because apparently you like that genre and don't like me saying something negative about it. Well, you sure as hell ain't get nothing positive from me when it concerns that genre.



First of all, who promoted this album as being a return to Classic Prince? It certainly wasn't me and I knew he wasn't going to open the vault, nor did I expect him to. I knew it would be an updated version of the old sound. I have no problem with that. But hell, I'd rather hear it updated it with cats howling on a fence before hearing it updated it with shit hop.....at least that would be something "new" because shit hop certainly isn't.




I may be old but I'm not the one that's ready to sit on the front porch in a rocking chair and simply bob my head to some music. I'll leave that to the younger generation since they just skipped middle age and went straight to old age. I'm still young enough to shake ass and do a lot more than just bob my head.

HEY, how about a review?

(There’ll Never B) Another Like Me 8/10 Not sure why everyone seems to hate this song, but I loved it the first time I heard it. I really enjoy the party jam Prince and this one reminds me of "The Good Life" from "Exodus", one of my favorite records.
Chocolate Box 8/10 Lots of fun. Gets stuck in your head a lot and does just enough to trick you up every time you think it's getting monotanous.
Dance 4 Me 9/10 Love, love, love this song. Had it on repeat like 4 times in a row last Sunday. This is Prince at his best for me. Reminds me a bit of "When Doves Cry".
U’re Gonna C Me 4/10 Not really a fan of the ballads, save a few, and this one I think actually sounded better when it was softer and more delicate. could be a grower though. I skip it in the car but leave it on when I'm at home and don't want to get up or something.
Here 6/10 This is the one song here that catches me off guard, and is probably the most challenging song on the disc. I like it more the more I hear it, but somehow it doesn't fit on this record or something.
Valentina 8/10 infectious and awesome. I like when Prince sings in this style, love the keyboard loop and really dig the sly, slinky and coy vocal style of the whole thing.
Better with Time 2/10 Nope. Not my cup of tea. Skip.
Ol’ Skool Company 9/10 Probably the best song on the record. I was somewhat underwhelmed when I heard it for the first time on Leno, but when I heard the album version, I started doing the gangsta' strut down my hallway. Awesome song.
No More Candy 4 U 6/10 Goofy as hell, and my wife hates it, but I think it's hilarious and a great closer. I love the seriousness Prince brings to a song that he knows is ridiculous and how that plays off each other.

I think it's a really good, if not great record. Without the ballads (which is probably just a personal taste thing), I think it's the funkiest and most fun thing he's recorded since 'Exodus". Taking the 2 records together, it's almost like witnessing an evolution in turd polishing or something. 'LotusFlow3r' is a good "Planet Earth" and this one is a good "NewpowerSoul" or, to lesser extent, "Rave" or the Chocolate/Slaughterhouse songs.

There's shit here I haven't heard him do since "1999" really. Simple song structures, layers of sound, steady beats peppered with decorative and subtle noises, breaks in the rhythm that come in just when they're supposed to, and an overall sort of fun party vibe that I've always liked. The production is pretty good for a change also, IMO.

I even like the art work.

8/10, 9/10 without the ballads.

digitalpharaoh said:

Not funky to you . . . .

It's funky, . . . it's just not taking that 'Slumdog Millionaire' jump into funk.

vainandy said:

WOW Vainandy, i agree 100%, There is nothing new to hip-hop, I am a fan because when his music was not like anything else.
Now, his "new" music is just like everything else from 5 years ago.
[Edited 4/2/09 19:40pm]

My favorite of the three cds. Thank you Prince for your hard work.

Prince, baby. Ya did it with this joint...MPLSound is just what the doctor ordered after the nagging earache thats been constant since radioplay of today. Im so so soooo digging this album I mean, you stuck your foot in the stew!! God...
1. "TNBALM" OF COURSE there wont

2. "Chocolate Box"...and this chocolate box anxiously awaits you!

3. "Dance For Me" YES! Y shouldnt I with that infectious groove? That delicious boom? The oh so nostalgic "Camille"/"Jamie Starr" voice????

4. "U're Gonna C Me" classic line: "If you could just hold me tight, you'd c there's nothing harder 4 u than me..." and we thought Prince lost his naughty?? What..are you joking??? Good lawd, talk about fantasizing!

5."Here" I adore the whimsical feel of this song...so carefree and graffitti bridge-ish of ole boy

6."Valentina" took a couple of plays for this song to saturate me...Heeeeey Valentinaaaa finally got me. And um, Prince, do you or have you ever had the hots for Ms. Hayek aka Mrs.Francois Henri Pinault?

7."Better Than Time" this is where I wind down. The lyrix are beautiful but this song is a downer for me.

8. "Ol Skool Company" still havent gotten over your 'Musicology' stage yet, eh honey? S'all good, the beat is dope on this one! Even though my mom would be old school company for you

9. "No More Candy For You" I love when you rebel and musically give peeps the . This run in the chorus sounds like a gospel song! What a funky and fun, yet, sporatic and spastic way to shout out "All you haters on the internet...nobodies looking at you..." HA!!!!!

IM SATISFIED!!! Now, on to the concerts!!!!!

CherrieMoonKisses said:

yikes

Brofie said:

I love the album!!!

What I don't get about peoples reception of this album (both fans and music journalists) is that they say it is drawing back to his 80-ies signature sound, just because he is using the linn-drum and those 'cheap' sounding synths.

It shows both groups are listening to the music on a superficial level.

Okay, he uses the same 'devices', but he sure isnt using them like he did in the eighties.

On MPLsound the Linn is mostly used as a gimmick, to remind the listeners of Princes musical past. But no single programmed beat on his new album can measure up with those of songs like Automatic, When doves Cry or Raspberry Beret.
In fact the drum pattern sounds rather the same on most songs, he could have chosen another drummachine and it wouldnt make much difference.

Next to that, the songwriting and compositions on his earlier work are fairly different.
He was using elements of funk, traditional soul, new wave and rock and combined them in a refreshing, original way.
The compositions on MPLsound are most of the time not harking back to those 'basic styles', but seem to be composed as 'copies' of what is popular in the charts today: The Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Timbaland: plastic producers-pop.

There is nothing really funky to be found on MPLsound, nothing really outstanding composition-wise.
It first off all sounds like a very forced and misguided attempt from some legendary 50-yo musician who has artistically proven himself allready in the past, but who STILL seems to think he should convince the young public of his abilities, by adjusting his music to what is concerned 'popular'.

Riverpoet31 said:

-----

I agree with Riverpoet on this one. I can't believe Lotusflow3r and MPLsound are from the same artist. Many of the songs on here are almost embarrasing attempts to sound hip. With all of the praise on here for MPLsound I was expecting to like it so much more. I don't like it when Prince tries to sound like Prince. All these little Prince-isms...the moans and panting...the ego and the "funny" sound effects. And, reworking "U're Gonna C Me" from a heartfelt plea into something almost devoid of passion is sad.

^^ I agree, I'm not feeling the rework of "U're Gonna C Me" either. The original version was MUCH better.

Riverpoet31 said:

Completely disagree (respectfully, of course). Without disecting it as you did above, I'll simply say that as a fan of P's music for the past 27-plus years, this complilation of songs is damn good, and in no way suggests the artist responsible is anything other then in top form!! It has something for everyone. And, I'd even say it'll stand the test of time and be proven to be amongst the best he's ever released. It already is IMO...

herb4 said:

HEY not bad review.
This is most def my fave of the 3 CDs.
My taste in music and style varies and that is why I like him as an artist. He can satisfy my musical palate.
but I certainly think that his ballads have gotten somewhat corney. No more candy for you...funy and funky...I like

Take out the ballads and it is P's funkiest collection in a long time. Add this to an edited Lotusflow3r and u have one awesome playlist!!

Mace said:

YES YES YES YES. AGREED.

Although I like some of the ballads, I believe that this is a great piece of musical work...Bria's songs included! I think that this 3 disc collabo displays amazing diversity in his music stylings...it's not just about rock & roll or jazz, or r&b or pop...It's a fusion of everything. including electronica. The majority of people complaining are a core that expects funky rock & pop it seems. I like the fact that yes, some of the songs may sound like replicas of major 'artist' of today but it's done Prince's way so it sounds way more listenable and showcases much more musicianship AND creativity. Kudos to Prince for yet again, doing what he wanted to do musically...AND doing it well!

(there never b)another like me (like it.)


chocolate box: (this song is seriously wacked)

dance 4 me: (elementary grade)

u're gonna c me:

here: (this song could make me fall in love, the way he turns it around from " I don't want you here, to I want you here"

valentina (not sure about this one) hmmm...this song I am taking a real good guess was written before she married the french billionaire Francois.

better with time: (why is everyone saying this song was written for Kristine Scott Thomas??)

ol'skool company

no more candy 4 u

Sailing to Better With Time right now Love the old school drum beats.
[Edited 4/4/09 0:22am]

FlashStabone said:

i love it (bar the last 10secs). the ballads are great on this album.

This a quality funk album with some superb slow jams.

The uptempo tracks on here, 'Dance 4 Me' in particular, remind me of Prince's funkiest 80's material; 'Feel U Up', 'Erotic City', the '1999' and 'The Time' albums.

'Old Skool Company' may not have the typical lyrics on 'Black Album'/'Sign 'O' Times' Camille, but it certainly has the funk.

The ballads are all superb.

Love the album. Prince's most enjoyable in some time.

Dance for me is.....inevitable

PRINCE, PRINCEY, My Man, You're back, sucker !
I love You

PurpleKnight said:[quote]Fuck! The Org deleted my message. I wrote up a super long review.

Basically, I think MPLSOUND avoids a lot of the usual pitfalls of a lot of Prince's newer albums. It knows when not to take itself too seriously, and it manages to avoid self-indulgent tracks with forgettable, meandering melodies. The songs here are like aural cartoons; rife with overt sexuality, cockiness and hooks that grab you by the throat. There is not one dull song here. Most of all, it sounds like Prince really enjoyed himself in the studio. The songs have urgency; Prince actually sounds interested.

Overall: ****/*****


PurpleKnight you actually liked it.....kewl....folks pay attention...