Just look at his DEMOGRAPHIC in concerts now. I went to the last two concerts in D.C. in the summer everyone was probably in their early to mid 40's...

I mean records like Phase 2 to most orgers here will be enjoyable, just what exactly is the demographic on this site.

Songs like Big City are just bland and boring to me, but for that demographic I guess they appreciate the horns section.

If I want a record full of horns I'll gladly play my Miles Davis and John Coltraine records on vinyl.

[Edited 12/18/15 10:00am]

1. AOA - Totally original... Love it from beginning to the haunting end.
2. Phase 2 - Overall a very enjoyable album. Not as creative as AOA but the songs are so good that's only a slight complaint. The only song that doesn't belong is screwdriver.
3. Phase 1 - I like it more than I thought I would... But that first half just doesn't sound like Prince. It's already starting to age for me.
4. PE outside of WOW and Another love it's being ignored.

KingSausage said:

HNR Phase Two AOA PLECTRUMRECTUM Smelling my own butt Watching my cats eat their own puke People farting on elevators Dentists saying "oops" HNR Phase One

i busted out laughing at this lmao but i agree

Aoa
Phase 1
Phase 2
Plec

Phase 2
AOA
Phase 1
Plectrum

thedance - I will agree to disagree with you. i love your lists you make and respect your opinions. I consider you a good authority on Prince. So if you can tolerate my love for Phase 2 thats great, but I respect the fact you can't stand it. Unlike most of the haters (Of which I have had none here yet ) you justify your opinions very well and don't resort to personal attacks. You are not a hater or a troll and I consider you a very informed fan. It's a cliche, but I will not agree with what you are saying about these albums, but will defend your right to the death to say it!

.

I have always subscribed to the adage - You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. We disagree over Phase 2, we also do over the Rainbow children (You love it, I hate it, but even then its a 6/10 album rather than a 2, because the playing and musical sound on it is great and 3 or 4 songs showcase his talents well.

.

Mostly everything else we agree on (Such as the 1980s albums being the best, and late 1990s/early 2000s albums being poor), I mean I love Phase 2 and AOA but they are in still in that 2nd tier behind the real classics like 1999, Sign o the Times and Lovesexy.

[Edited 12/18/15 12:37pm]

Phase 1, then 2, plec n aoa

Phase 2 - Prince's most chill album. Prince at ease and unforced.

Phase 1 - As close to a contemporary sound as Prince has ever attempted. But why when his own sound is pretty timeless. Hardrocklover is awesome, June is awesome, 1000 Hugs is old school cool. The most Princely tracks rock, the cringe worthy supposed contemporary tracks like Fallinlovetonight are embarrassing.

Plectrum - an ok rock album

AOA - One of the cheesiest most amateurish Prince albums to date. The title track sounds like an amateurish homage to bad music with every cliché and the kitchen sink thrown at it by someone just learning. The entire album and production values are not just cheesy, but cartoonishly repugnant.
A prime example of an artist out of touch and flailing about badly grasping at straws.
[Edited 12/19/15 13:15pm]

Phase 2

AOA

Switft kicks in the groin (5 minimum)

sticking my dick in a wood chipper

finding a spider in my soup

pus...lots and lots of pus

warm colied feces

a used tampon

The Best Of Vanilla Ice Performed By William Hung

PlectrumElectrum

Phase 1

Bluedell said:

HnR phase 2 HnR phase 1 PlEl AOA First post on the org!

Same for me. I have AOA even lowest if I make a list of all time

homesquid said:

Sir, I like your style.

KingSausage said:

...See what you made me do? (Susan 6)

homesquid said:

You are missing the used condom, that someone sent you. LMFAO.

1) Phase 2 - Dayum good album

2) Phase 1 - Fun playful album

3) AOA - Too long a wait for what we got, but it's not all bad, the highs are great

4) Plectrum- VERY DISAPOINTING!

Couldn't decide between Phase 1 & AOA, my mood changes all the time on what I like more, but I think I prefer the energy to Phase 1 over AOA. Unlike most, I don't care for Time, This is What It Feel Like or This Could Be Us, don't hate'm but they're not my faves.

thedance said:

makes songs like Peach and Cream sound like Prince "masterpieces".

I guess it depends what you're looking for out of a Prince album. Ain't nothin' wrong with Peach though!!

1. HitNRun Phase 2 - 9 / 10

2. Art Official Age - 7 / 10

3. Plectrum Electrum - 5 / 10

4. HitNRun Phase 1 -2 / 10

1.AOA - 9
2.Phase 2 - 7.5
3.Phase 1 - 5
4.Plectrum Electrum - 3
[Edited 12/19/15 11:27am]

1. Phase 2 9/10 (his best album since TRC imo)

2. Phase 1 7/10

3. AOA 6/10

4. Plectrum 4/10 (half decent, half lacklustre)

V10LETBLUES said:

Phase 2 - Prince's most chill album. Prince at ease and unforced. Phase 1 - As close to a contemporary sound as Prince has ever attempted. But why when his own sound is pretty timeless. Hardrocklover is awesome, June is awesome, 1000 Hugs is old school cool. The most Princely tracks rock, the cringe worthy supposed contemporary tracks like Fallinlovetonight are embarrassing. Plectrum - an ok rock album AOA - One of the cheesiest most amateurish Prince albums to date. The title track sounds like an amateurish homage to bad music with every cliché and the kitchen sink thrown at it by someone just learning. The entire album and production values are not just cheesy, but cartoonishly repugnant. A prime example of an artist out of touch and flailing about badly grasping at straws. [Edited 12/19/15 13:15pm]

Different Strokes, I guess. I just find it weird that you say AOA is cheesy (the album) and not Phase 2 which has some of the corniest songs ever (Baltimore, Black Muse, Big City, Screwdriver - wow).

larksanders said:

V10LETBLUES said:

Phase 2 - Prince's most chill album. Prince at ease and unforced. Phase 1 - As close to a contemporary sound as Prince has ever attempted. But why when his own sound is pretty timeless. Hardrocklover is awesome, June is awesome, 1000 Hugs is old school cool. The most Princely tracks rock, the cringe worthy supposed contemporary tracks like Fallinlovetonight are embarrassing. Plectrum - an ok rock album AOA - One of the cheesiest most amateurish Prince albums to date. The title track sounds like an amateurish homage to bad music with every cliché and the kitchen sink thrown at it by someone just learning. The entire album and production values are not just cheesy, but cartoonishly repugnant. A prime example of an artist out of touch and flailing about badly grasping at straws. [Edited 12/19/15 13:15pm]

Different Strokes, I guess. I just find it weird that you say AOA is cheesy (the album) and not Phase 2 which has some of the corniest songs ever (Baltimore, Black Muse, Big City, Screwdriver - wow).

I feel you on some of those tracks. I really do. And thought i would hate Big City when it begins but it takes the melody into strange territory that I can't help but appreciate and enjoy, but the tittle track on AOA alone is like OMFG awful. Couds and Breakfast are OMFG awful. No comparison for me.

And not only that, the sound design is so god awful that I thought Prince finally admitted he was going deaf. The sound design is beyond grating. Thin and grating seemingly always on the high end like to try and scare dogs and kids away.
Then there is the production which is so clunky and amatuerish. I have tried a few times to listen to it to see and understand where some are coming from, but I just cant. Like blood will flow from all of my orifices if I continue. This is one album where I seriously believe any legit reviewer was compensated to be nice to it.

While I feel you on where Baltimore is corny, but at least it's for a good cause and also not anywhere near as grating as any of the tunes on AOA.

V10LETBLUES said:

Violet - your description of AOA is exactly how I feel about the first half of HnR Phase 1. But I'm with you on Phase 2. It's one of the most enjoyable Prince albums from end to end in years.

Doozer said:

I read once that when it comes to food, we all have differences in how our receptors react to certain flavors. Some people have no reaction to certain flavors while some respond violently to them. Same with colors and smells. A wide range of color reception among people and same with smells. Not just actual identification of sounds, smells and colors, but perception. Remember that blue/gold dress?

Pretty sure that's what we see with music too. We are all different. Which is cool.
[Edited 12/20/15 13:54pm]

1. AOA for being the greater artistic achievement (Prince going out of his comfort zone and succeeding)

2. HnR 2 (Prince in his comfort zone, magistrally)

3. HnR 1 (As a companion to AOA -- XFace to June could easily be added to AOA and make it even better)

4. PLEL (I had great hope for this one, but he obviously let the trio come up with too much of the material).

Aerogram said:

4. PLEL (I had great hope for this one, but he obviously let the trio come up with too much of the material).

Which material? They've stated in interviews that Prince wrote the songs, except for the title track and "Another Love".

Kara said:

Aerogram said:

4. PLEL (I had great hope for this one, but he obviously let the trio come up with too much of the material).

Which material? They've stated in interviews that Prince wrote the songs, except for the title track and "Another Love".

Really? Because I was under the impression they were saying that Prince pushed them to "try things", I assumed it was contributing to the songs somehow. In any case, there was a good potential for this band but I guess it did not translate to studio work.

Honestly, it really depends what mood I'm in.

Chill mood:

AOA

HnRp2

PE

June — only, HnRp1*

Hyped-up distance cycling and gym squat routine mood:

PE

HnRp2

AOA

Like a Mac and X's Face — only, HnRp1*

*Aside from the above songs, HnRp1 is practically unlistenable now that HnRp2 was released.

Switft kicks in the groin are kinda fun if you have brass balls like some high testosterone mens.

iZsaZsa said:

KingSausage said:

Sir, I like your style.

...See what you made me do? (Susan 6)

AOA - 6/10

Phase 1 - 6/10

Phase 2 - 5/10

PE - 4/10

Phase 2 is a mature album with zero stand out tracks. Prince acting his age is boring really. I mean I love Groovy Potential and STARE but that's old news at this point. Xtralovable is awful. Everything else is just plain.

Phase 1 has 4 great tracks. But the tracklist arrangement is odd to me. It also includes 2 really awful tracks (STD, AA2S) plus 2 remixes, which really effects the rating for me.

As a life long Prince fan I enjoy something from each release and always give them a few spins regardless. But only a few tracks from these albums will make it to any of my playlists.

Aerogram said:

Kara said:

Which material? They've stated in interviews that Prince wrote the songs, except for the title track and "Another Love".

Really? Because I was under the impression they were saying that Prince pushed them to "try things", I assumed it was contributing to the songs somehow. In any case, there was a good potential for this band but I guess it did not translate to studio work.

It seems that Prince brought them the songs, and then let them improvise a bit during the recording...

Anyway, I agree about the wasted potential in their studio work. When I read/heard about their backgrounds, musical training, and what they were doing before Prince, and then contrasted that with some of the songs on PE, I was like "what went wrong here"? The crappy/cheesy songs on the album sound like Prince's handiwork to me.

HitnRun Phase 2

Art Official Age

HitnRun Phase 1

Plectrum Electrum