Continuing the celebration of one album a day of Prince's catalogue we arrive at Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. To see other discussion check out http://prince.org/msg/7/312438
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When Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic was released I was a little apprehensive. The last couple of releases left me feeling a little under whelmed. Sure there were sparks of genius, but on the whole the albums felt cobbled together.

Hearing that would be releasing an album on Arista thanks to a deal with Clive Davis, I was hopeful it might be a return to the mainstream. With a winning formula behind him with Santana’s Spellbound, perhaps Clive thought the same could be done with . And taking a look at the number of guest appearances it seemed to be a formula that was adopted, however as the album would show it was done his own way.

Hopes of hearing new developments in sound might have been dashed slightly with the name of the album and the opening track. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic as we all know was a Batman cast off, and made a cameo in the batman remixes. Immediately I was taken back to the joy and excitement of listening to those remixes and hearing those unreleased songs. Was this going to be a return to form or rehashing old things?

Slotting in the cd, and putting on headphones I waited. That beautifully layered vocal intro just engulfed me, and the groove was classic Prince. Slower in this incarnation than the sped up version that appeared in the remixes, the song seemed to lack a sense of urgency. There was no punch that I was expecting from an opener, and instead I felt like the song was searching a little for a bit of purpose. Listening to it now, I’m reminded more of The Black Album than Batman – I can hear bits of Bob George in here. And I still feel like it is a glance to the past than a look to the future.

Now having said all that, when Undisputed pulsed through the headphones I was taken over. The drum pattern (a return to the Linn?) was classic, holding all the elements I loved, and the vocal structure slid right into the groove. And hearing deliver too smooth vocals to counter the hard as nails delivery of Chuck D’s rap just made the song truly grow into a megatrack – nice call outs to ?uestlove and D’Angelo too – both who had enjoyed a jam session at Paisley Park.

Hearing The Greatest Romance that’s Ever Been Sold for the first time I felt the song was a little too sparse. But hearing it now, I find it a richer textured song than I had remembered. A painful bookend to The Most Beautiful Girl in the World the solace is dripping in this song. A beautiful remix by the Neptunes on the cd single brought this song back into my playlist.

What is with the 4 blank seconds?

Hot With U is a truly funky party jam in classic style. A slamming beat that makes you wanna groove and expertly delivered rap by Eve. I love the little vocoder effects in this song. Gives it a bit of kink.

Tangerine is a beautifully arranged song. I love the richness in the arrangement of this song, it is lush without being overpowering. Such a poignant powerful song in under 1:32.

So Far, So Pleased again hit me as a skipper track. If I am going to go with a Gwen and song I’m always going to go for Waiting Room. But hearing it now after such an absence I find myself actually enjoying the rockier feel to the track and appreciating the structure, and hello… how great is that guitar solo. Worthy or reconsideration.

With its rolling percussive feel, The Sun, The Moon and The Stars became the unlikely stand out track for me. It was the song I kept coming back to this album for. There is something in this modern take on the classic ballad structure that just makes it irresistible. And today it still holds its appeal.

What was with all the covers that appeared on the last few major releases? By the time this song rolled round I was over the whole cover thing. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Every Day is a Winding Road as the original. Maybe that’s why I felt this was a weak cover, it reminded me too much of the Frankie Knuckles remixes that were floating around at the time. Next please.

Man O War never really did it for me. I don’t know why? It felt like an attempt to rekindle the vibe of Adore but it didn’t match it. I know many love it but for me it just fails to capture my attention.

Man O War was were the album lost me, unfortunately Baby Knows didn’t get me back – too Peach like for me.

The pain in Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore is so raw and exposed. It’s bittersweet, brave and beautiful. Just a heart laid bare. And a glimpse into what would be the intimate recordings of One Night Alone.

Almost refilling the heart with joy, Silly Games is a pretty, sweet song that has a light airy feel to it and sing song nature. The lightness of the melody belies the longing in the vocal. The sweetest love (lost) song.

Strange But True got me from the get go. The bubbling synth line, then that driving beat kicks in and whilst it feels like I’ve been taken back to a 1999 recording session then jolted into the studio session for Batman, somehow the song remains fresh and vital. Still does.

With its classic Prince drum pattern Wherever You Go is the classic slow burn rock anthem of the set, and as if intended as the last track it seems intent on closing a chapter on an era.

If it was closing a chapter, then Pretty Man was a glimpse on a new future. Pretty Man is the funk jam of the album, and dare I say the funk jam of several albums. Its free, party vibe just sees an artist rejoicing in a live feel track. Sure the lyrics are as throwaway as say Movie Star, but this time the track is tight and vibrant. Maceo’s solo gives it the full funk credentials. And while comparisons for this song and James Brown will always exist, the long drawn out synth stings are classic Prince.

As the last official release Rave wasn’t exactly the reignition of a career many had hoped for. The album has a few high points but when you consider the albums to follow it still feels like an artist whose heart just isn’t in it. Maybe that is true of most of the era recordings. A man struggling to be something other than what he is, and an artist trying to define himself not on what was but what could be. Sometimes there were bursts of brilliance, sometimes there were not. But whilst the progression in the music may not have galloped forward as much as it could have, it allowed an artist to express himself in times when perhaps the only alternative was silence. But when Prince feels comfortable in his own identity again with the next release, then the musical experimentation and the musical journey of growth comes back to the fore.


Swa
[Edited 7/13/09 23:19pm]

Great album, I actually love the title track and Every day is a winding road, along with Baby Knows, Hot wit U (Get u under the cream and ohh!), whereva u go whateva u do, etc. Best song on it though is the single The Greatest Romance ever sold, its one of his best ballads ever and sung with so much emotion and conviction, his best until 3121 easily.

B+ :boxed

Tomorrow the Rain bow children?:

Huggiebear said:

I think that thread about The Rainbow Children will be massacre

This is very solid album IMO..maybe it's because I've first heard it only month ago, but the first half of Rave is very good, only in the end there're some fillers. The Greatest Romance is the best track..full of emotions..beautiful.

Foe me this album, much like Newpower Soul, was a big disappointment. Ever since Emancipation it seemed like Prince was lost in the wilderness a bit and being an independent artist had some downsides that I don't think he was prepared for. I was hoping that with the support of a major label that he would come back with a very strong commercial album while at the same time filling it out with some exciting album tracks for the faithful. Instead what we got was a bit of a mess. At the time I really disliked at least half of the album. Since then I have warmed to it quite a bit but I still find it to be one of his five worst albums. It seems like Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic is an album of little gems. It would have been fine as a collection of outtakes but as a proper album I do not believe that it delivers.

It was interesting to see Prince's idea of what a commercial album from him should sound like in the year 1999. I've felt this way for a long time but I think he is much better off when he just tries to make good music rather than chase trends. Barring an unlikely aberration, Prince's days of number one, or even top forty, pop hits are behind him and when he tries for hits the music tends to suffer.

I believe that the four seconds of silence were intended as a tribute to Mile Davis. Odd when you consider that Miles was dead for about eight years when Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic was released.

I also thought it was amusing that Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic was credited as being performed and written by o(+> but produced by Prince.

I remember The Greatest Romance was getting decent airplay in MTV Europe at the time and I liked the song so I thought it would be Prince's big comeback album. Of course we all know what happenned after. Both single and album missed the UK Top 40 altogether and didn't do significantly better in other European countries. Anyway I kinda liked the album from the moment I picked it up. The plastic white sleeve and his clothes on the cover made a lovely kitchy impression to me.

From the first track Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic I started having my doubts concerning the suitability of the material for a big comeback album. The song sounded raw but still a good song and a good opener (I do not own any bootlegs so I had no prior knowledge of the song
Undisputed is just great. Like track 1 it had no chance of being a hit single but a great song all the same. I still love it.
The single Greatest Romance is pretty cool too although there are definitely better choices for a first single. A cool ballad.
I know Hot Wit U is a fan favourite around here but I never got its appeal. An OK song but pretty much a filler in my ears
Tangerine sounds interesting also but it doesn't rise above the filler category either
So Far So Pleased was a bit of a letdown at first listen. A duet with Gwen Stefani should have been much better. However the guitar instrumental at the end of the song makes the real difference and makes the song rise above most of the other stuff on this album. It should have been the first single
The Sun The Moon And Stars is classic Prince. Another great song.
Next up is a cover of the superb Everyday Is A Winding Road by Sheryl Crow. Prince really changed the song making it more rocky and at the same time easier to dance to which justifies him covering a song. It could possibly be a successful single especially in Europe
Man O' War is another fan favourite which I don't like much. Actually I skip it most of the time
Baby Knows is the other big duet on the album this time with Sheryl Crow. Pretty old fashion and pretty lovely at the same time, a very good song
I Love You But I Don't Trust You Anymore is pretty much classic Prince. This could have easily been on any of his albums post 1988
The album closes with a trio of ballads which are pretty boring. Silly Game is probably the best of them.

Overall an OK album but it suffers from many fillers, much effort to sound hip (which ultimately fail) and poor single choices, It definitely wasn't the return to form I was expecting but for people who like his 90s work (I do) this isn't a waste of money.
[Edited 7/11/09 4:23am]
[Edited 7/11/09 4:24am]

great post!

I read somewhere that "So Far, So Pleased" was going to be the first single but that No Doubt's record label blocked it because they didn't want to confuse fans who would expect the song to be on a No Doubt album. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? It sounds pretty implausible when you consider that around the same time, or shortly after, Gwen Stefani guested on singles by Eve and Moby.

Swa said:

1.32 on Rave Un2...
2.14 on Rave In2...
where did 3.24 come from?

rialb said:

"Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic" came out in late September, 1999, and No Doubt's "Return of Saturn" came out early 2000 (April)... the thinking was probably that if people heard a Gwen Stefani song in late 1999, they "might" think it's on their new CD (it's hard to believe people can't just read the tracklist, but then again, the number 1 album in America is by the Black Eyed Peas; so much for mass intelligence). "South Side" didn't come out until late 2000 and "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" wasn't until early 2001, well after "Return of Saturn" was released.

Just bad timing! Not sure why the "Hot Xperience" maxi got cancelled, though. Anyone?

greyhoodiegirl said:

From a late night writing the piece, lol. I stand corrected. Thanks.

Swa

Any thoughts on my observation that with so many collaborators/duets on this album Prince / Clive were trying to do a "Spellbound"? Reintroduce a great artist to a new audience with some more contemporary artists pricking their ears?

Swa

Swa said:

Yes, I think that is exactly what they were trying to do. Unfortunately for some fans who just want to hear Prince, such as myself, the collaborations seemed a bit unnecessary. If Prince and another artist genuinely want to collaborate and have an idea for a song that's great but with this album the thinking seemed to be "it worked for Carlos Santana why not give it a try with Prince?"

rialb said:

A few good tidbits here and there...title track 'Rave' is actually my favourite...fantastic old school, gospel falsetto., on top of 'what's this?'..futurstic sounding simple synth funk...that we all know and love...

'Pretty Man' was of course what we have come to expect from the man even though it's derivative.

I..umm..didn't care for much for anything else on the album and that's because of what we all do...we are comparing everything to his past gems...and the flow of songs on those old albums without one duff track on them.

P.S. 'NewPowerSoul?'...loved 'Mad Sex' on that.

peace
[Edited 7/17/09 3:52am]