Continuing an album a day discussion of Prince's music. To see the rest of the discussions click the CELEBRATION summary here - http://prince.org/msg/7/312438


MPLSound

So after the high of Lotus Flow3r, I hit the play button on MPLSound and anxiously waited where he would take us on this one.

(There’ll Never Be) Another Like Me had been given a quick airing in the prelude to the launch of the website and it held a lot of promise. Its sparse funk arrangement that is stripped down lets the song groove along. Borrowing from “The Good Life” it’s a great intro to the sounds of the album. Delving more into the history of sounds here, Prince is happy to reclaim the sound he helped pioneer, right down to the overly cocksure lyrical delivery.

While promising to rock the socks off with Chocolate Box I have to say that I had mixed feelings hearing this track. In one verse I am loving the darkness then deciding the chorus is a little weak, hating on that “b.o.x. of chocolate every day” and then getting hooked in again by another verse. An as much as I love Q-Tip, his rap on this is just sub-par. A poor choice for first single in my books when there are far more superior songs on here that most likely won’t get an airing to the general public.

Dance 4 Me is another song that I flip between loving and being over with every listen of the album. It has enough hooks in it but still feels a little undercooked. The whole vibe is a little reminiscent of “Hot Thing” and “It” from SOTT, even with a tweaked vocal, but it just doesn’t grab me 100%, despite having that crunched rim shot sound in it.

U’re Gonna C Me is a run of the mill Prince ballad. A soft subtle seduction track with all his bags of tricks on display, the strings, the countering backing vocals, the building to the chorus followed by a breakdown, but it doesn’t move me in the way other tracks have.

Thankfully, just as I was wondering if the goods were all on the other disc Prince hits us with Here. One of his catchiest, perfectly crafted pieces of pop. It’s light and airy and dripping with lush backing vocals and a ever so Princely lyric. One of the best songs he has released in several album’s worth of releases.

Oh Valentina. Weak is all I can say about this song. Aside from the ick factor lyrically there is that “heeeeey valentina” that to my ears just smacks of “heeeey Macarena” – a crime against humanity in it’s own. I just can’t get into this song and it has me reaching for the >> button as soon as it comes on.

Better With Time, sadly makes me long for U’re Gonna C Me in the ballad stakes. Now I know many will love it’s slow build and drawn out lyrical delivery, but it just feels like stuff we have heard before over and over and to much better effect.

Ol’ Skool Company is the saving grace following the previous 2 tracks. And as the title promises it delivers an ol’ skool jam with a slinking groove and funk guitar and synth runs. It’s coolness factor is off the chart, and seeing him work it with a band on Leno took it to another level. A song that works both as a one-man jam and a full funk out with band.

No More Candy 4 U is another one of those love one minute don’t the next songs. It’s got that electro-rockabilly feel of the Controversy era and while I love the message of the lyric, the delivery of that “no more candy, no more candy 4 u” just takes me back to the soup nazi and then I can’t take it seriously. Though I have to say I do wonder what it would sound like live.

A less consistent album than Lotus Flow3r for my ear, MPLSound does offer some gems but it feels a little one note in parts. That said as a package it offers a nice counterpoint to the full rock funk of LF. Cobbled together on my ipod a few tracks sneak their way over to the LF experience.

Swa

...INTERESTING...
..MPLS..has ALOT of clues in it...as a whole!!..
...mzsexybaby

To me this is his worst album since New Power Soul.

I think its great as an album and better than the patchy Lotusflow3r. Here he was aiming for his 80s poppy/dance funk sound with all the songs except 4, 5, and 7. It works well. The first three songs are seamless funk, I love Box of Chocolate and compared to all the disposable rap bling crap out there, would have have been much higher quality. Dance 4 Me, No more candy 4 u and Old Skool Company are standouts, rather than saying it's average or crap, its superior and has a different sound to the "safe and polite" music that characterises the 2004-2009 period. Really Prince did this album I think to please his hard core fans.

A-
[Edited 7/21/09 22:16pm]

mzkqueen03 said:

Love MPLS Sound...Hi mzkqueen, what do U mean by clues?

Sorry but I disagree with the majority the naysayer on this disc. I think Prince has spun a fantastically funky and fun disc. There is not one song on this that I don't like and I especially love Valentina for the humor in it. Music is supposed to be about fun and life and that is exactly what this brings to the table. I have spent quite a bit listening to MPLSound while working at my job. I respect others who don't like this collection of music but I really don't understand it.

this album is cool...i do like every song on this album...

it is a album of wanting, bravado, and heart break....

the production is great annd each track stands out on it's own...
i just wish there was more versatility...but it is a lovely album

jimmyrogertodd said:

This is what I love. How other people can hear things in tracks that maybe I am missing or just not feeling. It makes me go back and listen with new ears. That said while I can appreciate the humour in Valentina, I still can't get it - it just feels too throwaway sorry.

Swa said:

That's cool cause you gotta know that I am still jamming this song every day. I don't feel that he was being serious but just doing a Hey Jude sort of bit to his friend who just happens to be fine as all day.

jimmyrogertodd said:

Hell if Selma was my friend I'd write her a tune too - i just can't past that hey macarena vibe. But each to their own.

Swa

yo' the production on "Valentina" is killer and how i love that latin guitar
solo...shit is fresh

For me this is by far his weakest album of the 2004-2009 era. I love "No More Candy 4 U" but other than that there's not much that grabs me. The album suffers from having a very weak middle with too many ballads. "Better With Time" rivals "The Arms Of Orion" as his most sugary and asinine song. The rest of the album would be fine if there were a few more killer tracks on it. As it is I think it is too easy to focus on how mediocre the album is.

rialb said:

Especially when Lotus Flow3r is more consistent track for track.

Swa

Gohi said:

U can't b serious. MPLSOUND is the strongest of the 3 albums in the set.

BTW, I think NPS is the worst NPG/Prince album.

Swa said:

great review. I agree with you completely on this one!

daPrettyman said:

I am but at least we agree on the second part.

Gohi said:

Now, if u had said it was the worst since PE or Indigo Nights, I would agree with u for sure on that. Those 2 are pretty bad to me.

Tame said:

.
..hi honey yes!!..i'm so GLAD u asked that question
.
...well u know MPLS..is a huge 3piece jig-saw puzzle(u gonna L-O-V-E this)
.
...we may have 2 start a thread on this...i don't want swa getting madd at us if we don't mean 2 the thread...J/K!!...
.
....MPLS and the other 2 are about prince's lady...no 4 real!!
.
...here are some clues of WHO SHE IS ..
==has 2 say please..
==can't cuss..
==healthy..
==makes up her mind..
==has 2 b a dime..
==doesn't waste time..
==doesn't front..
==has 2 b funky..
==must remember his name..
==has 2 make bank..
==can't b scared of what he says..
==doesn't want her fight'in
==has 2 b a real woman..
==has 2 know how 2 make chocolate cake..
==has 2 know how 2 dance..
==has 2 know where 2 knock..
==has 2 make the scene right..
==doesn't need directions..
==doesn't need cash..
==has 2 b by his side..
==has 2 know how 2 communicate..
==has 2 b all alone..
==has 2 b faithful..
==beautiful..
==golden lips and eyes..
==makes him cry w/happiness..
==keeps him alive..
==has 2 b grown..
==has 2 like 2 explore..
==knows how 2 live w/o him when he is away..
==has 2 believe in him..
==has 2 trust him..
==mexican bomb-shell..
=="movie"-queen..
==curvier than a guitar..
==like fine wine..she gets betta with time...(TIME-LESS)
==so young and so naive..(SPECIALTY!)..
==her memory goes through him like the WIND..(UP IN HIS BRAIN!)..
==humble..
==LIKES 2 HIDE..
==cultured..
==dark/brn and silvery-lace hair..
==ol skool company..
appreciates a sexy groove..
==doesn't complain..
==she IS a brand new scene..
==old fashioned..
==doesn't want fame...
.
...this is just what i took OUT OF MPLS..not making it up!!...it's all in prince's OWN WORDS...LOTUSFLOW3R AND ELXER have more clues but i haven't gotten 2 them yet...
...so what do u think tame??
..mzsexybaby'WHAT AM I 2 ASSUME?..I L-O-V-E U'

MPLS is great, far better than Musicology-3121-Planet Earth,

Mixed feelings for me: Chocolate Box and Better With Time,

I love the rest: especially the ballads had grown for me, Here and U're Gonna C Me... wow these are great!

Best tracks: Dance 4 Me & Ol' Skool Company, great funky songs

Oh come on you can't really think that this is better than 3121 can you? Dang that's one of my favorites.

mzkqueen03 said:

You are both the worst part of this forum. lolol.

Gohi said:

3121. omg I can't love this, but I have tried so hard to understand some of you guys here, why you rate it so high... imo... only a few great tracks: Black Sweat, Love and the title song.

Musicology 7
3121 6
PE 5
LF/ MPLS 8

imo.

I love all of 3121 except for B,L&B.

Gohi said:

.
...ONE man's meat is another's poison
..mzsexybaby'I CAN'T SATISFY EVERYONE 2DAY..2MORROW DON'T LOOK GOOD EITHER'

Gohi said:

No. I just think PE is worse than Lotus/MPLSOUND.

i thought the MPLSSOUND was a good album l enjoyed it...

especially HERE AND URE GONNA C ME ....
[Edited 7/22/09 16:08pm]

mzkqueen03 said:

[Edited 7/22/09 16:07pm]

mzkqueen03 said:

lol... all the clues u stated on there .... is about you mzqueen03
ure trying to make everyone thinks its you lol lol...u made it so obvious ...

mzqueen03 is playing games with u all lol lol.....

.
...PICCOLO!!!....all i'm saying iz....when i got here to the org....prince was singing about TURN ME LOOSE...he knew i was comming
..mzsexybaby

mzkqueen03 said:

GOT YOU !!!!! u cant fool me.....