oh dear. probably not the effect the artist was going for.

dodger said:

XxAxX said:

oh dear. probably not the effect the artist was going for.

Hey, I respect the artistic process. Everyone misses now and then. I remember telling my brother after Springsteen released "Nebraska" that The Boss had lost it. Of course I was wrong. And I hope this foray into pre-packaged "beats" and "rap" is only temporary. I have full faith and confidence that Prince will once again write and perform music like the genius that he is.

But if I see the name "Josh Welton" anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE, on the product then there is no way I'm going to buy it.

I actually like the idea of Prince making a current sounding album just like I thought the idea of a rock album was a great idea. The problem on both is the same: the quality of the songs and the production. Josh Welton is just not a very interesting or innovative producer. He just takes fairly recent trends and just copies them. Prince needs more than that to stand out. Too many dumb songs with all of these yoing women singing and rapping. Same with PE. Too many cheesy songs sung by those amateurish 3EG women.

Prince is dead, long live the Prince

This was an interesting read. The LA time also had a good take on this album.

I listen to this as a low-bar experiment in letting someone handle production duties.

[Edited 9/9/15 16:06pm]

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

After many listens now, the strong tracks are stronger and the weak tracks are less weak.

It went from a 6/10 to a 7/10 for me. Could be the pasta. Could be the steel drums. Could be the sweet For You sample.

First of all big love to the purple family. One of my purple buddies took pity on me and sent me a copy of the album under the condition I buy the CD when it drops. He does not need to ask, I have always stressed that even in this age of digital music and streaming, physical copies are crucial.

.

The music is another matter, there are some fillers here in the first few tracks and with Mr Nelson and its short. It has improved since yesterday and moved up from a D to a B-, still not great though.

.

Million $ Show 6/10, Unexceptional opener, but actually sounds like a real song, still noring braggadacio. I love the early album openers

Shut this down 5/10, Bring out the synthesiser and drum machine, nutune, voice machines neobeats armoured division. This track is a real grower, I hated it eysterday and now I kind of like it.

Ain't about to Stop 3/10, - Please do!!! Some okay singing and Rita Ora ruins it well enough, overall another formless song, no melody, machines.

Like a Mack 4/10, Oh lawd the 3rd crappy electric song in a row, and this one sounds like shit hop with little ghetto gangster wannabe woman (I don't know and don't care who she is). I like it a bit more, but this is still a throw away

This could be us 8/10, I loved it on AOA and this version is not so great with unecessary overdubs and layering of various machines, synths, vocoxes and other shit. Still under all this umbrage there is a great song there.

Fallinlove2nite 8/10, One of my favourite 2013/14 era songs and thank God he has not butchered it here. I love this jam, but already know from a boot I got sent in early 2014. great jam.

X'sface, 5/10 For real, this is very average and silly, nice sound effects and is that the Morris Day pimp voice he was using back in 1982/83 era?

Hardrocklover 8/10, Angry at this song as it promised big things, sounded great as a standalone single, but this song is great, still its okay and a good Prince rock song.

Mr Nelson 6/10, Terrible instrumental with bits of Mr Nelson and other shit, oh lawd, this album will not age well. Its got soe nice samples though and the back beat is pleasing enough.

1000's X & O's 10/10, A decent ballad and easily a standout . The only song apart from Fallinlove2nite that sounds like a epic Prince song. This is first rate Prince balladry along with the AOA cut of This could be us and that superlative soul thing called Futuresoulsong.

June 7/10, Okay closer ruined by daft lyrics, all this stuff about pasta? Insistent beat and on point singing, there is an impending doom in his voice

.

70/110 = 66% a B-, Average

.

.

But it is a new album and I love 1000 X's and 0's and Fallinlove2nite got the release it deserved (Shame he could have put Screwdriver on it too) and a new Prince album is still welcome. It says Phase One, I would hate to see Phase 2.

[Edited 9/10/15 17:09pm]

at least theres 3 good songs...phase 2 should be betta

But already through repeated listening, I know my opinion of it will rise somewhat. I am already lifting shut it down to a 5/10.

.

It will be like 20Ten, hated it at start, but now I love that album, anyone else think this has a 20Ten type feel, with a lot of electrics and a couple of dreamy ballads.

.

Aint about to stop is still crap though, its playing now. I don't like Rita Ora and the Minaj style beats on it.

i just made my own sequence:


01. SHUT THIS DOWN

02. AIN'T ABOUT TO STOP

03. X'S FACE

04. HARDROCKLOVER

05. 1000 X'S & O'S

06. JUNE

love all those 6 as much as i've loved anything he did the last 10 years

but with a little luck we will get some more decent songs to add to this

with phase 2.

[img:$uid]http://i57.tinypic.com/swep2r.jpg[/img:$uid]

that same quote could be applied to the use of remixing tracks from previous

albums to put them on your new album. or 18 month old songs.

having said that, i agree with the sentiment and people are just being silly
with all their rediculously vehement hate for this project. the new prince

songs are pretty good. but people are acting like they downloaded an illegal
copy of this album, listened to it and all of a sudden they were wading knee
deep in a river of blood full of dead fish whilst having their eyes gnawed out
of their melting faces by locusts

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

[img:$uid]http://i57.tinypic.com/swep2r.jpg[/img:$uid]

Lol...somebody in the Prince camp is reading the org.

* cough! Purple Rain Remasters! cough! *

^ "Shut This Down" = Prince succeeding at sounding hard. Me likey.

IstenSzek said:

dodger said:

sheilaE4eva said:

It’s been a few days, and I’ve given HITNRUN a few spins now. While it has grown on me very slightly, I still find the first half of the album embarrassing. HITNRUN for me does not start until, “The X’s Face,” but the punch of that and, “Hardrocklover,” lost their punch because we’ve had access to them for a while now.

I don’t even mind, “Mr. Nelson,” and if it did not have the, “Clouds,” references, it’s a great instrumental track on its own.

The album ends strong with, “1000 X’s & O’s,” and, “June,” This half of the album there is traces of Prince. The first half of the album I do not hear Prince.

I thought AOA did a great job of making Prince sound current, but HITNRUN tries too hard and it sounds like Prince lost his way. My opinion only!

Good post. Totally agree on AOA - it had a good combination of vintage Prince and current elements but as you say HitnRun isn't enough Prince.

Thank you!

The kick drum in "This Could B Us" is second only to the guitar solo.

It's okay...

Was listening 2 "Girls & Boys" earlier, man what a masterpiece...

This album is not a masterpiece, but I don't hate it..

It's a club record(& I don't club or party anymore).

AOA, & PE were much better IMHO.

Prince's rapping skills are pretty strong tho, stronger than ever.

I did here a bit of Punk Funk sneak in towards the end of "Aint About To Stop", which hints hopes of a future return to strong punk funk..

Reminded a lil of "Lady Cab Driver", & The Time's "What Time Is It? album.

Love "June", but it was a tease, hoped for a strong guitar solo, but the short keyboard solo caused me to rewind to hear that part over again & again & again.

June - my fav

X's Face - rocks

Aint About To Stop - alright

Mr. Nelson - nice filler

Shut This Down - good 4 clubs or parties..

the rest, no comment, heard most of them already...

One would have to understand Prince's vision to understand this album..

I believe the younger generation will love this album...

Those of us who know Prince can tear up every instrument he touches, know he can really make a stronger album than this..

Let's wait & see where he is going with all this, cuz we all know,

PRINCE SHO'NUFF AINT TONE DEAF!!!!!!!!

TheEnglishGent said:

samt said:

I've got it on heavy rotation, can't quite put my finger on why I like it so much as it doesn't sound like a Prince album. Seriously I ain't skipping any of the tracks! I'll shut up now as I know I am clearly in the minority!

I'm with you, absolutely loving it. Played it loads and also don't skip anything.

I love it too and am not skipping anything..

I am slightly revising my opinion of this album. I initially thought it was half good, half dog's dinner. But I would now say it is seven elevenths good quality food, three elevenths hearty meal, and one eleventh even the dogs wont touch.

I still think the opening 4 tracks are so unPrince-like that it makes for a great opening. This is what i wanted from Prince, to do something out of the box and out of his comfort zone. Not fine dining, but good quality food from a very respectable restaurant.

TCBU has grown on me. I still think it would have made a better new song with a different vocal track, but it is what it is and it does have some merits. This goes from being a dogs dinner to a good hearty burger. Its not fine dining, but it isnt fast food either.

FIL2N is still and always will be an atrocity. This goes from being a dogs dinner to something you would be worried about giving to the dog. Kitchen Nightmares and Gordon Ramsey wouldnt go near this POS.

HRL has grown on me in the context of the album. It isnt as dull as I initially thought. Still no masterpeice, but it is a good song. I get the feeling that it was included at the last minute because the song transitions either side are quite jarring. It loses its dogs dinner status and gets to be a hearty pizza.

Mr Nelson loses its dinner for dogs status simply because it is quite infectious. Whilst I could really do without the Clouds references and the guitar solo at the end could be extended, I find it makes my head bop. This is now a good hearty plate of pub grub.

1000 hugs remains at the chefs table in a high quality restaurant. There's no Michelin stars here, but its not far off.

June no longer has to dine with the dogs. Instead it can dine on sushi. Theres probably not enough wasabi to really make it fulfilling, but just enough to make the experience enjoyable.

Now Im hungry...

This one has really taken me by surprise...

HitNRun features what is generally not my type of music at all... but I am playing this and playing it...

not skipping anything... I think there's a great flow to it... it feels fresh and fun and energetic - the most energised Prince has sounded since the start of the millennium....

1: Million $ Show - not a great song, but a good opener, in the way that Can't Stop This Feeling I Got is kind of a cheesy-nothing song, but works as an opener on Graffiti Bridge...

2: Shut This Down - would prefer the voice a little less processed, but I like this, it's fun, and the bass solo moments are excellent.

3: Ain't About To Stop - love this! Love the energy, the layers of instrumentation, from 2:20 in there's all kinds of funk going on... yes the lyrics are shallow (As throughout the album), but it's not pretending not to be, so it gets away with it...

4: Like A Mack: didn't like this at first, but it's grown on me... the unfortunately-named Curly Fryz actually has excellent flow, she's probably the best rapper Prince has ever featured on an album, other than Chuck D... rhythmically she fits perfectly. And I really like the horn arrangements and sax solo... do we know who that is? Certainly a more jazz sound than a Maceo or Candy Dulfer...

5: This Could Be Us - really enjoying this reworking, fits great here, love the ethereal quality and of course the guitar solo and vamping...

6: FallInLoveTonight - my brain tells me this is cheesy nonsense, but if I let go a little, this is actually a pretty joyful, carefree track... I actually really like the production, it's just fun and upbeat... and very well put together, and love how it starts as This Could Be Us fades...

7: Xs Face - this isn't a classic track, but it fits really well here, enjoying the layers and the attitude... Prince is generally avoiding any preachiness on this album, he's kicking back and having fun, and that alone is reason to celebrate...

8: HardRockLover - I actually wasn't much of a fan of this when it came out, so haven't played it too much... I really enjoy it here, and it speaks to the spectrum of styles that all somehow fit togeter perfectly on the record...

9: Mr. Nelson - I really like this! Again, not usually my type of music, but I like the futurisitic feel of it, and it takes us somewhere else again... I think it's well produced... apart from the mastering distortion that mars every Prince release these days because apparently he like his albums distorted.

10: 1000 Os & Xs - strong track, most traditional song here, of course because it's a vault track. Borders on getting a little dull, but actually works, particularly in the context of the record. Again, another change of direction for the album...

11: June - this seemed to just disappear into the ether when I first heard it, but it's enigmatic and deliberately short and underdeveloped, it seems, which I really like, going for a question mark ending to the album rather than a big finale... it definitely has Bowie traces as others have mentioned... and it adds some depth and mystery at the end of the record.

What can I say, against what I would have thought was my better judgment, I'm really enjoying this... because I feel this is what we always Prince to do... confound expectations, undercut us, try somrthing different...

I get that it's not for everyone... but if you listen again and try and remove what you expect from a Prince record, it might just surprise you...

And again, it's clear that a rebirth was needed... 20Ten was a kind of creative nadir for Prince... where else was he going to go with that?... he was openly retreading his past and the results were generally anaemic.... anyway,

Whether my enjoyment of HitNRun will last, or will be like a candy bar quickness that fades and makes me feel a little bit ill after a while, who knows... but right now, I really like this record.

EDIT: Pardon my ignorance - only just found out that Curly Fryz are a duo, not a solo artist... I'm so unhip.

[Edited 9/10/15 8:40am]

Can't believe a Prince album has the word "Ritabot" on it.

Still cringing.

I see that Okayplayer has yet to comment on the album as such, they just mentioned the purple pick of the week, but unlike them they have not yet expressed an opinion on the tracks

IstenSzek said:

i just made my own sequence:


01. SHUT THIS DOWN

02. AIN'T ABOUT TO STOP

03. X'S FACE

04. HARDROCKLOVER

05. 1000 X'S & O'S

06. JUNE

love all those 6 as much as i've loved anything he did the last 10 years

but with a little luck we will get some more decent songs to add to this

with phase 2.

Amen

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21026-hitnrun-phase-one/

I'm pretty much with this guy (although I'd probably mark it a bit higher - say 5.0 maybe 5.5 - ask me in a couple of weeks!).

It's certainly not the steaming pile of shite or work of unadulterated genius that some will argue...but that's the modern society the internet has created, a mass of extreme opinions screaming to be heard with little appreciation for nuanced opinon.

I'm such a grumpy old man

OperatingThetan said:

It's a new Prince album you can play all the way through without skipping that has two classics (1000 Hugs & Kisses, June) and several excellent songs (Shut this Down, Hardrocklover, X's Face) that breaks new sonic ground for Prince and adds something different to his canon. For a 57 year old legend with several classic albums under his belt, I'd say that's pretty good. Plus, it's part one of three.

I actually skip it the whole way through, so I had to shelve it. Glad you enjoy it though You mention three phases, are you sure? Is it one 3rdeyegirl and one Prince (given that phase one is Josh)? If that is the case I am likely to change my type of skipping to a full on pavement skipping like my kiddies do so well