Hi all, with the new albums just over a week away, there hasnt been any media reviews of them. Is that a worry? I hope not. Will it be like when a movie is a turkey and they wont let the media release there reviews until actual release day? Anyhow i hope that isnt the case and its just prince being his usual secretive self!

Try taking a chill pill, that might help.

The albums aren't out but whatever comments critics or journalists have made on the released songs have been positive in general. That said, there's no big buzz from journalists about the new records, WB is getting press and attention by releasing lots of tracks and keeping his name in the eZines. Once ins a while there is more than the usual "Here's Prince brand new song..." but that's about it.

probably no one has it yet, to stop it from leaking. it seems to have worked this far.

yea i thought it would have leeked by now too. I would would think it will be soon

if it leaks out it will be in the next few days. Leaks have been pretty shut down in the last year unless artists stream their albums weeks in advance then they are screwed with that nonsense. I would guess that is WB is not streaming the albums yet maybe its realizing that most albums streamed turn up hours later on download sites

Promo Posters/Materials have been shipped to various stores now ready to put up and promote, I'd imagine promo copies will be sent to various media outlets around now aswell so will probably start to see some reviews popping up.

[Edited 9/20/14 13:52pm]

I would also expect a video to drop within the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, there is the trailer on Youtube, it seems WB is going to do a professional promotion job.

Most likely, they did not expect to have to promote two albums at once, but knowing Prince he probably reminded them he always had protégés, so we're getting Plectrum Electrum.

To keep it in perspective, the Vanity/Appolonia 6's albums are charming now but at the time they were considered throwaway to a great extent. A lot of Sheila E. songs were also panned as filler. The time fared somewhat better and there's plenty of songs on these redords that are not exactly on par with what is on Purple Rain or Sign O the Time..

It's all about appreciating the musicianship and the art, Official or not.

[Edited 9/20/14 14:19pm]

You'd only be worried if you were expecting something.

theres more to prince than just purple rain, and i dont get the main reason for his 2004 success was purple rain either! He toured america and backed his release of musicology with good tv appearances like the grammys and the rock and roll hall of fame etc. Ofcouse the reissue deal this year will be a part of it, as any other major artist would take advantage of. But if it means he gets abit of mainstream attention again, so be it.

Not a worry for me, regardless, I will have both albums on the 30th, all I really care about, reviews mean nothing to me.

i know what you mean, me too, but sometimes its good to read reviews/ write ups about your favourite artist. especially if there good ones!

3/5 is ok, at least that is mostly positive, if maybe sitting on the fence with that rating a bit.

SuperSoulFighter said:

tatocorcu said:

SuperSoulFighter said:

I just read the first review, in Dutch newspaper NRC. AOA was described as a scifi story full of sweaty mid-tempo funk and PE as glamrock. 3 stars out of 5 for the both of them.

That's a bit disappointing...

I expect the American music mags and blogs to be much more generous, since they've been extremely positive about the individual tracks so far.

KingSausage said:

I predict the reviews will fall into three buckets: 1) Terrible album. He's lost it. Trying to chase trends. 2) His best since Lovesexy/Symbol/Gold Experience/Musicology. 3) Reviews that actually assess the music on the albums.

Increasingly reviews of type #3 are harder and harder to come by. Music journalism has for the most part gotten so lazy, and cheap. People are either recycling what a press release says or giving very impressionistic reviews in order to just have something to say, and to have something to say first.

I sometimes get promo discs to review, they can arrive anywhere from a month ahead of release, to a couple days before. Sometimes they are physical discs, sometimes they are watermarked streams you have to listen to on the computer.

I have been in touch with WB about these albums & been told I will get them "close to the release date." Basically, checking the mailbox every day. Cuz time is short now!

So don't be surprised there are no reviews aside from people that have been invited to go hear it - as far as I know the promos have not been mailed yet.

(I am hoping WB does my favorite thing ever which is to put the name of the reviewer ON THE DISC ITSELF. I have Neil Young and Flaming Lips CDs with my name printed on them, possibly my most cherished collectibles - truly irreplaceable items. I hope I get Prince discs like that! I guess they want me to know that they have watermarked the CD and can trace it back to me, personally, if it leaks ahead of time. )

i have heard AOA. don't ask me how i got the copy...

any way his best album since 3121 that's all i can say.

nothing impressive at all.

the best track imo is

WAY BACK HOME. i think many of the "old school" Prince fans will enjoy this one.

the rest is just too "futureisitcly outdated sound" trying to do EDM the wrong way but with a Prince twist.

not bad though.

the album is deff better than all of his releases in the past 5 years, better than planet earth, better than purple lotus/mpls sound and better than 20 ten.

a certain large retail website has sold the albums for about a week.people must have heard them.

quite honestly, u know, clouds are the weakest tracks imo.

way back home great sounding prince classic song.

breakfast can wait, not bad, but something's missing, too mellow...

but TIME will be a surprise for most of the old school prince fans.

wasn't feeling the gold standard... melodies r just out of sync...

feeluupp said:

quite honestly, u know, clouds are the weakest tracks imo.

way back home great sounding prince classic song.

breakfast can wait, not bad, but something's missing, too mellow...

but TIME will be a surprise for most of the old school prince fans.

wasn't feeling the gold standard... melodies r just out of sync...

do you remember anything about the first track (art official cage)

and about the last one (the one after "Time", Affirmation III)?

feeluupp said:

feeluupp said:

quite honestly, u know, clouds are the weakest tracks imo.

way back home great sounding prince classic song.

breakfast can wait, not bad, but something's missing, too mellow...

but TIME will be a surprise for most of the old school prince fans.

wasn't feeling the gold standard... melodies r just out of sync...

Your post has me crazy excited because I absolutely LOVE "U Know," "Clouds" and "Breakfast Can Wait." This is gonna be my favorite Prince album in a looong looong time! HELL YEAH!!

Got my review copies.

Listened to AOA, not Plectrumelectrum yet.

Will write a review for my papers next weeks issue. It's in Estonian

whats your verdict then?

siim said:

Got my review copies.

Listened to AOA, not Plectrumelectrum yet.

Will write a review for my papers next weeks issue. It's in Estonian