I'm going to be listening to the tracks for the next couple of days, so I thought I'd open up a thread for discussion.
I don't know much about it myself, but I hear its highly regarded around this place.
In fact, I might have heard that a few people preferred it to Come and/or TGE but I could be wrong

"Scotty, shake some". That snare will break your bones. Great recording.

I love it, hit it up last week has been on repeat the whole time.

it was the guitar album we'd been waiting for.
[Edited 4/21/09 15:35pm]

its pretty raw for him. just a trio playing of rock tunes with great guitar. i like it.

This is how a guitar album should sound, no overdubbing, straight to master. This record had alot of the "rawness" that is really lacking on Lotus, though Lotus has its greatness, the Undertaker blows it out the pool

lastdecember said:

the crazy thing is that to my ears the mix on 'the undertaker' still sounds better, fuller than on most of 'lotusflow3r.'

I've heard all but the last two tracks now.

So far, it's been interesting to the least.
But in this case, that is a good thing

Haven't heard anything quite like it before. And there's something nice about it just being the three of them in the studio. And it's always fun to hear live guitar solos

I've never heard the original version of "Bambi" because I don't own the 2nd album, but that was probably my favorite so far. I totally dig that guitar

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

every time he played 'bambi' in '93 was magic.

It's A "Classic" O+>

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Please get it as soon as you can, you're missing out!

was a big mistake that it was never released. Shows Prince guitar chops better than anything he's done besides Purple Rain to the public.

It's probably some of Prince's angriest guitar playing in his 31 professional years. I've always maintained that Prince puts out his best material when he's angry or fighting something. The mid 90's period was truly indicative of that. His playing improved greatly as well during this time. The Undertake is a uber prime example of that.

Fantastic album [ep]

Shame it was never released [except as VHS] - or included as a freebie with whatever guitar magazine Prince wanted at the time...

NouveauDance said:

Do it!

MajesticOne89 said:

Funny story here...
Originally, I didn't want the 70's albums because I wanted my collection to embrace Prince's uniqueness. Which started with Dirty Mind, as I'd been told (I got talked into that one too... I wanted my collection to start with 1999... long story)
Someone sent me For You after I heard the album on Emancipation radio and liked it

So I figured, I gotta fill in the gaps... and wouldn't you know? FYE up until that point carried the second album and it was the only other album aside from Graffiti Bridge that I didn't pick up while I was at the store

Its like they knew I was looking for it another stinkin' conspiracy

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Haha, when you listen to it, let me know what you think! Or do one of your big reviews for it and post it

lastdecember said:

I think the music would be a lot better with some overdubs, personally.

The best "unreleased" P joint. Raw. Wish he would do another one.

Finished it off a few hours ago.

It's very nice

Dolphin's one of my favorites from TGE so it was nice to hear a somewhat different version of it. The guitar was

And when I do get the 2nd album, I'll have my review up here at some point. don't worry

It's OK. A bit generic rock...like Chaos and disorder. There's no greatness like Colonized mind or Dreamer. Poorgoo's pretty damn cool though

Is there only 6 or 7 tracks on The Undertaker?

Or is there some sort of longer version?

Any research I've done has just confused me a little further. Seems to be a studio and live version???

this is the correct tracklist:

1. The Ride (10:54)
2. Poor Goo (4:26)
3. Honky Tonk Women (3:00)
4. Bambi (4:49)
5. The Undertaker (9:50)
6. Dolphin (3:40)

the album was recorded on the paisley park sound stage, mostly in single takes. michael b said it only took them a couple of hours, start to finish.

the video was made while they were recording.

some bootleg versions actually take the audio from the laserdisc, so some sounds from the film can be heard that are not actually on the cd version.

other bootlegs are just ripped from one of the original cds.

Absolutely love his version of the song The Undertaker from that. Had a chance to hear it a couple times live at Paisley Park in the mid 90s.

Dazza said:

Dreamer and Colonized Mind are great BUT way too polished, the undertaker shows how well Prince can be when not "produced" and "multitracked" theres tons of studio tricks on his newer stuff. So with that said, you can take tracks from undertaker and play them at shows and get an even better effect, i doubt Prince can get the same effect from the Lotus tracks live, and this is coming from someone thats seen him 75 times, the new album, though great, way too polished.