Crystal Ball
Back in the day of 1-800-newfunk and love4oneanother.com I got soooo excited when I heard Prince was planning on releasing a 3 disc set called Crystal Ball. As we all know Crystal Ball was the Sign of the Times album that never was – originally intended as a triple album it got stripped backed and reworked into the double disc set we know and love. So with the promise of potentially hearing songs from Crystal Ball and other rare gems I just had to get me one. Now I know a lot of people had issue with it’s distribution etc, but maybe being in Australia I was unaware of a lot of the hubbub. I got my copy on time, and was pleased to see it came with 2 bonus discs, so I was one happy camper.
And with the intriguing round glass case in hand I popped it open and carefully slide out disc one and popped it in the cd player. (later on I discovered the liner notes online at the site, and to this day wish I had printed them out – I love my booklets)
Disc I
With the flabby bass drum intro Crystal Ball had me from beat one. It seemed to reference so much of Prince’s work, the ATWIAD like “da-hoo” horn blow, the Parade/Batman era bell and string sounds (thank you Clare Fisher), the 1999 synth lines made the first minute thirty of the song already feel epic. And once Prince’s vocals hit, this eclectic mix of sounds fell into place. Dark, intriguing, irresistible the songs progression takes in sooo many styles, tempos and time signatures that had it been released back in the day it would have shaken up the whole musical landscape. As it was, listening to it I felt it was changing my world, drawing me in further and further into the groove. And at 4:50 the song switches gear with that blissful guitar noodling. Then the gears shifted again and became more raucous. There is something about Prince’s drumming that is so liberating. His love of off beat hits and snare rolls have influenced by drumming to this day. And the bass solo…. Larry Graham would have been green hearing that. And as if the journey moves from dark and brooding to playful and light with “aaaaaalll right, expert lover my baby is allllll right” and then lifts another level. By this time I was grooving to the song, as if taken over by it. I loved how the song had this epic live feel to it. All the stop start endings just made It more powerful. I remember once the track finished I just pressed << and experienced it all again. To this day, it’s one of my all time fave Prince jams.
Dream Factory countered the darkness of crystal ball with a lighter airier feel. With Camille-esque vocals that seduce in the verses before the crashing hard rock feel of the choruses. This whole crystal ball experience was like a blissful dream. Two killer grooves right out the bat. And it made me wonder what other joys does Prince have locked in the vault.
The whole vibe of Acknowledge Me took me back to the 
album, intended or not. Delightful enough without being too ground breaking. But really after the preceding tracks track three was always going to be at a disadvantage.
Ok so how many people went to see Showgirls just for Ripopgodazippa? I know I’m not alone. With its seductive reggae vibe this song crawls and creeps along and is one of prince’s waviest vibes. A joy to hear.
When LoveSign played my heart sunk. Ok this was a remix, but I just felt a bit jipped. I had this song, why was it on here. I wanted new (old) stuff, stuff I hadn’t heard, stuff I couldn’t sing along to from the first beat. As such this remix has always felt a bit flat to me.
Hide the bone with its funk rock feel had elements of Peach to it, but unlike Peach this felt fresh and original. I love the lyrics of the chorus.
Although 2morrow had been an NPG song, this reworking made it all Prince. I loved the pre-mashup mashup of TMBGITW, and the lyrics even took a more optimistic view. It’s the ying to the NPG’s yang.
Once again disappointment reared it’s head when So Dark came floating out my speakers. Ok this was reworked slightly, but I felt a bit cheated. Especially when this new version seemed a bit brighter than the original. Maybe I liked the moodiness of the COME version that seemed to be lacking here. Even with the same vocals, this seemed a light version,,. and thus a lesser version.
Movie Star from the opening feel felt more Morris Day than Prince, but man I roared with the smattering of one liners. A bit throwaway but fun none the less.
Like with So Dark, LoveSign (and to a lesser extent 2morrow) Tell me how u wanna be done, was a bit, been there heard that. And although I loved the breakdown part of this track when it was included in The Continental, as a stand alone track it comes of more as a loop than a fully fledged song.
Disc II
Slotting disc 2 into the cd player I was greeted with Interactive. A funky little ditty I was first exposed to on the CD ROM of the same name. A fun game no doubt and a funky track when first heard in the whole Peach vein. But to be kicking off Disc II I was a little bummed out. Once again I felt like I was hearing stuff that was already available and not new stuff. But for those who hadn’t played the CD ROM then I guess it was a different experience.
Da Bang with its wavy bluesy feel got in me. Then with the purple rain era chorus just topped it off. I love the vocal treatment, and the velvety smooth backing vocals.
Calhoun Square… with its funky strutting groove and expanding bass line this funk rock track just pumped out my speakers and filled the room with energy. The song seemed to build with each passing chorus, only to drop away into an abyss only to be built again. A touch of Lenny creeping in towards the end of the track I felt, or was it a touch of Lenny doing Prince.
The rapid funk groove of “What’s my name?” with that killer bass line just rocked. The scratching that seemed to add to the intensity of the track they way it screeched along and pierced the track. I loved the self referential nature of the lyrics and also the whole “name” issue that was around at the time seemed to be falling into place.
As we all know Crucial was a Sign O The Times track that never was – replaced by Adore. I still feel the track could have fallen in place and the album could have sustained both tracks. A beautifully arranged song that pulls at the heart strings with just enough tension. This is an example of when Prince’s ability as a composer comes to the fore.
An Honest Man with haunting layered vocals is all Prince, the way it should be. I love how we stretches notes and lets them rise and cascade in such a wondrous way.
What can one say about Sexual Suicide. This is THE JAM on disc 2. Too funky not to ever been released, as soon as I heard that drum fill I just new I HAD to learn it. Inspired by Sheila E, Prince puts his own stamp on it. This song has everything you could ever want from a Prince track. A funky beat. Soaring Synths. Playful counter melodies. Horns puncturing the groove. The whole Crystal Ball set was worth the price with this one track.
Ok so if Sexual Suicide is the JAM of the disc, well then Cloreen Baconskin has to be a close second. Less structured, more spontaneous with just Prince and Morris I love the feel of the track, just staying in the pocket of the groove. Maybe a little self indulgent at 15 minutes long but it does give you a fly on the wall feel for what the recording sessions would have been like.
Good Love – another Camille track, it has a similar feel to Scarlet Pussy, (and Shockadelica) but for me this Is the stronger of the two. A joyful positive song that always brings a smile to my face.
As part of Prince’s Epic Songs in 5 minutes comes Strays of the World. A gloriously arranged song that was intended for a Broadway musical, it has that sparse feel to it that has a sense of drama inherent in the arrangement. Like 3 chains of Gold, it took me a few listens to truly appreciate the complexity of the arrangements. It was a fitting end to Disc 2, a disc that offered more gems and monster grooves than the first.
Disc III
Sitting back as Disc 3 loaded I was greeted with Days of Wild, a song at that stage I had heard about but not laid witness to, so with joy I let it fill the room. With each passing phrase I remember pumping the volume up another notch. One of the most hardcore tracks had released it was littered with harsh curse and I couldn’t help but think was all this MF this and MF that just a pompous attempt to look HARD. Not to downplay the impact of this live jam but for me the subsequent reworking of the song had greater impact.
With a silky smooth melody and guitar runs, Last Heart was a track I had heard being referenced for the original Crystal Ball set, but this recording sounded more current that I expected it to with a shuffling (almost new jack) hi-hat and vocal structure. A perfectly playful pop track nudged in between the hardcore feel of DOW and the sweaty Poom Poom.
Songs like Poom Poom always get the better of me. Slightly ridiculously with its lyrics I always want to rise above the somewhat juvinile expressions, but with a sweaty groove that slithers and slides I found myself digging the vibe and almost dismissing the vocal until I find myself knee deep in the track. And by then it’s too late.
One of the most beautiful arrangements you are ever likely to hear, She Gave Her Angles just soars with a light air about it. Almost harking back to Sometimes It Snows in April, SGHA has a quiet seduction about it. Prince’s vocal delivery is perfect, and the progression of the song builds without being overbearing or collapsing under its own weight. Guess it must have been those angel wings. I have always wondered what this would have sounded like live, just that passion and energy in the second half of the song would just shine through your soul.
The original working of Come – 18 & Over was a delight to hear. It showed how a groove, a feel and certain elements of a song can be reborn into a new identity and grow from the experience. It’s these moments of insight into the creative process that I love. Just imaging how Prince would hear the track, and think … mmmmm maybe I can something more with this – whereas most artists would probably get down on their knees and thank the Lord they had this track in the first place.
The Ride was a track I first heard on the Sacrifice of Victor video. A purple tinge on a standard 12 bar blues groove I love the laid back feel to the track. It’s not trying to prove a point. It’s just being. And it’s cooler for that.
I was curious as to why Loose was included on the set. Sure it was a remix that felt like it had been placed in a hypometer and shocked into submission, but I would have preferred to have had another original song that a reworked on.
P.Control left with the same feel. I know the website mentioned that back to back these were the jams at the NPG Club but I just didn’t see the point to be honest.
Make you Mama Happy had a Sly & The Family Stone meets It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night vibe to it, so straight away I was into the groove. Uplifting and filled to the brim with glory this song just placed a smile on my face, and with the affirmation style lyrics who could cast a cloud on such a sunny day?
Goodbye sounded familiar straight off the bat. And I think it was because from the first beat is sounded a bit similar to Crucial (at least to my ears). But as soon as the build to the bridge hit I knew this song would come into it’s own. And that it has. It’s funny, cause listening to it now I find myself really feeling the lyrics and the warmth that washes over you when the layered vocals hit. Maybe because it was the last track on this disc, but it’s not a song that had been high on my Prince rotation, but now almost rediscovering it I know it will be a song that finds a place on many a future prince compile.
Whilst Crystal Ball both hit and missed in terms of satisfying my hunger for unreleased tracks, I could help feel a little robbed with having a lot of songs already getting airings on "official releases" included. But for the songs that I hadn't heard the set was well worth the price of admission.
"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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