So Ive been giving Art Official Age a revisit here lately and I was playing it again last night on my way to work and the vocals did something to me...it made me wish he was still here The Breakdown and Time are great, but the sound of Prince singing Breakfast Can Wait really touched me. That song is so Princey...listening to it u kinda feel Prince. I know that sounds strange, but thats how it made me feel. AOA has to be Princes best cd in the last 5 years I think Comments?

jdcxc said:

Cool Album...I thought it was gonna be a hit. I love "U Know." Great bass line on "Time." Wished Da Bourgeoisie was on the album...brilliant song.

the whole album is hit material so I dont understand why it wasnt a bigger hit. The lyrics to some of the songs are really great. I had to listen to Time alot to really get into it, but its a good song!

conhawa said:

I've been listening to it too. I really like "Time". I've been listening to it over and over....great song. The more I listen to Gold Standard....the more it reminds me of something from the 1999 Era.

Ive been playing it in the car all week and you're right GS does feel kinda 1999ish

Jon1967 said:

Tough to not miss things .. sorry your bummed out.

Im cool...the cd just has that "Prince feel" to me...I love it all over again

I agree. I love it and wish I could go back to how I felt listening to it before P passed. I remember being annoyed by the lady speaking on the Afirmations and him not singing in the final track. But now somehow it makes more sense.

.

I'm sure it's the wrong forum, but now I kinda feel like when he recorded this one he thought this might be his last album for a while, or forever.

anangellooksdown said:

I'm going to buy that one next. Why is it that the WB's label is on that album along w/NPG? And even though NPG had broken up by that time, Prince still used the name?

I thought it said performed by 3rdeyegirl when that cd is all Prince Doesnt it say NPG

bigtimefan said:

I agree. I love it and wish I could go back to how I felt listening to it before P passed. I remember being annoyed by the lady speaking on the Afirmations and him not singing in the final track. But now somehow it makes more sense.

.

I'm sure it's the wrong forum, but now I kinda feel like when he recorded this one he thought this might be his last album for a while, or forever.

Who is the lady talking on all the damn songs U know I had to tune her out But yeah it sounds like he put everything he had into it...thats why I love it

'Revisit' is the key word. It's amazing how important and personal this album now appears.

Marrk said:

'Revisit' is the key word. It's amazing how important and personal this album now appears.

Its the signature Prince sound and some of us missed that on the first go round.

nursev said:

Marrk said:

'Revisit' is the key word. It's amazing how important and personal this album now appears.

Its the signature Prince sound and some of us missed that on the first go round.

I'm only sorry I'm one. On release, I was just a bit... ok, it's alright i guess. Now it's.. well..everything.

Marrk said:

nursev said:

Its the signature Prince sound and some of us missed that on the first go round.

I'm only sorry I'm one. On release, I was just a bit... ok, it's alright i guess. Now it's.. well..everything.

But I think we all felt like that initially...hell some folks even posted those feelings, but its great...People should give it another try.

Does anyone know if sales of this album has increased since April? I too was surprised that it did not do better when released. The SNL performance should have given it a bump. I sure never thought it would be the last.

kristy said:

Great album, with personal songs, the breakdown and way back home really got me, way back home got me thinking prince must really had stuff on his mind , deep song

the Breakdown is truly deep...him giving us insight to his thoughts...both tear jerkers.

I was absolutely prepared to hate that album (and said so) based on what we heard before it came out. (I'm looking at you, Breakfast Can Wait.) But with the exception of two tracks (Funknroll and The Gold Standard, both of which are horribly out of place IMO), I love it. It is an incredibly personal and intimate album. And as someone in Prince's age group, I totally got where he was coming from.

He did exactly what I had been hoping he'd do for a long time: Laid bare where his life was at the time. It was so honest - and deeply moving.

bookwomen said:

Does anyone know if sales of this album has increased since April? I too was surprised that it did not do better when released. The SNL performance should have given it a bump. I sure never thought it would be the last.

I dont know, but Im sure it is selling like hotcakes now...which is sad too

Genesia said:

I was absolutely prepared to hate that album (and said so) based on what we heard before it came out. (I'm looking at you, Breakfast Can Wait.) But with the exception of two tracks (Funknroll and The Gold Standard, both of which are horribly out of place IMO), I love it. It is an incredibly personal and intimate album. And as someone in Prince's age group, I totally got where he was coming from.

He did exactly what I had been hoping he'd do for a long time: Laid bare where his life was at the time. It was so honest - and deeply moving.

I think you said it "its honest" its like he made it and just put alot into it...I kinda like Funknroll I never thought I would cuz on first listen I hated it.

nursev said:

Genesia said:

I was absolutely prepared to hate that album (and said so) based on what we heard before it came out. (I'm looking at you, Breakfast Can Wait.) But with the exception of two tracks (Funknroll and The Gold Standard, both of which are horribly out of place IMO), I love it. It is an incredibly personal and intimate album. And as someone in Prince's age group, I totally got where he was coming from.

He did exactly what I had been hoping he'd do for a long time: Laid bare where his life was at the time. It was so honest - and deeply moving.

I think you said it "its honest" its like he made it and just put alot into it...I kinda like Funknroll I never thought I would cuz on first listen I hated it.

It was actually a very risky album - turning so many of the vocals over to Lianne and Andy. But it totally worked. For the first time in a very long time - there was a concept behind the album. He actually took us on a journey.

In a way, I almost wish it had been his final album. There are good tracks on both HNRs - but they don't hold a candle to AOA as a piece of storytelling.

Absolutely loved AOA from the very first listen and still do. it was pretty well received for the most part. Even a few of the usual suspects who pan everything liked it.

I predict that a lot more people are now going to discover just what a phenomenal man Prince was.

Genesia said:

nursev said:

I think you said it "its honest" its like he made it and just put alot into it...I kinda like Funknroll I never thought I would cuz on first listen I hated it.

It was actually a very risky album - turning so many of the vocals over to Lianne and Andy. But it totally worked. For the first time in a very long time - there was a concept behind the album. He actually took us on a journey.

In a way, I almost wish it had been his final album. There are good tracks on both HNRs - but they don't hold a candle to AOA as a piece of storytelling.

I wasn't too worried about Lianne stepping up but AOA gave me a new appreciation for Andy Allo. She did a great job.

HNR Phase 1 I wasn't too crazy about but I Love Phase 2.

babynoz said:

I wasn't too worried about Lianne stepping up but AOA gave me a new appreciation for Andy Allo. She did a great job.

HNR Phase 1 I wasn't too crazy about but I Love Phase 2.

This! I love AOA so much and the tracks where she contributes are my faves. Surprised me because I had seen her perform live with him prior to AOA and was not impressed, but her work on the album is gorgeous.

One of my favorite Prince releases in the past 15 years. Been on frequent rotation since it dropped and I hold it well above both HNRs.

I can only assume that it was not a hit because of lack of promotion - seemed he may have been in another pissing match with WB at that point. But what a gem.

limoncello said:

babynoz said:

I wasn't too worried about Lianne stepping up but AOA gave me a new appreciation for Andy Allo. She did a great job.

HNR Phase 1 I wasn't too crazy about but I Love Phase 2.

This! I love AOA so much and the tracks where she contributes are my faves. Surprised me because I had seen her perform live with him prior to AOA and was not impressed, but her work on the album is gorgeous.

One of my favorite Prince releases in the past 15 years. Been on frequent rotation since it dropped and I hold it well above both HNRs.

I can only assume that it was not a hit because of lack of promotion - seemed he may have been in another pissing match with WB at that point. But what a gem.

I really hope that his non WB works get more exposure going forward. There is so much for the uninitiated to discover. My friends that have limited knowledge of Prince love AOA.

limoncello said:

Agreed - I find the newer stuff is harder to listen to, because it's so recent that I can't help but think of recent events I haven't even cracked Phase 2 open yet, but I'll get there. The old stuff makes me remember fondly, but the new stuff still makes me ache. Cried multiple times to Breakdown yesterday

CalhounSq said:

CalhounSq said: