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...

I prefer LOTUSFLOW3R now, but yes, I like MPLSOUND quite a bit. Immediately accessible and consistently enjoyable.

PurpleKnight said:

I like Lotusflow3r better than Mplsound as well. But they are both good CDs.

PurpleKnight said:

I like Lotusflow3r better than Mplsound as well. But they are both good CDs.

I haven't listened to it in detail but I cant hear no slap bass nor 'chicken grease' style guitar, two elements of funk which he has used in the past.

Does he think that this makes it sound dated or is it because other artists are not using these instruments in the way I've mentioned, and is influenced by their choices? Or does he feel what he used is the best arrangement of instruments at the time of recording?

I don't think it is a particularly funky album, but i do think it is a particularly average, lame album but I can still salvage something from it, if I concentrate.

psychodelicide said:

that is how i felt first time i heard them...now i love 'em both and Bria's CD is so sexy

psychodelicide said:

Thats what i thought at first too but not to sure now. MPLsound is very good.
oh decisions..decisions eh.

I think I like MPLSOUND a little better than Lotusflow3r. I do have to mention though (I don't know if someone already mentioned it) that DANCE 4 ME sounds like an homage to ZAPP - I CAN MAKE YOU DANCE.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

yep I have been saying that for the last two weeks... Prince giving up for Zapp and Roger Troutman. Most folks on this board don't know who Zapp is though[Edited 4/5/09 15:58pm]

babooshleeky said:

They are all good albums, but I still like Lotusflow3r the best. Who knows, that could change.

spoida said:

(There'll Never B) Another Like Me
No, still can't find this track interesting. There are a few nice keyboard flourishes and guitar parts towards the end but other than that, a pretty average affair.

Chocolate Box
Ok, I'm bracing myself for the abuse and shouts of "You're kidding!?", but (he says looking sheepish and guilty) I kinda like it (barrage of stones now being thrown my way). I think it might be because every time I hear it I imagine 'Forest Gump' dancing along to it! If you take it as being a cheesey tongue-in-check track that P did as a joke it's actually kinda fun(ny).

Dance 4 Me
I'm liking the slightly 'oriental' synth motif. The way he sings/speaks seems reminiscent of Poom Poom to my ears. Pardon the pun but "I like it".

U're Gonna C Me
Still unsure whether this is an unnecessary reworking of a perfectly good song. I guess P thought he needed another ballad for the album to go with 'Better With Time'. It might grow on me.

Here
Another catchy little synth/keyboard motif. This is seriously going to kill my cool ratio, but I like the pleasant uplifting feel of this song - ok, it's a bit sappy and twee, but it works for me (although I also inexplicable like the 'OTT uplifting histrionic' Saviour from Emancipation so what do I know).

Valentina
From this day forward will be known to me as P's MILF song. Am I the only one wanting to sing "Hey Macarena" instead of Valentina? Like the 'Miami Vice' like Synth line and the guitar work towards the end, but not a particularly inspired track. I absolutely love this track from start to finish.

Better With Time
Meh. Maybe it will grow on me. This is a song that is used to compliment older women. Everything is so youth oriented so that put a massive smile on my face and my lady loves it.

Ol' Skool Company
I think this will probably work better as a live track. P hijacks Obama's "change we can believe in" and turns it into a "heaven we can believe in" - oh how droll you are P. Someone else mentioned the "50c style synth" and I know exactly what they mean - P obviously liked 50c's 'In Da Club'. Actually, it was McCain who used that to jack Obama's Change motto!!!

No More Candy 4 U
Lyrically, not great, but an interesting 'sound' - certain parts keep reminding of me of 'Daddy Pop'.

Overall: Much better than I expected... but then I was expecting an abomination.

I always said don't underestimate P - its very dangerous to do that cos he knows what we want - just like a good lover should and takes his time teasing us before releasing it !!! I just look forward to the next encounter cos I feel that he will give us more this year, the man is on fire

LittleNicci said:

I couldn't agree with you more NEVER underestimate His Royal Badness! NEVER

purplecam said:

at last someone who actually agrees with me - this stuff is funkay !!!

psychodelicide said:

Thats what i thought at first too but not to sure now. MPLsound is very good.
oh decisions..decisions eh.

purplecam said:

at last someone who actually agrees with me - this stuff is funkay !!!

Riverpoet31 said:

You can continue to post with impugnity these insults to other fans' intelligence, but you won't change anyone's mind. A whole lot of us love this album and your campaign against it will never undo that. So, carry on I guess...

The more i listen to this album, the more i feel Prince is totally out of touch: both with himself, and people around him.

Using that linn drummachine and that 'cheap' sounding synths, as a trick, a gimmick, for....what....to feel relevant again?

He fails on so many levels: the music on MPLsound lacks any soul and urgency, it goes on on autopilot.

Any gifted musician with selfrespect, should be critical about him or himself.

MPLsound is an awfully bad album, it should be a wake up-call for Prince that he is producing 'nonsense'.... or are you that stupid you simply don't get it?