V10LETBLUES said:

Aerogram said:

V10LETBLUES said: You don't discriminate? LOL True in the sense that you don't discriminate the difference between a conventional artist picked by the industry because she fully conforms to the conventions of her time, quite well I might add, and someone like Prince, who does not. False because you just made a classic ageist and ableist statement, attributing what you don't like to the person's age and perceived disability.

barking at the wrong tree and chasing your own tail trying to spin this lol

AOA is Prince pandering at it's worst. Breakfast Can Wait? Is this the cheesiest corniest track he has ever recorded? Sounds like a tv jingle from soviet block nation in 1986. Everything on AOA sounds like an outtake from a never released Ukranian boy band album. ...Never released becasue it sounded too cheesy even for them.

Whether it's Prince, Taylor Swift, Beck, a country western record or an artist I have never heard of before, I give the work the same equal respect and judge it not by any preconcieved notions about the artist or genre, but by the actual track.

Like I said I love Prince, but not so much Taylor, but unlike some of you who already have preconcieved notions about artists, I can look beyond that and listen to the music itself, not whether someone is a legend or genius and the other only a pop starlet.

It's amazing you don't enjoy Breakfast Can Wait, considering how deliberately over the top you yourself are in your diatribes. A couple of professional reviewers actually thought BCW was one of the best tracks on AOA, I personally didn't care for the track until I heard it in the context of the album -- which true pursuit is to express humanity bursting through the technology.

Prince is commenting sonically on music today, he heard the lasers, chipmunk voices, compressiohn as much as you do, you're a fool to think a man with significant hearing loss can pull what Prince is pulling, just as a live musician. To do what he does on stage, he certainly has to possess a very good sense of hearing, no matter the occupational risks of musicians.

And there's this guy, Beethoven -- look it up.

[Edited 2/27/15 16:40pm]

I like Prince.

I really do. I enjoy Art Official Age. And Plectrum also exists. It's Prince so I kind of allow it.

But in real terms? Like compared to what Dylan's been doing the last few years right up to his latest album that came out a couple of weeks ago? Prince's recent music is kind of a like a toddler fiddling with his own faeces.

Yes, he's 56, yes, we love him... but also, yes, for someone who's supposedly so enlightened by his own beliefs, he really should be 'growing up' now and no longer trying play the game...

There's certainly hints of that on Art Official Age...

But also, wow, imagine if these last few albums were Prince's equivalents of Dylan's Down In The Groove and Oh Mercy... that this was him going through the doldrums of middle age before he figured out to be an older musician... and that ahead lay Prince's equivalents of Good As I Been To You, World Gone Wrong, Time Out Of Mind, Love & Theft, Modern Times, Tempest and Shadows In The Night...

that would be some incredible career arc.... imagine if in a few years' time we can look back and think... wow, Art Official Age, I like that record, but god, who knew his REALLY great later work was yet to come.

Fingers crossed, eh?

lwr001 said:

lagantest said:

yeah i read on another post about people not competing with Princes purple patch but princes purple patch lasted about 5-6 years. Bowies lasted 10.

5 to 6 years ..you are delusional..but lets go with it..put P 5 to 6 years and he wins against anyone..Beattles nmaybe exception but they had 3 or 4 of best songwriters ever..

Well said

Rimshottbob said:

I like Prince.

I really do. I enjoy Art Official Age. And Plectrum also exists. It's Prince so I kind of allow it.

But in real terms? Like compared to what Dylan's been doing the last few years right up to his latest album that came out a couple of weeks ago? Prince's recent music is kind of a like a toddler fiddling with his own faeces.

Yes, he's 56, yes, we love him... but also, yes, for someone who's supposedly so enlightened by his own beliefs, he really should be 'growing up' now and no longer trying play the game...

There's certainly hints of that on Art Official Age...

But also, wow, imagine if these last few albums were Prince's equivalents of Dylan's Down In The Groove and Oh Mercy... that this was him going through the doldrums of middle age before he figured out to be an older musician... and that ahead lay Prince's equivalents of Good As I Been To You, World Gone Wrong, Time Out Of Mind, Love & Theft, Modern Times, Tempest and Shadows In The Night...

that would be some incredible career arc.... imagine if in a few years' time we can look back and think... wow, Art Official Age, I like that record, but god, who knew his REALLY great later work was yet to come.

Fingers crossed, eh?

Let's just say you're right -- from what I know, legions of legends died without making some of their best albums right before taking their last breath, so I wouldn't think less of Prince .

JoshuaWho said:

lagantest said:

David Bowie had just released heathen and was moving onto Reality. The album heathen is a gorgeous sound symphony record but to a rock background. Serious songs about, life, fear, optimism, doubt and being scared. Brilliant.

There are only 4 real geniuses on that list: Miles, Prince, Stevie, and Bowie. With the possible exception of Stevie, no one has ever caught up to what they did over 30 years ago

Paul Mac is a genius.

Bloody hell. Prince, thank god, is not Bob Dylan! Hes still funky, and wants to stay that way. Grow old disgracefully prince! I think hes calmed down too much due to being a JW.

Well theres more to songs than lyrics, the music and beats are just as a bigger part of making you feel good or bad. They are completely different types of artist. Comparing them is the dumbest thing anyone can do. Shows how much you know about anything really. ie nothing. Why are you on this site if thats what you really think of prince? You must just come on here to be annoying. What a waste of your time. i prefer Prince and his grooves and his live shows to watching an old man who cannot sing a note anymore. So yes, you can have him, with pleasure, but in my opinion, Prince is the all round better artist. Thats why i post on this site!

Lol.....who care about lyrics if the song songs like shit?

KingSausage said:

What a ridiculous statement. The music Dylan is making now is light years beyond what Prince is making.

Well at least you have stopped swearing, so thanks for that, I like bowie but i found his last album boring . Just my opinion. I have listened to AOA more than that album. Prince has always dressed differently, so i dont understand the hate on his look if you are a fan.Its just something prince does. The suit look wouldnt work with the band he is playing with at the moment.But that could all change tomorrow. We all know what prince is like for that kind of thing.

antonb said:

fair points, i need to listen to some more Dylan to appreciate him properly.

------KingSausage said:

AOA is a good album. I think it's Prince's best since TGE. But it is nothing compared to Time Out of Mind. Or Reality and Heathen. Both Dylan and Bowie were doing better and more sophisticated music at age 56 than Prince.------

aoa goes in the right direction and is as honest as he's been in years, but in comparison to dylan...prince seemingly, as yet isn't as comfortable in the uglier parts of his own human condition....or maybe he's just not ready to go that far.

beyond the voice and the musicanship and the flash that makes him like no other, true and continued artistic maturity and expansion lies in what we most want to keep hidden.

i'd love him to take more risks like he did awtwiad - parade - or lovesexy ....i believe he has it in there still but - the industry isn't really able to support anything thats not what they already expect. aoa has very human emotions wrapped in a contemporary package - so it could at least get listened to.

prince has to find a way to navigate maturity without 'get off my lawn' --- if he can muster that with writing about emotions and not overarching constructs like religion or technology ....he could make another masterpiece that sounds like nothing else.

this doesnt mean i'm not happy about what he's doing at all...but i think these past 15 years have been about a man trying to find a way to continue his craft in a manner that relies less on his sexuality and athleticism and more on his musicianship and skills. i find the preachiness of the religion to be a wet blanket. and prince as a follower isnt exciting. prince as a leader is very exciting.

but, he needs to have something to say. i think time will tell - how brave is he? will he ever be bold enough again to reinvent his sound? this isnt to say he hasn't been bold business-wise. everything about him swimming upstream is as bold as it gets. but artisitic bravery....i believe its still in there

[Edited 2/28/15 10:20am]

Why compare any lyricist to Dylan? Everyone knows he's the master, Leonard Cohen is a more worthy lyricist than Prince as well.

Cohen and Dylan are poets, Prince is a gifted lyricist that can be lazy because he's at his core a musical genius -- the best one man band with the widest musical palette. Each of these men have crafted wonderful songs for different audiences, each is a master in his own unique way.

That 's why they are called artists : there's supposed to be more than one way of being great.

[Edited 2/28/15 11:06am]

Like i said two very different artists. Whatever rocks your boat. I just happen to prefer Prince.hes just alot more fun. Hes no clown though!

Aerogram said:

I've said it a billion times before...Prince is better at an old age than just about any Artist in history. With that being said, he makes a ton of mistakes as well. His ridiculous pandering to young people with auto-tune, that stupid prize patrol horn in the start of Art Official Cage...a horrible over used over done sound effect...that Josh Welts likely got Prince to believe that it is some awesome ground breaking sound effect, instead of some stupid young person trick...

And sadly, Prince is did not win over billions of young people with his astute use of Auto Tune, or the dumb sound effects. And if I have to listen to some stupid woman talking over the music "Mr Nelson, I'm gonna babble and bumble over your music to give it a esoteric quality that people will find very profound.." Bullshit. I want the Prince back that created trends, and didn't follow them.

I know he will never make another SOTT, but please Prince...STOP pandering to the young people...and for God's sake, don't have the sound levels on the CD so loud that the music is distorted. Two good albums totaling 93 mintues could have been a near great 78 minute cd with real music by real musicians. Leave the Prize Patrol Horn to the stupid Radio Station's morning show.

KingSausage said:

Aerogram said:

Why compare any lyricist to Dylan? Everyone knows he's the master, Leonard Cohen is a more worthy lyricist than Prince as well.

Cohen and Dylan are poets, Prince is a gifted lyricist that can be lazy because he's at his core a musical genius -- the best one man band with the widest musical palette. Each of these men have crafted wonderful songs for different audiences, each is a master in his own unique way.

That 's why they are called artists : there's supposed to be more than one way of being great

Cohen & Dylan are both excellent lyricists but if I had to judge them solely basis of the brilliance of lyrics I'd give it to Cohen, but just by a nudge. And maybe it differs album to album between the two of them. The heir to their lyricism IMO is Nick Cave (at least in the past say 30 years, his earlier work wasn't as focused on the beauty of what was being said). Damn, I just realized he's in the 56 club as well. There's a special art of storytelling through lyrics that all three of them share though. I always wished Prince took more time with his lyrics, but I guess one can't have it all. None of the people in the OP has the musical vastness that Prince has, to jump from pop to funk to rap to jazz to rock to punk to ethereal alternative to r&b. This is why its so difficult to compare the greats with each other, they're all unique in ways that defy comparison.

V10LETBLUES said:

KingSausage said:

I rip into Prince a lot (see above), but goddamm I love Breakfast Can Wait.

That's cool, there is nothing wrong with that as long as someone doesn't say they like a track like that, and then turn their nose up at Rhianna or Taylor Swift as if it's better someone. And with those two particular artist having among the best production in music today and Breakfast having among the worst, it makes the detractors of the girls here come off that much more out of touch. Breakfast is lowbrow cheese, and I guess there is a time and place for everything. [Edited 2/28/15 14:30pm]

Since you have a pair of rolling eyes as a sig, you are not allowed to complain about people "turning their nose" if there's any justice in this world. I've heard a few catchy songs from both artists and kudos to them for getting where they are, but they are not in the same league as Prince, as they would probably explain to you girlfriend to girlfriend.

When I first heard BCW...and probably for months afterward off and on... I was like you, I didn't get the sonic intent. Prince expects his fans to be smart enough to know he's totally doing it on purpose. It's playful, meant to be tongue in cheek. Pity you don't get the joke and the fun.

[Edited 2/28/15 16:15pm]

Aerogram said:

V10LETBLUES said:

KingSausage said: That's cool, there is nothing wrong with that as long as someone doesn't say they like a track like that, and then turn their nose up at Rhianna or Taylor Swift as if it's better someone. And with those two particular artist having among the best production in music today and Breakfast having among the worst, it makes the detractors of the girls here come off that much more out of touch. Breakfast is lowbrow cheese, and I guess there is a time and place for everything. [Edited 2/28/15 14:30pm]

Since you have a pair of rolling eyes as a sig, you are not allowed to complain about people "turning their nose" if there's any justice in this world. I've heard a few catchy songs from both artists and kudos to them for getting where they are, but they are not in the same league as Prince, as they would probably explain to you girlfriend to girlfriend.

When I first heard BCW...and probably for months afterward off and on... I was like you, I didn't get the sonic intent. Prince expects his fans to be smart enough to know he's totally doing it on purpose. It's playful, meant to be tongue in cheek. Pity you don't get the joke and the fun.

[Edited 2/28/15 16:15pm]

It's entirely too intellectually lazy to suggest someone "doesn't get it" just because they don't like something. Just because you went through some epiphany with Breakfast Can Wait does not mean it's worth a shit to anyone else. Props to you for finding love in a hopeless place such as AOA, but if Prince is going to copy the radio tweens he should take it all the way.

He has yet to get out of his own comfort zone enough so that he doesn't inadvertently become the punchline of these alleged musical jokes he's writing.

DiscoBallz said:

Aerogram said:

Since you have a pair of rolling eyes as a sig, you are not allowed to complain about people "turning their nose" if there's any justice in this world. I've heard a few catchy songs from both artists and kudos to them for getting where they are, but they are not in the same league as Prince, as they would probably explain to you girlfriend to girlfriend.

When I first heard BCW...and probably for months afterward off and on... I was like you, I didn't get the sonic intent. Prince expects his fans to be smart enough to know he's totally doing it on purpose. It's playful, meant to be tongue in cheek. Pity you don't get the joke and the fun.

[Edited 2/28/15 16:15pm]

It's entirely too intellectually lazy to suggest someone "doesn't get it" just because they don't like something. Just because you went through some epiphany with Breakfast Can Wait does not mean it's worth a shit to anyone else. Props to you for finding love in a hopeless place such as AOA, but if Prince is going to copy the radio tweens he should take it all the way.

He has yet to get out of his own comfort zone enough so that he doesn't inadvertently become the punchline of these alleged musical jokes he's writing.

3RDEYEGIRL? Thats getting out of his comfort zone in my book, and he pulled it off nicely. I hope they keep recording and at least put out 5 solid rock albums.

Aerogram said:

Why compare any lyricist to Dylan? Everyone knows he's the master, Leonard Cohen is a more worthy lyricist than Prince as well.

Cohen and Dylan are poets, Prince is a gifted lyricist that can be lazy because he's at his core a musical genius -- the best one man band with the widest musical palette. Each of these men have crafted wonderful songs for different audiences, each is a master in his own unique way.

That 's why they are called artists : there's supposed to be more than one way of being great.

[Edited 2/28/15 11:06am]

I'm curious what you mean by Prince being "lyrically lazy?" That doesn't make sense to me, unless of course you know the guy and see him "slacking off" on his lyrics? Also Dylan and Cohen are poets, but so was Gil Scot Heron who used the African American dialect to communicate pre-hip hop. Prince is closer to Gil Scot than Cohen and Dylan tradition and there are several songs on AoA and PlecElect with social commentary. So where are you getting "lyrically lazy?"

antonb said:

Bloody hell. Prince, thank god, is not Bob Dylan! Hes still funky, and wants to stay that way. Grow old disgracefully prince! I think hes calmed down too much due to being a JW.

To your point, people walked out of the Dylan concert here in Portland, OR a few months ago and those who stayed were disappointed according to people who I work with that attended.

Im not slaging Dylan off because I dont know enough of his music and style. But what I have seen, is frankly enough! And comparing them is silly, as they are so different.