For me, 20Ten has no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. I think it's the only Prince album which doesn't contain a single track that I like.

Lianachan said:

For me, 20Ten has no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. I think it's the only Prince album which doesn't contain a single track that I like.

For me that would be the Emancipation album. Three CD's containing 12 tracks each and there is not one song on there that I dig without any reservations. Couldn't believe it back in 1996 and still can't understand today how he could come up with such an epic failure. The album he was "born to make"...

Lianachan said:

For me, 20Ten has no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. I think it's the only Prince album which doesn't contain a single track that I like.

For real? Do you not like classic 80s Prince music? To each their own but it would be inexplicable to me to be an old time Prince fan and not have come to near tears of joy the first time you heard "Future Soul Song", "Lavaux" and "Sticky Like Glue" which each have that pre-1985 Prince sound that I thought I would never hear again.

Man, you all know I love 20ten, and have written here many times about the tragedy of that album not being released in it's original intended form. Even though it was cut down for the newspaper release version, it still was strong... slammin'. The point made here about the rhytym guitar work was SO on point.

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Unlike most Orgers, I adore 'Compassion'. 'Beginning Endlessly' was indeed epic, and 'Act Of God' is one of my favs from that album, despite the bashing it got here. 'Laveau' is big fun, and the ballads are beautiful.

I've been listening to this album a lot recently... But based from what I heard most of the tracks are just too bland for my liking. Sticky Like Glue and Future Soul Song are the only two songs that I feel are "complete"... The rest are just ok, but they lack something, they all sound unpolished or un finished.

I do agree what with some people said, the whole album has that euro funk sound from the Parade era but it's just not overall strong enough for my liking.

20Ten isn't a bad album don't get me wrong, there's just too much missing... It could've been much better, and all those songs that "sound good" like Lavaux, etc... To me they are just average.

Giovanni777 said:

Man, you all know I love 20ten, and have written here many times about the tragedy of that album not being released in it's original intended form. Even though it was cut down for the newspaper release version, it still was strong... slammin'. The point made here about the rhytym guitar work was SO on point.

.

Unlike most Orgers, I adore 'Compassion'. 'Beginning Endlessly' was indeed epic, and 'Act Of God' is one of my favs from that album, despite the bashing it got here. 'Laveau' is big fun, and the ballads are beautiful.

beautiful post

always thought this album got undue hate. how many decades doss this man have to make music to be given the benefit of the doubt regarding his production intentions. this is different from just missing the mark with something like NPS, but the production style and sound on 20T was intentional, as it was on MPLS. now that doesn't make those albums better for ppl who hate them, but hate them for other reasons than, "something SEEMS off", "something" is missing, they sound whatever. dude runs the gamut production style wise and genre wise so the SOUND critiques are more valid IMO when they are about technical aspects of the mixing, vocal delivery, emotion, etc.

Some STELLAR tracks on here, Sticky, Beginning, Laydown, i even liked the ballads from this album, FSS was dope! I think its nostalgia winning out againg. If this album was platinum these flighty org'ers would be singing a different tune. Compassion and Everybody were the clear misses, everything else was above average to me.

Another casualty of an industry in flux and fans in nostalgia mode and the masses dictated to by radio

It has at least three songs on it that I really like ( Walk in Sand, Sticky Like Glue , Future Soul Song)

and one or two songs that are enjoyable (Laydown ) but the production of the other songs sounds a bit strange to me , at least compared to other albums. It´s not as bad as people think.

It's not as bad as it was made out to be when it was released.

On record Beginning endlessly is the standout song; In concert there were some absolutely great performances of Future Soul Song

databank said:

In the middle of all that AOA/Plec hype I just listened to 20ten again, something I hadn't done in months, maybe even a year. I'm really more impressed by the album than ever today, maybe I'm just in the mood IDK, I mean I always liked it and I always worshipped Lavaux, but I also always considered it a "minor" album. Tonite I found all of the tracks to be real killers!

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I know the album ain't too popular here, it's OK, different folks different strokes, but i just felt like saying this album quite made my day today

emesem said:

Lianachan said:

For me, 20Ten has no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. I think it's the only Prince album which doesn't contain a single track that I like.

For real? Do you not like classic 80s Prince music? To each their own but it would be inexplicable to me to be an old time Prince fan and not have come to near tears of joy the first time you heard "Future Soul Song", "Lavaux" and "Sticky Like Glue" which each have that pre-1985 Prince sound that I thought I would never hear again.

The same 3 songs are mentoned throughout this thread and the only reason they're mentioned is because they sound a bit like his music from the 80's.

Prince got paid upfront and had to give the publications something. So he gave them demos and half finished songs. It's as middle of the road as they come, and everything sounds like it was played on the same keyboard. There is nothing new for Prince on the album, and nothing he hasn't done many times before (only much better).

Only one song from the album has ever been played live? That's how much Prince thought of it. Don't even think there were any videos made?

Noodled24 said:

emesem said:

For real? Do you not like classic 80s Prince music? To each their own but it would be inexplicable to me to be an old time Prince fan and not have come to near tears of joy the first time you heard "Future Soul Song", "Lavaux" and "Sticky Like Glue" which each have that pre-1985 Prince sound that I thought I would never hear again.

The same 3 songs are mentoned throughout this thread and the only reason they're mentioned is because they sound a bit like his music from the 80's.

Prince got paid upfront and had to give the publications something. So he gave them demos and half finished songs. It's as middle of the road as they come, and everything sounds like it was played on the same keyboard. There is nothing new for Prince on the album, and nothing he hasn't done many times before (only much better).

Only one song from the album has ever been played live? That's how much Prince thought of it. Don't even think there were any videos made?

I agree wtih you. 20Ten feels like a demo... People over rate this album so much.

ludwig said:

Beginning Endlessly is an EPIC masterpiece. And I like most of the other tracks as well.

Beginning Endlessly IS EPIC!!

20T3N is a COMPLETE "MasterPiece" from start to finish!It was the album that chirstened Jester as a fan. It ultimately lead him in2 's presence! In a unprofound way, 2 b personally christened 4ever in2 the purple kingdom..

feeluupp said:

Noodled24 said:

The same 3 songs are mentoned throughout this thread and the only reason they're mentioned is because they sound a bit like his music from the 80's.

Prince got paid upfront and had to give the publications something. So he gave them demos and half finished songs. It's as middle of the road as they come, and everything sounds like it was played on the same keyboard. There is nothing new for Prince on the album, and nothing he hasn't done many times before (only much better).

Only one song from the album has ever been played live? That's how much Prince thought of it. Don't even think there were any videos made?

I agree wtih you. 20Ten feels like a demo... People over rate this album so much.

Complete cash grab.

The 20Ten tour featured 1 song from the album. Even Planet Earth had a couple of videos. He seemed genuinely pleased with "somewhereHOE" and "Guitar" - the latter gets a lot of love. 20Ten he distanced himself from immediately and it was 4 years till his next album(s).

Noodled24 said:

feeluupp said:

I agree wtih you. 20Ten feels like a demo... People over rate this album so much.

Complete cash grab.

The 20Ten tour featured 1 song from the album. Even Planet Earth had a couple of videos. He seemed genuinely pleased with "somewhereHOE" and "Guitar" - the latter gets a lot of love. 20Ten he distanced himself from immediately and it was 4 years till his next album(s).

Total LIE! The "Welcome 2 America" tour he featured "the classic jam "Future Love Song" & the 20T3N tour he featured "Sticky Like Glue". He also included "Laydown" on his per4mance on George Lopez defunct talk show. Also "Walk In Sand" was played @ a recent gig of his in his piano excerpt. That is FOUR songs!!!!Then he has added "ActofGod" as part of his set list regularly. So that is a record FIVE songs from one album!!!

Eye just wish he could have gotten 20T3N Deluxe distributed by the wb. But the stars didn't collide for that project & now its lost 4ever,

[Edited 10/8/14 3:30am]

20ten is definitely underrated. LinnDrum heaven. Me likey Future Soul Song.

in my little satchel of prince albums i'll tke with me, i will take lovesexy, 20ten, around the world in a day, and 1999. thanks prince for the memories. I love 20ten.

emesem said:

Lianachan said:

For me, 20Ten has no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. I think it's the only Prince album which doesn't contain a single track that I like.

For real? Do you not like classic 80s Prince music? To each their own but it would be inexplicable to me to be an old time Prince fan and not have come to near tears of joy the first time you heard "Future Soul Song", "Lavaux" and "Sticky Like Glue" which each have that pre-1985 Prince sound that I thought I would never hear again.

Yup, for real. I love classic 80s Prince music, but the best thing I could say about those tracks is that they're like Prince-Lite - devoid of the vibrancy of his earlier music. Each to their own, as you say, but there really is nothing at all on 20Ten for me.

I like 20Ten. "Beginning Endlessly", "Future Soul Song", "Sticky Like Glue", "Act of God" and "Lavaux" are all really enjoyable. The rest is a bit filler-ish.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Noodled24 said:

Complete cash grab.

The 20Ten tour featured 1 song from the album. Even Planet Earth had a couple of videos. He seemed genuinely pleased with "somewhereHOE" and "Guitar" - the latter gets a lot of love. 20Ten he distanced himself from immediately and it was 4 years till his next album(s).

Total LIE! The "Welcome 2 America" tour he featured "the classic jam "Future Love Song" & the 20T3N tour he featured "Sticky Like Glue". He also included "Laydown" on his per4mance on George Lopez defunct talk show. Also "Walk In Sand" was played @ a recent gig of his in his piano excerpt. That is FOUR songs!!!!Then he has added "ActofGod" as part of his set list regularly. So that is a record FIVE songs from one album!!!

I'm going by what it says on PrinceVault:

Prince toured Europe on the Prince 20TEN Tour at the time of release, but only Act Of God and chants from Everybody Loves Me were played live, indicating that the album may have been considered a promotional tool for the tour, rather than the other way around.

Looking over some of the individual songs you're right. They were performed "occasionally" in 2010/2011. How many of the songs were regularly played? Were they played in full? Did any become engrained in his setlists? I mean if there was ever an opportunity to play new songs live - it's when you give the album away for free.

Eye just wish he could have gotten 20T3N Deluxe distributed by the wb. But the stars didn't collide for that project & now its lost 4ever,

[Edited 10/8/14 3:30am]

Thankfully.

Noodled24 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I'm going by what it says on PrinceVault:

Prince toured Europe on the Prince 20TEN Tour at the time of release, but only Act Of God and chants from Everybody Loves Me were played live, indicating that the album may have been considered a promotional tool for the tour, rather than the other way around.

Looking over some of the individual songs you're right. They were performed "occasionally" in 2010/2011. How many of the songs were regularly played? Were they played in full? Did any become engrained in his setlists? I mean if there was ever an opportunity to play new songs live - it's when you give the album away for free.

Eye just wish he could have gotten 20T3N Deluxe distributed by the wb. But the stars didn't collide for that project & now its lost 4ever,

[Edited 10/8/14 3:30am]

Thankfully.

Had he included Cause & Effect (much-underrated here for some reason) and the full version of Laydown, it would certainly have given things a bit more variety. Altering the track order might help too, as I feel part of its problem is most of the tracks sound alike production-wise. Chuck in some new modern solo piano/ voice ballad a la HCUDCMA or Silver Tongue in the middle and we might have a much better record .

Of course, we could also add contemporary era tracks like Hot Summer, Rich Friends and Purple and Gold, but other than scratching my completist itch, not sure that would improve matters much .

Miles said:

I feel part of its problem is most of the tracks sound alike production-wise.

This is exactly what we used to call an "album"

[Edited 10/9/14 7:20am]

Fhunkin said:

ludwig said:

Beginning Endlessly is an EPIC masterpiece. And I like most of the other tracks as well.

Beginning Endlessly IS EPIC!!

E.P.I.C. THIS is what the future of Prince's music should sound like!!!

thanks2joniandu said:

Fhunkin said:

Beginning Endlessly IS EPIC!!

E.P.I.C. THIS is what the future of Prince's music should sound like!!!

EPIC

and magically delicious. All dem synths, drumrolls, and most of all: funky silence.

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That 1999% funky silence in all the right places to propel the groove.

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Don't you think he ain't when he is.

I like much of it (although Walk In The Sand is a bit to limp for me), but the one thing that really drops the album (along with the last few albums) is the safe aproch to the prodution - which is probably why I like AOA (and why I have just put Rave on as well).

I like Prince for the wierd stuff not the standard/generic pop songs.