Well, actually, it's almost a month.

I listened for the 3rd time to the tracks today.

And I have to say that for m personally, I feel the Xpectation tracks...are...boring.

I just couldn't get into them. I THINK, these are dare I say it, the most dull Prince tracks ever.

The only song that had excitement was Xpedition. I dig John's Jazz drumming at the beginning and really dig the organ motif jam towards the end of Xpedition. It had a Madhouse/Santana feel towards the end.

The Violin, especially on Xhalation, I don't know...didn't do it for me. I cringed a little. I mean, the violinists talents are appreciated but...

Xpand just had this GoldNigga NPG style that I just doesn't appeal TO ME.

Xpectation had this great Madhouse-like feel that was a treat.

I mean the album is produced very well, it has a clean sophisticed sound. But it's really rather bland.

In contrast to previous Prince "Jazz" albums like both Madhouse albums, the Madhouse albums had this "pop", a sense of underlying raw, fierce Funk, and the songs had more personality to them.

Everytime I put on ANY Madhouse album, I feel satisfied, envigorated, and wanting more! But Xpectation falls a little short of MY expectations.

=-=-=-=-=


As a side note I also wanted to point something I noticed about the tracks right after I downloaded them.

If you notice, the creation dates of the actaul mp3's for Xpectation are April 18th, 2001. Now, I downloaded both sets, Xpectation and The SoundCheck tracks on January 6th and my browser does NOT change the original creation dates of the files it downloads.

So could the Xpectation tracks originally had been recorded sometime in early April 2001 or early in 2001 or maybe even earlier. Perhaps as part of the Rainbow Children sessions? Hhmmm, interesting to note, huh?

The SoundCheck tracks have a more current date of creation of January 2nd. which would be more inline with them being recorded after the Japanese and European legs of The One Night Alone Tour, soon after ripped into MP3's.

See a pic of the files below. Just a curiosity and something to ponder.









oooo
[This message was edited Thu Feb 20 9:27:02 PST 2003 by FlyingCloudPassenger]

Oh, notice that the "Xpectation_Album.m3u" track in Prince ~ Xpectation has a creation date of January 3rd 2003 which does not match the other tracks dates.

Well the story of Candy working with Prince at Paisley was a very long time ago so it does make sense

But it is all very interesting. Xpectation is BORING.


.
[This message was edited Fri Jan 31 20:52:54 PST 2003 by lovemachine]

I belive that this album was recorded before the One Nite Alone Tour, which was in the middle of 2002. Remember the npgonline site was throwing hints about releasing an album with the title called Xenophobia.

Xpectation could have been made during that time. I also remembered that last year Candy Dulfer was talking about recording some new songs with Prince, and said that the music was totally different. This could have been the album with the Xenophobia left out of the album.

So the album was made last year during the middle of 2002.

Thats what I think.

Could I be wrong?

Any input?

Why I think also that Xpectation might be from the Rainbow Children sessions, is that when you listen to the snare drum of John's in the actual Xpectation track, it has the same tuning and sound as in "Everywhere".

Now tuning and recreating the exact snare sound is a challenge and I get the feeling with most tracks on Xpectation, that the drums have that Rainbow Children sound.

It's usually the way you can tell if tracks are from the same session, if you listen carefully at how instruments sound and if you find those sounds again in other songs.

my iTunes dont look like that ...why?

Xpectation is anything but boring. I think it's brilliant and just what the doctor ordered.

Everyone has different musical tastes. To each his own. Personally, I really love Xpectation and I listen to it all the time.

I noticed that for FlyingCloudPassenger, the only songs that he/she liked were the songs that sounded like "Madhouse" tracks. In other words, if Xpectation was what he/she "expected" the album to sound like, then I guess it would've been much better received... simply because the songs would've been composed, arranged, and performed in a style that was expected and acceptable to the listener.

But it seems to me that the whole point of the "Xpectation" project was to explore, at least in part, a new musical direction for Prince. To that end, there are several tracks on Xpectation that are quite simply NOT the type of sound that anyone expects from Prince. The thing that really turns me on about Xpectation is that the songs that are obviously considered boring to some are the exact tracks that I am most excited to hear. And I feel that way not just because the tracks are different for Prince, but because I believe those tracks carry so much feeling and emotion. Xcogitate and Xotica are intense! Not because they are poppy or funky, but because they are so emotional. That little syncopated off beat rhythm that sounds like the record skips a beat in Xotica is just plain sick! Who else would write such a thing into a song EXCEPT Prince???

Quoting the NPGMC website "To gain the most from this xperience, u must surrender u're xpectations" ... how true when listening to the xpectation album

FutureShock,
Right, everyone has a personal take. I respect your view of the album.

I view it as Prince saying to forget what the mainstream has given most people, songs like Raspberry Beret or Purple Rain, etc. I also felt it was a comment on NPGMC members complaining about the content of the club's music.

I read alot of the comments right after the downloads were made available and I was anticipating something new and really Xciting! People were really saying it was a fresh new direction.

What I found, in my personal view, are meandering of Jazz flavoured Pop Jazz with soft Funk. NOT that there is anything wrong with that.

Now if this WAS a "new musical direction" for Prince to Xplore...then what really was so "new" about it.

It is Jazz/Funk/Pop fusion. He's used violins/string before. I've heard that one guitar effect before, the drums sound like Rainbow Children session drums, there are those Minneapolis Sound keyboard like motifs in some of the Xpectation songs.

I agree the Xotica beat and time signature is different, but not ground breaking, although much props to Johns talent.

Now "To gain the most from this xperience, u must surrender u're xpectations", I did. Not that my xpectations where being held captive, I just felt that in comparison to another previous "Jazz/Funk" albums, i.e. Madhouse 8 & 16, it just had no oomph. I "gained" not much.

I listened to it and just found myself a bit bored after listening to it. Not that the album is bad, just not too...I don't know, Xciting.





ooo
[This message was edited Fri Jan 31 23:22:05 PST 2003 by FlyingCloudPassenger]

I really loved it the first time I heard it.

But part of that was because I was just so happy to be getting a surprise extra.

The second time round when I played it to a friend it didn't sound so hot, just a little cheesy.

I must admit, I haven't played it in a while.

I think there are a few tracks I will listen to a bit.

FutureShock said:

"8" from Madhouse 8, now THAT's an emotional song. Wooo.

It's a very good album that is everything but boring. Jazz is my favourite music along with funk.

Again people who expect Prince to write new rasberry berets or Purple Rains can give up right now on him.

He has become such a more mature and interesting musician. How come very few of you hear the quality of his playing (as well as his band). I guess many of you think High was a great song. Like those naysayers on amp who happen to be Lionel Ritchie fans!!!

VINCENT said:

Well, i was AFRAID 2 say it, but I think i du agree with u. Although I AM SO GLAD I HAVE IT, i have 2 say that yes, im another one who is bored with the instrumentation of recent Prince stuff w/o funk, beats, vocals, etc.

I appreciate everything the man puts out though. But Well, at least he wasnt selling it!

Instrumentals are easy to write and so... Prince is getting lazy or just wanted to get "something" out for the club. I have not wanted to listen to the cd for a while.

Nothing new about it?

misterman said:

It was made before this. The tour started in March 2002. The tour book has all of the Xpectation tune titles in it, prefaced by Xenophobia. It is believed that the Xpectation album is simply the Xenophobia album originally planned for release through the club, but with the title track removed from the listing.

A sound cassette tape together with sheet entitled Xenophobia (music collection) was lodged for copyright purposes at the Library of Congress on February 19th 2002.

Xpectation in my opinion is good work, but violins is just something I don't expect from Prince. I prefer songs with his vocals on them.I also prefer funk R&B and rock from Prince, but it just goes to show, Prince can make any type of music sound good.

Will ever someone be satisfied? Anyway like some said each and every one of us got his own taste... Personnally I think Xpectation is brilliant... Many did and now time to critic again!!!

yup boring boring boring. they were fun for a day or two after release, but i've tired of them already. and i'm a huge jazz fan so i'm used to listening to long meandering improvised songs etc... xpectation is rather dull. it lived up to my xpectations

Its free,so b happy,and 4 an album 2 b free its alright...didnt we already discuss this b4?

FlyingCloudPassenger said:

isn't that your playlist file that you created for the album? It wasn't provided by NPGMC I presume. The date probably matches the date you made the file

I love this album. I'm really feeling it (sorry to be cliched...). It is a very subtle and sensitive expression of him. Could it be that, like all music, it is only enjoyed by those that can relate to it in some way? There is no right or wrong by this, we all relate to different kinds of music depending on where we are and how we feel inside.

It does it for me, yet may not for you and what does it for you, may not for me. I am convinced this is only because of identification with something in the music. I don't really like to say that something is boring or crap, I may think that to start with, but I think the truth of the matter is that I just don't identify with it in some way.

IMO.

ian said:

no.

NPGMC supplied the playlist file.

You presume wrong.





.
[This message was edited Sat Feb 1 4:20:15 PST 2003 by justanotherasshole]

justanotherasshole said:

Sorry. But then, the playlist could have been made at any time. Has nothing to do with the production of the music so no big mystery there.

I don't know...maybe you sould all revisit "Xpedition" (the last song from the album).
The only song I really don't like is "Xpand".


...BTW, I really would like to know what Prince's latest studio work sounds like. I think he really has something (at least half) completed.

FlyingCloudPassenger said:

And don't get me wrong... I respect your view of the album too. But, throughout everything you said, you're essentially confirming exactly what I said. Xpectation was not and is not a Madhouse style album from beggining to end. You said that compared to Madhouse 8 and 16, Xpectation has no oomph! and that it's just not Xciting, and I'm saying in so many words, "maybe that's the whole point". There are clearly a couple of Madhouse style songs on the album, but there are also many other songs that are anything BUT Madhouse style. It's like you're comparing a race car to a luxury Rolls Royce, and you're getting in the Rolls Royce saying "hey, this car doesn't growl and kick the way my race car does" and I'm saying, "exactly!" That's the whole point - it's different by design. So even though you say that you're expectations weren't being held captive, clearly they are because time and time again you keep referring to Madhouse as your benchmark for what a "Prince" jazz album should sound like in order to satisfy you. So to me, that clearly says that you have not surrendered your expectations.

Also, I think you're confusing the word "different" with "ground breaking". Something can be different without being ground breaking. You cannot tell me that "Xhalation, Xcogitate, Xotica, Xogenous, and Xosphere" are all songs that were written and performed in a style that we've heard from Prince before. So what if he's used violin and strings before??? so what if Blackwell used the same drums that he always uses??? What's your point?... that Prince had to go out and create all new instruments that no one has ever heard before just to be different??? It's the style and vibe that's different, and whether you realize it or not, you keep reiterating that point by reminding us that it does NOT sound like Madhouse.

But I respect your opinion, and I realize that Xpectation is not going to appeal to everyone. I just wanted to be one of the voices that let it be known that I really love the album and I also listen to a lot of other jazz so I do have a taste for jazz itself and it's not like I like it just because it's Prince.

The test is this. Play some of the Xpectation songs for people without telling them that it is Prince and see if they guess the artist. I doubt they will. I remember when Madhouse 6 was being played on the radio, people were still saying "hey, that sounds like Prince". But, they won't be able to make that same claim with most of Xpectation.

So if Prince announced today the Xpectation cd could be bought thru his website would you buy it?
My first reaction to X was not too great but repeated listenings have improved it & I would buy a cd of X.

I did play X for some unsuspecting friends.
I said it was a free cd I got through the mail.
They thought it sounded like music you would hear while sitting in a doctors office.
I never told them who it was.

ZAZA2 said:

Oh... most definitely I would buy it. But I also consider myself somewhat of a completist, so maybe I'm a little biased. But, I also really love X a lot, so an official copy would be great to have in my collection.

ZAZA2 said:

They must not have heard the whole album becuase I've never heard anything like Xpedition or Xpand while sitting in the doctor's office.