These two albums quite possibly represent Prince at his most spiritual.

I was a child when Lovesexy came out, but it is in my top 5 Prince albums the more I listened to it. Bubbly and deep, psychadelic, yet funky, this represented the end of the the end of the 1980s creative streak which saw him establish himself as the best pop/rock musician of the era.

Although maligned by some, I find Rainbow Children an enjoyable listen as well. Although I may not agree with some of the message, the overall concept was an extension of what he believed and where he was heading personally.

I love the energy of the LoveSexy Era but I liked the pop/jazz of the Rainbow Children as well. In the end, for sentimental value, I gotta go with Lovesexy.

In your opinions, when comparing the two, which album resonates more with you personally and why.
[Edited 11/26/09 16:45pm]

I like both albums so I won't pick one

I like them both, however I do appreciate the maturity that the "Rainbow Children," is. Listening to that album is a well rounded experience. It's a great musical story as well as spiritually thoughtful.

Lovesexy. It's more cohesive musically, has a stronger theme, Prince was making music that had depth but was still accessible enough to have big radio singles, it was spiritual without being preachy, and every song on there is arguably a classic.

Although I enjoy parts of TRC, it's completely inaccessible to many Prince fans, let alone anyone else. It's kind of overbearing, has completely random stuff like "Wedding Feast" (which, let's be honest, nobody would miss if it wasn't there), it has the annoying Darth Vader voice, musically it's all over the place, and some of it is drowning in JW dogma.

TRC isn't a bad album, but I almost never listen to it. You really have to be in a specific kind of mood to enjoy it, minus a few tracks.

luv4u said:

C'mon, if you had to choose one

Militant said:

I may catch some heat for this, but the spiritual ambiguity is what kept the music so mysterious back in the day. As Tame stated, the musical maturity is welcomed though and to appreciate both, both albums have to be listened to in their entirety, warts and all.

If I had to pick just one, I'd go for The Rainbow Children.

I love both albums. They're both inspired and genius imo. But I have to go with TRC as my favorite. Lyrically, both albums deal with a spiritual awakening. And although I don't agree with every single belief that's shared on TRC (or Lovesexy for that matter), I dig the passion and even some of the radical concepts presented, especially on the latter half of the album. Musically, I love the jazz touches.

On a side note, it's a trip how people seem to rag on TRC for the narrator voice but the fact that Lovesexy is one continous track bugs me more.

xpertluva said:

Not for me it isn't. The UK CD version of Lovesexy has separate tracks.

ernestsewell said:

The cover alone makes it iconic. Only Prince could have pulled something that brazen off back in the day.

Lovesexy by a million miles. We didn't know it then but it really is the last real "Prince" album.

Militant said:

And let's not forget that with technology being what it is, it's not exactly hard to break up the tracks on your own either.

LOVESEXY is the One...

This is not music this is a trip...

I love Lovesexy deeply, this cd is in my Prince top 5,

I like TRC too, but it isn't essential.. in my Prince top 20.

Lovesexy by a long shot, sexy beautiful and it has Anna Stesia need I say more.
The Rainbow Children, absolute cult brainwashing crap, weak, sloppily constructed, an abortion of an album, an insult to music.
Its like making me choose between Obama and Dubya.

Militant said:

My one bought in WH Smiths was a single track.

If LoveSexy had a late term abortion and you left the carcus of the fetus out to fester in the sun for a few days, you might end up with the RainBow Children.


LoveSexy is the one.

Huggiebear said:

Damn thats cold

COMPUTERBLUE1984 said:

Its also wrong - its amazing how people will let their emotion cloud their judgement to an extent that, because of their dislike, somehow this corrupts the experience of any overall objectivity.

You can say its "cult brainwashing crap" if you like, you can say you don't like the style of music - you absolutely CAN'T say its "sloppily constructed" or an insult to music!! Any musician will disagree with you on that and would love themselves to have been able to produce such an exquisitely recorded and played piece of music. Just because you got served a meal you didn't like, doesn't mean the chef can't cook!

In answer to the original question and much as I love both albums, Lovesexy takes it - a melting-pot of musical ideas and one of his most ambitious studio projects ever!
[Edited 11/27/09 4:13am]

I'm going with Lovesexy. I dig that its a 1 track album. But, good thing I have the actual vinyl record also just in case I have a jones to hear a certain tune!!

Lovesexy by far.

Allthough I have outgrown the lyrics on this one, and allthough it can be a bit manic / busy sounding, Its the last real 'classic' Prince album IMO.
Lyrically he is taking his carnal vs spiritual dilemma's 'to the max' and musically he sounds like he was trying to throw all the things he tried before in the eighties in one big 'melting pot' to create uber-busy, very baroque, layered music.
Especially when it comes to the arrangements Lovesexy can be very impressive: his use of harmonic dissonants, musicians playing in different key sorts, the guitar work in the background, the arrangement of the background vocals, the intricate horn lines, the synth bass. Its all so full, rich, 'overpowering'
sometimes.

The Rainbow Children however, is one of my most hated Prince albums.

The lyrics, the way he handles those themes, and the use of the 'Darth Vader' voice are plain crap.
As I said I have outgrown the (IMO) a bit naive, hysterical 'conclusions' he makes on the Lovesexy album, but he keeps it rather abstract and it makes me feel more like: Okay, you are in Hallelujah-mode, I dont totally 'feel' it, but I go along with the energy and 'sturm-and-drang' it lends to your music.
On the Rainbow Children his lyrics are about trying to convince others with far more specific, very dogmatic shit and an attitude of: 'you're either with me, or against me'. Thats the kind of attitude I don't take from anyone, wether its a politician, a churchleader, a writer, or, in this case a musician. Its totally offputting for me.
And EVEN without those lyrics and the use of the Darth Vader voice The Rainbow Children is an very overrated album. Musicwise, he uses some of the same 'tricks' he uses on the Lovesexy album, and on a pure technical level you can say the musicians are playing well, but much of the music itself is derived from boring seventies jazz-rock / fusion, or just a matter of self-copying (the Work, 1+1+1=3).
But essentialy my main problem with the music (and the lyrics) is that he sounds very detached from it. Its likes he is into it with his mind, but not with his heart and soul. A complaint i also have about the beforementioned seventies jazz-rock. The whole TRC-project sounds to me like a man fooling himself, he sounds like he is not able to even convince HIMSELF. That makes up for a very uneasy and awkward listening IMO.

There's no serious comparison.

Lovesexy is generous, intentionally ambiguous, forgiving and rejects doctrine for hard-won personal truth. It's what you get when you fight battles about what it means to be spiritual and sexual and arrive at an answer that you've fought for, unique to you.

And then you explain it like a genius.

It's also instrumentally fascinating, with some of Prince's most delicious lyrics and funky as my grandmother's unwashed underpants.

The Rainbow Children is great on the first listen. And then you hear the lyrics and it's horrible. It's what you get when you stop trying to make sense of your pain, and your love, and your spirit, and get stuck in a fucking book. He compares the Holocaust to slavery like it's a competition and then disses Jews. I can't listen to it.

Loveexy is joy.

Edit: I know what it is. I'm not a Christian, but when I hear 'Lovesexy' I hear gospel, and celebration, and I understand. I'm totally convinced while I hear it.

When I hear 'The Rainbow Children' I just think 'Oh yeah. You're the hypocritical bastards who fucked it all up for everyone in Africa, Australia and the Americas.'
[Edited 11/27/09 12:19pm]

Imago said:

I hate the album too, but could never even imagine posting such a thing.

Mindflux said:

As a gay man, I find the ultra right wing religious content of the record personally offensive. Not just that, but the quality of the songwriting and musicality is also lacking compared to his other albums. Theres a lot of jazzique type production, and silly darth vader (I am god voices - if that is not a cultic obsession with Christian Dogma what is). Sure I like 4 songs for their melody and feel but still find their lyrical content still offensive, they are 1+1+1 =3, Last December, She loves me 4 me and The Everlasting Now. The rest is unlistenable tosh. I stand by my views as a staunch gay Socialist atheist. I agree totally with Imago, Vainandy,and ernestsewell, is it not interesting that a lot of the gay male fans also do not like this album.
[Edited 11/27/09 14:45pm]

Lovesexy.


So if Lovesexy is the opposite to the Black album ie the plus sign to the negative power, what is the opposite for TRC? is there one?

and wasnt lovesexy recorded not long after the Black Album, the juices must of been flowing then

oldpurple said:

TBA and Lovesexy were all very closely done. He says it's supposed to be the ying to the yang, but in reality, they were recorded differently; namely that Lovesexy was recorded in order, except "Alphabet St." and "Eye No", IIRC. They really are complimentary to each other in the dark vs. light FEEL of it (not the message). I never saw much negativity in TBA. It was the mood musically that is "dark". Yes it talks about guns and has some violence in it, but it's more just about music. Even Lovesexy has the sound of guns in it, and talks about violence and drugs in more than one song.

The opposite of The Rainbow Children is Dirty Mind or Controversy. Both of those albums talked strongly about railing against the establishment, and being free on all levels. TRC is all about submission, and being part of a sect.

ernestsewell said:[quote]

oldpurple said:

AMEN!

ernestsewell said:[quote]

oldpurple said:

Oh I agree. But I'd say it's opposite was, conveniently for this thread, Lovesexy (in the way you mean at least, I think.)

Lovesexy is a completely idiosyncratic, unique take on what it means to be both spiritual and to have a penis. It's joy; it's beautifully human. It celebrates.

The Rainbow Children says 'You are wrong. I am correct. I read it in a book.' It's unforgiving, and narrow, and mean, and confined and confining.