My hand is money
my ice is cold
whatever you're holding

you better fold

~ Shut This Down


Okay, that was a badass line.

feeluupp said:

NouveauDance said:

I think this is Prince's most commercial and approachable album since Diamonds & Pearls - even more than AOA or 3121, I think it's looking outward to as wide a listener base as possible and I think it will appeal to casual fans and newbies the most.

It does very little for me though, I don't think it's as good as AOA but I think it's better than other recentish efforts like MPLSound, 20Ten. As I'm listening to it, I don't mind it - but I'm not getting what I want from Prince from recent albums like this - I think I've outgrown his style of R&B/funk/synthpop, I just want more, much more, than 4 minute synthpop songs from some with Prince's talent and ability.

Commercial in a sense he wants to be more modern yes... Commerciall as in mainstream release, no... I feel this is just a remix album just for streaming nothing more. I don't even think it will be pushed for a phsyical release... The FNAC site is the only one to claim a phsyical release and changed their dates 3 times...

Yeah I just meant the sound of the album - people thought AOA sounded modern, this is like AOA 2.0, I think this might be the most UN-Princely sounding album he's ever done - for better or worse.

I'll take it as an EP. It has its moments however. Nothing as thoughful as AOA or Plectrum Electrum even. Its basically an extended play. There are some nice songs especially Hard Rock Lover, 1000 Hugs and Kisses, Shut This Down and June...however the others kind of just seems like he was riding on beats. Maybe the more organic rich Prince sound will be on Phase 2, with no remixes.

I appreciate hearing these new tunes though. i even liked Million Dollar Show more than Art Official Cage.

[Edited 9/7/15 10:50am]

NouveauDance said:

feeluupp said:

Commercial in a sense he wants to be more modern yes... Commerciall as in mainstream release, no... I feel this is just a remix album just for streaming nothing more. I don't even think it will be pushed for a phsyical release... The FNAC site is the only one to claim a phsyical release and changed their dates 3 times...

Yeah I just meant the sound of the album - people thought AOA sounded modern, this is like AOA 2.0, I think this might be the most UN-Princely sounding album he's ever done - for better or worse.

Yea I agree...

Like others have said I consider this more of a remix album of AOA rather than a whole concept album.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

Nikkie said:

The Guardian's 'First Listen' review is very positive, **** http://www.theguardian.co...b-gdnmusic

Wait, The X's Face is about "the recent spate of shootings of young black Americans?" I had no idea!!!!

Fucking hilarious!! And IMHO completely negates the positive review, since they clearly didn't even bother listening to the songs once.

That being said, I just did, and indifference is all I feel. Yes, I'm being punny, but also that accurately sums up my feelings on the record. No desire to listen to it again, with the (possible) exception of June, which really benefits from being at the end of such a run of crud in that it sounds better than it likely is.

I will say though, I'm all about 'June' - I loved it from the first note. More like this please.

dadeepop said:

NouveauDance said:

I will say though, I'm all about 'June' - I loved it from the first note. More like this please.

Thought it was a nice song... The pasta line is a little corny though.

Torrents are up.

KingSausage said:

dadeepop said:

And my alternate review, by my more cynical side: A bag of tricks by Josh, featuring Prince.

You spelled "flaming shit" wrong.

Lol . . . or "that shit is on fire!" in Bizarro Prince world.

Predictably, mainstream media is overwhelmingly favorable, hardcore Prince fans hate it. My wife, who hates Prince just because I play him too much, loves it. My 6 year old daughter keeps asking me to play 'Like a Mack.' I couldn't get my daughter to listen to the entire AOA but she listened to HITNRUN twice and 'Like a Mack' her favorite. I feel like this album will play to folks who haven't engaged in Prince music but will play these songs. Also I don't want to demonize us long term Prince fans because Twitter is on fire with Prince fans loving and retweeting the album and various reviews of it. It's OK to want Prince from the past or to think he's so talented that every album should be classic material only. That's fine and is a valid opinion, also folks that love this album are cool too. This is art folks it's supposed to evoke strong feelings!

lazycrockett said:

Torrents are up.

Yes a ton of them

lazycrockett said:

iZsaZsa said:

lazycrockett said:

Torrents are up.

Why are you telling them?

To keep people away from that shit tidal site.

Aerogram said:

If he has one more album, perhaps two to release soon, that might explain why this one is not anything ambitious, just a couple of fun tracks and remixes in anticipation of the more serious, "hands -on" efforts.

You're a 'glass half full' kinda guy. I'll give you that.

MILLION $ SHOW - Love the begining, cool idea with the 3 older samples. Somng is typical album opener throwaway he's done in recent years, think Compassion + Art Official Age. Also, not enough Prince vocals, aside from that it's light and funky. Throwawy, but cool throwaway.

SHUT THIS DOWN - Bit like It Takes 2, but with a lot of loud bits thrown in. Never really heard Prince sing like this before, punky. Reminds me of the vox on Loose. That bass solo is cool af. Its a modern album, this fits in perfectly.

AINT ABOUT TO STOP - Cant actually hear Rita on this. Loud, noisey, modern.

LICK A MACK - best on the album by a mile, catchy, bit like HOT 4 U when the hornline comes in. High pitch synth in there too, alá Mr Happy or Acknowledge Me. love it

THIS COULD BE US - Tuneless remix. Would probably be a hit if he actually knew how to promote a single...

FALLINLOVE2NITE - Same, just without Zooey, which doesnt really make much difference

X'S FACE - Throwaway, hard to remember once it's ended

HARDROCKLOVER - Very npg music club circa 2001, some cool guitar licks. I like it, but it doesnt really get going.

1000 X'S AND O'S - Second best on the album, could be a huge hit if it had a slick video. Nice update of the original which i also loved, but this is a classy summer jam version, sort of MJ backing beat. Great

JUNE - Very different, could be the love child of FKA TWIGS and COCTAEU TWINS. Nice narative, sweet ending to the album.

On the whole, its modern and boombastic. Really flows well as an album, far better then Art Official Age. I wanted to hate it, but i love it.

I couldn't get passed Ain't bout to Stop, before I fast forward thru the rest. Not something I would listen to again, then I haven't enjoyed anything from P since the late 90's.

Someone said earlier that Mr. Nelson made them nostalgic for Clouds. LOL. Have we really sunk that low? The worst thing you can say about this collection of songs is that it's not as good as AOA which, up to this point, was his worst album in decades.

[Edited 9/7/15 11:51am]

NouveauDance said:

I will say though, I'm all about 'June' - I loved it from the first note. More like this please.

Co-sign! It seems it is lonely at the top...

filthyrichyuppie said:

okay I'm all the way through my second listen.

first with my technical head.

million dollar show doesnt fit. i'd replace it with stare.

there are some loudness issues throughout this album that should have been caught in mastering.

i'd have sequenced it differently.

there's too many effetcs, but thats in line with whats current in the industry.

i decided to listen to it from todays music perspective, and with todays music landscape in mind, this album is really really good, built for radio play and its entirely dancefloor friendly, upbeat and fun.

if I listen to it from my prince fan head since 1977, well this is a cog in a very long career that is by no means his worst, i'm sorry, it's not. this is better than the average compared to whats happening today.

i hear real guitars, real horns, and princes voice shines where it should, although i feel like there should be more princes voice.

all the songs are good and complete. mr nelson has a disco bent to it that could use a dancefloor remix, which i think i may actually try to do myself just for fun.

this isnt what we're used to but its by no means bad, and in todays music landscape its very very good.

I'm going to get more listens out of Shaggy's "Mr. Lover" than I am "Mr. Nelson."

Polo1026 said:

Predictably, mainstream media is overwhelmingly favorable, hardcore Prince fans hate it. My wife, who hates Prince just because I play him too much, loves it. My 6 year old daughter keeps asking me to play 'Like a Mack.' I couldn't get my daughter to listen to the entire AOA but she listened to HITNRUN twice and 'Like a Mack' her favorite. I feel like this album will play to folks who haven't engaged in Prince music but will play these songs. Also I don't want to demonize us long term Prince fans because Twitter is on fire with Prince fans loving and retweeting the album and various reviews of it. It's OK to want Prince from the past or to think he's so talented that every album should be classic material only. That's fine and is a valid opinion, also folks that love this album are cool too. This is art folks it's supposed to evoke strong feelings!

The Org is a very special place, sometimes it's like a social club meeting in a vomitorium, or a book club meeting in an asylum, I haven't decided yet.

I expect the press to be about 60 % positive in Metacritic, maybe less, it's a Prince album in nameonly but not many journalists will care. They are more likely to praise the next effort.

[Edited 9/7/15 11:40am]

that curly fries track would be huge in latin america, i hear that kind of stuff around here non-stop...this album isnt just for the usa....i can see where it works globally.

filthyrichyuppie said: