Okay, once more I open myself to be shot down by trolls and naysayers, but today I am listening to Janelle Monae's lush musical soundscape and I find myself lost in a wondrous musical wondaland... And I have not felt so emotionally and musically involved in an album in a very long time...maybe not since Lauren Hill. I was lost and completely caught that way by some albums of Prince's with the 80s oldies....and The Gold Experience...and TRC (despite the Darth Vader voice.) I think that Prince needs a compelling vision as he did with TRC to drive him to deliver the kind of musical jewels he did with Black album/Lovesexy..., etc., and TRC...

...as Janelle Monae has done with her burning conceptions of sound, energy, and passion that she laid down beginning with Metropolis and then Archandroid... Such a diversity of musical styles, poetic visions, and sounds IMO to lead to a cohesive whole.

Don't get me wrong...I love several songs on Lotusflower and 20TEN...but I don't get lost in a total "wondaland" of music and wander through the artist's musical dreamscapes as I do with Janelle Monae's Archandroid... I would love to hear Prince so compelled and inspired again...to work on an entire concept album that would draw me into another "world" for a brief time as this one has! Just IMO!

Now bracing for

[Edited 7/18/10 16:18pm]

I totally agree... I think Lotusflower was on its way

andykeen said:

I totally agree... I think Lotusflower was on its way

I think so, too, I think that Lotusflower could have been an album with a conceptual vision...it started out and ended up that way...but lost its way in the middle... I read on here, someone correct me if I'm wrong, that P in the old days was such a perfectionist that he would try his new material out...just to find out what the audience reception would be...if it was mediocre then he would make changes... When was the last time he did that? Once again, correct me if I'm wrong, but when I saw the setlist he played for Rothskilde (sp?) Prince only included his old songs...nothing off the 20TEN album or even Lotusflower!

might be fair to say that artists like monae produce soundscapes these days thanks to the soundscapes produced by guys like Prince in the past..

robinhood said:

might be fair to say that artists like monae produce soundscapes these days thanks to the soundscapes produced by guys like Prince in the past..

That's an old argument that goes back all the way to Shakespeare and beyond. Shakespeare even took Ecclesiastes 1:9- the verse famously quoted as "there is nothing new under the sun." It was used in Shakespeare's Sonnet 59. My point is this, as many people have pointed out over the years--that inspiration for human beings' artistic creativity come from those they learn and imitate. The best of the imitators end up creating their own individual artistic endeavors from those who came before. Just like Prince immitated JB, David Bowie, etc.

So, are musical artists going to imitate and create their own individual world out of what has come before. IMO Janelle Monae is one of these artists, and Prince agrees. So, yes, younger artists like Monae owe their inspiration to artists like Prince...but doesn't Prince himself owe his artistic inspiration when he was young to people like James Brown, Marvin Gaye, etc. who came before? That is how we are inspired and learn as people.

The difference is when you are not merely an imitiation...and truly re-create what has gone before into your own singular sound and vision. Monae had done that...and Prince appreciates that! So, kudos for him. But I want to hear another visionary album from him! Just heard 20TEN again and the same songs stand out--Future Soul Song, Sticky Like Glue, Act of God, and Lavaux all flow together... The others IMO don't! Kind of like Lotusflower with some songs! I think P needs to slow down and produce and try out a more complex LP like he used to...with a critical audience (who still loves his music BTW!)

poetcorner61 said:

robinhood said:

might be fair to say that artists like monae produce soundscapes these days thanks to the soundscapes produced by guys like Prince in the past..

That's an old argument that goes back all the way to Shakespeare and beyond. Shakespeare even took Ecclesiastes 1:9- the verse famously quoted as "there is nothing new under the sun." It was used in Shakespeare's Sonnet 59. My point is this, as many people have pointed out over the years--that inspiration for human beings' artistic creativity come from those they learn and imitate. The best of the imitators end up creating their own individual artistic endeavors from those who came before. Just like Prince immitated JB, David Bowie, etc.

So, are musical artists going to imitate and create their own individual world out of what has come before. IMO Janelle Monae is one of these artists, and Prince agrees. So, yes, younger artists like Monae owe their inspiration to artists like Prince...but doesn't Prince himself owe his artistic inspiration when he was young to people like James Brown, Marvin Gaye, etc. who came before? That is how we are inspired and learn as people.

The difference is when you are not merely an imitiation...and truly re-create what has gone before into your own singular sound and vision. Monae had done that...and Prince appreciates that! So, kudos for him. But I want to hear another visionary album from him! Just heard 20TEN again and the same songs stand out--Future Soul Song, Sticky Like Glue, Act of God, and Lavaux all flow together... The others IMO don't! Kind of like Lotusflower with some songs! I think P needs to slow down and produce and try out a more complex LP like he used to...with a critical audience (who still loves his music BTW!)

sure, but maybe his days in the sun are done. there's only so much one man can do. in my opinion he already eclipsed the boundaries and blasted through them altogether.

the torch gets passed to the younger generation, kings and queens either die or abdicate at some stage.

i dont expect or hope for Prince to do as you hope, for me personally it isnt a realistic expectation, but i'm always open to being pleasantly surprised.

2OTEN was a fun listen for me. i'm not as easily enticed into wonderment as i was when i was younger, so i'm a lot harder to please these days, but i'll always respect his musicianship and cant honestly say i expect anything more from him than his best effort.

if his best effort doesnt equate with his best efforts of the past, thats ok with me. i'm satisifed knowing there's at least one great musician still doing his thing his own way, however that may be, and regardless of my personal opinion of his business decisions.

but i do hear and understand what ur saying. if monae is ringing ur bells right now, thats great.

robinhood said:

poetcorner61 said:

That's an old argument that goes back all the way to Shakespeare and beyond. Shakespeare even took Ecclesiastes 1:9- the verse famously quoted as "there is nothing new under the sun." It was used in Shakespeare's Sonnet 59. My point is this, as many people have pointed out over the years--that inspiration for human beings' artistic creativity come from those they learn and imitate. The best of the imitators end up creating their own individual artistic endeavors from those who came before. Just like Prince immitated JB, David Bowie, etc.

So, are musical artists going to imitate and create their own individual world out of what has come before. IMO Janelle Monae is one of these artists, and Prince agrees. So, yes, younger artists like Monae owe their inspiration to artists like Prince...but doesn't Prince himself owe his artistic inspiration when he was young to people like James Brown, Marvin Gaye, etc. who came before? That is how we are inspired and learn as people.

The difference is when you are not merely an imitiation...and truly re-create what has gone before into your own singular sound and vision. Monae had done that...and Prince appreciates that! So, kudos for him. But I want to hear another visionary album from him! Just heard 20TEN again and the same songs stand out--Future Soul Song, Sticky Like Glue, Act of God, and Lavaux all flow together... The others IMO don't! Kind of like Lotusflower with some songs! I think P needs to slow down and produce and try out a more complex LP like he used to...with a critical audience (who still loves his music BTW!)

sure, but maybe his days in the sun are done. there's only so much one man can do. in my opinion he already eclipsed the boundaries and blasted through them altogether.

the torch gets passed to the younger generation, kings and queens either die or abdicate at some stage.

i dont expect or hope for Prince to do as you hope, for me personally it isnt a realistic expectation, but i'm always open to being pleasantly surprised.

2OTEN was a fun listen for me. i'm not as easily enticed into wonderment as i was when i was younger, so i'm a lot harder to please these days, but i'll always respect his musicianship and cant honestly say i expect anything more from him than his best effort.

if his best effort doesnt equate with his best efforts of the past, thats ok with me. i'm satisifed knowing there's at least one great musician still doing his thing his own way, however that may be, and regardless of my personal opinion of his business decisions.

but i do hear and understand what ur saying. if monae is ringing ur bells right now, thats great.

Thanks, I really respect your opinion! Straight-up honesty and no sarcastic trolling in sight! So, I don't need to call the Sheriff of Nottingham...Man...what a bad joke!

poetcorner61 said:

robinhood said:

sure, but maybe his days in the sun are done. there's only so much one man can do. in my opinion he already eclipsed the boundaries and blasted through them altogether.

the torch gets passed to the younger generation, kings and queens either die or abdicate at some stage.

i dont expect or hope for Prince to do as you hope, for me personally it isnt a realistic expectation, but i'm always open to being pleasantly surprised.

2OTEN was a fun listen for me. i'm not as easily enticed into wonderment as i was when i was younger, so i'm a lot harder to please these days, but i'll always respect his musicianship and cant honestly say i expect anything more from him than his best effort.

if his best effort doesnt equate with his best efforts of the past, thats ok with me. i'm satisifed knowing there's at least one great musician still doing his thing his own way, however that may be, and regardless of my personal opinion of his business decisions.

but i do hear and understand what ur saying. if monae is ringing ur bells right now, thats great.

Thanks, I really respect your opinion! Straight-up honesty and no sarcastic trolling in sight! So, I don't need to call the Sheriff of Nottingham...Man...what a bad joke!

ur welcome and thank you... its my pleasure to chat with you and exchange our point of view without lacing the convo with smart-ass remarks... so no you dont need to call the sheriff lol

me, little john, and the missus are getting together later on. ur more than welcome to join us

robinhood said:

poetcorner61 said:

Thanks, I really respect your opinion! Straight-up honesty and no sarcastic trolling in sight! So, I don't need to call the Sheriff of Nottingham...Man...what a bad joke!

ur welcome and thank you... its my pleasure to chat with you and exchange our point of view without lacing the convo with smart-ass remarks... so no you dont need to call the sheriff lol

me, little john, and the missus are getting together later on. ur more than welcome to join us

Wish I could join you in the Sherwood Forest! Must be fun! Better than slammed in the world of Capitalism!

poetcorner61 said:

robinhood said:

ur welcome and thank you... its my pleasure to chat with you and exchange our point of view without lacing the convo with smart-ass remarks... so no you dont need to call the sheriff lol

me, little john, and the missus are getting together later on. ur more than welcome to join us

Wish I could join you in the Sherwood Forest! Must be fun! Better than slammed in the world of Capitalism!

lol yeah actually it is.

come to think of it, maybe Prince's new wondaland vision is slowly taking shape...

i can hear it now, a forest-sounding record, and the piece de la resistance is him on stage in a pair of these fabulous green tights.

they itch from time to time, but i'm sure he'll get em made from silk, that heinous capitalist