ive noticed in various other places on the internet, people seem to really hate this album. ive stumbled upon it recently(admittedly ive only been a fan for a few years, im only 20) and i actually enjoy the hell out of pretty much the whole album. am i just weird or have i maybe gone a little too prince crazy recently?

Nope, you're not weird. It's very enjoyable, especially if you like the variety of associated artists (as I do) and that early-90s pre-RnB snappy digital sound (as I do also). Consider yourself lucky to be able to enjoy it!

Great album, shit movie.

Well, I personally consider it his worst album, but "Theives In The Temple" was a big hit; "The Question Of U" has been a regular in the live sets on many tours; and "Joy In Repitition" is a big fan favorite, so I wouldn't say you're weird for liking it, but I just don't like it at all. Too early-90s sounding, and too much filler from Prince associates for me...

I never did like "Joy In Repitition" much, but the other two songs I mentioned, and the title track are three songs I like from the album. The rest is just boring to me..

[Edited 6/24/11 18:05pm]

Pbing said:

if you like the variety of associated artists (as I do) and that early-90s pre-RnB snappy digital sound (as I do also).

Yep, you nailed both of the things I hate about this album!

Love the album and parts of the movie

Pbing said:

especially if you like the variety of associated artists (as I do)

at first i was a little off put, but morris day is awesome so i quickly got over that. 'release it' is just too funky not to love. also really like 'we can funk', it feels like a pfunk song and im a huge george clinton fan

Havnt played it 4 ages if it wasnt 4 Elephants & Flowers/The Question Of U/Thieves In The Temple eye wouldnt pick it up at all!!!!Eye only ever watch the film 4 the elephants & flowers part!!!!

The problem with Graffiti Bridge is that it had a lot of songs that were already familiar to hardcore fans because they were widely bootlegged for years & the album versions didn't stand up to the previous versions. Also, there were way too many guest artists.... These songs are good, but they're not Prince.

There is some good stuff, BUT, it just wasn't received well by fans that had been with Prince for awhile.

The movie was a piece of garbage too... That didn't help.

the soundtrack has some great songs, but the rest is not great.

Movie is boring..

the Prince songs on Graffiti Bridge are great,

The songs by The Time are NOT great.

I really liked this album, every so often I still play it beginning to end.

It's a great artifact of its time.

Its a mis-mash of sounds, but I aways loved it. A great car driving summer album and overall a more satisfying album than Batman that preceded it.

I mostly listen to it edited with the Prince tracks only (inc Theives 12"), and the Time ones added to Pandamonium extended.

Fantastic album! This is an important turning point because it's where Prince completely abandons the thin, plastic 80s sound production in favor of a warmer, fatter sound production loaded with headphone ear candy......mmmm, Yummy!

yeah, i like it, too. it's the third prince album that i listed to a lot when it came out. my friend had it, and we used to listen to it all the time. also, i remember it being one of the first cds (rather than tapes) that i listened to a lot.

joy in repetition & we can funk are the shiznit.

thedance said:

the Prince songs on Graffiti Bridge are great,

The songs by The Time are NOT great.

The Time songs ARE Prince songs. Take a look at the writing credits....BWAHAHAHAHAHHA.

I'm just listening to a "Rough Mix" version of this album for the first time... Meaning, all of the original, earlier bootleg versions of "Can't Stop", "We Can Funk", "Joy in Rep", "Tick Tick Bang" "Still Would Stay All Time", etc. + Prince's versions of "Melody Cool" & "Round & Round"... Also, some of the rough versions of songs like "Elephants & Flowers" & "New Power Generation" are far better before they became over produced.... Then remove all of the sub par tracks by The Time & the title track (sorry Graffiti Bridge might be the worst song he's ever written)....

This album could have been one of his best... Instead, we got the mess that it became...

What happened?

DaveG said:

I'm just listening to a "Rough Mix" version of this album for the first time... Meaning, all of the original, earlier bootleg versions of "Can't Stop", "We Can Funk", "Joy in Rep", "Tick Tick Bang" "Still Would Stay All Time", etc. + Prince's versions of "Melody Cool" & "Round & Round"... Also, some of the rough versions of songs like "Elephants & Flowers" & "New Power Generation" are far better before they became over produced.... Then remove all of the sub par tracks by The Time & the title track (sorry Graffiti Bridge might be the worst song he's ever written)....

This album could have been one of his best... Instead, we got the mess that it became...

What happened?

I think what happened that you lost your hearing somewhere inbetween. There are no subpar tracks on the album, all the Time-songs are Prince songs etc.

The only song of which there is a better version, is Can't Stop '86.

We Can Funk '86 is fantastic, but so is the GB-version. They're completely diffferent, so no need to compare.

Pentacle said:

DaveG said:

I'm just listening to a "Rough Mix" version of this album for the first time... Meaning, all of the original, earlier bootleg versions of "Can't Stop", "We Can Funk", "Joy in Rep", "Tick Tick Bang" "Still Would Stay All Time", etc. + Prince's versions of "Melody Cool" & "Round & Round"... Also, some of the rough versions of songs like "Elephants & Flowers" & "New Power Generation" are far better before they became over produced.... Then remove all of the sub par tracks by The Time & the title track (sorry Graffiti Bridge might be the worst song he's ever written)....

This album could have been one of his best... Instead, we got the mess that it became...

What happened?

I think what happened that you lost your hearing somewhere inbetween. There are no subpar tracks on the album, all the Time-songs are Prince songs etc.

The only song of which there is a better version, is Can't Stop '86.

We Can Funk '86 is fantastic, but so is the GB-version. They're completely diffferent, so no need to compare.

Guess we just have different tastes.... I much prefer the more raw, live sounding versions of pretty much every track on GB... IMO, this album was the start of Prince starting to over produce his studio albums... Tons of vocal sampling... Tons of drum programming... & sorry, too many guest artist. I know these other songs are Prince songs too.. I just don't like these versions.

I just think GB is an album with a lot of great songs on it, but it somehow got ruined it it's final incarnation... It feels kinda forced & fake to me..

DaveG said:

Pentacle said:

I think what happened that you lost your hearing somewhere inbetween. There are no subpar tracks on the album, all the Time-songs are Prince songs etc.

The only song of which there is a better version, is Can't Stop '86.

We Can Funk '86 is fantastic, but so is the GB-version. They're completely diffferent, so no need to compare.

Guess we just have different tastes.... I much prefer the more raw, live sounding versions of pretty much every track on GB... IMO, this album was the start of Prince starting to over produce his studio albums... Tons of vocal sampling... Tons of drum programming... & sorry, too many guest artist. I know these other songs are Prince songs too.. I just don't like these versions.

I just think GB is an album with a lot of great songs on it, but it somehow got ruined it it's final incarnation... It feels kinda forced & fake to me..

No, that would be Lovesexy. GB is no more cluttered (production-wise) than Lovesexy. In fact, I'd say it was less cluttered and convoluted than Lovesexy.

Xodus said:

Fantastic album! This is an important turning point because it's where Prince completely abandons the thin, plastic 80s sound production in favor of a warmer, fatter sound production loaded with headphone ear candy......mmmm, Yummy!

i'm the opposite, i hate the production, it sounds too clean and clinical and has no bottom.

Zannaloaf said:

thedance said:

the Prince songs on Graffiti Bridge are great,

The songs by The Time are NOT great.

The Time songs ARE Prince songs. Take a look at the writing credits....BWAHAHAHAHAHHA.

still:

Those songs by The Time (on GB) are garbage....

alexnvrmnd777 said:

DaveG said:

Guess we just have different tastes.... I much prefer the more raw, live sounding versions of pretty much every track on GB... IMO, this album was the start of Prince starting to over produce his studio albums... Tons of vocal sampling... Tons of drum programming... & sorry, too many guest artist. I know these other songs are Prince songs too.. I just don't like these versions.

I just think GB is an album with a lot of great songs on it, but it somehow got ruined it it's final incarnation... It feels kinda forced & fake to me..

No, that would be Lovesexy. GB is no more cluttered (production-wise) than Lovesexy. In fact, I'd say it was less cluttered and convoluted than Lovesexy.

For me, LoveSexy (though a little busy & overdone) still at least has a live, human feel to it...

GB feels programmed, sampled, looped, quantized & cold.... No soul in the recordings.

There are some great songs on there... I just don't personally like the sound & feel of this album.

DaveG said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

No, that would be Lovesexy. GB is no more cluttered (production-wise) than Lovesexy. In fact, I'd say it was less cluttered and convoluted than Lovesexy.

For me, LoveSexy (though a little busy & overdone) still at least has a live, human feel to it...

GB feels programmed, sampled, looped, quantized & cold.... No soul in the recordings.

There are some great songs on there... I just don't personally like the sound & feel of this album.

i feel the same. it all sounds too digital (and before u start people, i'm not doing an interview with the guardian ) and clinical. new power generation is the perfect example. the original we can funk is heavy with bass while the gb version sounds flat in comparison. i remember listening to the question of u at the opening night of nude tour in rotterdam, slack jawed, thinking prince had written his greatest song yet, and being a bit disappointed by the album version. at this time i was an absolute prince nut and there was no way i was gonna hate an album, however over time it's become an album that i have mixed feelings about, some great songs amongst absolute twaddle like love machine and elephants and flowers and....

YAAAYYY Some love for Graffiti Bridge!!!

Really enjoy the album

Really enjoy the movie ( )

I even enjoy most fo the non-Prince song!

I think it has a few great songs and alot of mediocre songs.It lacks focus.