Imago said:

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

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.