Soul Sanctuary is a good support for your argument, and overall the rest of the album as well. The Love We Make, Saviour, Let's Have A Baby, some strong material he included on that album.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. It's just too fucking bad that we can't post his music here for those that may not have heard it. Because "One Kiss At A Time", "Soul Sanctuary", "Let's Have A Baby", "Dreaming About U" and "Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife" - ALL - leaves no damn doubt about it!

[Edited 4/26/15 11:12am]

I think his falsetto got higher and smoother as the years went on (TMBGITW finale, anyone?)

Emancipation had great vocals, but I feel Prince's vocals in general improved in the 90s. He had an amazing voice in the 80s and kills most of the tracks, but I feel like after Purple Rain, he stopped paying as much attention to vocals. If you notice, on songs like ATWIAD, Paisley Park, New Position, most of SOTT, etc, his voice was still really good but much less produced.. to me, it started sounding more raw and natural, nasal.. Which is still pretty cool, but I noticed it most on SOTT that he became very minimalistic when it came to vocal effects. They almost seemed like a '1 take, that's it' kind of thing. His voice quivered a lot in some ATWIAD tracks.

On albums like Diamonds and Pearls + Symbol, I think his voice sounds much richer, warmer, and louder. His vocal performances on Diamonds and Pearls and such. Everytime I listen to Symbol I notice how well-produced and smooth his voice sounds overall. Both vocal styles are great. But when I listen to his 90s albums from 91-96, there's a difference than the 85-87 work.

EDIT: for some reason, his vocals on SOTT and his vocals on the 87 tour seemed so different.. I prefer the tour's more powerful voice than the album's,

[Edited 4/26/15 11:46am]

kenkamken said:

Soul Sanctuary is a good support for your argument, and overall the rest of the album as well. The Love We Make, Saviour, Let's Have A Baby, some strong material he included on that album.

:Tinkerbell: Dreaming About You

Although 3121 sounds mighty nice too

Billmenever said:

kenkamken said:

Soul Sanctuary is a good support for your argument, and overall the rest of the album as well. The Love We Make, Saviour, Let's Have A Baby, some strong material he included on that album.

Dreaming About You

Although 3121 sounds mighty nice too

Oh...

Man the high notes he hits on "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" are so awesome! I get chills every time haha

[Edited 4/26/15 19:55pm]

THE ONE

KingSausage said:

I've been thinking about which Prince album has his strongest vocal performance. I think SOTT and Symbol are strong contenders, each with many different vocal styles and some amazing performances. But in my opinion, Emancipation might be Prince's vocal peak. It's far from my favorite Prince album due to the plastic production and relatively mundane songs (very little Princely inventiveness). But damn, it's full of great vocals. Anyone doubting that Prince is a great singer just needs to listen to Emancipation to be set straight. What album do you think is Prince's vocal peak?

I swear I just said this exact same thing in a post a few days ago. I totally agree. It was actually the Emancipation era track Love (Never Has 2 Say Goodbye) that really made me reexamine his vocals from that time period, and I really think they were his best ever. Can you imagine if the prime vocal era and prime writing era(s) had crossed paths?

Wish U Heaven 12 inch part II. The Cross vocals after the guitar kicks in, another example. Elephants & Flowers where he sounds hoarse. Purple Rain, final verse and chorus. Another Lonely Christmas.

Those are the kind of vocals I like the best. Not too polished, not too up-front. Raw. Loud. Almost shouty but not. The 90s onwards he seemed to put his voice up front and centre with little or no reverb. Whilst his voice sounds excellent, I do miss the voice of old that was filtered according to the type of song.

To me it isnt about how well he is singing, its how well the voice goes with the song. The Gold Standard is not what it could have been because of the polished vocals imo. But I know KingS that you love that song, so i wont say anymore except "Heaven, Yeah! Heaven Sugar Baby!".

SchlomoThaHomo said:

KingSausage said:

I've been thinking about which Prince album has his strongest vocal performance. I think SOTT and Symbol are strong contenders, each with many different vocal styles and some amazing performances. But in my opinion, Emancipation might be Prince's vocal peak. It's far from my favorite Prince album due to the plastic production and relatively mundane songs (very little Princely inventiveness). But damn, it's full of great vocals. Anyone doubting that Prince is a great singer just needs to listen to Emancipation to be set straight. What album do you think is Prince's vocal peak?

I swear I just said this exact same thing in a post a few days ago. I totally agree. It was actually the Emancipation era track Love (Never Has 2 Say Goodbye) that really made me reexamine his vocals from that time period, and I really think they were his best ever. Can you imagine if the prime vocal era and prime writing era(s) had crossed paths?

You beat me to it, I was just going to say after hearing Love (Never Has 2 Say Goodbye) it also reminded me how good his vocals were around this era on these ballads.

.

Also, another example is the recent leaked edit of I Can't Make You Love Me, made me go back again and listen to some of Emancipation. Of course some will say the plastic like production detracts from some of tracks but his vocals are without doubt superb.

Rebeljuice said:

His vocal peak is the New Power Soul album. Sounds like effortless magic. A lot of hard work must have gone into it.

[Edited 4/27/15 8:39am]

Funkyalien said:

The peak of Prince's vocals?

"Temptation".
Like the song or not, you can't top Prince doing Elvis, Iggy Pop, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald
in the same fucking single take (at least I'd like to believe so).

His voice is on fire in the midst of the Purple Rain Tour (talk about practicing night after night...).

All of ATWIAD is vocally impressive. He covers almost every pop genre.
What is impressive is that he kept this stake all these years.
Only the compositions became less adventurous.
But his voice is like his guitar skills. It just got better and better, no matter the music.


Thread

KingSausage said:

I've been thinking about which Prince album has his strongest vocal performance. I think SOTT and Symbol are strong contenders, each with many different vocal styles and some amazing performances. But in my opinion, Emancipation might be Prince's vocal peak. It's far from my favorite Prince album due to the plastic production and relatively mundane songs (very little Princely inventiveness). But damn, it's full of great vocals. Anyone doubting that Prince is a great singer just needs to listen to Emancipation to be set straight. What album do you think is Prince's vocal peak?

Well put

KingSausage said:

Funkyalien said:

His vocal peak is the New Power Soul album. Sounds like effortless magic. A lot of hard work must have gone into it.

[Edited 4/27/15 8:39am]

No. All the hard work was saved for the album art. That's why Prince is laying down on those pillows in that one pic. He's simply worn out from reviewing draft album art.

's vocal range gets "Better With Time". He has a three-octave vocal range,that slays every artist in his generation.

Can't really tell. The album is recorded so compressed and so tinny its hard to judge.

LoveSymbol album

dodger said:

.

Also, another example is the recent leaked edit of I Can't Make You Love Me, made me go back again and listen to some of Emancipation. Of course some will say the plastic like production detracts from some of tracks but his vocals are without doubt superb.

Wait--what leak of I Can't Make You Love Me?

KingSausage said:

I've been thinking about which Prince album has his strongest vocal performance. I think SOTT and Symbol are strong contenders, each with many different vocal styles and some amazing performances. But in my opinion, Emancipation might be Prince's vocal peak. It's far from my favorite Prince album due to the plastic production and relatively mundane songs (very little Princely inventiveness). But damn, it's full of great vocals. Anyone doubting that Prince is a great singer just needs to listen to Emancipation to be set straight. What album do you think is Prince's vocal peak?

He has not peak, AOA is proof, and he's still going strong!!!

I'd like to second Temptation as a vocal fucking knockout. I'd challange any singer, professional or otherwise, to sing that vocal with as much character as P does. To be honest, I don't think anyone but P could even attempt the 'I love it when are bodies touch' line.

dandan said:

I'd like to second Temptation as a vocal fucking knockout. I'd challange any singer, professional or otherwise, to sing that vocal with as much character as P does. To be honest, I don't think anyone but P could even attempt the 'I love it when are bodies touch' line.

...and what about when he goes with all screaming scat that blends into the female-like "Temptaaation—oooh, all my fingers..." just before the coda.
Now that's some serious vocal cords stretching.

Other experiences include Adore, ConditionOTH and TBeautifulO.

I can't think of no one else able to cope with Tamborine.
He deserves a medal for the "passing cars" effect alone.