Continuing on with the one album a day discussion of Prince's music today we arrive at CHAOS & DISORDER.

With the Gold Experience behind us, and it not being as big an album as it potentially should have been, I was a big apprehensive when I heard Warner Bros were releasing a new CD. Obligation fillers generally don’t make for great artistic explorations so when Chaos and Disorder was released I was a little unsure what I would find, especially when the liner notes stated the material was “intended 4 private use only” and the disc featured the doors to the vault, you knew it was going to be a mix of past tracks and songs not intended for release.

But pressing play I was pleasantly surprised by the opening of Chaos and Disorder. With a rocking distorted guitar melody that out funk-rocked Lenny Kravitz, the song kicks a long with observing the changes in modern life. As he had done earlier on, he uses sound effects to punctuate the message of lyrics and provide a more thought provoking commentary – for instance the circus like melody that hits “he’s gay use to mean he’s happy” countered with the marching army boots that highlight the don’t ask don’t tell policy of the US forces “these days happy ain’t allowed”. With rocking verses, and a choppy approach to the chorus I found myself drawn into the track in a similar way I had been with Rock’n’Roll is Alive (and it lives in Minneapolis) [answering Lenny again with his claim Rock’n’ Roll is dead]. Powerfully anchored with Michael B’s playing the song was one of his freshest for a while.

I Like It There is a classic Prince rock song in the vein of When you were mine tinged with a bit more of the Britpop sound that had weaved it’s way in and out of his work from Around the World In a Day and more recently on Dolphin. While a pleasant enough song, it didn’t have the same kind of hook that his classic rock tracks had and listening to it again I find myself enjoying it more than I use to, but that may be more due to the fact that this is probably my least played Prince / albums.

Ok two questions. 1. What Prince thinking with Dinner with Delores? 2. What was Warners thinking releasing it as a single. I remember hearing this and thinking it was a fluffy 70s light rock song that Rod Stewart would still be churning out. And because of that whenever I hear this song I see tartan scarves, and run to press >>.

The Same December is a curious song for me as I find myself liking every second music phase of it, but finding the preceding moment a bit rock cliché. The chorus is again a bit 70s rock in the ilk of the Stones and Kiss, but then the build after it is all Prince and draws me back in. Like the ocean ebbs and flows, this song draws me in only to have me scramble back to the shore, until the blues breakdown hits and I dive back in. Like crunching a rock opera of musical styles into 3:24 the song hits and misses at the same time.

Right the wrong reminds me of the whole Parade era tinged with a bit of LoveSexy for some reason. Like a rockier take on Mountains. And thus, I adore it. The lyrics and vocal delivery are on point and the whole band feel fleshes out the song giving it a rich epic feel. One of the highlights on the album. And love that classic Prince Awwwoaaaa at 2:44.

Zannalee is classic blues-rock done the purple way. The perfect sister to The Ride, this is one of the most underrated songs in the catalogue I feel.

Where as Zannalee is Prince, I rock, therefore I am (and note the I not eye) is all NPG from the Diamonds and Pearls and era. I remember putting this on a mix tape at the time and loving when it popped up, but now the song seems to lack the same freshness that I felt it had at the time.

While I really wanted to love Into the Light, I found myself wanting more from it. It seems never to really reach it’s true potential, and while showing off Prince’s ability as a composer and arranger I keep waiting for it take flight and it seems to hover more than soar.

So whilst I was wanting more from Into the Light, I was immediately drawn into I Will. With its beautiful melody and vocal delivery this song deserved to be on a “real” release rather than hidden away on a reluctant release. It’s a haunting song that circles you in warmth and slowly moves in for an embrace. Too good to be overlooked, it should be considered for all self-made Prince compilations.

I can’t help but feel the tongue was firmly in the cheek when Dig You Better Dead was recorded. Was it a reference to the death of Prince, and the new offerings that were to come from the Artist? With it’s hip hop feel, the screeching guitar loop, and vocal hook it’s a song that held some intrigue for me, but now seems a bit throw away.

As has been noted many times before the start of the Warners relationship began with For You and ended with Had U. With its sweeping and somewhat teasing melody this was the big kiss off from an artist who had enough and was ready to create a new set of rules, and be free.

Like The Vault that would come later, Chaos and Disorder is a mixed bag. Songs like Had U, I will, and Right the Wrong make it an album that should get more airplay in the Prince catalogue that it receives. But when even the creator wants to distance himself from it, you know the heart isn’t in it. Thankfully his heart was in the epic release of Emancipation, the triple treat due for discussion tomorrow. But for today, hunt out your copy of Chaos and Disorder, relisten to it and see what you think. Then tell us.

Swa

I dont remember it being as good as u say it is..I really have to go and listen to it again...but i cant seem to find it...

SavonOsco said:

It's a good album.

I can't seem to find this CD either anywhere. I would hate to buy it used from a seller on Amazon, but I guess i'll have to eventually. I hope it is as good as you say it is

Chaos and Disorder was one of my first Prince CD purchases after 3121. I really dug/dig Prince's version of cool rock n roll.

I Like It There is catchy and reminds me of the Cars, a band I really like.

Dinner with Delores is a '70s mind trip.

The Same December reminds me of the "Senior Room" and listening to bands like Commander Cody, Pink Floyd, etc.

Right The Wrong is powerful. I have to be in the right mood to listen to this song but I love the Native American references and sounds.

Zannalee is fun and wild -- makes me crazy.

I Rock Therefore I Am. I listen to this song when I need a powerboost of strength.

Into The Light and I Will tug at my heart as they have a pure quality in the midst of mayhem.

Dig U Better Dead is a strong statement. I imagine what it must be like to be made to feel that anyone would prefer you dead rather than alive -- can anyone say MJ.

I listen to this CD on loud.

jill4life said:

all the way to 11?

Chaos & Disorder
I Like It There
Dinner With Delores
The Same December
Zannalee
Had U

these are great songs imo

One of my favourite albums.

silverchild said:

It's not my cup of tea at all. I think I played the whole album from beginning to end just once.

Swa said:

I always thought it was about his wedding night with Mayte.

i love chaos and disorder..

best songs (for me) are :
i like it there
zannalee
the same december (so incredible when it rocks out)
dig u better dead..

i love when P is angry!

Chaos And Disorder was the first Prince album that I bought so it will always be special to me. I'm a big fan of Prince's rock songs so this is an album that is easy for me to love. For me, the first three tracks are a great way to start the album. "Chaos And Disorder" and "I Like It There" being two of his heaviest rock songs and "Dinner With Delores" is a great, though perhaps a little to short, rock ballad. The rest of side one finishes very strongly with "The Same December," "Right The Wrong" and "Zannalee." This series of songs is probably the most intense rock music he has released and I love it. For me, side two is where some problems creep in. It took me quite a long time to get into "I Rock, Therefore I Am" and "Dig U Better Dead." The first time I heard both tracks I hated them and felt like they stopped the momentum of the album and sounded out of place. I still feel like the album would be more cohesive without them, it would have been awesome to hear a whole album of Princely guitar rock, but I have grown to like them. The rest of side two is good but "I Will," "Into The Light" and "Had U" are so short that at times they feel more like segues than proper songs. I forget who or what the songs were but someone on the org recently posted an alternate tracklist that dropped the two non rock tracks and included the 1995 remake of "Empty Room" as well as some other rock tracks. I think if Prince had made it a pure rock album it would have been better but I still think it is a great album that is often unfairly slagged as being inferior. Besides, how can you not love the album that gifted the world with the talents of Scrap D and Steppa Ranks!

I LOVE THIS POST!
Your bringing praise and attention to one of my favourite (and most underated) albums.
People, mainly non/casual fans, have this kind of 'classic memtality' that if an album is considered a 'classic' by the world (due to selling more copies because of being promoted more) they think it must be better than the artist's other albums. This refers to all artists not just Prince.
And so we have these people praising such 'classics' and slagging off other works, and most of the time they haven't even heard the other stuff such as this fine album!
This was evident at the O2 gigs where casual fans said they didn't like Prince's albums in recent years thinking they were 'samey', but when I asked which of those albums had they actually listened to they confessed they hadn't heard any of them!
Crazy but true.
They're just regurgitating some half assed reviews using the same mentality mentioned above.

I tell you, if Chaos & Disorder had been released in the 80s with all the promotion of the other 80s albums it would be considered a classic, one of his best etc.

GirlBrother said:

same here

When I bought "Chaos & Disorder", I was very excited & maybe had too-high expectations.

I played that album ONCE, the put it away for YEARS without a second thought.

About 3 or 4 years ago, I pulled it out and played it again (can't recall why exactly) but I think that it sound better than it did when it first came out.

Dinner With Delores is a song that I just can't bring myself to like SIMPLY BECAUSE of that stoooopid "like a brontosaurus" line.

But the rest of the album has some endearing qualities that something like Newpowersoul doesn't do for me.

Anyway...I can appreciate the album a whole lot better now than I did when it was released.

Not crazy about this album.If I had to pick a song it would be I Rock Therefore I Am but hate the rap part.

If only for "I Rock Therefore I Am"....


That one song will do.

tony23k said:

Really?!?! For me it just sounds so dated now - but back in the day I loved it something shocking.

Swa

GirlBrother said:

You are joking right?

Swa said:

True.
But, "I Rock.." is the main reason I listen to this one.

SavonOsco said:

thats says a lot.... you probably trashed it like most of us

Dinner With Delores is a brilliant pop song that has interesting lyrics, a metaphor about his decaying relationship with WB.

I think the entire album is underrated. In their year end issue, Spin magazine voted it one of the year's best albums. I think it is uneven, but a throwaway in the fresh sense of the word- not overproduced.

jdcc said:

uneven? Name a Prince album other than Purple Rain and perhaps 1999 which isn't (1999 comes close)

C&D is just embarrassing

jdcxc said:

I agree whole heartedly.

Alexandernvrmind said:

I don't necessarily think "uneven" implies bad. Maybe some failed experiments. For example, to me Gold is not uneven but I like the highs of the Vault, C&D and Come better than anything on it.

By the definition of your question, I would say Parade, 1999, SOTT, The Truth, Lotusflower, Dirty Mind, Madhouse, and Controversy are consistently great from beginning to finish.

Powerful Album !!!!

saafiir said:

Just played I WILL - just a beautiful arranged and written song (very Diamonds and Pearlsesque). It just floats through the room when it plays. Always wonder what it would have sounded like live.

Swa
[Edited 8/11/09 5:12am]

Swa said:

Another of those songs where Prince sings low in his falsetto. I'm pretty much sold whenever he does that!

Beautiful; unconventional. Just seems like a series of short verses before some stunning guitar harmonies.

This is the Prince I love.

i've said it before and i'll say it again. chaos and disorder is prince's best album from the 90s. it's slapdash, it's flawed, it's rough around the edges--- qualities that for me define prince's best work. gold is a wee bit overcooked for my taste. this album and come are, in my opinion, the pinnacle of 90s prince.

Man, it took years for me to get into C&D but nowadays I definitely love it, a pretty solid album indeed. I usually play it 2 or 3 times in a row, I really don't know why, maybe I'm a lil' bit fucked up in the head...