I´m just relistening to "Sign 'O' The Times" (since my new japanese CD´s have finally arrived) and can confirm that it´s still one of my favourite Prince-albums. Great great songs, great production, etc, we knew that already. I´ve listened to the whole set several times during the past days and I´m not sure, which LP/CD I like better. If I would absolutely have to choose one, I would probably vote for LP2, my favourites being "If Eye Was Your Girlfriend", "Strange Relationship" and "Eye Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man". That said, I must say that besides the obvious highlights on LP1 (Sign 'O' The Times, Housequake, Ballad Of Dorothy Parker and Starfish And Coffee), I have also rediscovered that songs like "It" and "Slow Love" are really really good. I highly recommend buying the new japanese edition of this album, it sounds great, the drums/beats come out way clearer than on the old version.

Honestly, it hurts me to take this masterpiece and try to decide which half I like better. So I'll take a pass on this one.

It's all brilliant.

gold31 said:

100% agree! The album is a whole, it's just that it won't fit on one cd. It's not like it's two different albums like MPLSound and LotusFlow3r which are two different sounding albums.

gold31 said:

I will make it 3 votes this way. Probably his best album (although not my favorite).

Even if it was conceived as a whole, Prince must habe put some thought in the tracklisting of both LPs. Each of them works as a single album with an a- and a b-side.

HOUSEQUAKE

lp1

Damn, that's tough. But, if forced to choose, I will go with LP2.

It's the sheer and utter brilliance of Side 3 of that album, from "U Got the Look" to "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man," that gets me hook, line, and sinker.

gold31 said:

Agreed

God you must be reading my thoughts.. I was lying in bed last night playing The Cross and Adore and thinking I couldn't live without these tunes..

The I played Housequake and I can't live without them either..

I love this album..

And I will always love the album version of Housequake but the live versions of the Cross..

Oooohhh it's a toughie!

Like the cover of the album this album is a melting pot of:the Dream Factory, Crystal Ball, Camille project, the Flesh, studio recordings with a wide range of people from the Revolution, Sheila E. Eric Leeds Susannah Melvoin or just Prince. It's hard to pick

[the Dream Factory]
Sign o the Times
the Ballad of Dorothy Parker
It
Starfish & Coffee
Strange Relationships
I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
the Cross

[previous or new recordings and/or Camille project]
Play In the Sunshine
Hot Thang
Forever In My Life
U Got the Look
Adore
Housequake
If I Was Your Girlfriend

Rebirth of the Flesh
Feel U Up

Slow Love
[the Flesh]
It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night

[new Bsides and outtakes]
La La La He He Hee
Shockadelica
Make Yo Momma Happy

Nightcrawler said:

When i first listened to this piece of art i had the same problem.
My solution is, begin with LP1 when prince finished It, change to LP2 and continue with The Cross till the end. Mayby that will help.