Toofunkyinhere said:

Thought it might be interesting to compare these two. Both triple albums released around the same time. Even though one is supposed to be bootleg material I reckon they both have similar 90's production values.

Emancipation and Crystal Ball really can't be compared. Most of the songs on Crystal Ball were actually from sessions in the 80's, and you can tell from the quality of the recordings. A couple were just remixes of songs previously released.

Emancipation was 3 cds of (then) new music.

thisbediscream said:

Toofunkyinhere said:

Thought it might be interesting to compare these two. Both triple albums released around the same time. Even though one is supposed to be bootleg material I reckon they both have similar 90's production values.

Emancipation and Crystal Ball really can't be compared. Most of the songs on Crystal Ball were actually from sessions in the 80's, and you can tell from the quality of the recordings. A couple were just remixes of songs previously released.

Emancipation was 3 cds of (then) new music.

Not to nit-pick, but 2/3 of the songs on Crystal Ball were from the 90s, and most of those were from the 93-95 era that led up to Emancipation, and some even after ("Tomorrow").

I think Crystal Ball has better production, the songs seem more dynamic than on Emancipation. Then again, my hearing sucks, so who cares I love both albums.

Intersting comparison, I'm still looking at the two albums side my side & find it difficult to compare the two. One set is more of an album while the other is more of a compilation .

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At first glance I would say CB, even though this set is more miss than hit for me, but there are some epic songs on there for me most notably the title track, which doesn't even compare to Jam of the Year if you try to go track by track.

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I love the Emancipation set & while it has more hit than miss for me, the songs are aren't as impactful as some of the ones on CB imo.

They don't have similar production values at all. Most of the tracks are outtakes either from the sessions that produced Sign "O" The Times and The Gold Experience. So it consists mainly of music that come from two different sessions. There are 2-3 tracks that are from the Emancipation era.

The way the discs are put together has a similar scattered approach though. Emancipation certainly wins as "an album", but it's hard to compete with those SOTT era tracks and the diamonds from the TGE era if you're going to judge the tracks for their individual merits.

I love Emancipation. I have since day one. I am one of the few out there that like it as it is. No editing needed.

Crystall Ball is very patchy but the highs are so very high it trumps Emancipatation for me. Nothing on Emancipation comes close to the brilliance of Crystal Ball - the song, Dream Factory, Crucial, Sexual Suicide, Da Bang, and Last Heart (to name a few).

Impossible for me to compare the two cds because they come from entirely different standpoints and perspectives. Emancipation comes from a stand point of being in love and trying to express his freedom with his output. Crystal Ball comes from a point of view of look what I got in my vault. It's a sprawling mix of random songs for hardcore fans.

So it's hard for me to compare them at all. As with all things it's the emotion behind things that makes me understand them better. The emotion puts things in perspective. So for me I can't compare them at all. I do enjoy both of them a lot. But for different reasons.

It would be like comparing fast food to a nice sit down meal. Yeah I guess you compare them but why? Completely different sentiments.

Poplife88 said:

I love Emancipation. I have since day one. I am one of the few out there that like it as it is. No editing needed.

Crystall Ball is very patchy but the highs are so very high it trumps Emancipatation for me. Nothing on Emancipation comes close to the brilliance of Crystal Ball - the song, Dream Factory, Crucial, Sexual Suicide, Da Bang, and Last Heart (to name a few).

If you ask me, "In This Bed I Scream" does.

I don't see everybody here citing it as their favourite Emancipation track, but there was quite a lot of buzz around about that track when the album was released.

[Edited 2/20/15 8:47am]

novabrkr said:

Poplife88 said:

I love Emancipation. I have since day one. I am one of the few out there that like it as it is. No editing needed.

Crystall Ball is very patchy but the highs are so very high it trumps Emancipatation for me. Nothing on Emancipation comes close to the brilliance of Crystal Ball - the song, Dream Factory, Crucial, Sexual Suicide, Da Bang, and Last Heart (to name a few).

If you ask me, "In This Bed I Scream" does.

I don't see everybody here citing it as their favourite Emancipation track, but there was quite a lot of buzz around about that track when the album was released.

[Edited 2/20/15 8:47am]

I do love this song, but I also wish he would've put a little more emphasis on the Screaming aspect of the song. Don't get me wrong, I love the song as is, but if you ask me what I'd change, that'd be it.

novabrkr said:

Poplife88 said:

I love Emancipation. I have since day one. I am one of the few out there that like it as it is. No editing needed.

Crystall Ball is very patchy but the highs are so very high it trumps Emancipatation for me. Nothing on Emancipation comes close to the brilliance of Crystal Ball - the song, Dream Factory, Crucial, Sexual Suicide, Da Bang, and Last Heart (to name a few).

If you ask me, "In This Bed I Scream" does.

I don't see everybody here citing it as their favourite Emancipation track, but there was quite a lot of buzz around about that track when the album was released.

[Edited 2/20/15 8:47am]

I agree...In This Bed I Scream is a great track...and thinking about it, The Love We Make is up there too.

As much I love Crystal Ball for all the awesome outtake tracks on there Emancipation is the more cohesive of the two. Especially since I just rediscoverd Emancipation recently

http://prince.org/msg/7/414108

Plus dont forget Somebody Somebody as one the other great tracks on Emancipation

[Edited 2/20/15 9:51am]

Crystal... Ball?

Because the production style on most of "Emancipation" is very similar - to me it makes it tough to listen to as an album. I generally cherry pick songs.

I find Crystal Ball a better listening experience. I don't think there are many low points. I think the only thing I'd heard previously was the alternate version of "Interactive" from the CD-ROM.

I dig the both of them...but I would go with "Crystal Ball".

Crystal ball is dynamic and interesting, but Emancipation is amazing to me because I am so in love with disc 2. I just adore it for my pwn personal reasons, so to me it's a clear winner. Maybe production wasn't nearly as good, but the sincerity of some of the material gets to me every single time I turn it on... and I am generally not a huge ballads fan...but damn! How i love it...

Hmmm, love both albums - almost impossible to pick between them - Would have to go with Emancipation as the more cohesive collection. although CB has the better individual songs.

PS I would dearly love a new 3CD set of outtakes (or even new material).

I would actually love a compilation of all the stuff he's been keeping back for the last 10-15 years.

Off my head - Stuff like Prince & the Band, Turn Me Loose, Welcome 2 America, We Live 2 Get Funky, even Hot Summer!!!!

[Edited 2/22/15 12:56pm]

I love 18 & Over ............

[Edited 2/22/15 13:01pm]

The Bone Ranger, he'll freak you 2 the marrow!

Crystal Ball the song alone give Crystal Ball the win. but crystal ball has too many old songs or mixes or whatever... what 7 or 8 had already been released?

I agree that Crystal Ball (the song) alone is already much more interesting than the whole 180 minutes of Emancipation combined. I find the production of that album unlistenable, never was able to get into that album.