murph said:

Alexandernvrmind said:

murph said:

My brief thoughts on AOA....

Having finally gotten a copy of it, this is indeed the best "Prince" album I've heard in more than 15 years.....

Why the quotes? Because for years, while the man has given us small doses of that weird, tongue-in-cheek, funny, and unpredictable "Prince," it's always taken a backseat to Prince going back to the musical roots of his youth (basically doing the same type of old school R&B/James Brown/70s R&B nods that Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen have done with old school folk and rock....)..."Musicology," which was a good track, represents where I'm getting at. And there was nothing wrong with that direction...It's quite natural, really...

What AOA displays is a man who seems to be in love again with being weirdo, left field-with-a-nod-to-the-mainstream Prince....

Again, there are some heads who may not like the fact that Prince is taking in some modern sounds and infusing it with his Prince-ness....But that's what makes AOA his most cohesive album in ages (as others have mentioned)...No, not every song hits the spot...At times "Gold Standard" seems to go on a little too long....And I have no idea why "Breakfast Can Wait" made this album. Again, it's "OK Prince"...but it seems out of place here and it's taking up space.....

But the standout moments soar....I've heard complaints about this album having too many mid tempo/slow cuts...I'm going to chalk this up to musical cultural differences given as how as a kid from the South Side of Chicago Prince "slow jams" were always a staple, if u catch my drift....

There are some songs on this album that take u back to a time when Prince was clever, weird, sexy AND cool...."Way Back Home" is DOPE...."What It Feels Like" is on repeat...And "AOA" is just a fun record....

If YOUR problem with this record is that it embraces too many "urban" trends, then that's on you....I haven't heard Prince this refreshed in ages...The very synthy, futuristic sound takes me to a 1999 vibe (again, someone else mentioned this)...This is not saying it's on the same level as 1999....But the feel of the album is in that vein....There is nothing on the level of say "Little Red Corvette"...But it doesn't have to be....What AOA does his presents Prince to a younger crowd while giving old heads a taste of why they fell in love with dude in the first place...

If you are a "Prince" fan u will dig this...If you want him to bring back his mid '80s Revolution era, genre-jumping, Wendy & Lisa era, this album may not be for u....

I for one like THIS Prince...He's having fun again....

[Edited 9/24/14 7:11am]

As I said last evening after listening to snippets on both albums I am very intrigued. After reading your comments and because I have so much respect for your opinion, I simple cannot wait until Tuesday. Thanks dude.

No...thank u...And let me say again....AOA is not in the same league as his GOAT work...But it embraces an era where Prince was happy to be "Prince"...There are def. some standout songs on this album...But I'm more impressed with the feel of the record...It hits that "Prince" spot...

murph said:

feeluupp said:

AOA is his best album since... well...

In my opinion in the last 14 years.

It's better than:

The Rainbow Children

NEWS

MUSICOLOGY

3121

PLANET EARTH

PURPLE LOTUS/MPLS SOUND

20TEN

Dare I say it's his best since The Gold Experience...

.

Riiiight. Look, I bet these new albums are going to be great, but for you to say better than 'The Rainbow Children' and 'Lotusflow3r' just doesn't make sense. Apples and oranges, my friend. Same goes for comparing it to 'N.E.W.S.'.

.

Not trying to call you out, but I see you joined the Org on September 18th 2014.

.

Hmmmm...

MichaelHogberg said:

murph said:

funkaholic1972 said:

Agreed. In fact Emancipation still stands as the "Most Disappointing Prince Album Ever" in my books. Three CD's with 36 tracks on it and there is not one song that really satisfies my Princely needs...

U people are off your rockers....lol

The love we make,,how could he not

Alexandernvrmind said:

murph said:

No...thank u...And let me say again....AOA is not in the same league as his GOAT work...But it embraces an era where Prince was happy to be "Prince"...There are def. some standout songs on this album...But I'm more impressed with the feel of the record...It hits that "Prince" spot...

Nope I get it. When I listened last night I didn't like everything but I didn't hate anything...and I have on a lot of his R&B stuff for the last decade or so. I agree with you that yeah he sounds like he has gotten out of his comfort zone some here. Murph a question for you? Prince iMO has really struggled with lyric and yes vocal delivery. The vocal delivery has especially been an issue on his more R&B and funk records. Like he is having problems with syllables or firing words and phrasing together. I hear this on funkroll (again just my opinion you might not agree) I also think I hear it a bit on Gold Standard a bit in the snippet. I think it also hear it on U Know as he gets further into the song. It's like he's lost his uptempo rhythm and timing. Do you know what I mean or do you hear or feel that too?

Ding ding sing,,,"i didnt hate anything" thats what i couldnt articulate; thanks..like I hate Lolita, te amo, i can list songs on each album p, even Gold Exp for that matter, title track included, 319, now, the verison of endorphine that i dislike immensely;;.. i did have i hate um shhhm and BJB

Alexandernvrmind said:

murph said:

No...thank u...And let me say again....AOA is not in the same league as his GOAT work...But it embraces an era where Prince was happy to be "Prince"...There are def. some standout songs on this album...But I'm more impressed with the feel of the record...It hits that "Prince" spot...

Nope I get it. When I listened last night I didn't like everything but I didn't hate anything...and I have on a lot of his R&B stuff for the last decade or so. I agree with you that yeah he sounds like he has gotten out of his comfort zone some here. Murph a question for you? Prince iMO has really struggled with lyric and yes vocal delivery. The vocal delivery has especially been an issue on his more R&B and funk records. Like he is having problems with syllables or firing words and phrasing together. I hear this on funkroll (again just my opinion you might not agree) I also think I hear it a bit on Gold Standard a bit in the snippet. I think it also hear it on U Know as he gets further into the song. It's like he's lost his uptempo rhythm and timing. Do you know what I mean or do you hear or feel that too?

I don't get so bogged down on vocal delivery...If it sounds good it sounds good...And I don't hear any vocal/cadence issues on "FunkNRoll".....

My biggest issue with Prince over the years has been more about his studio "sound" than anything else (alongside the fact that P, who was an pioneer of using the Internet to connect with fans, does not understand the power of the Internet for music fans TODAY)...In previous albums Prince had all but seemed to bury his essence and sound...And when he did return to it it was often a bit dated...

This album presents a fresher mix...

murph said:

Agree. We got Rainbow, NEWS, ONA and LotusFlower with arrangements and with a maturation that can´t be compared to albums like AOA, MPLS, 20TEN or 3121 and most of the pale and predictable Emancipation. Yes - it´s indeed like comparing apples and oranges

Giovanni777 said:

feeluupp said:

AOA is his best album since... well...

In my opinion in the last 14 years.

It's better than:

The Rainbow Children

NEWS

MUSICOLOGY

3121

PLANET EARTH

PURPLE LOTUS/MPLS SOUND

20TEN

Dare I say it's his best since The Gold Experience...

.

Riiiight. Look, I bet these new albums are going to be great, but for you to say better than 'The Rainbow Children' and 'Lotusflow3r' just doesn't make sense. Apples and oranges, my friend. Same goes for comparing it to 'N.E.W.S.'.

.

Not trying to call you out, but I see you joined the Org on September 18th 2014.

.

Hmmmm...

Giovanni777 said:

feeluupp said:

AOA is his best album since... well...

In my opinion in the last 14 years.

It's better than:

The Rainbow Children

NEWS

MUSICOLOGY

3121

PLANET EARTH

PURPLE LOTUS/MPLS SOUND

20TEN

Dare I say it's his best since The Gold Experience...

.

Riiiight. Look, I bet these new albums are going to be great, but for you to say better than 'The Rainbow Children' and 'Lotusflow3r' just doesn't make sense. Apples and oranges, my friend. Same goes for comparing it to 'N.E.W.S.'.

.

Not trying to call you out, but I see you joined the Org on September 18th 2014.

.

Hmmmm...

.

If you're not trying to "call him out" why mention it? What bearing does the date on which he joined the Org have on his opinion about the album or Prince's work in general?

.

It's that kind of patronizing bullshit that makes so many new visitors to the Org (whether old or new Prince fans) roll their eyes.

Listening to the AOA snippets... where are the real instruments??

The guy can play so many of them and says he's surrounded by the best musicians...

Bring'em on the album then...

carinemjj said:

Listening to the AOA snippets... where are the real instruments??

The guy can play so many of them and says he's surrounded by the best musicians...

Bring'em on the album then...

Now listening to PE...

THERE YOU GO!!

[Edited 9/24/14 10:06am]

carinemjj said:

Listening to the AOA snippets... where are the real instruments??

The guy can play so many of them and says he's surrounded by the best musicians...

Bring'em on the album then...

the same can be said for 1999..you know he can actually play

I've got both CDs. From what I've listened to of AOA so far I can definitely say that weird, trippy, INSPIRED Prince is back like a motha furtha. Holy. Shit.

.

And The Gold Standard is what I've been hungry for for so long from him. So many classic greasy funky Prince elements going on I'm going to have to listen to it about 20 more times to absorb all that trippy/poppy/funky/Bob Georgey gold! IMO this song could have fit on the Black Album. And the way it transitions into U Know is friggin awesome. No pause. This album is the real deal, y'all. It's cohesive, too. He didn't just phone this one in. Yes, it has different "genres" like SOTT, but it's an updated sound that's still signature Prince. He pulled it off without sounding contrived. And the fact that he's letting other people produce is awesome. It's what many of us have been asking for and it doesn't disappoint. Of course, this is all in my humble opinion.

[Edited 9/24/14 10:18am]

lwr001 said:

carinemjj said:

Listening to the AOA snippets... where are the real instruments??

The guy can play so many of them and says he's surrounded by the best musicians...

Bring'em on the album then...

the same can be said for 1999..you know he can actually play

I know right....People have short memories....

dustoff said:

Giovanni777 said:

.

Riiiight. Look, I bet these new albums are going to be great, but for you to say better than 'The Rainbow Children' and 'Lotusflow3r' just doesn't make sense. Apples and oranges, my friend. Same goes for comparing it to 'N.E.W.S.'.

.

Not trying to call you out, but I see you joined the Org on September 18th 2014.

.

Hmmmm...

.

If you're not trying to "call him out" why mention it? What bearing does the date on which he joined the Org have on his opinion about the album or Prince's work in general?

.

It's that kind of patronizing bullshit that makes so many new visitors to the Org (whether old or new Prince fans) roll their eyes.

.

Sorry, I don't practice "patronizing bullshit"... never have. There is an equal chance that "Feeluuup" is either a new fan or a promotional plant... just being realistic, since the opinion that this album is "better" than albums that aren't even comparable doesn't make sense. They are completely different genres, with a heavy focus on musicianship on 'The Rainbow Children', 'Lotusflow3r', and 'N.E.W.S.', and crafting a cohesive pop/R&B album with 'Art Official Age'. There is no way one can say one is "better" than the other.

Giovanni777 said:

dustoff said:

.

If you're not trying to "call him out" why mention it? What bearing does the date on which he joined the Org have on his opinion about the album or Prince's work in general?

.

It's that kind of patronizing bullshit that makes so many new visitors to the Org (whether old or new Prince fans) roll their eyes.

.

Sorry, I don't practice "patronizing bullshit"... never have. There is an equal chance that "Feeluuup" is either a new fan or a promotional plant... just being realistic, since the opinion that this album is "better" than albums that aren't even comparable doesn't make sense. They are completely different genres, with a heavy focus on musicianship on 'The Rainbow Children', 'Lotusflow3r', and 'N.E.W.S.', and crafting a cohesive pop/R&B album with 'Art Official Age'. There is no way one can say one is "better" than the other.

[Edited 9/24/14 10:57am]

Giovanni777 said:

dustoff said:

.

If you're not trying to "call him out" why mention it? What bearing does the date on which he joined the Org have on his opinion about the album or Prince's work in general?

.

It's that kind of patronizing bullshit that makes so many new visitors to the Org (whether old or new Prince fans) roll their eyes.

.

Sorry, I don't practice "patronizing bullshit"... never have. There is an equal chance that "Feeluuup" is either a new fan or a promotional plant... just being realistic, since the opinion that this album is "better" than albums that aren't even comparable doesn't make sense. They are completely different genres, with a heavy focus on musicianship on 'The Rainbow Children', 'Lotusflow3r', and 'N.E.W.S.', and crafting a cohesive pop/R&B album with 'Art Official Age'. There is no way one can say one is "better" than the other.

This makes no sense at all. Of course you can judge one over the other, regardless of style/genre.

dadeepop said:

I've got both CDs. From what I've listened to of AOA so far I can definitely say that weird, trippy, INSPIRED Prince is back like a motha furtha. Holy. Shit.

.

And The Gold Standard is what I've been hungry for for so long from him. So many classic greasy funky Prince elements going on I'm going to have to listen to it about 20 more times to absorb all that trippy/poppy/funky/Bob Georgey gold! IMO this song could have fit on the Black Album. And the way it transitions into U Know is friggin awesome. No pause. This album is the real deal, y'all. It's cohesive, too. He didn't just phone this one in. Yes, it has different "genres" like SOTT, but it's an updated sound that's still signature Prince. He pulled it off without sounding contrived. And the fact that he's letting other people produce is awesome. It's what many of us have been asking for and it doesn't disappoint. Of course, this is all in my humble opinion.

[Edited 9/24/14 10:18am]

.

I must say that this is very encouraging. I'm holding out for the release, then I will express my feelings. As I've said previously, I dig 'Clouds', 'UKnow', and 'The Breakdown'.

Giovanni777 said:

dadeepop said:

I've got both CDs. From what I've listened to of AOA so far I can definitely say that weird, trippy, INSPIRED Prince is back like a motha furtha. Holy. Shit.

.

And The Gold Standard is what I've been hungry for for so long from him. So many classic greasy funky Prince elements going on I'm going to have to listen to it about 20 more times to absorb all that trippy/poppy/funky/Bob Georgey gold! IMO this song could have fit on the Black Album. And the way it transitions into U Know is friggin awesome. No pause. This album is the real deal, y'all. It's cohesive, too. He didn't just phone this one in. Yes, it has different "genres" like SOTT, but it's an updated sound that's still signature Prince. He pulled it off without sounding contrived. And the fact that he's letting other people produce is awesome. It's what many of us have been asking for and it doesn't disappoint. Of course, this is all in my humble opinion.

[Edited 9/24/14 10:18am]

.

I must say that this is very encouraging. I'm holding out for the release, then I will express my feelings. As I've said previously, I dig 'Clouds', 'UKnow', and 'The Breakdown'.

I've always enjoyed your posts because you know your stuff, so I hope my attempt at a review is somewhat accurate. I will say that if you like those 3 songs, I think you'll really like AOA as a whole. I think another orger wasn't keen on The Gold Standard, but I love it. It will be interesting to get everyone's take after next week.

TwiliteKid said:

Giovanni777 said:

.

Sorry, I don't practice "patronizing bullshit"... never have. There is an equal chance that "Feeluuup" is either a new fan or a promotional plant... just being realistic, since the opinion that this album is "better" than albums that aren't even comparable doesn't make sense. They are completely different genres, with a heavy focus on musicianship on 'The Rainbow Children', 'Lotusflow3r', and 'N.E.W.S.', and crafting a cohesive pop/R&B album with 'Art Official Age'. There is no way one can say one is "better" than the other.

This makes no sense at all. Of course you can judge one over the other, regardless of style/genre.

True. If you love both apples and oranges, you can compare a rotten apple to a fine orange, and you'll most likely like the orange better. However it's a bit more difficult to compare them without sounding biased.

records sales, historical impact etc are numbers that easily will manipulate the minds of people when it comes to their opinios, as well as taste.

It would be stupid for me to say Purple Rain is better than Dirty Mind because it sounds bigger, more mature, more sophisticated etc... Mature is not always better, sophisticated is not always better than the nature of the so called primitive. Technically great musicianship doesn't beat raw and honest attitude... all of these different ways to tell if a album is good or not, makes it very difficult to measure, especially if the one reviewing an album as a very specific taste when it comes to what's good or not. Some people with roots in funk would often appreciate the rhythmical qualities of a song, and can be very patient when it comes to waiting for huge changes throughout a song, and might even be addicted to the small changes happening every now and then in all the right places. James Brown Aint it Funky is a perfect example of that. Not excatly what prog rockers would love, or those who are listening to the masters of classical music. They would often claim it's not sophisticated enough.

Giovanni777 said:

dadeepop said:

I've got both CDs. From what I've listened to of AOA so far I can definitely say that weird, trippy, INSPIRED Prince is back like a motha furtha. Holy. Shit.

.

And The Gold Standard is what I've been hungry for for so long from him. So many classic greasy funky Prince elements going on I'm going to have to listen to it about 20 more times to absorb all that trippy/poppy/funky/Bob Georgey gold! IMO this song could have fit on the Black Album. And the way it transitions into U Know is friggin awesome. No pause. This album is the real deal, y'all. It's cohesive, too. He didn't just phone this one in. Yes, it has different "genres" like SOTT, but it's an updated sound that's still signature Prince. He pulled it off without sounding contrived. And the fact that he's letting other people produce is awesome. It's what many of us have been asking for and it doesn't disappoint. Of course, this is all in my humble opinion.

[Edited 9/24/14 10:18am]

.

I must say that this is very encouraging. I'm holding out for the release, then I will express my feelings. As I've said previously, I dig 'Clouds', 'UKnow', and 'The Breakdown'.

This is what I like to hear because from what I've heard its all true. Inspired Prince is back with a vengence. Now where's that leak...

[Edited 9/24/14 11:22am]

was dead on in christening Jester as the new youthful leader of the #PURPLEARMY! 's new organic sound! Will bring him an all new new generation of followers, on social media & another multi-platinum seller...

ANOTHERLOVE still giving me chills with just a 30 sec snippet. The whole song may damn well kill me.

emesem said:

ANOTHERLOVE still giving me chills with just a 30 sec snippet. The whole song may damn well kill me.

Ha i hear ya,,felt the same way..needed xanax for the anxiety and ambien to sleep till i heard the full version

These snippets have just brought my excitedness up from a 2 to a solid 8!

dustoff said:

Giovanni777 said:

.

Riiiight. Look, I bet these new albums are going to be great, but for you to say better than 'The Rainbow Children' and 'Lotusflow3r' just doesn't make sense. Apples and oranges, my friend. Same goes for comparing it to 'N.E.W.S.'.

.

Not trying to call you out, but I see you joined the Org on September 18th 2014.

.

Hmmmm...

.

If you're not trying to "call him out" why mention it? What bearing does the date on which he joined the Org have on his opinion about the album or Prince's work in general?

Oh come on, don't be so naive. It's not uncommon that record companies pay people to write positive reviews for example on amazon when a new album comes out. It's called "viral marketing". The same could happen on fansites to create a buzz.

I wouldn't care for opinions of newbies here for the next couple of weeks. If these people stay longer than that, then they are probably real fans. But I'm sure some of them are just "cybermarketers".

[Edited 9/24/14 11:46am]

Gohi said:

Genuinely embarrassed for Hannah. Her vocals on AINTTURNINROUND are absolutely dreadful.

TwiliteKid said:

Giovanni777 said:

.

Sorry, I don't practice "patronizing bullshit"... never have. There is an equal chance that "Feeluuup" is either a new fan or a promotional plant... just being realistic, since the opinion that this album is "better" than albums that aren't even comparable doesn't make sense. They are completely different genres, with a heavy focus on musicianship on 'The Rainbow Children', 'Lotusflow3r', and 'N.E.W.S.', and crafting a cohesive pop/R&B album with 'Art Official Age'. There is no way one can say one is "better" than the other.

This makes no sense at all. Of course you can judge one over the other, regardless of style/genre.

.

Actually, I can't... or won't. As a musician, if someone were to ask me who is better between John Coltrane and Charlie Parker, I wouldn't be able to answer. Instead, I would descibe their styles independently.

.

Who's the better guitar player... Jeff Beck or Steve Vai? Neither. It's far better to appreciate the players' individual styles and methods, etc.

.

Same with albums... Which is "better"... 'Purple Rain' or 'Lovesexy'? Neither. They are both incredible albums on their own "mission".

.

[Edited 9/24/14 11:54am]