I am listening to this album now and I think it is quite impressive. The songwriting is good, the arrangements are great, the playing is top notch and the production is very pleasant. I am glad to have this one as his last, because it certainly doesn't sounds like an album of a dying man. It is a very positive, hopeful, vibrant album to me. Anyone with me? Or against me?

funkaholic1972 said:

I am listening to this album now and I think it is quite impressive. The songwriting is good, the arrangements are great, the playing is top notch and the production is very pleasant. I am glad to have this one as his last, because it certainly doesn't sounds like an album of a dying man. It is a very positive, hopeful, vibrant album to me. Anyone with me? Or against me?

Just listening to it very loud today and it is wonderfully produced. I think it is really good and if it was to be his last album it was a good one to finish on. I fully agree with everything you say. I love revisiting it from time to time. I always hear differnent things with each listen.

I love hearing Andy's voice in the background of Black Muse. This one is very much deserving of a Vinyl release. I remember Prince Tweeting Al Green's Simply Beautiful between phase 1 & 2 releases, I get a similar vibe. I don't mean the songs sound the same, but revelation hits me like this. Big City is a great upbeat ending..... Alright u polaroids let's go, hmm we're in the big city.....c'mon on.

Anyway, to answer your question - I am with you on this one.

I didn't much like either when they came out. I was just bored with his music. Seemed like he was too - at least it felt that way. Anyhoo - I did go back and listen to it again. There are a lot of things I like about HNR2. When I read about the guy who was doing orchestrations for Prince, and Prince's idea that he had found a new sound, I was intrigued. Basically, Prince did his guitar solo, the guy orchestrated it, then Prince mixed the orchestrations first, and slowly blended them into the actual guitar solo. Long one long ass crossfade, of sorts. The solo in "Baltimore" is a prime example of that. I thought that was quite an interesting idea.

I think what gnaws at me about his more recent albums is the really compressed and tight sound on things. The drums always sound like a machine to me, even if they're not. Every bit of reverb and echo seems to be taken out of all the instruments, and the keyboards often sound like a Casio or Kawaii from 1984.

I'm not always sure a Prince song should have to grow on you. Either you dig it or you don't. But with time comes perspective, growth, and new hearing. Things change. I like HNR2 better. "Big City" is muh shit.

One of the engineers said he carried around a Casio Kiddie keyboard and did record with it.

TrivialPursuit said:

I didn't much like either when they came out. I was just bored with his music. Seemed like he was too - at least it felt that way. Anyhoo - I did go back and listen to it again. There are a lot of things I like about HNR2. When I read about the guy who was doing orchestrations for Prince, and Prince's idea that he had found a new sound, I was intrigued. Basically, Prince did his guitar solo, the guy orchestrated it, then Prince mixed the orchestrations first, and slowly blended them into the actual guitar solo. Long one long ass crossfade, of sorts. The solo in "Baltimore" is a prime example of that. I thought that was quite an interesting idea.

I think what gnaws at me about his more recent albums is the really compressed and tight sound on things. The drums always sound like a machine to me, even if they're not. Every bit of reverb and echo seems to be taken out of all the instruments, and the keyboards often sound like a Casio or Kawaii from 1984.

I'm not always sure a Prince song should have to grow on you. Either you dig it or you don't. But with time comes perspective, growth, and new hearing. Things change. I like HNR2 better. "Big City" is muh shit.

I think the idea for the HitNRuns was not to think about it too much. Phase Two sounds like an album made for an age when you can just put an album out online instantly. Just throw a bunch of songs together in an order that feels somewhat right and rush it out. It lacks a cohesive whole like say Lovesexy or Rainbow Children, but it gains by feeling natural and spontaneous. Also, they're mostly very good songs. "Black Muse" in particular is excellent. Although I certainly don't think Prince expected it to be his last album. It's a shame it's turned out that way because it's such a casual effort from him.

MrSquiggle said:

I think the idea for the HitNRuns was not to think about it too much. Phase Two sounds like an album made for an age when you can just put an album out online instantly. Just throw a bunch of songs together in an order that feels somewhat right and rush it out. It lacks a cohesive whole like say Lovesexy or Rainbow Children, but it gains by feeling natural and spontaneous. Also, they're mostly very good songs. "Black Muse" in particular is excellent. Although I certainly don't think Prince expected it to be his last album. It's a shame it's turned out that way because it's such a casual effort from him.

"Black Muse" is exquisite! Best song on HNR P2 if you ask me!

[Edited 10/12/16 19:40pm]

If half the tracks hadn't already been released it would get a lot more praise but I agree with others; the likes of Look At Me, Revelation and Black Muse are real gems. And you could probably say the same about Groovy Potential, just that it had already been around for years.

.

When She Comes isn't too far behind, his Al Green tribute. Big City has grown on me even though it sounds like a cross between Broadway and The Muppets

sonshine said:

I like Hitnrun phase 2 a lot. More than phase 1.

Yes HnR2 is much better than HnR1

I prefer Phase 1 but don't have much against Phase 2 apart from Extraloveable.

It was the first Prince album I was totally, madly in love with since the Lotusflow3r trilogy in 2009 (not that I disliked what came in between, but I was less passionate about it). I think it's a gem, and a wonderful way to end a wonderful discography.

I love this album as well but I am starting to really love Art Official Age. At first, the weirdness of the album alienated me, but now I am starting to realize how wonderful most of the songs on that album are. I am starting to like it more than Hit N Run phase 2 (at least some of the individual songs).

purplerabbithole said:

Great album, and a good one to "go out on" - but (and not to sound morbid), Art Official Age would've been the perfect "final album". Especially with all of the Affirmation and Way Back Home stuff going on in that concept album.

Plus, the cover image alludes to quite a few of his former albums - kinda a mashup.

I like AOA better, but I find that I listen to HnR Phase Two more . . . probably because it's more of a "collection" than a proper album.

jdcxc said:

purplerabbithole said:

I love this album as well but I am starting to really love Art Official Age. At first, the weirdness of the album alienated me, but now I am starting to realize how wonderful most of the songs on that album are. I am starting to like it more than Hit N Run phase 2 (at least some of the individual songs).

Good points...AOA was truly underrated.

Not around these parts it wasn't.

I still wish Art Official Age had been his last album.

Genesia said:

EmmaMcG said:

Genesia said:

I still wish Art Official Age had been his last album.

Why? Even if you hated Phase One and Two, surely more music is better, no? I don't like Phase One as a whole but without it I wouldn't have 1000 Hugs and Kisses and June.

Sure - if you value quantity over quality.

Art Official Age was the most solidly concepted, completely thought through, cohesive album Prince had done in years. It would have been a very high note to go out on.

The name "HITNRUN" on the other two pretty much says it all. No concept, no thought, no cohesion on either.

[Edited 10/10/16 12:09pm]

Genesia said:

EmmaMcG said:

Genesia said: Why? Even if you hated Phase One and Two, surely more music is better, no? I don't like Phase One as a whole but without it I wouldn't have 1000 Hugs and Kisses and June.

Sure - if you value quantity over quality.

Art Official Age was the most solidly concepted, completely thought through, cohesive album Prince had done in years. It would have been a very high note to go out on.

The name "HITNRUN" on the other two pretty much says it all. No concept, no thought, no cohesion on either.

[Edited 10/10/16 12:09pm]

That's interesting. My main problem with AOA is that I always found it structurally weak despite the conceptual angle (or desire to have one). I'd like to hear you explain in more details why you feel it achieved its purpose

TrivialPursuit said:

I didn't much like either when they came out. I was just bored with his music. Seemed like he was too - at least it felt that way. Anyhoo - I did go back and listen to it again. There are a lot of things I like about HNR2. When I read about the guy who was doing orchestrations for Prince, and Prince's idea that he had found a new sound, I was intrigued. Basically, Prince did his guitar solo, the guy orchestrated it, then Prince mixed the orchestrations first, and slowly blended them into the actual guitar solo. Long one long ass crossfade, of sorts. The solo in "Baltimore" is a prime example of that. I thought that was quite an interesting idea.

I think what gnaws at me about his more recent albums is the really compressed and tight sound on things. The drums always sound like a machine to me, even if they're not. Every bit of reverb and echo seems to be taken out of all the instruments, and the keyboards often sound like a Casio or Kawaii from 1984.

I'm not always sure a Prince song should have to grow on you. Either you dig it or you don't. But with time comes perspective, growth, and new hearing. Things change. I like HNR2 better. "Big City" is muh shit.

It started with Emancipation. IMO the worst examples are PE & 20TEN. Though not every song got the same treatment. Occasionally something more organic sounding would pop up.

databank said:

Genesia said:

Sure - if you value quantity over quality.

Art Official Age was the most solidly concepted, completely thought through, cohesive album Prince had done in years. It would have been a very high note to go out on.

The name "HITNRUN" on the other two pretty much says it all. No concept, no thought, no cohesion on either.

[Edited 10/10/16 12:09pm]

That's interesting. My main problem with AOA is that I always found it structurally weak despite the conceptual angle (or desire to have one). I'd like to hear you explain in more details why you feel it achieved its purpose

Let me gather my thoughts on it. I'll have a little more time later this week and will tackle it then.

Noodled24 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I think what gnaws at me about his more recent albums is the really compressed and tight sound on things. The drums always sound like a machine to me, even if they're not. Every bit of reverb and echo seems to be taken out of all the instruments, and the keyboards often sound like a Casio or Kawaii from 1984.

It started with Emancipation. IMO the worst examples are PE & 20TEN. Though not every song got the same treatment. Occasionally something more organic sounding would pop up.

That's a great way of putting it. There was a slightly dry sound with Emancipation, but wasn't as tough as later albums were. It's a stark contrast to something with a very organic production like The Rainbow Children. Then you hear 20Ten that sounds like someone plucking at parchment paper from Staples sometimes. I really missed that from his sound. The thing w/ the guitar solo orchestration would be so textured and lovely over a more open sound like we felt on earlier records.

Genesia said:

EmmaMcG said:

Genesia said: Why? Even if you hated Phase One and Two, surely more music is better, no? I don't like Phase One as a whole but without it I wouldn't have 1000 Hugs and Kisses and June.

The name "HITNRUN" on the other two pretty much says it all. No concept, no thought, no cohesion on either.

[Edited 10/10/16 12:09pm]

Totally disagree even though not at huge fan of HnR1. Each of the HnR albums cohere very well together in terms of sound and being distinct from all of his other albums. The wonderful brass and jazzy arrangements hold HnR2 together very well except for screwdriver. The HnR1 songs belong together and not on any other Prince album in that they attempt to modernize music, though it could be argued that it was too derivative.

gandorb said:

Genesia said:

The name "HITNRUN" on the other two pretty much says it all. No concept, no thought, no cohesion on either.

[Edited 10/10/16 12:09pm]

Totally disagree even though not at huge fan of HnR1. Each of the HnR albums cohere very well together in terms of sound and being distinct from all of his other albums. The wonderful brass and jazzy arrangements hold HnR2 together very well except for screwdriver. The HnR1 songs belong together and not on any other Prince album in that they attempt to modernize music, though it could be argued that it was too derivative.

They don't tell a story, is my point.

Genesia said:

I still wish Art Official Age had been his last album.

In some ways, I feel like it was. The HNRs are mixtapes.

MrSquiggle said:

Genesia said:

I still wish Art Official Age had been his last album.

In some ways, I feel like it was. The HNRs are mixtapes.

YES! Mixtapes is the perfect word to describe them.

Genesia said: