I am listening to this for the first time. I don't find much to complain about...I think if someone wants to hear Prince really stripped down to his bare essence...this would be the one album that would do it...for better or worse. I find Prince's naked voice stripped down with very little musical accompaniment very compelling...whether you like the songs or musical arrangements or not. What do you think about ONA Voice and Piano?

Three thumbs way up.

BIGGGGG YAH!...u're gonna c me..best song of last decade...a case of u and one nite alone following swift!

Fuck no. It blows.

ernestsewell said:

Could you specify what you don't like, Earnest? I find some of the songs compelling and others--unh okay--like "Arboretum." The song you go to bed with accompanied by a glass of milk. LOL But others I like and I would like to see Prince do another CD just being himself and not overloaded with so much instrumentation--I like the jazz licks!

poetcorner61 said:

It's Ernest. (earnest is an adjective)

The album is just boring to me. It's like a bunch of demos. I like the full band version of "U're Gonna C Me" on Mplsound a lot better than the piano version. "A Case of U" was a big let down. The ending was just weird, and could have been ended better. The racist shit is boring and, at this point, repetitive. There just aren't any songs that click with me at all. I was super anxious for the CD, but then after a listen, I was like.....eh, really? I haven't listened to it since it came out. I gave it a few spins, but quickly lost interest.

yay!

YAYYYYY!!!

ernestsewell said:

Thanks for your opinion, I value it as someone who knows about P's music and history more than I do. I think that, as on most Prince recordings, there are some gems, but not on the whole album. But, since (at least for me!) that is the usual, I still find the fact that he stripped himself down emotionally and musically, something intriguing (don't spell-check okay?!)

poetcorner61 said:

Okay well I WILL spell check my name, since it's right in front of you.

The couple of tracks that are relatively decent should have, perhaps, been on another album. They'd stand out more as a solo-piano piece in the context of a regular album. Like "Peals B4 The Swine", although bitchy to his fans, could have been on 3121 instead of "Te Amo" or "Satisfied". Just an example.

This is a amazing album

HELL YES

pearls is in my top 10 of all time!

Max said:

I think it is really terrific since Prince, who identifies himself with music and loud instrumentation, let himself slow down and be vulnerable for this album. On a private note, I remember back in the day (don't ask what year!) the moment when I decided P was sexier for me than MJ. Don't hate me for it, I luv both but in different ways! But P is the Dark Angel, where MJ is too much of a Saint! P. (not including JW membership) always let himself down into the the nitty-gritty lives of his fans with his music, while MJ's was always...ethereal!

poetcorner61 said:

squirrelgrease said:

Yep. Beautiful piece of work - Avalanche, Case of U are stunning.

Superb album.

nay, very boring.

I don't like 1 single of those songs.

the album sounds unfocused to me.

thedance said:

Maybe it sounds unfocused because P is scaled down musically and spiritually in these songs--whether you like it or not--maybe he is getting as real as he can!

squirrelgrease said:

I'm still patiently awaiting for Prince to play it for me personally....If not, I guess it's great music under the rug.

brilliant album...
funny story...when i got my ONA live from NPGMC they're were 3 copies of the piano album inside it.
I still have 2 sealed copies which I plan to keep for a wee while yet.

Yep, this is stripped down Prince at his finest. (but I do not agree with some of the paranoid lyrical content)

Yay

I love that version of ure gonna c me and young and beautiful

Love it!

Nay.

I always thought the songs sounded like demos... like he was just trying some ideas out. Which isn't to say it's bad, just "unfinished"-sounding and boring. I agree with Ernest that some of the editing is odd. The songs sounded a lot better on the Live album.

It's amazing how much music actually came out of this period - we had the Rainbow Children, Xpectation, ONA, ONA Live, C-Note, N.E.W.S., the ONA EP, plus the NPGMC stuff... the early 2000s was practically a deluge!

He fucks around too much on the piano. He needs to let loose and really play that motherfucker--Mozart that bitch. I know he can whip Renatos ass, but refuses to. He does it on guitar, so do it on keys ay little twirp.

muirdo said:

Good score. Sometimes a Prince-related screw up can be a good thing. I only had the one copy in mine... and it's still sealed. The copy I use for playing was bought from NPGMC if I remember correctly.

I love it when it's just Prince and a piano. It sets a nice mood.

squirrelgrease said:

I have 6 sealed copies of Planet Earth too...if your interested

billymeade said:

It says "demo" right on the packaging.