I give it an 8 Pleasantly surprised and pining for a cd version asap.

[Edited 12/15/15 14:53pm]

8.5 for me! Some really standout tracks

[Edited 12/14/15 11:56am]

Post it on the PeachnBlack survey sticky!

I think it's a little Pop Treasure. I am not ashamed to say that for me it's 10!

[Edited 12/14/15 12:17pm]

Very solid 8 for me. Really nice release.

Right now 9 of 10

Solid 8 too , thanks Prince.

7/10...and no, never too soon

Too soon for a detailed analysis

.

But I am thinking it will be in the 8 or higher category, seems he has gone back to being the erratic nut, one album of mixed quality (Plectrum Electrum, Phase 1) and one album that is approaching the masterpiece level (Art Official Age and this), for each year.

.

I am even thinking its better than AOA and I love that album, which is a lot more glossy pop and a few ballads, but Phase 2 is pure sexified R and B. What I really love is that this is a very Black sounding album (In the best way - it is like he is channeling 1970s Marvin Gaye and Al Green in some of these songs).

.

It is an exceptional album of rootsy R&B. Usually you get one or two R&B trax on each album, but this is all R and B. Amen! It sounds like D'Angelo, Janelle Monae and all these others should pay attention here! Yeah the Black Muse is talkin to Prince!

.

Usually I cop a lot of slack for some of views on African American issues, but I have always loved R&B and soul music. I mean I love pop music and Prince's pop, but have always appreciated his more soulful and blacker sounding music than his pop music. THe thing about this music, is that it does have a lot of soul and even poppy tracks like Screwdriver have had the poppy 3EG sound eviscerated for a funkier rhythm based sound (Still missing a few hornz though!). A lot of fans I have met have discovered that it is definitely the more R & B tracks I gravitate towards and I will be gravitating towards this for a while.

.

I think we are looking at a mark similar to Art Official Age, or maybe a bit higher (say a 8.75/10 next to AOA's 8.5/10. This will push it up to the edge of the 1980s stuff and change my Top 10

.

1. Sign o the Times

2. 1999

3. Parade

4. Lovesexy

5. Purple Rain

6. The Gold Experience

7. Dirty Mind

8. Hitnrun Phase two

9. ATWIAD

10. Art Official Age

11. Controversy (Leaves Top 10)

[Edited 12/14/15 12:58pm]

I guess I'm not hearing what's good about this. Oh well, I missed this train. I give it a modest 4

tatocorcu said:

8 for me, but I am confident that if I was playing this album for the first time without knowing every song bar one in one form or another it would be higher. For comparison sake, phase one was a 6, probably down to 5 by now...

I agree with this. It's hard to rate as an album for this reason. I'd day it's 7-8ish. Phase 1 is about a 4-5 for me.

The only thing I can say positive about this release is that if it were decomposited into samples, there's definitely something of value to be salvaged.

As it stands, as a concoction, it's like water that's been demineralised.

Solid album, I really liked the vocal arrangements on the songs. Although most of the album are songs previously heard before they fit so well in this set that they have more meaning, Screwdriver is the only outlier here. This is a Prince album from beginning to end, it's a flavor and a spirit only he can do. I REALLY liked Phase 1 but the quality of the musicianship and songs in Phase 2 make them vastly different on so many levels that I have to lower my rating of Phase 1 to properly rate Phase 2.

So Phase 1 is now a 5 down from 7.5.

Phase 2 is an 8.

7.5 out of 10. I enjoyed this much more than Phase 1.

Solid 9 for me!

7. Already better than Phase One (6).

I don't like Phase 2.. too soon for me to judge...

Right now maybe a 3 or 4 out of 10. Most of the tracks are bad:

Baltimore
RNRLA
Xtraloveable (Reload)
Screwdriver

those are already known and are "turds" imo..

The rest feels bad as well..... damn, I'm very disappointed..

honestly, 10/10. the songs i never liked are good in an album context (baltimore, RRLA, Screwdriver). i can listen straight thru, no skips. any album where i can do that is good in my eyes. no quirky, young and super experiemental prince is long gone. here we have a great almost 60 year old musican who can still put out good qualtiy work.

thedance said:

I don't like Phase 2.. too soon for me to judge...

Right now maybe a 3 or 4 out of 10. Most of the tracks are bad:

Baltimore
RNRLA
Xtraloveable (Reload)
Screwdriver

those are already known and are "turds" imo..

The rest feels bad as well..... damn, I'm very disappointed..

I can't figure you out bruh. You izza enigma to me

I give it 7 out of 10 badgers.

Phase 2 is not as good as AOA, and not as bad as Phase 1...but its better than Plectrum Electrum...Groovy Potential is almost as good as Clouds and better than anything on Phase 1 or Plectrum Electrum

9 or 10. My favorite album since 3121. Can't stop listening.

I just can't get into this album. I have been listening non stop for 2 days trying to but it is just a boring album to me. Screwdriver is the only song with any life in it for me but that song is so old!! It is one of my least favorite albums unfortunately. Phase one was much better. Hopefully Phase three will be coming soon!! I will rate it a 2 out of 10.

[Edited 12/14/15 21:13pm]