Still dumbfounded by th Purple Rain sound,I am further dipped in confectionary confusion by revisiting my DMSR book and reading that some of ATWIAD was recorded at the same time as Purple Rain and the song,"she's always in me hair".None of these records have the same sound as the other records.They were done at the same time!!!Dammitt!!I need Prince to talk to me about this!!I don't wanna die not knowing.If I do I will haunt the hell outta Prince and the rest of you, folks who may know and ain't tellin'!!!

my guess would be different recording equipment or even instruments.It could be that simple.

It's normal for Prince to have a new album in the can before the previous one has even hit the shelves.

Recorded at the same time, even with the same equipment and instruments does not mean the same sound.

He could have changed a mulitude of things in the post production EQ, mix-down and mastering.

mrdespues said:

Absolutely. I reckon the most prominent thing about the Purple Rain sound is that massive one-second (ish) delay on the vocals of many of the songs - a great rock effect but easily overdone. There's a lot less of that effect on the ATWIAD vocals. I remember reading somewhere that some of the Purple Rain numbers that weren't recorded in front of an audience were recorded in a warehouse to get that live feel -She's Always In My Hair and God included-, whereas ATWIAD has that studio vibe all through it, and the overdubs are more obvious.

Also at every stage of his career (and almost every album) you can hear Prince has altered his sound and instrumentation rather than repeating himself, and I reckon he didn't want to repeat even a successful "soundscape" for risk of getting stuck in a rut.

Or something like that

pianoman, put it where it feel good! i agree with what you said, especially about Prince not wanting to repeat himself..

Some of the tunes on Purple Rain were done live then taken into the studio for different overdubs. That's the reason you have that energy on certain songs.

I thought that ATWIAD was recorded during the Purpple Rain tour