These albums r the bizness. End of report.

thisisreece said:

These albums r the bizness. End of report.

My two favourite Prince albums. Still hoping for The Rainbow Children to get that much deserved 'second thought', 15 years after it got panned by critics.

BT11 said:

jcurley said:

BT11 said:

My two favourite Prince albums. Still hoping for The Rainbow Children to get that much deserved 'second thought', 15 years after it got panned by critics.

To be fair here in the UK rainbow children got really good reviews in the more respected press

Same here in France, it was really said to be an artistic revival for P in several reviews, and from that point on P was a critics darling again.

And the same here in Japan, too. The Rainbow Children was hailed by many as a masterpiece. Perhaps it helps that people here don't get hung up on the lyrical content of non-Japanese music. But for me, Parade is by far and away the better album.

BT11 said:

airth said:

And the same here in Japan, too. The Rainbow Children was hailed by many as a masterpiece. Perhaps it helps that people here don't get hung up on the lyrical content of non-Japanese music. But for me, Parade is by far and away the better album.

I didn't know u was from Japan! It's cool: I know P is big there but for some sad reason we've never had many Japanese fans over here, not sure why!

I'm a massive fan of Japanese electronic music and Akiko Yano, Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Towa Tei are among my favorite artists ever!

thisisreece said:

Rainbow Children is my favorite of the 2000s, I listen 2 that one all the time

I wish he would have continued with that direction, just pulled back on the VOICE and the mysticism for the next album

ATWIAD is my love letter 2 friends from Prince

PARADE is like a painting in the Sistine Chapel, the oeuvre of Prince canon

airth said:

And the same here in Japan, too. The Rainbow Children was hailed by many as a masterpiece. Perhaps it helps that people here don't get hung up on the lyrical content of non-Japanese music. But for me, Parade is by far and away the better album.

is that why it's so expensive on vinyl then... the only place it's selling on vinyl on ebay is from a japan and it's over $400

thisisreece said:

These albums r the bizness. End of report.

They're that good you have fuck all to say about them.

BT11 said:

thisisreece said:

These albums r the bizness. End of report.

My two favourite Prince albums. Still hoping for The Rainbow Children to get that much deserved 'second thought', 15 years after it got panned by critics.

where did it get panned by critics? I recall strong reviews. Wikipedia says this: Critically however, the album received rave reviews for its originality and "refreshingly natural" sound, with some critics stating it to be Prince's best record since 1987.

TheDigitalGardener said:

thisisreece said:

These albums r the bizness. End of report.

They're that good you have fuck all to say about them.

They're the bizness, what more do you need to know?


I came to the conclusion that they are 'the bizness' when I listened to the albums back to back yesterday, and felt the need to report my findings here. My findings being that 'they r the bizness'.

alandail said:

BT11 said:

My two favourite Prince albums. Still hoping for The Rainbow Children to get that much deserved 'second thought', 15 years after it got panned by critics.

where did it get panned by critics? I recall strong reviews. Wikipedia says this: Critically however, the album received rave reviews for its originality and "refreshingly natural" sound, with some critics stating it to be Prince's best record since 1987.

U have no idea how it irritates me that every time a professional critic falls in love with a new Prince album they can't help stating that it's his best record since 1987. I've also read it for HnRP2 and countless times before that for various records (though occasionally it's since 1988 depending how they like Lovesexy, and very occasionally since 1995 for those few who paid enough attention to remember TGE). It makes so little sense to make such a statement about an artist who's released dozens of albums since 1987, given that those critics probably heard only half of it and only once or twice each (the time it took them at the time to write a one-paragraph review saying it was not as good as SOTT)!

databank said:

alandail said:

where did it get panned by critics? I recall strong reviews. Wikipedia says this: Critically however, the album received rave reviews for its originality and "refreshingly natural" sound, with some critics stating it to be Prince's best record since 1987.

U have no idea how it irritates me that every time a professional critic falls in love with a new Prince album they can't help stating that it's his best record since 1987. I've also read it for HnRP2 and countless times before that for various records (though occasionally it's since 1988 depending how they like Lovesexy, and very occasionally since 1995 for those few who paid enough attention to remember TGE). It makes so little sense to make such a statement about an artist who's released dozens of albums since 1987, given that those critics probably heard only half of it and only once or twice each (the time it took them at the time to write a one-paragraph review saying it was not as good as SOTT)!

I agree.

HOWEVER...

The Rainbow Children is Prince's best since 1987!

thisisreece said:

databank said:

U have no idea how it irritates me that every time a professional critic falls in love with a new Prince album they can't help stating that it's his best record since 1987. I've also read it for HnRP2 and countless times before that for various records (though occasionally it's since 1988 depending how they like Lovesexy, and very occasionally since 1995 for those few who paid enough attention to remember TGE). It makes so little sense to make such a statement about an artist who's released dozens of albums since 1987, given that those critics probably heard only half of it and only once or twice each (the time it took them at the time to write a one-paragraph review saying it was not as good as SOTT)!

I agree.

HOWEVER...

The Rainbow Children is Prince's best since 1987!

IDK about that. I love it, don't get me wrong, but IDK about that. I remember I was at first a bit disappointed by its "classic" sound: I felt P had done a more original, typically Prince-sounding job with the 2 previous albums (the High and Peace sessions released thru NPGMC, that eventually became TCI and TS).

alandail said:

For me, The Rainbow Children is the only album since the 80s that ranks among the pantheon of his greatest albums - Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain, Parade, and Sign o' the Times.

Everything about it is 'the bizness'. People hate on the lyrics, but I'd take the weird missmatch of Jehovah ideology, sex, race, veganism, and fantasy over the banal love and party songs he writes. It's like someone cracked open Prince's head and everything inside is coming out in nonesensical bursts. For once, it sounds like he's writing about what he's interested in. Even the love songs (She's Love Me 4 Me) sound heartfelt and sincere.

It sounds like an album Prince wanted to make. It's not chasing trends or trying to sound poppy (people say it was a response to 'Voodoo' but I don't hear it). Sometimes it seems like Prince releases an album every year or so just for the sake of it - that isn't the case with TRC.

However, the main reason I love The Rainbow Children is the fucking music. For Prince this is as experimental record as he as ever recorded. It's as eclectic as Sign 'o' the Times, yet, (like Parade) it is one of the most cohesive albums he's ever recorded. Every song has something to write home about. I love the blend of styles in the opening track, the zaniness of The Digital Garden, the sheer joy that runs through Everywhere. The last four songs alone are worth the price of the album - and it's not a cheap album to get hold of! She Loves Me 4 Me is one of the most delicate and melodious love songs he's ever written. Family Name is a monster, the best fusion of funk and hard-rock he has ever released. The Everlasting Now is pure funk (like someone on the P&B podcast said, it'll make you sing along to the lyrics 'accurate knowledge of christ and the father'), and the Santana like guitar playing is the dog's bollocks. Last December is an incredible closer, an anthem just as good as Purple Rain.

The album really showcases Prince's capabilities as a musician. Along with 'Lotusflower' and 'News' it's his best guitar playing on record. Then there's the bass. And the rhodes keyboard. Blackwell's drumming is on fire, and of course Graham's bass playing on certain tracks is the real deal. Even with their contributions, the fact that the majority of this album was all Prince is incredible.

In short - it is 'the bizness'.

I only wish he'd carried on this direction. And played more of the songs live. And resissued it on vinyl.

... Everyone knows why Parade is 'the bizness'.

I think TRC was a masterpiece musicially, but the lyrics suck bad. When I listen to HitNRun, I wonder what happened to the man that recorded TRC. The music on it sounds so immature and hurts my ears.

Empress said:

I think TRC was a masterpiece musicially, but the lyrics suck bad. When I listen to HitNRun, I wonder what happened to the man that recorded TRC. The music on it sounds so immature and hurts my ears.

I think a lot of people are a bit confused between the lyrics' content and their literary/poetic qualities. Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with what Prince says here, I found those lyrics as inspired and interesting as any other from Prince, and sometimes I'd even rank them among his most interesting lyrical work because they're rich in metaphors, ambiguities and subtext. I don't really care whether I agree with what he says or not, but I find how he says it deserves praise.

Parade great, TRC my least favorite Prince album ever. Its a tough listen.

TRC is a dull abomination to all things Prince. To me that is the album when Anakin became Darth Vader. It's Prince trying to be his dad, but really he is just Prince, so it's this mashup of contadrictory elements. No thanks.

thisisreece said:

theartistirl said:

thisisreece said:

Again, I agree with the above so much. Exactly what I think, and agree on lotusflow3r also. She loves me 4 me, is the song u wish u wrote 4 ur wife, and I remember driving back from back from the hospital after the birth of my little girl listening 2 the Last December. That song lasted the length of the journey. It just connects so well with me. Just a shame it's not re-released on vinyl.

Great story - and it's good to know you don't live far from the hospital!

alandail said:

BT11 said:

My two favourite Prince albums. Still hoping for The Rainbow Children to get that much deserved 'second thought', 15 years after it got panned by critics.

where did it get panned by critics? I recall strong reviews. Wikipedia says this: Critically however, the album received rave reviews for its originality and "refreshingly natural" sound, with some critics stating it to be Prince's best record since 1987.

I've read that, but I've never been able to find the reviews. A lot of what I've read dismiss the album, and the positive reviews on wiki appear to be dead links. Does anyone have any links/sources to reviews that praised the album?

you people liking the absolutly horrible Rainblow Children shows that Prince could fart for 60 minutes on record and you still would think its the greatest thing youve ever heard...that album is a piece of GARBAGE and after 20 years of being a hardcore fan it was the album that totally turned me off on Prince and the 1st album of his that i hated and it was the start of the huge downfall Prince has had

GeorgieAto said:

you people liking the absolutly horrible Rainblow Children shows that Prince could fart for 60 minutes on record and you still would think its the greatest thing youve ever heard...that album is a piece of GARBAGE and after 20 years of being a hardcore fan it was the album that totally turned me off on Prince and the 1st album of his that i hated and it was the start of the huge downfall Prince has had

Not at all. There are many Prince albums I don't like: Hitnrun Phase 1, Art Official Age, MPLSound, Planet Earth, Rave, New Power Soul, Emancipation, Diamonds & Pearls, Grafitti Bridge, For You...

GeorgieAto said:

you people liking the absolutly horrible Rainblow Children shows that Prince could fart for 60 minutes on record and you still would think its the greatest thing youve ever heard...that album is a piece of GARBAGE and after 20 years of being a hardcore fan it was the album that totally turned me off on Prince and the 1st album of his that i hated and it was the start of the huge downfall Prince has had

Wow. It's hard to see the term "GARBAGE" associated at the best P album of the entire 2000.

Anyway, it's ever a matter of taste. Sorry for you.

thisisreece said:

theartistirl said:

thisisreece said: Again, I agree with the above so much. Exactly what I think, and agree on lotusflow3r also. She loves me 4 me, is the song u wish u wrote 4 ur wife, and I remember driving back from back from the hospital after the birth of my little girl listening 2 the Last December. That song lasted the length of the journey. It just connects so well with me. Just a shame it's not re-released on vinyl.

Great story - and it's good to know you don't live far from the hospital!

it can be practical yes and dropping kids 2 school is a 2 minute walk. the joys of living in France.