I've always given the standard answer of "1999" but I am listening to ATWIAD this morning and it took me back to 1985 and I love every track....

I agree with you... fantastic album, I loooove the "pop-psychadelica".


Those 12 inches, plus b-sides are among his best ever..

JediNation said:

I've always given the standard answer of "1999" but I am listening to ATWIAD this morning and it took me back to 1985 and I love every track....

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

thedance said:

I agree with you... fantastic album, I loooove the "pop-psychadelica".


Those 12 inches, plus b-sides are among his best ever..

Absolutely!

Replica said:

JediNation said:

I've always given the standard answer of "1999" but I am listening to ATWIAD this morning and it took me back to 1985 and I love every track....

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

as a Prince fan before PR, it was kinda of cool for me, cause we lost all the bandwagon PR fans. They listened to this album and walked away, not ready for the ride Prince was taking them on.

It's been my favourite for many a year.

JediNation said:

Replica said:

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

as a Prince fan before PR, it was kinda of cool for me, cause we lost all the bandwagon PR fans. They listened to this album and walked away, not ready for the ride Prince was taking them on.

.

Same for me, and being a young musician at the time, I was all about twists and turns within a musical journey. LOVE this album.

I didn't become a true Prince fan until "Sign 'O' The Times", but going back and getting this album, and discovering all the gems other than "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life" was a big treat during my fourth year in college.

.

I remember listening to this album on my Aiwa portable tape player (Can't call it a "Walkman" 'cause that's a trademarked name, kids! Like "Rollerblade" or "Xerox".), laying in the grass outside my computer science class building, waiting for my friend Fritz. Ah, those were the days.

.

And as I've said in other threads, the extended version of "Paisley Park" is not only my favorite extended track, but it contains my favorite Prince guitar work too.

Replica said:

JediNation said:

I've always given the standard answer of "1999" but I am listening to ATWIAD this morning and it took me back to 1985 and I love every track....

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

I agree, I think the rating even though it sold big, is based on 'expectation' because ATWIAD is a wonderful album.

.

George Clinton loved it back then. So did Joni Mitchell

I wish Prince gave a full promotion to this album. Because of the drastic change, it needed it.

the WHOLE project I love from the artwork, the fonts, the stories behind the songs, B sides & long versions. I SO hope there are some outtakes that will be issued with the remasters.

.

One thing I loved about those 1980s albums is I always felt like I was a voyeur into some private world. Some albums felt like it was always twilight or night time, some felt like it was a combination of after hours city life or early morning country. But ATWIAD felt like a bunch of friends after highschool after going out into various parts of the world and then coming home and reconnecting. It has a more intimate feel to it for me. I will always love this one.

Took the album to school for "show and tell" in music class.....

Teacher put the record on.....

ATWIAD started playing and I smiled.....

I looked around and all the other kids were frowning......

Teacher took the record off and put something else on.....

That's when I learned being a Prince fan can sometimes be a HARD thing.

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

Took the album to school for "show and tell" in music class.....

Teacher put the record on.....

ATWIAD started playing and I smiled.....

I looked around and all the other kids were frowning......

Teacher took the record off and put something else on.....

That's when I learned being a Prince fan can sometimes be a HARD thing.

very cool story, I can relate.

Love this album. It was during Pince's most creative period for me:

1999, Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Parade, SOTT, Lovesexy. All so different and so wonderful.

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

Took the album to school for "show and tell" in music class.....

Teacher put the record on.....

ATWIAD started playing and I smiled.....

I looked around and all the other kids were frowning......

Teacher took the record off and put something else on.....

That's when I learned being a Prince fan can sometimes be a HARD thing.

It's weird to know that Prince is so huge when even alot of his more catchy popish tunes are to hard to swallow for the general public.

Kiss is to squeeky for some, WDC has weird screaming in it with a gay video, Purple Rain is an annoying power ballad, Alphabet Street is too light weighted bubble gum pop, same with IWBYL, adore is too emotional and desperate... Prince is just too much for alot of people. But it's also why he is recognized. It screams for attention in good and bad ways, depending on who you are, and often what mood you are in.

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

Took the album to school for "show and tell" in music class.....

Teacher put the record on.....

ATWIAD started playing and I smiled.....

I looked around and all the other kids were frowning......

Teacher took the record off and put something else on.....

That's when I learned being a Prince fan can sometimes be a HARD thing.

I played it for my brothers (who were not hardcore fans) and they loved it

I'm afraid I've never really been able to share this sentiment. I think a lot of hardcores really rate the album as it's seen as the dark horse of Prince's "classic" period, but for me it's just not an album I particularly enjoy listening to, despite it having some of favourite songs ever, like Raspberry Beret (yeah, I know, obscure choice right?) and Paisley Park. The whole thing just feels rather turgid to me, and the last two tracks really bog the album down IMO.

There are some things I really like about the album, all the associated imagery on the covers for the singles and the album itself give it a really cool mood, and I love Wendy and Lisa's backing vocals, but for me this album is just somehow worse than the sum of its parts.

I think Parade did the sense of playful experimentation much more successfully, it feels much brighter, despite the monochrome imagery.

Stymie said:

Love this album. It was during Pince's most creative period for me:

1999, Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Parade, SOTT, Lovesexy. All so different and so wonderful.

even Prince said it was his favorite at the time.

[Edited 5/14/14 14:31pm]

"

Prince and the Revolution: Around the World in a Day [Warner Bros., 1985]
It's pretty strange, given that he looked like a visionary not long ago. But this arrested adolescent obviously don't know nuthin about nuthin--except maybe his own life, which for all practical purposes ended in his adolescence, since even for a pop star he does his damnedest to keep the world out. So while his sexual fantasies are outrageous only in their callous predictability and his ballads compelling only as shows of technique, they sure beat his reflexive antinomianism and dim politics. Which suggests why the solid if decidedly unpsychedelic musical pleasures our young craftsman makes available here don't wash. Only the crass "Raspberry Beret" and maybe the crooning "Condition of the Heart" are worth your time. B-"

Robert Christgau.

One of my top favorite albums for sure.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Replica said:

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

I agree, I think the rating even though it sold big, is based on 'expectation' because ATWIAD is a wonderful album.

.

George Clinton loved it back then. So did Joni Mitchell

I wish Prince gave a full promotion to this album. Because of the drastic change, it needed it.

the WHOLE project I love from the artwork, the fonts, the stories behind the songs, B sides & long versions. I SO hope there are some outtakes that will be issued with the remasters.

.

One thing I loved about those 1980s albums is I always felt like I was a voyeur into some private world. Some albums felt like it was always twilight or night time, some felt like it was a combination of after hours city life or early morning country. But ATWIAD felt like a bunch of friends after highschool after going out into various parts of the world and then coming home and reconnecting. It has a more intimate feel to it for me. I will always love this one.

ATWIAD came out when I was 13 & was my first Prince album. I LOVED that album when it came out. I've been listening to it (& the 12 inches of course) a lot the last couple of weeks. Awesome!

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

JediNation said:

Replica said:

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

as a Prince fan before PR, it was kinda of cool for me, cause we lost all the bandwagon PR fans. They listened to this album and walked away, not ready for the ride Prince was taking them on.

It is in my top three for sure! I had heard some of 1999 but Purple Rain was the first full Prince album I heard and I loved it. I got it quite late so no sooner than me getting my purple high from that album ATWIAD came out and it boggled my mind and titillated all my musical senses!! I was (and is) a David Bowie fan too and it was with this unexpected turn and amazing music it got really and truly interesting.

It was that moment I got 'souled' and what I ride it has been! I re-discover the album on a fairly frequent basis and it proudly stand the test of time, an effing brilliant album from start to finish

Awesome choice. While perhaps never my favorite, it easily sits in my top 3 or top 5 at any given time. When I first started collecting music I was transitioning from tapes to cds. One of my most treasured tapes was a 2 for 1 nice price two sided tape with purple rain and around the world in a day on the other side. I felt both sides complemented each other and I saw the similarities despite the eclecticism. . . Prince not remaking Purple Rain in a different key and starting with the riff to let's go crazy (to paraphrase his purpleness) is probably the single defining decision that makes his 80's music such a definitive part of his career. (other runners up would be deciding to record and accept the Revoloutions input in music, connecting with Clare Fisher and jazz elements such as Lisa his dad and eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss).

Looks like a future episode of "Jedi Nation" might have to be an ATWIAD tribute!

2freaky4church1 said:

"

Prince and the Revolution: Around the World in a Day [Warner Bros., 1985]
It's pretty strange, given that he looked like a visionary not long ago. But this arrested adolescent obviously don't know nuthin about nuthin--except maybe his own life, which for all practical purposes ended in his adolescence, since even for a pop star he does his damnedest to keep the world out. So while his sexual fantasies are outrageous only in their callous predictability and his ballads compelling only as shows of technique, they sure beat his reflexive antinomianism and dim politics. Which suggests why the solid if decidedly unpsychedelic musical pleasures our young craftsman makes available here don't wash. Only the crass "Raspberry Beret" and maybe the crooning "Condition of the Heart" are worth your time. B-"

Robert Christgau.

LOL this person rips Prince apart (not the album) U can tell he has a problem with Prince

It's the superstardom of Purple Rain that brought out some vicious people-comments

Yet after tearing it up and saying on 2 songs are worthy of our time, he gives it a B- that's a pretty good grade

OldFriends4Sale said:

2freaky4church1 said:

"

Prince and the Revolution: Around the World in a Day [Warner Bros., 1985]
It's pretty strange, given that he looked like a visionary not long ago. But this arrested adolescent obviously don't know nuthin about nuthin--except maybe his own life, which for all practical purposes ended in his adolescence, since even for a pop star he does his damnedest to keep the world out. So while his sexual fantasies are outrageous only in their callous predictability and his ballads compelling only as shows of technique, they sure beat his reflexive antinomianism and dim politics. Which suggests why the solid if decidedly unpsychedelic musical pleasures our young craftsman makes available here don't wash. Only the crass "Raspberry Beret" and maybe the crooning "Condition of the Heart" are worth your time. B-"

Robert Christgau.

LOL this person rips Prince apart (not the album) U can tell he has a problem with Prince

It's the superstardom of Purple Rain that brought out some vicious people-comments

Yet after tearing it up and saying on 2 songs are worthy of our time, he gives it a B- that's a pretty good grade

That is saying the album is worth the money spent because of two songs. Damn, who can do that? lol

Replica said:

JediNation said:

I've always given the standard answer of "1999" but I am listening to ATWIAD this morning and it took me back to 1985 and I love every track....

The most underrated Prince album EVER. I'm glad that some people have similar feelings as me toward this album. For some reason critcs and fans alike pretended that this was shit music. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. I think they were mad at him for not becoming the untouchable rock star everyone had wet dreams about him becoming.

Far from bad music, but he could have made it much better. Had "She's Always In My Hair" and the original version of "Old Friends 4 Sale" been on it, and "The Ladder" just been a B-Side, we're talking turning a classic album into an even better classic album...lol. I still love it, but with those changes, it would have been overly mind blowing.

Temptation ruins it for me...and Tamborine seems too light, more b-side. She's Always in my Hair should have been on the album somewhere....