Not particularly but there's a lot ot like on it. It's like most Prince CD's where I love a third of it, like another third and hate the other third - only this time there were 3 CD's so I got a pretty good double album out of it after editing it. Honestly, I'd give my right nut for another 3 disc set of stuff instead of all the fucking around he's doing these days.

herb4 said:

callimnate said:

1999 and Purple Rain might sound outdated, but they are farken great albums with unforgettable songs. Emancipation on the other hand, is an average (at best) R&B album recorded by a sheep that was once a leader of the pack. There's a BIG difference there.

I agree. When I say "dated" I guess I meant that it gets worse with time. "Reasons" by EWF sounds dated in a sense, but it is still a great song that perhaps gets better with time.

"For You" was a solid album, but my issue with it is that it really sounds dated to me other than a few tracks like Crazy You and I'm Yours. I loved the songs Soft and Wet and Baby when they came out, but not so much anymore because they really sound so 1978.

"Prince" from 1979 is better in that regard, but still suffers a bit from him being influenced by the sound of the time.

Dirty Mind is an entirely different conversation.

funkaholic1972 said:

callimnate said:

1999 and Purple Rain might sound outdated, but they are farken great albums with unforgettable songs. Emancipation on the other hand, is an average (at best) R&B album recorded by a sheep that was once a leader of the pack. There's a BIG difference there.

Totally agree!

Calling it an "R&B album" overlooks the fact that it's obviously Prince's stylistically most diverse album. Sure, many of the sound choices for the drums and the synths are similar to the type of sounds found on the R&B records released at the time (or rather, on the "black pop" stuff like TLC), but I really don't think those records had tracks comparable to "Slave", "Joint 2 Joint", "Curious Child", "Courtin' Time" or "In This Bed I Scream" on them.

It's funny how people were complaining back in the day that the record was so diverse that they couldn't get a grasp on it. Now it seems to be okay to oversimplify its content.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

I agree with the comments about the production. Some of the songs seem a little hastily written or uninspired as well. I feel like he was trying to have Kirk give him a more current sound so as to increase radio play, despite the fact that Kirk was completely unproven as a producer, having NO SONGS actually on the radio. I also feel like the same thing is happening right now with Josh.

That's a really good point about Kirk/Josh. P has a habit of pushing people who find themselves in his inner circle into rolls they aren't necessarily ready for, or great at, and thinking his mentoring is all they require, which may have some merit. But he has also promoted a body guard to head of Paisley Park, and had a his house maid to do his accounting.

RadarBob said:

SchlomoThaHomo said:

I agree with the comments about the production. Some of the songs seem a little hastily written or uninspired as well. I feel like he was trying to have Kirk give him a more current sound so as to increase radio play, despite the fact that Kirk was completely unproven as a producer, having NO SONGS actually on the radio. I also feel like the same thing is happening right now with Josh.

That's a really good point about Kirk/Josh. P has a habit of pushing people who find themselves in his inner circle into rolls they aren't necessarily ready for, or great at, and thinking his mentoring is all they require, which may have some merit. But he has also promoted a body guard to head of Paisley Park, and had a his house maid to do his accounting.

True. This started at some time in the late 80s, right?

I think it has to do with who he likes, rather than who´s really qualified.

I don´t know if it has to do with being stingy or with trusting only certain people, and giving some people a shot at doing what they´re doing, whether it´s music, security, fiances or whatever it is.

Sometimes I like that about him, but most of the time it leads to poor results.

BobGeorge909 said:

herb4 said:

Not particularly but there's a lot ot like on it. It's like most Prince CD's where I love a third of it, like another third and hate the other third - only this time there were 3 CD's so I got a pretty good double album out of it after editing it. Honestly, I'd give my right nut for another 3 disc set of stuff instead of all the fucking around he's doing these days.

Why not the left one. What's so good about that one, that u wouldn't be giving it away?

The left one is special to me. I can't get into it at the moment.

Some sound dated, some still sound fresh.

donnyenglish said:

Emancipation was in the category of elite Prince albums for many years for me. I had it just below albums like Sign O the Times and 1999. For some reason, I no longer feel that way because it sounds dated now. It is still a good album that is among his best, but no longer one that I just listen to from start to finish. Songs like Holy River and The Love We Make are still classics for me, but lots of the songs that I loved before sound so 90's to me like Right Back Here in My Ams, Get Your Groove On, Emale, My Computer, Mr Happy, etc.

Does anyone know the name of the bootleg released about 6-12 months ago called 'Love'? He basically was singing as if he was talking into a phone. It was a nice ballad.

I thought that this song was an Emancipation outtake.

The production hasn't aged well, but in songwriting terms, I think its off the chain.

My Computer, In This Bed, Somebody's Somebody, Damned if I do, Saviour, Joint 2 Joint, Style...some of the best songs he has written.

Dated from day one!

SoulSplash said:

To me, it's kind of like Prince's own autobiography, touching on some very personal moments in his life and revealing not only what he thinks about things, but how he "feels" about things, no matter how vulnerable it might've made him. He was in a real good place then.

"The Holy River" and "The Love We Make" -- some of the best music (and words put to music) EVER.

[Edited 7/20/14 2:08am]

Scotsman1999 said:

This would have been a well respected single album..tracks like 'My Computer' and 'Holy River' are tremendous. Most of it I could do without - I can still listen to his early albums despite their seventies sound, due to the quality of melody and songwriting. Emancipation simply spreads itself too thin.

It was fun talking to Prince on AOL back in the day, chat, private messages, email, etc. Used to dream of that type of stuff when I was a kid, and the internet made those dreams come true. "My Computer" is one of my fav songs for that reason.