So it's been about 9 months since the record's been out and I felt like sharing some afterthoughts. First I know that the album has a lot of hardcore fans on the Org and my purpose isn't to dis the record or claim my feelings are objective and universal, just share some personal thoughts and see if anyone has any insightful comment.

.

Basically it's what I ask in the title: is AOA less than the sum of its parts? Let me explain, one by one there's no song I dislike as such on AOA, even the remix of Funknroll that I hated at first somewhat grew on me (even though I feel Fallinlove2nite or, for that matter, most of the other 2013 digital singles would have made a better choice). So the situation here is strange: I like all the songs on AOA, even love some of them passionately (Clouds, This Could Be Us, WHat It Feels Like, Way Back Home, Time...), and still it's not an album I really enjoy listening to as a whole, I always have a feeling that something's wrong, or missing, or both, and I hardly ever had this feeling for any other P album, which is strange.

.

I don't want to try and remake the tracklist (no point), but here are just a few random thoughts:

- Art Official cage could have been a hell of a funk number if longer and maybe also deprived of some of the useless (weltonesque?) radio-friendly like sounds in it. As such it's like I'm taken up and let down before the track is fully resolved.

- Breakdown is a great song but somehow I don't feel it belongs on AOA: it's too rock/pop, too heavy by comparison to most of the album's barebone minbimalist ballads.

- The Gold Standard is another one I feel lets me down halfway though, it's a killer jam IMHO but shoulda been extended to 8-10 minutes to fulfill its potential.

- Breakfast Can Wait is a song I loved when originally released but somehow it doesn't feel right here, maybe it's just because I've listened to it too much before the album was released and it seemed redundant here, but on the other hand I also feel the lyrics don't fit thematically.

- Affirmation I, II & III don't work so much for me because the first of only 2 segues comes late in the album, I have the feeling that for the segues to work and totally belong, conceptually, to the record, there should have been another couple earlier in the album.

- Way Back Home also gives me the feeling of an unresolved story, I mean given the importance of the topic, the personal depth of the lyrics, I feel it oughta be at least 5 or 6 minutes long with more development of the very beautiful musical theme, but here it's like "I'm gonna flush a deep, personal, intimate statement in 3 minutes".

- And like I said earlier I think the Funknroll remix would have been better on a maxi, and replaced by another original song. I also feel it strangely, almost rudely interrupts this hypnotic series of atmospheric slow jams starting from This Could Be Us and ending with Affirmation III, it's like we're in a smooth wet dream and suddenly someone starts banging on a pot with a spoon for 6 minutes before we get back to the smooth wet dream

.

So IDK, I'm puzzled as to why I overall end-up disliking an album made of songs I like.

[Edited 6/23/15 8:42am]

I still like it but I also still strongly dislike the opening song Art Official Cage...stupid song, stupid title, stupid lyrics, stupid beat, worst opening song ever. And it´s not even the proper title song since that would be Art Official Age (which is just as stupid as Art Official Cage). Some think it´s not meant to be seriously, some just like the song or think it´s brilliant, but I can´t stand it.

-

Despite the "concept" or storyline behind the album most of the songs don´t really gel, the Andy Allo songs are great but are drastically different compared to the other songs, in a good way.

I agree with you about The Breakdown...it does sound a bit odd on that RnB heavy album but if it wasn´t there we´d probably complain about it not being on the album.

And I still don´t like the laser sounds, futuristic concept or not. But it contains some songs that I really love, for example Time. Still love that song and its mellow vibe. I wish there were more Andy Allo duets on that album, and I wish it were longer.

-

Concept albums are not necessarily a bad thing but they age badly, ,like the <+0 album or the Gold Experience.

I prefer concept albums where the concept is not so in your face, like 1999 or Purple Rain, where you have some sort of cohesive theme or artwork but no segues.

Anyway, just my two cents.

AOA is a good album imo,

but I still haven't been listening much to it lately I am afraid..

I rank the album just right in my top-20, on my Prince-album top-38.


I rate AOA = 7/10, maybe 8/10.

I love the same songs like you do:

Clouds,
This Could Be Us,
What It Feels Like,
Way Back Home,
Time,

+ The Gold Standard

What a shame the lyric-book is missing from the Cd-artwork..

And what a shame the album wasn't promoted that much..

databank said:

So it's been about 9 months since the record's been out and I felt like sharing some afterthoughts. First I know that the album has a lot of hardcore fans on the Org and my purpose isn't to dis the record or claim my feelings are objective and universal, just share some personal thoughts and see if anyone has any insightful comment.

.

Basically it's what I ask in the title: is AOA less than the sum of its parts? Let me explain, one by one there's no song I dislike as such on AOA, even the remix of Funknroll that I hated at first somewhat grew on me (even though I feel Fallinlove2nite or, for that matter, most of the other 2013 digital singles would have made a better choice). So the situation here is strange: I like all the songs on AOA, even love some of them passionately (Clouds, This Could Be Us, WHat It Feels Like, Way Back Home, Time...), and still it's not an album I really enjoy listening to as a whole, I always have a feeling that something's wrong, or missing, or both, and I hardly ever had this feeling for any other P album, which is strange.

.

I don't want to try and remake the tracklist (no point), but here are just a few random thoughts:

- Art Official cage could have been a hell of a funk number if longer and maybe also deprived of some of the useless (weltonesque?) radio-friendly like sounds in it. As such it's like I'm taken up and let down before the track is fully resolved.

- Breakdown is a great song but somehow I don't feel it belongs on AOA: it's too rock/pop, too heavy by comparison to most of the album's barebone minbimalist ballads.

- The Gold Standard is another one I feel lets me down halfway though, it's a killer jam IMHO but shoulda been extended to 8-10 minutes to fulfill its potential.

- Breakfast Can Wait is a song I loved when originally released but somehow it doesn't feel right here, maybe it's just because I've listened to it too much before the album was released and it seemed redundant here, but on the other hand I also feel the lyrics don't fit thematically.

- Affirmation I, II & III don't work so much for me because the first of only 2 segues comes late in the album, I have the feeling that for the segues to work and totally belong, conceptually, to the record, there should have been another couple earlier in the album.

- Way Back Home also gives me the feeling of an unresolved story, I mean given the importance of the topic, the personal depth of the lyrics, I feel it oughta be at least 5 or 6 minutes long with more development of the very beautiful musical theme, but here it's like "I'm gonna flush a deep, personal, intimate statement in 3 minutes".

- And like I said earlier I think the Funknroll remix would have been better on a maxi, and replaced by another original song. I also feel it strangely, almost rudely interrupts this hypnotic series of atmospheric slow jams starting from This Could Be Us and ending with Affirmation III, it's like we're in a smooth wet dream and suddenly someone starts banging on a pot with a spoon for 6 minutes before we get back to the smooth wet dream

.

So IDK, I'm puzzled as to why I overall end-up disliking an album made of songs I like.

[Edited 6/23/15 8:42am]

I agree with all that but it's not a deal-breaker for me and am still enjoying the album.

As another Orger said, too bad there's no lyric book because there's creativity here and I always smile at "Louder than a bomb since the day of my birth. Got me 2nd class when I got here 1st!"

-

The only songs I skip now are Breakfast Can Wait (I bought the remixes and it's just played out for a few months) and U Know (Never liked it).

Clouds never gets old

Was it really necessary to start yet another thread for AOA when a thread was just started days ago...

http://prince.org/msg/7/416858

[Edited 6/23/15 11:18am]

2020 said:

Was it really necessary to start yet another thread for AOA when a thread was just started days ago...

http://prince.org/msg/7/416858

[Edited 6/23/15 11:18am]

I had missed it, my bad. However I'd say both threads address different topics. The other thread is about how good it is without much elaboration, while I'm here trying to ask if anyone else has the impression I have, i.e. that despite a good songs selection AOA fails to really work as a cohesive ensemble. I really do not wish this thread to become another "I like it/Idislike it" thread, more a reflection on my original question. If no one else has any feeling about this, let the thread die in a vacuum

Thx y'all for the replies so far anyway

AOA is a good album, nothing more, nothing less. Now i am ready for more music.

antonb said:

AOA is a good album, nothing more, nothing less. Now i am ready for more music.

i mean he's behind....3 albums in 5 years...

In Affirmation 1 & 2 the woman tells Prince he can 'upload (simple affirmations) to a hard drive' in the future.

I think there will be a much more efficient and different technology in 45 years.

luvsexy4all said:

I dont think TGS should be longer. I would have preferred it to be shorter removing the verses and choruses and going straight into the Bob George section which should have been expanded upon.

Breakdown is just a shit song to me. I dont like it and have removed it from the sequence.

Whilst Way Back Home is short at 3 minutes, the song is expanded upon with Affirmation III. I suspect they were once a single song and then got chopped for the album.

FNR sits perfectly where it is in the album imo. It breaks up meloncholy perfectly. Its also an awsome remix.

BCW is another shit song. Didnt like it when it was first released and still dont now. I replaced it in the sequence with RNRLA Jamie Lewis Stripped Down Remix. Brings some much needed tempo to the album and discards BCW to the pits of hell.

AOC was ok whilst the album was still new to my ears. But it doesnt have any staying power and now sounds pretty awful. I usually skip this and start the album with Clouds which is a much better opener.

But with songs like Clouds, TCBU, TIWIFL, Time, WBH, Affirmation III, U Know and FnR this is a fantastic album weighed down only by its overall slow tempo, Cheesy opener, BCW and The Breakdown.

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

Rebeljuice said:

I dont think TGS should be longer. I would have preferred it to be shorter removing the verses and choruses and going straight into the Bob George section which should have been expanded upon.

Breakdown is just a shit song to me. I dont like it and have removed it from the sequence.

Whilst Way Back Home is short at 3 minutes, the song is expanded upon with Affirmation III. I suspect they were once a single song and then got chopped for the album.

FNR sits perfectly where it is in the album imo. It breaks up meloncholy perfectly. Its also an awsome remix.

BCW is another shit song. Didnt like it when it was first released and still dont now. I replaced it in the sequence with RNRLA Jamie Lewis Stripped Down Remix. Brings some much needed tempo to the album and discards BCW to the pits of hell.

AOC was ok whilst the album was still new to my ears. But it doesnt have any staying power and now sounds pretty awful. I usually skip this and start the album with Clouds which is a much better opener.

But with songs like Clouds, TCBU, TIWIFL, Time, WBH, Affirmation III, U Know and FnR this is a fantastic album weighed down only by its overall slow tempo, Cheesy opener, BCW and The Breakdown.

In fact the orchestration on AIII was intended for WBH but P decided to use it for a segue instead.

Aerogram said:

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

I have to admit I totally missed the concept here, I just don't see what P is really trying to say as a whole that couldn't have been said by the songs themselves, a bit like with though in that case I felt the album worked perfectly despiute the confusing promotion of it as a concept album (the 3 Chains O' Gold video didn't make the narrative any clearer to me BTW, it's just a mess, but the album stands as one of my favorites nonetheless).

I think a concept album (as a cohesive statement more than a mere collection of songs) works without segues or metatext in spoken word included in the songs themselves, it sure worked as hell with Lovesexy or, for that matter, most Prince albums (they're usually all more or less connected by both a "sound" and an overall theme/tone/sensibility).

One case where I felt the narrative text and concept album idea worked was TRC because there was enough narrative that we could actually understand the storytelling (I know the spoken parts are highly unpopular but they worked for me and I understand perfectly what P is trying to say there).

In the case of AOA I fail to see what P is really trying to say besides the independent songs' lyrics themselves, and how much of it is 1st and 2nd degree (AOC sounds like a parody for example but i'm not sure). I would actually be interested in you elaborating on the "playful parody" and your perception of the narrative and message, because you obviously have managed to grasp things that I haven't (not having the lyrics didn't help as I ain't no native English speaker). Maybe your insight could help me get the point and reconsider my overall perception of the album?

Aerogram said:

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

I get the playful parody of AOC. I just think it is a novelty that has worn thin and dont like listening to it anymore. I did enjoy it to start with, but the parody hasnt had any staying power.

Are you saying that the Breakdown was deliberately mastered horribly? I dont for one second buy that. There is depth and as you call it, meta musical communication, but saying the awful mastering on that song is by design in order to fit the concept of the album and convey some kind of deep message is stretching it somewhat.

Aerogram said:

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

Oh, I absolutely get it but still skip the song because it´s horrible, trashy, cheesy. I find it unlistenable.

RJOrion said:

dodger said:

RJOrion said:

the animated voice on the last part of Breakfast Can Wait, actually sounds more like a phone app called Talking Tom, where you talk into the phone and this cat repeats what you said, using the exact same voice Prince uses on BCW....i love the song and i think it sounds cool... [Edited 6/24/15 7:53am]

You're right it's Talking Tom! Can't believe I didn't notice that, my daughter used to love that app.

LMAO...thats how i noticed it...my son used to play with it all the time...behind my back, making that cat repeat inappropriate stuff...SMH

antonb said:

luvsexy4all said:

i mean he's behind....3 albums in 5 years...

So your not interested in new funk from prince this summer then.

just the opposite..more is betta

databank said:

Aerogram said:

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

I have to admit I totally missed the concept here, I just don't see what P is really trying to say as a whole that couldn't have been said by the songs themselves, a bit like with though in that case I felt the album worked perfectly despiute the confusing promotion of it as a concept album (the 3 Chains O' Gold video didn't make the narrative any clearer to me BTW, it's just a mess, but the album stands as one of my favorites nonetheless).

I think a concept album (as a cohesive statement more than a mere collection of songs) works without segues or metatext in spoken word included in the songs themselves, it sure worked as hell with Lovesexy or, for that matter, most Prince albums (they're usually all more or less connected by both a "sound" and an overall theme/tone/sensibility).

One case where I felt the narrative text and concept album idea worked was TRC because there was enough narrative that we could actually understand the storytelling (I know the spoken parts are highly unpopular but they worked for me and I understand perfectly what P is trying to say there).

In the case of AOA I fail to see what P is really trying to say besides the independent songs' lyrics themselves, and how much of it is 1st and 2nd degree (AOC sounds like a parody for example but i'm not sure). I would actually be interested in you elaborating on the "playful parody" and your perception of the narrative and message, because you obviously have managed to grasp things that I haven't (not having the lyrics didn't help as I ain't no native English speaker). Maybe your insight could help me get the point and reconsider my overall perception of the album?

To me it's pretty obvious that the cage in question is both spiritual and musical -- musically the cage is represented by the various "modern" sounds in the track, sounds that Prince is treating like "what people think I claim I should be sounding like for success in the Art Official Age". Providing one prefab example after the other, he finally breaks the cage to be "defrosted" from suspended animation in Clouds.

It's like a musical "be careful what you wish for, here's what it would sound like if you got your wish" (of him trying to be a pop star again and to sound like the Black Eyed Peas here, another act there, all these by now templated styles of the Art Official Age). When he breaks into Clouds, it's more like "here's what the true me sounds like in the digital age, take it or leave it".

Now I know many fans don't want Prince to "chase trends" so I know the musical message of AOC is likely to fly over their heads, preaching to the converts as it is, but Prince has known for years that people would like him to collaborate with big name producers so the song is essentially him in that "cage" of templated styles.

I enjoy the song on that level, for the message it is -- and the purposedly contrived styles are fun too, once you realize why Prince is sounding like this. Like many people I enjoy a certain level of irony and love seeing stuff that is purposedly "bad" just for the pop culture fun experience.

There's a lot of humor in AOA, and if you listen to it at the first degree, you're going to miss the fun of Prince not taking himself as seriously as he's been prone to do on some albums. AOC, the lasers in Breakdown, the chipmunk voice in BCW are all examples of Prince having fun with his brand, his style(s) and our perceived expectations.

[Edited 6/25/15 4:17am]

antonb said:

Well don't be sarcastic then.

What was sarcastic about what Luvsexy4all said?

Rebeljuice said:

Aerogram said:

To each is own, but when I see someone doesn't understand the playful parody of Art Official Cage, doesn't get The Breakdown is purposedly strangled AND thinks The Gold Standard is OK but should have been 10 minutes long, I have feeling that not many people get meta-musical communication as a concept. They want things to be first degree all the way, and just not what this album is about.

I get the playful parody of AOC. I just think it is a novelty that has worn thin and dont like listening to it anymore. I did enjoy it to start with, but the parody hasnt had any staying power.

Are you saying that the Breakdown was deliberately mastered horribly? I dont for one second buy that. There is depth and as you call it, meta musical communication, but saying the awful mastering on that song is by design in order to fit the concept of the album and convey some kind of deep message is stretching it somewhat.

I think someone explained that Prince chose to keep the contrasting dynamics of the nearly whispered verses against the multilayered vocals of the chorus and this came at a price that happens to fit the musical message of AOA :" the digital age is limiting, it can nearly strangle my great stuff (can you hear it? Lemme add some lasers for good measure)."

[Edited 6/25/15 4:53am]