For me, Musicology and 3121 were too safe. There was nothing that seemed impulsive or whimsical about those records. The Rainbow Children was certainly ambitious and undoubtedly displayed some of his strongest, most sincere songwriting in a while. But much like how I view Lovesexy, I see TRC as a collective whole rather than individual tracks to enjoy. It's not the kind of album where you go "I think I'll just pop on Digital Garden"...
I enjoyed Planet Earth and Lotusflow3r but haven't found myself going back much for repeated listens.

MPLSoUND is the first Prince album since the 90's where I've found myself playing it everyday and still finding new things to appreciate about each track.

Dance 4 Me reaffirms my faith in Prince's abilities as a genius writer of catchy pop hooks. This is one of the first Prince songs in quite some time that has actually made me want to get up and dance. I feel this is what Love from 3121 was aiming for, but to me, it fell short of the mark.

Prince's indignation at todays music scene is far more convincing on Ol' Skool Company than his previous attempts. For a start, it always helps when the song itself kicks serious ass! With a song like Musicology, his commentary on the ills of music in the twentyfirst century falls flat on it's face when the very song expressing these sentiments is a bog-standard, luke-warm affair. Lyrically it may have a cocky exterior, but it makes it's point and it does so with style.

No More Candy 4 U is exactly the kind of whimsical nonsense I've come to miss from his recent output. It's completely goofy and makes me want to dance around the room like a John Cage scene from Ally McBeal.

The only track which leaves me cold is the opener which seems to slip dangerously close into NPGMC-era territory (which, lets face it, wasn't his finest hour).

Aside from that (and perhaps the pointless inclusion of U're Gonna C Me) I think MPLSoUND is Prince's crowning achievement of the 00's.
[Edited 4/21/09 16:26pm]

I don't have an opinion, but I enjoyed reading your thoughts on MPLSound.

Love it...and I agree that "The Rainbow Children," is a musical book...best listened 2 from beginning 2 end.

You need to learn something about music.

well, As if someone with a Michael Jackson avatar has got a clue?

MPLsound is a very poor album, way overrated in here, best to be forgotten, probably even worse then New Power Soul.

It's good, but I am not sure it's better than 3121, and I'm pretty certain it's not better than The Rainbow Children. I might put it third place though.

It's my favorite, right now

Riverpoet31 said:

Your attitude towards other's opinions when it comes to this album is becoming tiresome. What makes you the arbiter of quality music? I'd be interested in hearing your qualifications as such. Your closeminded dismissal of Michael Jackson doesn't bode well for you either, by the way. He may not have produced anything worse listening, but anyone who denies that Micheal is reponsible for some of the finest pop music EVER recorded has a tin ear.

Lotusflow3r is better.

It's growing on me. Was not feeling it to start but have given it a few more plays and I like Dance 4 Me and No More Candy.

Well, when someone puts the words "crowning acheivement" + MPLSOUND + The Rainbow Children....it explains a lot.
you guys are nuts.
[Edited 4/21/09 19:10pm]

Riverpoet31 said:

Well I play piano and guitar to grade eight and can play a variety of Bach, Motzart and Tschovsky pieces. What can you do?

Riverpoet31 said:

You sound bitter.
[Edited 4/21/09 23:22pm]

MattyJam said:

^^^

MattyJam said:

I quote all.
As I said in another thread (created by a man that sometimes opens a thread telling how bad mplsound is) I think that mplsound is the most coherent and funny cd prince did from a long time.

f.

Paris9748430 said:

LOL.

Paris9748430 said:

MPLSound crowning achievement of the 00's? Hey, whatever floats yer boat man.

It´s my favorite album of the 00´s, that´s for sure

I don´t care what the Riverpoets of the org have to say about that

TwiliteKid said:

Very well said

Riverpoet31 said:

No, it's not.

Tame said:

It's Prince's prog-rock project Without the prog-rock of course.

MattyJam said:

Lol!

Young Child's Voice: "My name is Mathew and I am eight years old [holds up fingers]. My favourite pudding is treacle sponge and custard and I like playing on the piano when I get home from school. This is my swimming badge..."

MattyJam said:

I can spell Mozart and Tchaiskovsky for a start.

Riverpoet31 said:

It sounds as though you need to learn something about life.
Just because YOU think it is poor and overrated, does NOT mean others do.
And, unfortunately for YOU, the majority thinks this album is a winner.
So, now I beg the question...
WHO needs to learn something about music?
[Edited 4/22/09 4:40am]

iloveannie said:

No you can not because it's Tchaikovsky

Fhunkin said:

Double whammy!


Did I spel whammy rite?

NouveauDance said:

I don't know?? I'm dutch

Love MPLSoUND though!

Its a really good album I think, and in my opinion it is way above Musicology andthe complete nonsene that was 3121. I think all the tracks are mediocre to good, but to me it is less memorable than Planet Earth. Granted it doesnt have anything as terrible as Resolution, but it also doesnt have any tracks which stand out as strongly as Chelsea Rodgers or Somewhere Here On Earth.

But Lotusflow3r - now that to me is the best album Prince has released since The Gold Experience.

Riverpoet31 said:

I think it might be u who needs 2 learn about music, that line made me laugh out loud.

MPLSound is tied with 3121 as my favorite CD of the 00's. Someone said that it's the funniest CD Prince has made in a while and I have to agree. I laughed a lot on this CD more than any other Prince CD and that was a good thing. I wanted to hear Prince sounding like he was enjoying his work and on this CD it certainly sounded like he did. Everytime I wanna play just one song on this, it winds up becoming 2, then 3 and then before I know it, I play the whole CD again. I love it when I can do that with a new Prince project and thank God I can do it with MPLSound. It's a really fantastic CD from start to finish.

Fhunkin said:

I knew...