james said:

Well, still taking a proper listen, but I'm pleasantly surprised!

Yep, it's "Prince by numbers", no classics... yet... but a pretty decent album.

How can anyone listen to even the first two tracks and say this album is Prince "by the numbers?" You make me laugh.

funkycomic said:

please review this album without any reference to older albums. that is soooo boring and 95% of the time peoples comparisons are wrong. Listen and let those of us who have not heard get a true evaluation of how you feel. Instead of some tired azz "it sounds like something from NPS or Controversy or Batman etc.

oohwee...tell them again

I think a lot of fans are really digging 20TEN because they didn't hear the Lotusflow3r set (it wasn't distributed to the UK -altho i got a copy sent! ) - the reactions I'm seeing here are very much what I felt when I hear Lotusflow3r/MPLSound for the first time - at the time i rated that as his best since 1996's Emancipation and I still do. (Not forgetting the amazing but often overlooked track 'Elixer' from Bria's album which is Prince at his sensual best).

Boom, Crimson and Clover and Dreamer are amazing gems from Lotusflow3r.

Better with Time, Ol Skool Company and the 'Delirious' inspired No More Candy 4 U were great on MPLSound.

There are some great tracks on this, such as Beginning Endlessly, Act of God, Lavaux and Kate Bush sounding 'Walk in Sand'.

However, in some areas it sounds a bit cheesy (dare I say it) which is not something i usually associate with Prince...Compassion / Future Soul Song / Everybody Loves Me are examples.

This is first couple of listens mind. Anyone else feel he was trying to emulate the raw funk of Dirty Mind in Everybody Loves Me, and the seemingly rushed feel to the album? However, one criticism is the sound still sounds a bit vaccumy/plasticy - ie not airy/light sounding. An audience track a la Cause and Effect would have been great on some of these. (Why, oh why wasn't that included, that was a great track!)

[Edited 7/10/10 13:10pm]

[Edited 7/10/10 13:21pm]

alexandernevermind1999 said:

i have 2 admit that when i first read/heard the pre-release comparisons and talk of 'mplsound', my heart sank, as i loved 3/4 of lotusflower and hated 3/4 of mpsound, but...

thankfully 4 me its sooo much better.

after a few run thru's there r mayb 6 tracks that i would happily play 2 anyone without having 2 make excuses or skip forward ! (and think about it, how many albums can u say that about, P or otherwise ?!)

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

but then i guess if he had done that he wouldn't b the person he is, that frustrates and enthuses in equal measure, and ultimately by sheer weight of numbers keeps us hooked. In the interviews P has mentioned he is in a very productive phase right now, and speaks of being another '3 albums on' from this project, and 2 me it's the reality that music just POURS out of him that fascinates, and always will.

Thanx P.

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

I feel that, it's so easy for him, he breathes music; but that's why we love him...and accept his gems

After 5 or 6 listens all the way through:

Loving Laydown and Act Of God
Hating Everybody Loves Me
Liking everything else

I'd rank the last few albums thusly:

1 - Lotusflow3r
2 - 3121
3 - 20Ten
4 - MPLSound
5 - Planet Earth
6 - Musicology

I also think there is an overall "cheese" factor here. But that's not such a bad thing, I like cheese.

I will say, this one flows great, I agree with another poster that the tracks work better as a whole and less alone out of context, can't wait to buy it when it hits the states!

Because of where we are right now, I'll end with an inflamatory statement:

Replacing Everybody Loves Me with Hot Summer makes the album even better!

NelsonR said:

alexandernevermind1999 said:

i have 2 admit that when i first read/heard the pre-release comparisons and talk of 'mplsound', my heart sank, as i loved 3/4 of lotusflower and hated 3/4 of mpsound, but...

thankfully 4 me its sooo much better.

after a few run thru's there r mayb 6 tracks that i would happily play 2 anyone without having 2 make excuses or skip forward ! (and think about it, how many albums can u say that about, P or otherwise ?!)

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

but then i guess if he had done that he wouldn't b the person he is, that frustrates and enthuses in equal measure, and ultimately by sheer weight of numbers keeps us hooked. In the interviews P has mentioned he is in a very productive phase right now, and speaks of being another '3 albums on' from this project, and 2 me it's the reality that music just POURS out of him that fascinates, and always will.

Thanx P.

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

I feel that, it's so easy for him, he breathes music; but that's why we love him...and accept his gems

But which songs are the best from those albums? I guarantee that none of us would agree which songs are "classics" from those albums and which songs are "bad".

I think if the album's sequencing was like this:

1.) Laydown

2.) Beginning Endlessly

3.) Future Soul Song

4.) Sticky Like Glue

5.) Act of God

6.) Lavaux

7.) Walk in Sand

8.) Sea of Everything

9.) Compassion

77.) Whatever track that wasn't on this record that you wish was on it

Or hell not even include a bonus track...

This would make the album better on first listen.

[Edited 7/10/10 13:24pm]

NeoGeo24bit said:

NelsonR said:

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

I feel that, it's so easy for him, he breathes music; but that's why we love him...and accept his gems

But which songs are the best from those albums? I guarantee that none of us would agree which songs are "classics" from those albums and which songs are "bad".

Which is exactly why I reject the notion that Prince needs to focus on quality over quantity and release fewer albums. He needs to keep doing what he's doing, I'm fine with picking my own playlists from the last few albums of my favorite tracks. The ones I like best aren't the same ones other fans would pick and I'd bet not the same ones Prince would pick either.

R0Ten

PicklesMcMillan said:

funkycomic said:

please review this album without any reference to older albums. that is soooo boring and 95% of the time peoples comparisons are wrong. Listen and let those of us who have not heard get a true evaluation of how you feel. Instead of some tired azz "it sounds like something from NPS or Controversy or Batman etc.

oohwee...tell them again

I'm sorry but how can you tell people that their opinions are wrong?

Some of you guys have such unmitigated gall.

Vendetta1 said:

PicklesMcMillan said:

oohwee...tell them again

I'm sorry but how can you tell people that their opinions are wrong?

Some of you guys have such unmitigated gall.

Exactly.

Final review of this: this is a GOOD Prince album. Not close to anything great he did in the '80s but as far as what he's put out, it's good. An album with good songs and one real stinker on it while others are good but still leave lots to be desired. It's good.

BartVanHemelen said:

If you need half a dozen listens to "start to get into it", it's a sign that it's rubbish -- and don't pretend it ain't.

You, sir, are the one that speaks rubbish!

There were several albums in the 80's that I had to hear a few times to get into. Parade and Lovesexy were 2 such albums and now we all agree they are awesome classics! It wasn't that I needed to convince myself to like them. Rather, it was because my expectations (based on what I heard previously from Prince) didn't mesh with the reality of the new direction Prince was going, and sometimes it took a few listens to feel the vibe of album and really get into it.

These days there are times when upon first listen I'm focused on an element I dislike (say, autotune for instance) and because I'm thinking about that maybe it's the second listen before I notice I love the baseline, and the third or fourth before I notice how the vocals are layered, and so on.

And it's almost always MANY listens before I start paying much attention to lyrics. I'm a music guy first. I have to get into the music and how the song sounds before I even care what the lyrics are. To me, I can like a song with idiotic lyrics if it sounds good, and I can dislike a song with the greatest lyrics ever written if I'm not digging the sound.

So, I say to you, this idea that one must embrace or disregard upon first listen is idiotic at best!

RichardS said:

I often browse but rarely post. Can I just ask - is the only reason BartVH posts on here to 'shout' at us for being stupid/wrong for still liking some of the things Prince does?

Yes

djThunderfunk said:

BartVanHemelen said:

If you need half a dozen listens to "start to get into it", it's a sign that it's rubbish -- and don't pretend it ain't.

You, sir, are the one that speaks rubbish!

There were several albums in the 80's that I had to hear a few times to get into. Parade and Lovesexy were 2 such albums and now we all agree they are awesome classics! It wasn't that I needed to convince myself to like them. Rather, it was because my expectations (based on what I heard previously from Prince) didn't mesh with the reality of the new direction Prince was going, and sometimes it took a few listens to feel the vibe of album and really get into it.

These days there are times when upon first listen I'm focused on an element I dislike (say, autotune for instance) and because I'm thinking about that maybe it's the second listen before I notice I love the baseline, and the third or fourth before I notice how the vocals are layered, and so on.

And it's almost always MANY listens before I start paying much attention to lyrics. I'm a music guy first. I have to get into the music and how the song sounds before I even care what the lyrics are. To me, I can like a song with idiotic lyrics if it sounds good, and I can dislike a song with the greatest lyrics ever written if I'm not digging the sound.

So, I say to you, this idea that one must embrace or disregard upon first listen is idiotic at best!

Very well put man! I agree 100%

I gotta dig the sounds first. I'm a music guy first and foremost. And yes Parade, Lovesexy and others took me awhile to get into. Some music is like that and to me that's a good thing. To each his own I guess.

NeoGeo24bit said:

NelsonR said:

infact, in my humble opinion, if P had held off 4 a year and combined the best of Mplsound/LF/20Ten we would have a 'legacy classic' 2 drool over.

I feel that, it's so easy for him, he breathes music; but that's why we love him...and accept his gems

But which songs are the best from those albums? I guarantee that none of us would agree which songs are "classics" from those albums and which songs are "bad".

you might not like my answer, but i never compare Prince songs unless for analysis on specific features.

but the ones that I have played over and over are:

• laydown
• future soul song
• endlessly beginning

and 1 more which I cannot recall now. the thing is that Prince's only competition is himself, so its hard for him to refine his own work

hard 2 explain now

Yes I posted this in the 20ten love it thread but also wanted it here...

Ok. After only 1 listen and a few drinks last night....lol, I think this is a great album. Of course I need to listen a few more times to fully realize things but my first impression was a good one. I liked how some songs appear to be really simple but under the surface there are multilayers of things happening. Compassion is a good example of this. A lot of nice grooves that don't fell forced as well. A lot of the songs feels very natural to me.I can't wait to listen again a few times and get a better understanding. Good stuff!

Timmy84 said:

Final review of this: this is a GOOD Prince album. Not close to anything great he did in the '80s but as far as what he's put out, it's good. An album with good songs and one real stinker on it while others are good but still leave lots to be desired. It's good.

Not close to anything in the 80's? Come on man... stop living in that 80's facade. Do you really think Controversy, ATWIAD, Lovesexy, or Batman are better albums? Even 1999 has several stinkers on it. Listen to Controversy from beginning to end and tell me that's a "great" album.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

HonestMan13 said:

Thanks Prince 4 giving us all ten new tracks to enjoy this summer.

Note 2 the ORG

Sometimes music is simply best when it's enjoyed and not dissected down to every ten second mark. Stop trying so hard 2 hear what U miss and listen 2 what U have.

Note From The Org

Sometimes a fan community site is simply best when it's enjoyed and not told what to do every ten seconds. Stop trying so hard 2 please Prince because he's not here! Be grateful that you have a place where you can at least, discuss Prince because he doesn't give a damn enough to have a full functioning website, for you to go to.

Shut up and drink your haterade! For someone who constantly claims to not be buying any Prince or getting any new stuff from him your always here speaking on forum you yourself claim to not know anything about. If you didn't get the new music why are you on a forum discussing it. Here's an idea don't buy the next CD from Bilal and go stalk him for awhile. See you next Tuesday!

Can't wait till u hear the DRUM...

NeoGeo24bit said:

Timmy84 said:

Final review of this: this is a GOOD Prince album. Not close to anything great he did in the '80s but as far as what he's put out, it's good. An album with good songs and one real stinker on it while others are good but still leave lots to be desired. It's good.

Not close to anything in the 80's? Come on man... stop living in that 80's facade. Do you really think Controversy, ATWIAD, Lovesexy, or Batman are better albums? Even 1999 has several stinkers on it. Listen to Controversy from beginning to end and tell me that's a "great" album.

Yall are killing me today.

Vendetta1 said:

NeoGeo24bit said:

Not close to anything in the 80's? Come on man... stop living in that 80's facade. Do you really think Controversy, ATWIAD, Lovesexy, or Batman are better albums? Even 1999 has several stinkers on it. Listen to Controversy from beginning to end and tell me that's a "great" album.

Yall are killing me today.

Amazing how a new album brings 'em out, isn't it?

Genesia said:

Vendetta1 said:

Yall are killing me today.

Amazing how a new album brings 'em out, isn't it?

NeoGeo24bit said:

Timmy84 said:

Final review of this: this is a GOOD Prince album. Not close to anything great he did in the '80s but as far as what he's put out, it's good. An album with good songs and one real stinker on it while others are good but still leave lots to be desired. It's good.

Not close to anything in the 80's? Come on man... stop living in that 80's facade. Do you really think Controversy, ATWIAD, Lovesexy, or Batman are better albums? Even 1999 has several stinkers on it. Listen to Controversy from beginning to end and tell me that's a "great" album.

1999 has several stinkers? Really?

Although, I agree with you in general... Controversy, LoveSexy, Batman are generally on the same level as his work of the last decade or so. If Dirty Mind were released today most people would slag it off.

NeoGeo24bit said:

murph said:

Because the usual suspects are truly full of shit....

I love this album, but I think Lotus might be better... are you saying i'm full of sh*t?

Nah....

MarcelJ said:

hahahahaha, damn, I'm amazed so many don't get Everybody Loves Me.

It's truly brilliant and one of his most catchy songs ever! It really just needs a Tim Burton directed video. It'd also be awesome in a Pixar film.

Act Of God is the ultimate grower. I didn't love it at first, but enjoy it more each time.

Good to see near universal opinion that Future Soul Song is classic Prince. I always loved his deep voice stuff.

It's just not a good song. Aside from him borrowing from my bassline on Madonna's "Burnin' Up, it's a throwaway.

Hey you pushing gear on here? Where's my Zodiac?

Genesia said:

Vendetta1 said:

Yall are killing me today.

Amazing how a new album brings 'em out, isn't it?

Brings who out? The haters? The 80's fans? The lovers of anything Prince releases? Be more specific.

fabriziovenerandi said:

BartVanHemelen said:

Bland, uninspired, Prince on autopilot. Instantly forgettable. Not an ounce of conviction.

Fossero tutti così ci metterei una firma. I think there is more passion here than in last 5 albums.

Ah, 198x. Good old times: nice videogames, reagan, and tv-popstar. what about Georgio?

If you need half a dozen listens to "start to get into it", it's a sign that it's rubbish -- and don't pretend it ain't.

yes, like wagner. If you don't like it the first time is rubbish.

Are you talking about Giorgio Moroder? Because Moroder=Genius. He is one of the fathers of New Wave, and truly a pioneer of disco.

jtfolden said:

NeoGeo24bit said:

Not close to anything in the 80's? Come on man... stop living in that 80's facade. Do you really think Controversy, ATWIAD, Lovesexy, or Batman are better albums? Even 1999 has several stinkers on it. Listen to Controversy from beginning to end and tell me that's a "great" album.

1999 has several stinkers? Really?

Although, I agree with you in general... Controversy, LoveSexy, Batman are generally on the same level as his work of the last decade or so. If Dirty Mind were released today most people would slag it off.

I always thought International Lover was really weak. And FREE is one of the worst Prince songs ever. Why he put that song on the album instead of Moonbeam Levels, I'll never know. The first half of 1999 is ace, but the second half (to me) is poor. It's amazing what revisionist history will do to make an album greater than it is... and don't get me started on Controversy. The second half of that album falls apart completely. Ronnie Talk To Russia and Annie Christian? Stinkers!

[spam removed - Mars23]