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So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999... no wait 2014, oops 2015... Here is Part 1 of our album review of the classic 1999 album. Happy New Year everyone !

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LISTEN HERE - http://peachandblack.podb...-part-one/

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Nice, looking forward to revisiting that album with you.

Oh my, we're down to the big two now, really looking forward to listening to this!

I'm glad that another episode has been released! Really looking forward to hearing it. I just got 1999 on vinyl so i'm gonna give it a good listen before the review. I hope you don't stop doing the podcast after your done with 1999 and PR.

It's come out, I got to get listening, this is my second favourite album of all time!!!

FunkyStrange said:

I'm glad you guys mentioned the distorted sound on Little Red. It is really terrible and I too wonder how he could have let that pass.

This one really deserves new mastering job. As usual Captain hears a lot I never hear...apparently there are guitar parts throughout Little Red that are impressive, bass parts in 1999 etc.

I heard it and thought, you guys have pretty much nailed it so far, absolutely classic defining stuff, yet iut does have the sound difficulties in parts. In essence you all see how clever it is too.

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I am surprised MC was not that crazy about Lets Pretend we're married. Yes it has the lyrics and the throwaway lines about hippies and "soulscreamztaken2extremz", but the beat and musicality of it make it great. The final point being that the Linn Drum machine is a god worthy of our devotion. I just love this album and hoping we don't have to wait too long for Part 2 (Please don't do a 3 parter). I am hoping too, that Marks for it will all be above 9/10.

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Personally for me its my 2nd favourite and I would give it 10/10 without hesistation, you probably knew I would interested in your opinion of it, just judging from my avatar. That 1982 Prince was just amazing!!!

Adorecream said:

I heard it and thought, you guys have pretty much nailed it so far, absolutely classic defining stuff, yet iut does have the sound difficulties in parts. In essence you all see how clever it is too.

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I am surprised MC was not that crazy about Lets Pretend we're married. Yes it has the lyrics and the throwaway lines about hippies and "soulscreamztaken2extremz", but the beat and musicality of it make it great. The final point being that the Linn Drum machine is a god worthy of our devotion. I just love this album and hoping we don't have to wait too long for Part 2 (Please don't do a 3 parter). I am hoping too, that Marks for it will all be above 9/10.

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Personally for me its my 2nd favourite and I would give it 10/10 without hesistation, you probably knew I would interested in your opinion of it, just judging from my avatar. That 1982 Prince was just amazing!!!

Meh, I kinda agree with MC about Let's Pretend We're Married, at the end of the day the song just doesn't feel varied enough to justify its excessive running time, the beat is cool but it feels like that it's pretty much all there is to the song, and that's not really enough to engage me for 7 minutes. I also find the hippie line corny and kinda runious of the song's atmosphere, it's supposed to be this ultra nasty sex jam, and for the most part it is, but that goofy little interjection just makes it feel really corny. I know Prince does wacky stuff like that all the time, but it really doesn't feel like it belongs there. Not trying to convince you to dislike it or anything, just my 2 cents. Different strokes I guess.

Anyway, I enjoyed that review a lot, a lot of classics on this album but also some stuff that doesn't really do it for me, I would imagine that a good remaster would inject a bit of life into the songs I find lacking though.

Suggestion for the team...when you gys mention a snippet where some very cool line is played, or said, or grunted etc, I wish you'd play the snippet. I would love to hear...

One more thing..I have to ask AGAIN - what kind of equipment are you listening to this on? Headphones? Are they high end coming from a DAC?

JoeyCococo said:

FunkyStrange said:

I'm glad you guys mentioned the distorted sound on Little Red. It is really terrible and I too wonder how he could have let that pass.

This one really deserves new mastering job. As usual Captain hears a lot I never hear...apparently there are guitar parts throughout Little Red that are impressive, bass parts in 1999 etc.

Once upon a time, sound signal was analogic from start to finish, from the mic to the phones.


The distorsion is great, and it certainly was the object of all attentions from a perfectionist like Prince.
It is an essential ingredients to the dirty sexiness of it all.

But you have to either be 30~40 and remember what it sounded like on hi-fi systems that weighted a ton, with transistors actually performing SOME resistance, not these horrible microscopic chips deprived of even harmonics.

Without going into much details, a full analog audio signal allowed to push the levels in the red, without the harsh edge that the digital have. Distorsion can naturally sound "round" and "creamy" in the analog world.

There is currently the Deluxe version circulating, which is .flac from a vynil, but it's not the best Deluxe Edition there is.

A decent listening requires a proper hardware, not an iPhone with earbuds. You have to pay attention to your personal loudness curve, as your perception of frequencies diminish with age. Finally, adjust the loudness curve to the sound system you use, as all equipments not up to let's say semi-pro standards always add colour that varies from a manufacturer to another.

But who's got the luxury of a full analogic audio signal at hand nowadays ?

My remarks :

1 - You usually talk a abit about the environment and what happened in the Prince world around the album era, I'm surprised you skipped that here. There is a lot to talk about, from the Rolling Stones concert boos, the Vanity 6 album, the 2nd time album, the B-sides, the 1999 tour...

2 - Little Red Corvette : no one mentioned the masterpiece the 12 inch version is. That change in the bass line, in the final portion of the song (the ad lib) is just astounding. It's so simple yet : it stays in minor, but climbs from the 4th instead of the 6th. So you get 4th min7 climbing to 1st min7, which is a "classic" soul chord progression. Brilliant stuff. And what about the hilarious "may day!" section, and its vocal beatbox flams ?

[Edited 1/7/15 4:58am]

bonatoc said:

1 - You usually talk a abit about the environment and what happened in the Prince world around the album era, I'm surprised you skipped that here. There is a lot to talk about, from the Rolling Stones concert boos, the Vanity 6 album, the 2nd time album, the B-sides, the 1999 tour...

2 - Little Red Corvette : no one mentioned the masterpiece the 12 inch version is.

We've just about run out of albums to review, we have to leave something for possible future shows right ?

Going way offtopic here but your recording of D&P isn't working for me neither on itunes or on the P&B website. Is the problem only limited to me?

Wolfie87 said:

Going way offtopic here but your recording of D&P isn't working for me neither on itunes or on the P&B website. Is the problem only limited to me?

Yup. Please re-upload it, we have to ear you guys about Jughead.

And where is the Purple Rain 30th Anniversary review, team ?

[Edited 1/8/15 15:38pm]

FunkyStrange said:

bonatoc said:

1 - You usually talk a abit about the environment and what happened in the Prince world around the album era, I'm surprised you skipped that here. There is a lot to talk about, from the Rolling Stones concert boos, the Vanity 6 album, the 2nd time album, the B-sides, the 1999 tour...

2 - Little Red Corvette : no one mentioned the masterpiece the 12 inch version is.

We've just about run out of albums to review, we have to leave something for possible future shows right ?

not to mention the 7" versions! 7" edit of Lets Pretend We're Married rules, straight into that beat

bonatoc said:

JoeyCococo said:

I'm glad you guys mentioned the distorted sound on Little Red. It is really terrible and I too wonder how he could have let that pass.

This one really deserves new mastering job. As usual Captain hears a lot I never hear...apparently there are guitar parts throughout Little Red that are impressive, bass parts in 1999 etc.

Once upon a time, sound signal was analogic from start to finish, from the mic to the phones.


The distorsion is great, and it certainly was the object of all attentions from a perfectionist like Prince.
It is an essential ingredients to the dirty sexiness of it all.

But you have to either be 30~40 and remember what it sounded like on hi-fi systems that weighted a ton, with transistors actually performing SOME resistance, not these horrible microscopic chips deprived of even harmonics.

Without going into much details, a full analog audio signal allowed to push the levels in the red, without the harsh edge that the digital have. Distorsion can naturally sound "round" and "creamy" in the analog world.

There is currently the Deluxe version circulating, which is .flac from a vynil, but it's not the best Deluxe Edition there is.

A decent listening requires a proper hardware, not an iPhone with earbuds. You have to pay attention to your personal loudness curve, as your perception of frequencies diminish with age. Finally, adjust the loudness curve to the sound system you use, as all equipments not up to let's say semi-pro standards always add colour that varies from a manufacturer to another.

But who's got the luxury of a full analogic audio signal at hand nowadays ?

My remarks :

1 - You usually talk a abit about the environment and what happened in the Prince world around the album era, I'm surprised you skipped that here. There is a lot to talk about, from the Rolling Stones concert boos, the Vanity 6 album, the 2nd time album, the B-sides, the 1999 tour...

2 - Little Red Corvette : no one mentioned the masterpiece the 12 inch version is. That change in the bass line, in the final portion of the song (the ad lib) is just astounding. It's so simple yet : it stays in minor, but climbs from the 4th instead of the 6th. So you get 4th min7 climbing to 1st min7, which is a "classic" soul chord progression. Brilliant stuff. And what about the hilarious "may day!" section, and its vocal beatbox flams ?

[Edited 1/7/15 4:58am]

Being into higher end audio as well, I have read many post and articles like this where so much is left to the imagination when trying to undertand what the writer is trying to i say....describing sound as 'creamy' is a perfect example:) However, I sort of get what you are saying.

Prince is a craftman. The effort he puts into small details is always so interesting. Little Red is a masterpiece to me as well. He combined so many genres into one song...who else screamed and sang like that on a rock song? Who else combined so many diff sounds like he?? i'm often asked what is my fav prince song and of course, I can never answer b/c he is so multi dimensional. However, if I had to choose one to show off all his skills and interests, it would be Little Red Corvette....if you disect the song, you will hear everything...hard guitars, solos, gospelly singing, subtle starts, zooming chorus, screaming, whispering, synth lines etc...

Wolfie87 said:

Going way offtopic here but your recording of D&P isn't working for me neither on itunes or on the P&B website. Is the problem only limited to me?

Me too. I've enjoyed these Podcasts so much that I actually now downloaded them so I can revisit easily at later date(s)...D&P and another one I can't think of do not work.

JoeyCococo said:

Wolfie87 said:

Going way offtopic here but your recording of D&P isn't working for me neither on itunes or on the P&B website. Is the problem only limited to me?

Me too. I've enjoyed these Podcasts so much that I actually now downloaded them so I can revisit easily at later date(s)...D&P and another one I can't think of do not work.

Glad people are enjoying them.. I'm actually away for the next 2 weeks but as soon as I get back, I'll get D&P available and let me know what else isn't working ..

Captain

Nice one - looking forward to Part 2.

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Got to echo MCs' sentiments to "Little Red Corvette". I first got into Prince with "Purple Rain". My next album purchase was "1999" and by the time I heard the opening synth lines of "Little Red Corvette" I was sold. I absolutely love these opening synths - they never fail to take me to another place and feel as though I could listen to them on loop forever. (The screams at the end are also fantastic...leaving you wanting more.)

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However, I can't see why Prince fans cannot love "Let's Pretend We're Married"! It's pure Prince in all his Purpleness, throbbing with propulsion. I don't have a problem with the "oowee sha-sha koo-koo yeahs" with the hippies singing together. Let 'em fucking sing is what I say! It's a nice refrain and sure it doesn't fit lyrically - so what?! For me, it flows right nice and dandy. I agree with Player and MC when the singing stops and the propulsive beats just keep moving forward with no real tricks on top. Let's the groove breathe. (I love the triple-tom beats at the end of the bars at 5:13, 5:18 & 5:23 - punch the air 3 times each time I hear them!)

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Going back to LRCs' synths, I watched a "1999" show recently and forgot how much I loved Lisa's keyboard interludes. Her melancholic synth-work, for me, was very effecting and love it each time I hear it on the Controversy/1999/Purple Rain tours - I never skip it. I wonder if it these parts were under Prince's guidance or her own composition? I'm sure it was the latter. It's not complicated stuff, but I think it's a big part of the "Purple" sound - synthesised purple melancholia. Love it.

[Edited 1/15/15 9:12am]

I'm pretty sure every keyboard you hear in the Prince production of the eighties are pure Prince,
maybe except for the production after 1985, but only on very specific songs where W&L contribution is undisputed,
such as "In A Dark Room With No Light".

I'm damn sure all keyboard on 1999 and PR work is either done by Prince,

or played as Prince wrote or composed it.

Only after would he allow W&L take more part in the composition process.
Even the rest of the Revolution, to a less deegree.

bonatoc said:

I'm pretty sure every keyboard you hear in the Prince production of the eighties are pure Prince,
maybe except for the production after 1985, but only on very specific songs where W&L contribution is undisputed,
such as "In A Dark Room With No Light".

I'm damn sure all keyboard on 1999 and PR work is either done by Prince,

or played as Prince wrote or composed it.

Only after would he allow W&L take more part in the composition process.
Even the rest of the Revolution, to a less deegree.

I understand that and probably agree with you that Prince was in total command when committing music to vinyl - what I meant was when Lisa played those synth-interludes live at gigs.

The Purple Rain tour version of Little Red Corvette offers a great chance to hear the opening chords on loop, albeit with an additional synth line.

On the topic of Phil Collins and LRC, if you search on Youtube you will find him performing a live cover version of the song with a Brian Harvey-less East 17.