Planet Earth

What's yours?

Every Prince record that folks would consider his worse always has at least 2 great songs on it. But my choice is "Rave". Something about it just turns me away.

kygermo said:

Every Prince record that folks would consider his worse always has at least 2 great songs on it. But my choice is "Rave". Something about it just turns me away.

I always keep that in consideration...

Every Prince album has a great song or songs on it I enjoy... Planet Earth was the first album that none of the songs I liked.

I REALLY loved 3121 (and still do) when it came out, so I was disappointed when PE was released. But PE has 3 songs I really dig (Somewhere here on Earth, Future Baby Mana, and Chelsea Rodgers is dope). On the other hand, its also not one of his albums I immediately think of when I consider what his stinkers are. But, I can 100% see why you dislike it.

kygermo said:

I REALLY loved 3121 (and still do) when it came out, so I was disappointed when PE was released. But PE has 3 songs I really dig (Somewhere here on Earth, Future Baby Mana, and Chelsea Rodgers is dope). On the other hand, its also not one of his albums I immediately think of when I consider what his stinkers are. But, I can 100% see why you dislike it.

I loved 3121.

Some of my fav Prince songs are on it, Fury, The Word, The Dance... Great album , a lot of people don't give that album enough props...

feeluupp said:

kygermo said:

I REALLY loved 3121 (and still do) when it came out, so I was disappointed when PE was released. But PE has 3 songs I really dig (Somewhere here on Earth, Future Baby Mana, and Chelsea Rodgers is dope). On the other hand, its also not one of his albums I immediately think of when I consider what his stinkers are. But, I can 100% see why you dislike it.

I loved 3121.

Some of my fav Prince songs are on it, Fury, The Word, The Dance... Great album , a lot of people don't give that album enough props...

Oh its most definitely a great, tight pop record but I can also see why some of the older fans don't really like 3121 as some of the songs sound a little more current than what he normally would do. So, thinking about how great 3121 was when I bought PE, I was really let down by it but have grown to like it a little more over the years. He rebounded nicely from Planet Earth with Lotus Flower I think.

Really the only albums that are out and out stinkers: Kamasutra & News

[Edited 11/12/14 17:08pm]

NEWS

For what it is, I really like NEWS. Its got an odd reputation for sure, but theres some really cool, funky stuff on it. Come to think of it, I havent listened to it in years. Thank you for the reminder, Im going to dust that off now and give it a spin lol. Oh and Kamasutra...no comment.

MplSound is as bad as it gets.

20Ten

Blixical said:

20Ten

Second worst.

New Power Soul

Scooch87 said:

New Power Soul

Overall not a good album at all but... Don't forget:

Come On

The One

Wasted Kisses

There are a few stinkers in the catalog now 20ten and Planet Earth aren't great. Slaughterhouse and Chocolate invasion are nothing special. Newpowersoul is very weak, NEWS is flat out terrible as is xpectation. Lots of Musicology and 3121 are half arsed.

His worst albums still usually have a couple of good songs on them, thats not really a compliment though. Rave in2 I think has actually aged quite well.

The Rainbow Children

nigel1013 said:

The Rainbow Children

Could you elaborate please? If the concept and message of the album turns you off, I totally get it, and am with you 100% on that. I can only take so much of that JW-lovin and theocratic order nonsense. But musically? I think it's some of the most accomplished stuff hes put on record.

kygermo said:

nigel1013 said:

The Rainbow Children

Could you elaborate please? If the concept and message of the album turns you off, I totally get it, and am with you 100% on that. I can only take so much of that JW-lovin and theocratic order nonsense. But musically? I think it's some of the most accomplished stuff hes put on record.

The album is NOT a bloody instrumental so the concept and the message destroys any joy I can derive by LISTENING to TRC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aoa aoa aoa

3rdeyedude said:

aoa aoa aoa

Get your hearing checked mate!

PlectrumElectrum
20Ten
Planet Earth
3121
News

all of those are bad to me..

Discounting the NPGMC era, the worst is 20Ten. No energy, awkward melodies, toothless lyrics and vocals, and it's all so mild that I forget it's even playing.

Indigo nights!!!

FragileUndertow said:

Indigo nights!!!

Hey to each their own, but there's some stuff on Indigo Nights that I think is super-dope. I love the "Girls & Boys/Song of the Heart/Delirious" medley, and the version of my beloved "Alphabet St." on there is fire too. Shelby's "Misty Blue" sucks out loud though. He should have done the right thing and released the show he did with just Josh, CC & himself as the power trio. Thats a great bootleg.

Art Official Age. What a horrible album.

REALLY don't understand the hate for The Rainbow Children and NEWS... two of his finest examples of the 21st Century.... the musicianship on them both is outstanding, Prince sounds INSPIRED on them far more than he was the few years before these.

And I've really never understood why the subject matter is a problem for people... "waaah, he's singing about a philospohy I don't agree with!" Yeah? Get over it. In any music I listen to, I don't have to agree with what they're saying/stating/singing, I just have to feel the passion with which they're expressing it, and that's all over The Rainbow Children.

And while NEWS isn't close to being jazz, it has that jazz sensibility of extended instrumental pieces with recurring themes and extended improvisation. When the musicianship is this good, I don't understand how people can complain. These two records SOUND good as well... I wish Prince's stuff (not counting the two new records, which I generally like) was half as inspired-sounding as NEWS and The Rainbow Children... Xpectation isn't as strong but it's still a good record.

For this reason, inspiration, I have to count Planet Earth and 3121 as far and away his worst records. It has nothing to do with them sounding modern or current, Prince just sounds like a shadow of his former self on these records. 3121 has the title track and Black Sweat on which he sounds engaged but on the rest of it he just sounds tired and burned out. (This was the case with some of Musicology, but most of it was good.)

And then we arrive at his least inspired effort, Planet Earth, which basically has no redeeming features. THere are literally thousands of albums it's always worth reaching for instead. he doesn't know whether to try and sound current or to exploit his funk/soul roots, doesn't know whether to sing about being a JW or about sex, doesn't have any clear vision for the album, the title is meaningless and everything on it is derivative of something else, done better elsewhere.

If it wasn't for the glimmer of hope provided by Lotusflow3r/MPLSound it would be easy to think that Prince was pretty much done. Lotus worked for the most part, MPLSound was another mishmash which half worked, but at least Prince sounded a bit more like he cared again, though now he was languishing in trying to recapture something classic. He went full tilt on the 'recapturing classic' sound on 20Ten, which is why, despite some fun moments, the record feels minor, throwaway. If it was a bonus disc with a 'proper' album it would feel more satisfying.

Clearly Prince sensed he needed a change of direction, a 'regroup' and creative rethink, and wisely he took his time doing it.

The resulting albums, Art Official Age and Plectrum Electrum aren't 100% successful, but damn - he's TRYING again... Art Official Age sounds fresh and inventive for the most part. At the very least he's created something that can divide opinion... better the fans and wider public be gushing about it and embracing it or feeling they have to speak out about how bad it is... so much better than just a 'new Prince album? Huh' collective shrug that he was getting prior to these.

So, in answer to the question (did I ramble on a little?) Planet Earth is the worst record, closely followed by 3121. I believe Prince realises this himself as he seems to have taken steps to avoid sounding that tired and uninspired again.

kygermo said:

Well, for me it's definitely:

• Indigo Nights
• Rave
• 3121

I loooooove Planet Earth, really do.