20Ten wasn't even worth the cost of the newspaper.

PurpleKnight said:

20Ten wasn't even worth the cost of the newspaper.

I have done quite well selling my extra copies on Ebay, i also was very lucky to buy a job lot of a few extra copies for £5.

I then sold the lot quite quickly with copies going all over the world, so after buying the papers, then the job lot, and after packing and postage, 20Ten has netted me about £60.

To the OP:

20Ten is Prince's 2nd worst album, the only one worse is Rave Un2/In2 The Joy Fantastic. But I think you might be trolling. You can't possibly think that 20Ten is better than something like LoveSexy.

Aside from Everybody Likes Me, I think 20Ten is a pretty good album.

Although, having said that, I can only think of a few worse albums:

Planet Earth

New Power Soul

All the songs are on my ipod too. I wouldn't say it's perfect for the dance floor but it has a summery feel to it and the songs are quite reflective of Prince and his experiences. Montreux Switzerland, "streets of Portugal, assembly in NY" (Lavaux), The credit crunch "dirty fat banker" (Act of God). "You can't please everybody but such is life"... (Walk in Sand) & "will you settle for this and the sea of everything?" All lovely reflections.

"And in the dream I could pilot the flight with the thoughts in my mind", Future soul song doesn't get enough recognition imo and let's not forget the intro to the new icon the Purple Yoda in Laydown.

It's got the playful Compassion and everybody loves me, plus the sexy "open up our dirty hearts" Beginningly endlessly, "the closer you got to me, the less we saw" Sticky like glue. None of the songs on there sound anything similar to what I hear on his other cds, and when you consider how many songs he's created, that in itself is quite a feat. I like it !

FSS and SLG sound pretty good to my ears. Nothing really special but a nice performance and seem like they were written in the 80's.

The rest however

I like 20Ten. Not comparing to other CDs as each CD stands alone to me. But songs like Act of God, Sticky Like Glue, Compassion are solid funkiness while Beginning Endlessly, Future Soul Song, Walk in Sand, Sea of Everything are beautiful melodies.

fantasticjoy said:

I think its his best since the Gold Experience. I really don't understand all the hate it's gotten. I have all the songs on my Ipod with the exception of Sea Of Everything, the only song I really can't get into.

My problem with the album is that it just feel so innocuous.

You've got your typical familiar dance beats, the linn, the slow love ballads, and then the essence of any shallow new Prince album: self-aggrandizing lyrics that talk about how great he is.

"Sea of Everything" is a decent love ballad, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Adore, Soul Sanctuary, etc.

"Act of God" is a decent bit of socio-political commentary, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Sign 'O' the Times, Money Don't Matter 2 Nite, etc.

"Everybody Loves Me" is a decent bit of facetious self-aggrandizement, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Movie Star, Baby, I'm a Star, etc.

And on and on it goes. All of it has been done before and done better; nothing here is remotely offensive or ambitious. It's not even that I'm just taking his best songs and dismissing the new ones in comparison. The songs by themselves on 20Ten just aren't that memorable or special, but the fact that it's all familiar territory makes them that much easier to ignore.

Also, did we really need a guy in his 50's closing the album with a song that sounds like Black Eyed Peas? The Purple Yoda? Seriously, Prince? What are you, like 16 years old?

It's an obvious throwaway album. It's decent, but there just isn't much worth returning to.

[Edited 3/16/11 1:58am]

Innocuous, facetious self-aggrandisement, 16 years old...

Pretty good summary now that the dust has settled. I was enthralled at first by the emperor's new clothes but can now concur with your opinion. There are still some very good moments on this album but (and I think I may have said this before) it's Prince-by-numbers.

But worse than all of that is the fact that he now sings about things I have no comprehension of. How can I relate to much of what he lives? I don't have those luxuries afforded me.

PurpleKnight said:

fantasticjoy said:

I think its his best since the Gold Experience. I really don't understand all the hate it's gotten.

My problem with the album is that it just feel so innucuous.

"Everybody Loves Me" is a decent bit of facetious self-aggrandizement, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Movie Star, Baby, I'm a Star, etc.

Seriously, Prince? What are you, like 16 years old?

PurpleKnight said:

fantasticjoy said:

I think its his best since the Gold Experience. I really don't understand all the hate it's gotten. I have all the songs on my Ipod with the exception of Sea Of Everything, the only song I really can't get into.

My problem with the album is that it just feel so innocuous.

You've got your typical familiar dance beats, the linn, the slow love ballads, and then the essence of any shallow new Prince album: self-aggrandizing lyrics that talk about how great he is.

"Sea of Everything" is a decent love ballad, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Adore, Soul Sanctuary, etc.

"Act of God" is a decent bit of socio-political commentary, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Sign 'O' the Times, Money Don't Matter 2 Nite, etc.

"Everybody Loves Me" is a decent bit of facetious self-aggrandizement, but you can just listen to superior attempts in songs like Movie Star, Baby, I'm a Star, etc.

And on and on it goes. All of it has been done before and done better; nothing here is remotely offensive or ambitious. It's not even that I'm just taking his best songs and dismissing the new ones in comparison. The songs by themselves on 20Ten just aren't that memorable or special, but the fact that it's all familiar territory makes them that much easier to ignore.

Also, did we really need a guy in his 50's closing the album with a song that sounds like Black Eyed Peas? The Purple Yoda? Seriously, Prince? What are you, like 16 years old?

It's an obvious throwaway album. It's decent, but there just isn't much worth returning to.

[Edited 3/16/11 1:58am]

Aggrandizing . . . damn Knight, that's the first time someone had me looking up a word in decades. LOL Great review.

Everything has been done before (and better) but that's not my main problem -- my main problem is that all of those other songs sound sincere.

I can imagine Prince "crafting" SOTT, almost like poetry, poring over every word until it was perfect, and then delivering heartfelt vocals. Same goes for all of the other songs you listed.

i heart this album. out of 5

20ten reminds me of that thing about his new albums and me. usually, i listen to his new stuff once through, identify the songs that are instant grooves and memorize those. by the time i've learned the songs i like 'best', the songs i initially didn't dig as much suddenly appeal to me more and i realize it was never the songs, it was me.

right now i'm diggin tracks 3, 4, 5 and once again wishing prince would give us lyrics sheets. somewhere in there i could have sworn he screamed out 'world looks like a pony!' but i know that can't be right

XxAxX said:

...and i realize it was never the songs, it was me.

Delusion is a wonderful thing...

iloveannie said:

XxAxX said:

...and i realize it was never the songs, it was me.

Delusion is a wonderful thing...

i sincerely like this album. sometimes i think prince uses harmony, like van gogh used color. big, thick swirls of music on the canvas of my ears, baby.

for example, future soul song should annoy me, it's so sweet, and saccharine gets cloying after a while. it's also just big, broad chord clusters almost amateurishly swept around, like a beginner would play, but yet prince makes it work. he's got that touch. and who would think of lyrics that go "oo ee oo"? i mean really? but the song has a sweet, innocent kind of timbre.

sticky like glue is a great big funky sad sigh of a song. the thing about prince is, no matter how many times his heart gets bashed up, he still puts it out there. he still has faith. and you can hear him in there, singing along and kinda roaring with the pain of waking up one day, yet again, to find it was just a dream. i wonder who 'sticky' is about.... ?

and act of god. man what a song. straight up beat, pushing the edge a little. a lot. makes me shiver because the drum sounds like the japanese taiko and the pounding rythmic surge of music reminds me of watching the tsunami wipe out japan's northern coast.

i dunno why folks don't like this album. or, maybe i do know why. i think prince has always set the bar so high that we have come to expect him to dazzle us with something spectaclur each time he opens his mouth to sing. something new, something daring.

so when a nice, easy to like album like 20ten comes along maybe people are let down because it's not a ginormous bunch of flash and dazzle. but imo the thing is, at times it's the understated simplicity of the music that makes it paradoxically complex, and therefore that of a true master, i.e., prince. just my 2c.

XxAxX said:

iloveannie said:

Delusion is a wonderful thing...

i sincerely like this album. sometimes i think prince uses harmony, like van gogh used color. big, thick swirls of music on the canvas of my ears, baby.

for example, future soul song should annoy me, it's so sweet, and saccharine gets cloying after a while. it's also just big, broad chord clusters almost amateurishly swept around, like a beginner would play, but yet prince makes it work. he's got that touch. and who would think of lyrics that go "oo ee oo"? i mean really? but the song has a sweet, innocent kind of timbre.

sticky like glue is a great big funky sad sigh of a song. the thing about prince is, no matter how many times his heart gets bashed up, he still puts it out there. he still has faith. and you can hear him in there, singing along and kinda roaring with the pain of waking up one day, yet again, to find it was just a dream. i wonder who 'sticky' is about.... ?

and act of god. man what a song. straight up beat, pushing the edge a little. a lot. makes me shiver because the drum sounds like the japanese taiko and the pounding rythmic surge of music reminds me of watching the tsunami wipe out japan's northern coast.

i dunno why folks don't like this album. or, maybe i do know why. i think prince has always set the bar so high that we have come to expect him to dazzle us with something spectaclur each time he opens his mouth to sing. something new, something daring.

so when a nice, easy to like album like 20ten comes along maybe people are let down because it's not a ginormous bunch of flash and dazzle. but imo the thing is, at times it's the understated simplicity of the music that makes it paradoxically complex, and therefore that of a true master, i.e., prince. just my 2c.

I love your 2c. I love your eyes. I love your earlobes..i love your intelligence....i love your sweet nubbins

SagsWay2low said:

THIS...IS PRINCE.ORG!!!

aiden said:

I don't think it's a bad album, though like Planet Earth it seems to fall apart over the last few songs (not including Laydown, my fave). My big problem with the album is the packaging - it just seems like Prince didn't care about it, or the project. Like it was a throw away, and so it makes me view it in that same light. In some ways, I want to listen and try to like some of his weaker albums when he's at least really behind them (NPS comes to mind). Still don't get how the guy who had great album covers like SOTT, Parade, One Night Alone...Live, etc - approved this packaging. I honestly don't think he cared that much about this, which is why it's not released in his home country, or most of the world. It's certainly got it's moments though. For a throw away.

Rhyging said:

morsonbohdana14 said:

20Ten is the best album that Prince had ever released.

[img:$uid]http://www.rhythmism.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=25898&stc=1[/img:$uid]

Yes put that glass dick down.

The hatred...

lucas said:

I don't think it's a bad album, though like Planet Earth it seems to fall apart over the last few songs (not including Laydown, my fave). My big problem with the album is the packaging - it just seems like Prince didn't care about it, or the project. Like it was a throw away, and so it makes me view it in that same light. In some ways, I want to listen and try to like some of his weaker albums when he's at least really behind them (NPS comes to mind). Still don't get how the guy who had great album covers like SOTT, Parade, One Night Alone...Live, etc - approved this packaging. I honestly don't think he cared that much about this, which is why it's not released in his home country, or most of the world. It's certainly got it's moments though. For a throw away.

See now, I like the packaging. Granted, the cardboard sleeves sucks but the artwork is pretty good IMO.

ONA Live, now that was kinda cheap-looking. Same goes for ONA: Piano and N.E.W.S.

morsonbohdana14 said:

20Ten is the best album that Prince had ever released. It is funk-oriented along with disco and other themes. That is music to my ears. I would play the whole album everyday. Useful for the dancefloor.

it's recycled Prince kinda stuff..i actually think it isn't a Prince album but an imposter....i mean really....maybe Prince had a bet with someone and said: '' u know i can bring at any kinda shit and still some of my fans will say it's great''...i guess he won the bet....

ok..it's not my cup of tea..i like Lotusflow3r though..and that's not too long ago...

Se7en said:

lucas said:

I don't think it's a bad album, though like Planet Earth it seems to fall apart over the last few songs (not including Laydown, my fave). My big problem with the album is the packaging - it just seems like Prince didn't care about it, or the project. Like it was a throw away, and so it makes me view it in that same light. In some ways, I want to listen and try to like some of his weaker albums when he's at least really behind them (NPS comes to mind). Still don't get how the guy who had great album covers like SOTT, Parade, One Night Alone...Live, etc - approved this packaging. I honestly don't think he cared that much about this, which is why it's not released in his home country, or most of the world. It's certainly got it's moments though. For a throw away.

See now, I like the packaging. Granted, the cardboard sleeves sucks but the artwork is pretty good IMO.

ONA Live, now that was kinda cheap-looking. Same goes for ONA: Piano and N.E.W.S.

ONA live had a great box and booklet..

vitriol said:

eighteenandover said:

The org isn't the best place to start a thread off with '20Ten is the best album that Prince has ever released'

Unfortunately, I have to disagree.

The org is precisely the only place where you have to read this kind of bullshit (even if Mock Quake comes close).

fully agree. This is the only place where atleast 50 % of the people are blind to Prince actually doing something that isn't really that good. But the org also has these "better wissers" who critisize Prince for almost everything and trying to prove how generic his music "actually is". The ones who don't want to sound too biased are often hitting extra hard in the very opposite direction.

101 said:

Se7en said:

See now, I like the packaging. Granted, the cardboard sleeves sucks but the artwork is pretty good IMO.

ONA Live, now that was kinda cheap-looking. Same goes for ONA: Piano and N.E.W.S.

ONA live had a great box and booklet..

Different strokes . . . I think the cover photo and font were horrible for ONA: Live. Same goes for the CD inserts (the booklet inside was not bad).