Aerogram said:

AdmiralFrenchkiss said:

Saying Lovesexy is "overproduced" is the easiest thing to say to dismiss it.

I don't see it as cluttered--I see it as an extensive collage. You can either choose to look at it as a pile of unrelated rubble or see the connecting edges perfectly. I really doubt Prince made it and thought it looked like a pile of rubble.

Every decision Prince makes is deliberate, so it comes down to taste.

Personally, I think the kind of feeling he had while making this is "anything is possible"

The feeling I have when I listen to this is discovery--I'm always hearing new things

It's an "experience" -- and Lovesexy is such an intense feeling, it's busting at the seams in every direction -- like a psychedelic trip, it is overwhelming for some people and ecstatic for others

Some of the songs have very elaborate arrangements that felt too heavy in the 80s, particularly Eye No, and at least one song (Positivity) still sounds rather tedious melodically and lyrically. It was probably the first time I felt Prince had stopped innovating and was focusing on the arrangements to repackage many previously explored ideas (Lovesexy, Glam Slam, Positivity). I always felt it sounded like a record made by someone just out of rehab, full of resolve and regrets, a palpable sadness covered with religious bliss (trying to find ecstasy "the right way, the only way").

Today it's a one of a kind record, Eye No turns out to be a gutsy statement musically, to take on that kind of ambitious arrangement and acing the test of time. Lovesexy's familiar groove is now sheer perfection (at the time, I needed Prince to rehaul his funky sound with each record, he wasn't allowed to simply refine and perfect an idea) and Glam Slam, Dance On and I Wish U Heaven have transcended their melodic simplicity. There's only Positivity that still sounds too easy and not worthy.

But you have to accept Positivity as part of an indivisible whole otherwise the message is lost! It's the perfect rasperry sorbet after over a half hour's euphoria. Admittedly if i were merely employing last fm on shuffle and having the statistics report nothing more than the quantity of artists' tracks in my collection using white noise as a probability seed, I wouldn't dial up Positivity on a whim and think "yes, this is just the hit I need", but as a languid hypnotic suffix to the Lovesexy MacGuffin I think it works pretty damn well.

"Hold on to your soul, y'all."

[Edited 7/18/14 12:19pm]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Scotsman1999 said:

nursev said:

Cause that shit is awful. I have listened to it maybe 3 times since the 80's

That's a bit harsh! For me it was the first time that I really didn't care for a couple of the songs on the album, namely 'Dance On' and 'Positivity'. After the heights of SOTT, I expected every track to be awesome and they just weren't. I still think it's a bold statement, packed full of ingenuity and I love the album as a whole...but it's the very first time I felt the magic was weakening. Then came the very divisive Batman soundtrack, an album that for many confirmed what they'd suspected upon hearing Lovesexy. It had been more than a blip and the amazing gush of genius was becoming a drip.

very interesting because, to me, 'dance on' is one of my favorite P tracks by a mile. that rollicking drum groove is pure genius. but, like everyone says, personal opinion! i think lovesexy is in my top five prince albums.

Aerogram said:

AdmiralFrenchkiss said:

Saying Lovesexy is "overproduced" is the easiest thing to say to dismiss it.

I don't see it as cluttered--I see it as an extensive collage. You can either choose to look at it as a pile of unrelated rubble or see the connecting edges perfectly. I really doubt Prince made it and thought it looked like a pile of rubble.

Every decision Prince makes is deliberate, so it comes down to taste.

Personally, I think the kind of feeling he had while making this is "anything is possible"

The feeling I have when I listen to this is discovery--I'm always hearing new things

It's an "experience" -- and Lovesexy is such an intense feeling, it's busting at the seams in every direction -- like a psychedelic trip, it is overwhelming for some people and ecstatic for others

Some of the songs have very elaborate arrangements that felt too heavy in the 80s, particularly Eye No, and at least one song (Positivity) still sounds rather tedious melodically and lyrically. It was probably the first time I felt Prince had stopped innovating and was focusing on the arrangements to repackage many previously explored ideas (Lovesexy, Glam Slam, Positivity). I always felt it sounded like a record made by someone just out of rehab, full of resolve and regrets, a palpable sadness covered with religious bliss (trying to find ecstasy "the right way, the only way").

Today it's a one of a kind record, Eye No turns out to be a gutsy statement musically, to take on that kind of ambitious arrangement and acing the test of time. Lovesexy's familiar groove is now sheer perfection (at the time, I needed Prince to rehaul his funky sound with each record, he wasn't allowed to simply refine and perfect an idea) and Glam Slam, Dance On and I Wish U Heaven have transcended their melodic simplicity. There's only Positivity that still sounds too easy and not worthy.

"Positivity", easy? With that weird, pitched, loud snare sound that so many whine still about, all those non-conventional, almost atonal sounds that can be heard throughout it, the unconventional song structure, Prince singing about the influence of the devil in his life in that deep voice and then bursting into that aggressive vocal delivery towards the end? I've always found it to be very artsy. In the same way as the artsier stuff on "Parade".

Oh, well, one of my favourites and I'm not able to be too critical of it, but sure, I discovered the record in 94-95 myself. Different perspective.

Personally, I just don't think it's a very good album. At that point in his career I think he felt he could do whatever the hell he wanted (No seperate tracks on the CD.. seriously!?) and just sort of mailed it in, creativity wise. Don't get me wrong, there are a few gems there (When 2 R in Love, Alphabet St) but over-all I think it lacks the focus of pervious efforts.

I don't understand why we keep rehashing the subject of how some fans LOVE a particular song/album and some fans HATE the same song/album.

That has been the case since ATWIAD. His music styles are SO varied and all over the place that there is bound to be SOMETHING for everyone, but RARE that everyone will LOVE it all.

This track that you HATE is my FAVORITE.

My favorite track, almost everyone else hates. again, and again, and again.

Same old same old. If his music was more consistent in style, you wouldn't have such a wide range of experiences.

philmoreliz said:

It took me awhile to get it, except for Ana Stesia, truly one of his great songs. Love the ONA version. But the song Lovesexy is just amazing, chaotic and great. This album must be played on vinyl. The iTunes version is thin. Had to buy the record from Europe, from those cultured folks.

i agree! i just got a mint vinyl copy of it (mine was pretty scratched and crackly) and it just sounds fantastic. so much better than the CD master. it sounds superb. i really, really love it. i've been listening to it all day, and sighing whenever i have to get up and change the side

scratch said:

I love the album but prince shot himself in the foot by using the cover he chose. I remember that some stores refused to sell it. "LoveSexy" is a Masterpiece regardless. I love the album and wish Prince would give us another album as great as "LoveSexy."

el_callejero

Lovesexy was a strange album to listen to coming after Sign 'O' the Times. But I think he did a good job. After you get a 16-track masterpiece of bass-heavy soul rock songs with a bunch of hits and the hippie peach look, what could you do next? Imo, a 9-track masterpiece of uptempo dance pop music about God is pretty damn exciting and a worthy follow up

.

I love the album because it sounds like an opera. Prince is at the club talking about how happy he is that God is in his life (Eye No), then about how he wants to find a woman to share his happiness with down town (Alphabet Street), then how much he loves the woman and how she pleases him (Glam Slam), then a huge arena rocker about the mistakes he made in the past and how he's willing to serve the rest of his life in God's shadow (anna Stesia). Side 2 is kind of messier though. He shifts from criticizing the state of the world (Dance On) to singing about the feeling of being Lovesexy (title track), then abouut wishing your enemies well (Heaven), and finally about staying positive(Positivity).

.

If you combine that with uptempo blissful pop music, dance tracks, and ballads, as well as a kick ass Lovesexy Tour, polkadots pajamas colored trousers and wavy hair well hell, Prince made a great decision with Lovesexy. I can see why people dislike it though. His God message isn't for everyone, and sometimes the music is considered inferior to his previous albums. And some ppl just plain don't like it. Overall, Lovesexy and Batman 10/10 sealed his late-eighties run

Wow, I didn't realise so many disliked Lovesexy, it happens to be one of my top 3 favourite albums. Maybe some didn't 'get it'. I did.