1996 brought the release of 2 vastly different albums by Prince, both of which weren't hugely succesful in terms of sales or critical acclaim. Having dismissed Chaos on release, I have recently seen it as the masterpiece it is. Understated in production like Dirty Mind but yet full of emotion, albeit mostly of a negative sort against Warners.

Emancipation on the other hand is a sprawling mess of an album. Unlike SOTT, which covered almoststyle of music and then raised the bar, Emancipation attempts to do the same and fails by providing dull tracks that would bore even the most ardent paint drying spectator.

I suppose I'm in a minority of one here, but in my opinion Chaos is the better album by far. Most could reel off 5 or 6 good tracks on Emancipation, but an album is the whole - without exception, and Emancipation has too much filler to be in the same league as Chaos...

DreamInWs said:

A bit short... but yes... Chaos is a great album!

Emancipation everytime.

I've probably spun C&D only half a dozen times or so since its release. Emancipation i couldn't leave alone for about 18 months. Disc 2 alone wipes the floor with C&D..

DreamInWs said:

or less is more sometimes , agree with ya...

yepp the warner time... free the music , phaa... oka ona live and x-files were nice, but TRC 2003 is what i am waiting 4... (p, please bring back the raw funk 95 style)

I'm siding with C&D on this one. I don't hate Emancipation, but I get a real fucking hard on when Prince picks up a guitar and lets the anger flow!!

If you don't believe me, just pick up a guitar after a hard day at the office, turn it up to eleven and play Zanalee!

JimmyNothing said:

Its far more full on that the MOR laden Emancipation. You can feel the anger and emotion in the way it ends with "Had You, Fuck You" Beautiful, just beautiful...
[This message was edited Tue Jan 14 16:08:34 PST 2003 by DreamInWs]

I agree with Cloudbuster . . . I couldn't leave Emancipation alone for a LONG time. As for Chaos & Disorder, I only listened to it maybe half a dozen times all the way through.

More often than not I find myself listening now to the last half of the CD (the angry songs).


[This message was edited Tue Jan 14 16:05:39 PST 2003 by Se7en]

I like both Emancipation and Chaos, but Chaos and Disorder is one of my favorite all-time Prince albums...probably somewhere in the top 3. Alot of people say it sounds too raw, unfinished, that the songs sound more like demos than fully produced tracks, and that the songs don't fit together as a whole; like Prince just threw it together to satisfy Warner Bros.

When I read stuff like this on Prince.org, alt.music.prince or wherever, I wonder sometimes if we're even listening to the same album! Because in my opinion, as far as production...I think the songs sound great. As far as the songs themselves: they ARE great. And as far as them not fitting together well, I just don't see how they are getting it! I think Chaos and Disorder flows together better than anything this side of Lovesexy!

I just bought Emancipation not even 2 hours ago..odd..but anyways, I love it so far! Both are greatly put together in my opinion.

DreamInWs said:

"Emancipation" is an hour too long. It would have made a very good double and a stunning single album.

"Chaos & Disorder" is very weak. I barely play it. You are entitled to your opinion and have every right to it.
[This message was edited Tue Jan 14 16:52:24 PST 2003 by nas3110]

they both have their strengths and weaknesses... i like the musicianship on "chaos" better... that version of the npg that playes on "chaos" and "gold experience" is tied with my favorite incarnation (tied with the current lineup)...

however, the songwriting on "emancipation" is stronger overall...

i listen to each of them a lot, and i don't think i could choose one over the other... each one fits a different mood for me...

I prefer C&D... but it's not a great album by any stretch. Right the Wrong is horrible; Same December and Zannallee sound over-produced (sort of like the ultimately released version of Endorphinmachine). With some minor editing, C&D could have been very good. Had U is a GREAT song.

Plus, you gotta love how Scrap D gives props to my wife-beating idol Kirby Puckett on I Rock Therefore I Am! My wish for 2003 is that one of the CDs fulfilling NPGMC's next 4-CD obligation is the long awaited Scrap D solo project... that would rock! Scrap D is a prophet... he foresaw 9/11 over 5 years before it happened (see Da Da Da).

EMALE is one of my fav prince songs
nothing on C&D can compare to that song

I think Emancipation beats C&D on this one. But only slightly. I think disc 1 bites BIG time (except White Mansion & In This Bed...), but Disc 2 is incredible and disc 3 is pretty fun. I like C&D a lot, the rawness is its biggest asset. I love it when Prince just plays the music with out over-producing. But I Rock Therefore I Am sucks donkey dick...I fucking HATE that song. It totally ruins the flow of the album to me...everything else rocks. But song for song (Sex in the Summer, Curious Child, Joint 2 Joint, Holy River, Slave, Face Down, Style just to name a few)...Emancipation wins.

C&D might be more consistent overall. Emancipation does contain some bad songs for sure...but the good ones are better than anything on C&D IMO. Nothing on C&D touches The Love We Make, Curious Child, Holy River, Soul Sanctuary, Emale as examples.

Am I the only one who really like the One of Us remake???

If Prince had released Emancipation as a 1CD, normal album, with the best 12 tracks of the 3CD set, it would have kicked C&D's ass. But the way it was, I have to agree: Chaos & Disorder, as an album, is better than Emancipation.

I'm not really into either of them. The CD i was least disappointed in though was Chaos And Disorder, the first three tracks were terrific and I Will was really pretty as well. Emancipation was a massive letdown. Possibly the worst album he's ever released in his own name. Im talking as a whole set of music, it just doesn't cut it. Its plastic, uninspired and just so darn uninteresting. I remember my brother saying "Is this Prince?..it sounds like crappy R&B" He mean't Prince sounded like everyone else out there and he did. Only The Love We Make and My Computer cut it as songs to cherish. The rest should've been vaulted.

yeah i love C&D . . . . . & if Emancipation were a 2cd it would be up there in my faves,tho my 1disc version i made is killee in my s anyway . .. .
both have diff' vibes going on,which is great depending what mood im in.

I think with Chaos and Disorder all the songs were good. With Emancipation there are some really good songs and a lot of Average ones. So as an album I prefer C+D. Maybe if Emancipation was 1 disc I'd choose that instead. (I'm not sure if I can make sense of that!)

strange cuz all the tracks from C&D aren't chosen by prince himself for a release
emancipation is his own album

dig u better dead is my fav from that album

later guys, keep going

Actually Prince DID choose the tracks for C&D (& The Vault).
Warners had no say in the matter.
The only thing Warners could do was choose if & when to
release it.

In 1996 I would have said Emancipation.

Now I would choose C&D.

Luv 'em both!!

BorisFishpaw said:

thanks 4 the info
didn't knew that
i tought W&B released by them selfs
everyday we could learn something