hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

thepurplepartypeople said:

hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

.
Hi and welcome.

I think Art Official Age is a brilliant album, I regularly listen to it, though I admit skipping the title track and 'The Gold Standard' most of the time.

If you're new to Prince I'd suggest to ignore the reviews and just explore his catalog yourself, making your own decisions based on what touches you and what doesn't. Who cares if that's in line with popular opinion or not!

Hi, I really love Art Official Age. I think it is one of his best works.

If you love Art Official Age too and if you are going to explore the old works from Prince, I can suggest you:

- 1999

- Sign 'o' the Times

- Lovesexy

- Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic

Those could be not the best Prince albums, but I think they have many musical connection with Art Official Age.

Have fun

Fabrizio

MiceElfAgin said:

thepurplepartypeople said:

hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

.
Hi and welcome.

I think Art Official Age is a brilliant album, I regularly listen to it, though I admit skipping the title track and 'The Gold Standard' most of the time.

If you're new to Prince I'd suggest to ignore the reviews and just explore his catalog yourself, making your own decisions based on what touches you and what doesn't. Who cares if that's in line with popular opinion or not!

hi and yeh i love prince and all his music i just think that this album is very different to all of his other work. i love FUNKNROLL! probably y favourite song on the album.

Welcome to the prince world, You have a whole world of stuff to discover, and I'm not just talking about the released stuff. In a way I'm envious. But i did get to see him live about 15 times, which sadly, you wont get to do. Me personally, i have been listening to Controversy. And in the Car, i have been listening to New Power Soul. Which I hated when i first listened to it. Now i can enjoy it, because its quite funky, and a easy listen.

For me, Art Official Age is a mixed bag. I really like Clouds, U Know, the Affirmations, and Way Back Home. I love Time, which is one of his best songs in years. And then, even in the songs I'm not as keen on, there are some terrific moments, like the melodious guitar playing at the end of This Could Be Us.

I think it could have been something much better than it is. With the songs I mentioned above and a few additions, it had the potential to be something much deeper and more resonant than the album it became. The other songs, the more upbeat and less personal songs aren't as good (and some of them, such as Art Official Cage and The Gold Standard are terrible), and together the songs equate to an uneven and unfocused listening experience.

I'd say its most similar to Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which I feel pretty much the same about.

What do feel about the song Breakdown. I like it better live (because the laser sounds are gone) but I think it is a wonderful song.

thisisreece said:

For me, Art Official Age is a mixed bag. I really like Clouds, U Know, the Affirmations, and Way Back Home. I love Time, which is one of his best songs in years. And then, even in the songs I'm not as keen on, there are some terrific moments, like the melodious guitar playing at the end of This Could Be Us.

I think it could have been something much better than it is. With the songs I mentioned above and a few additions, it had the potential to be something much deeper and more resonant than the album it became. The other songs, the more upbeat and less personal songs aren't as good (and some of them, such as Art Official Cage and The Gold Standard are terrible), and together the songs equate to an uneven and unfocused listening experience.

I'd say its most similar to Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which I feel pretty much the same about.

I think Art official Age is a consistent album. Just like The Rainbow Children, The Gold Experience and most of the the albums from the 80's. He took some time and thought to it and gathered some good songs before he released the album. I can listen to Art Offical Age from start to end without skipping tracks. It contains some great songs like Clouds, The Breakdown and Way Back Home. For me this album is still a grower and I think 20 or 30 years from now it will still sound fresh to me. At that moment the album will be considered as one of his best of the 1990-2015 period released albums.

The ageism in the music industry is ridiculous. No wonder too many rock stars have short lives. If it weren't for the fact that Keith Richards is made of teflon, he would have been dead years ago.

The music industry reminds me of American Football. People go into both industries knowing their shelf life might be short (in the case of music--overworking {sometimes even physically} , high unreachable expectations as a musican ages, and too many tempations; in the case of football, injuries, concussions, brain damage and a short career due to physical demands)...

Superstition said:

It's about on par with a lot of artists his age who have been around for a long time... overlooked, underrated, and has a few tracks I'd consider some of his greatest hits. A really solid album and, when paired with Plectrumelectrum, made even better, as I would consider about 8 tracks between the two albums on par with all of his earlier material. Wow, Time and Clouds are probably my top three.

thepurplepartypeople said:

hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

A great resource is Princevault where you can find a lot of background on P's albums and other subjects. http://www.princevault.co...ficial_Age

hi and welcome to the org. if you type art official age in the google custom search bar (above right), u will find several threads of about the album as well as individual songs.

a thought to consider regarding what i believe is P's true legacy, is make up your own mind about his catalogue and let the chatter, here and elsewhere be "white noise" for you.

Hello, and welcome

I love AOA and Plectrumelectrum. I had taken a break from Prince for a number of years when I became very busy getting married, having babies, and raising a family. These were the records that got me back into him full steam again. Of course I loved 1999 and PR, but he sort of lost me in the early 90's - aside from the Batman soundtrack and a couple other records I picked up when I actually heard of a recent release. Prince lacked marketing skillz. Its been so much fun to go back thru the years and discover all the music I missed out on, and the gift of his music helps ease some of the pain of his passing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Glad to have you on board!

NorthC said:

It was very well recieved at the time, if only because it was the first new Prince album since 2010- Prince fans aren't used to waiting that long for an album! But looking back on it, I can't say it's that much better than his other 2000s albums. The beginning is excellent: the crazy Art Official Cage, the sexy Clouds, one of his most touching ballads, Breakdown, the funk of The Gold Standard, but after that... it's just one slow jam after another. U Know... Breakfast Can Wait... This Could Be Us... What It Feels Like... Fine songs on their own, but in a row... Way Back Home is much better and then we have FunkNRoll to spice things up a little, but then the tempo goes down again with Time, where the slap bass is the only thing that keeps me awake. I take it that this was Prince's attempt to make a modern r&b album and he succeeded, but I would have liked a bit more funk. In short, another on in the "good but not great" category.

I agree that it could use some more ole school funk (I was secretly hoping we would get a total funk album) but I disagree on Time--that's one of the best cuts on the album. I also like the zaniness of Art Official Cage--would have liked a little more of this. A lot of people don't care for it but I do.

Must every Prince album be a funk album though? If he set out to make a good R and B album, then maybe the album should be evaluated according to that criteria. The rest is just musical genre preference.

As a R and B album, AOA is truely unique in my opinion and a much more enjoyable experience than much of the Emancipation album (an at-times standard-issue R and B album).. I am not big on the segueways and spoken word parts of the album, but like much of his best music it is a timeless blend of modern sounds and old-school melody. AOA, despite its zaniness, actually feels more focused and concept-based. (a little like how 1999 feels like all the songs belong together).

purplethunder3121 said:

NorthC said:

It was very well recieved at the time, if only because it was the first new Prince album since 2010- Prince fans aren't used to waiting that long for an album! But looking back on it, I can't say it's that much better than his other 2000s albums. The beginning is excellent: the crazy Art Official Cage, the sexy Clouds, one of his most touching ballads, Breakdown, the funk of The Gold Standard, but after that... it's just one slow jam after another. U Know... Breakfast Can Wait... This Could Be Us... What It Feels Like... Fine songs on their own, but in a row... Way Back Home is much better and then we have FunkNRoll to spice things up a little, but then the tempo goes down again with Time, where the slap bass is the only thing that keeps me awake. I take it that this was Prince's attempt to make a modern r&b album and he succeeded, but I would have liked a bit more funk. In short, another on in the "good but not great" category.

I agree that it could use some more ole school funk (I was secretly hoping we would get a total funk album) but I disagree on Time--that's one of the best cuts on the album. I also like the zaniness of Art Official Cage--would have liked a little more of this. A lot of people don't care for it but I do.

[Edited 5/28/17 17:24pm]

[Edited 5/28/17 17:26pm]

[Edited 5/28/17 17:26pm]

Time is a good song.

purplethunder3121 said:

NorthC said:

It was very well recieved at the time, if only because it was the first new Prince album since 2010- Prince fans aren't used to waiting that long for an album! But looking back on it, I can't say it's that much better than his other 2000s albums. The beginning is excellent: the crazy Art Official Cage, the sexy Clouds, one of his most touching ballads, Breakdown, the funk of The Gold Standard, but after that... it's just one slow jam after another. U Know... Breakfast Can Wait... This Could Be Us... What It Feels Like... Fine songs on their own, but in a row... Way Back Home is much better and then we have FunkNRoll to spice things up a little, but then the tempo goes down again with Time, where the slap bass is the only thing that keeps me awake. I take it that this was Prince's attempt to make a modern r&b album and he succeeded, but I would have liked a bit more funk. In short, another on in the "good but not great" category.

I agree that it could use some more ole school funk (I was secretly hoping we would get a total funk album) but I disagree on Time--that's one of the best cuts on the album. I also like the zaniness of Art Official Cage--would have liked a little more of this. A lot of people don't care for it but I do.

purplerabbithole said:

What do feel about the song Breakdown. I like it better live (because the laser sounds are gone) but I think it is a wonderful song.

thisisreece said:

For me, Art Official Age is a mixed bag. I really like Clouds, U Know, the Affirmations, and Way Back Home. I love Time, which is one of his best songs in years. And then, even in the songs I'm not as keen on, there are some terrific moments, like the melodious guitar playing at the end of This Could Be Us.

I think it could have been something much better than it is. With the songs I mentioned above and a few additions, it had the potential to be something much deeper and more resonant than the album it became. The other songs, the more upbeat and less personal songs aren't as good (and some of them, such as Art Official Cage and The Gold Standard are terrible), and together the songs equate to an uneven and unfocused listening experience.

I'd say its most similar to Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which I feel pretty much the same about.

I liked it much more when I heard it live on 3EG show bootlegs, (such as Montruex 2013). It seems faux-personal, and some of the lyrics are just terrible (This could be the saddest story even been told / I used to want the house with the biggest pool /Reminiscing out I just feel like a fool).

However, vocally, I love it. Prince is screaming like a cat in a fight by the end of it. There's a lot of passion in his performance.

I agree that it is a brilliant record. For me, the best in many, many years. Artfully crafted with the finesse of the master. I can't say enough good things about it.

thepurplepartypeople said:

hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

Have you got David Bowie Blackstar as part of your collection too? The two do rather go hand in hand if you're working backwards from dead artists.

Obviously Time is the best track after I suggested to prince his next album should be a slab of twelve inch vinyl with a CATV cable stapled through the centre so he could phone the grooves in from space or something, but that's the problem when you have a bloody intense dream about a tunnel with points of interest on either side.

Possibly his last great artistic statement was cancelling his contract with Saudi Arabia by dieing under a cherry moon.

But apart from that I'd recommend anything from 1980 onwards - he's just playing the studio under threat of nuclear holocaust like any artist from 1980 onwards, but he had synthesizers and he was funky and he did tell you to reset your clock because he was Prince.

AlgeriaTouchshreek said:

thepurplepartypeople said:

hi guys im new to this site and dont really know how it works. im also quite young, but i thought that i would ask a question to you guys on what you all think of the album "art official age" as i cant find anything on here about it. i just bought this CD as im trying to get all the albums as part of a collection

Have you got David Bowie Blackstar as part of your collection too? The two do rather go hand in hand if you're working backwards from dead artists.

Obviously Time is the best track after I suggested to prince his next album should be a slab of twelve inch vinyl with a CATV cable stapled through the centre so he could phone the grooves in from space or something, but that's the problem when you have a bloody intense dream about a tunnel with points of interest on either side.

Possibly his last great artistic statement was cancelling his contract with Saudi Arabia by dieing under a cherry moon.

But apart from that I'd recommend anything from 1980 onwards - he's just playing the studio under threat of nuclear holocaust like any artist from 1980 onwards, but he had synthesizers and he was funky and he did tell you to reset your clock because he was Prince.

Never could tell whose side he was on though - there was the cheeky arab stage show of - I heartlily recommend the album as it is some unrealised space opera about stealing women from people with knives, did rather come to haunt him in later years but fuck it "You Are What You Is" was the most political Frank Zappa album since the mid sixties so somebody mustaph energized sumphing

AlgeriaTouchshreek said:

AlgeriaTouchshreek said:

Have you got David Bowie Blackstar as part of your collection too? The two do rather go hand in hand if you're working backwards from dead artists.

Obviously Time is the best track after I suggested to prince his next album should be a slab of twelve inch vinyl with a CATV cable stapled through the centre so he could phone the grooves in from space or something, but that's the problem when you have a bloody intense dream about a tunnel with points of interest on either side.

Possibly his last great artistic statement was cancelling his contract with Saudi Arabia by dieing under a cherry moon.

But apart from that I'd recommend anything from 1980 onwards - he's just playing the studio under threat of nuclear holocaust like any artist from 1980 onwards, but he had synthesizers and he was funky and he did tell you to reset your clock because he was Prince.

Never could tell whose side he was on though - there was the cheeky arab stage show of - I heartlily recommend the album as it is some unrealised space opera about stealing women from people with knives, did rather come to haunt him in later years but fuck it "You Are What You Is" was the most political Frank Zappa album since the mid sixties so somebody mustaph energized sumphing

Now that I think about it Gaddafi pretty much fucked up everything post Revolution. Thanks, CIA! Could've been on Purple Rain VII by now

[Edited 5/30/17 19:32pm]

I am deeply, madly in love with AOA.

It took 3 listens to the full album, and then I 'got it."

AOA is in the top 3 P albums for me.

All I want to know is what is the slurping on The Gold Standard?

I have looked up the lyrics and cant find the slurping lyrics.

Anyone? Buehler?

AlgeriaTouchshreek said:

AlgeriaTouchshreek said:

Never could tell whose side he was on though - there was the cheeky arab stage show of - I heartlily recommend the album as it is some unrealised space opera about stealing women from people with knives, did rather come to haunt him in later years but fuck it "You Are What You Is" was the most political Frank Zappa album since the mid sixties so somebody mustaph energized sumphing

Now that I think about it Gaddafi pretty much fucked up everything post Revolution. Thanks, CIA! Could've been on Purple Rain VII by now

[Edited 5/30/17 19:32pm]

It's not brilliant. It's not a master record, it is not comparable to his 80's works... But coming from a very bleek recording period especially in the mid 00's... This is not a GREAT album not not a BAD album... It is simply an AVERAGE album. IMO of course. There is nothing that totally STANDS OUT, a lot of the songs are average, subpar and ok...

The album does flow much better than his previous albums and flows better than Plectrum Electrum imo, but like I said there's nothing amazing or new about this album... Hell even though I don't think HitnRUN Phase One is a good album, I would say HARDROCKLOVER and 1000 X's & O's are stronger than anything on AOA.

If you are and you are fuuuunky, i just dont knownwhat young is...

BUT

Once upon a time they played music on the radio, andmyou could buy used records and cassettes for $1 or less. And I am actually a millenial 33 years old but i slid right through. So this isno grandpa talking.

.

My first concert I was 6and it was Paul McCartney. My first record wqs Sgt. Pepper by the Beatles. I had MTV. I liked Bon Jobi and Madonna and Van Halen. I was amazed by the 10 minute long MJ's Thriler music video. Prince wasn't on my radar so much.

.

Then dropped My Name Is Prince, 7, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, Gett Off on the MTV Awards, Sexy MF, P Control, even The Greatest Romance ever Sold. I really liked hearing them onthe radio but I didn't buy anything.

.

In the midst of all this I remember being around 14 or 15 or 16 and I was lstanding there... I went to buy Van Halen's greatest hits, but right next to it was a new Prince release Old Friends 4 Sale. If ypu are about to maybe buy your first Prince record, not knowing what it was because the backstory is long, I just thought it was new and so there I am ping ponging between the two CDs, a new Prince album (that turned out to be so not "new") or I liked Van Halen and I wanted the greatest hits anyway on CD and I liked whatever skngle theynwrote but I chose Prince. I do not know why. From the radio I knew songs like Kiss and 1999 and I likēd them but I don't know, I was a teenager in the 90s and lets just say we all could have had some better taste.

.

I expected new Prince, I got an "unreleased" collection of songs that were full of jazz, funk and blues and ballads that I had no idea that THIS was Prince. I bought the symbol album because you can't ignore that cover as you walk by in the CD store which used to exist. And I was confused by what should be not great and if it is in the background and you are not musical it's an eye roll, and it was at first except for 'he said motherfucker!' PARENTAL ADVISORY WOO. And I thought I wasred my moneyna little but it had a few good songs. Fast forward couple weeks oh its a dance party all over my house at all times. It has funk, jazz, pop, rock, ballads, and some SERIOUS drum loops. But so now I'm thinking alright because I know Kiss and whatever... So he's RnB/Pop but I keep playing it.... so still the same age.... I choose the next album, GOLD,,and I went....ohhh... lets add rock to THAT. I didn't even know he played the guitar.

For real.

.

Then I finally saw him in Worcester, Ma on elect night in the year 2000 and I understood I was only scratching the surface.

.

Only many tours and afterparties and records later and past that maybe at 30 and had been through a third or more of lofe do I finally hear every thing in separate tracks and one song at the same time. There are songs like Sometimes it Snows In April, She Sppke 2 Me, 17 Days, alright I am just going to start naming songs forever... Nothing Compares 2 U, How Come You Don't Call Me, A Large Room With No Light... or even lets go crazy and 1999...

.

computer blue

.

Still not scratching the surface.

.

But my suggestion would be to grab, say if you are under 30, don't go back and start at the beginning, start at the party. Love Symbol, Gold, and then grab Old Friends 4 Sale and be like WHAT?!

.

THEN only because its gonna be here in a few weeks PURPLE RAIN DELUXE 3CD/1DVD (Original album prince remaster then 2cds on unreleased and remixes but the DVD The Purple Rain Tour CONCERT most of us here have seen but if YOU havent... you will see the real music you just prepared for next few weeks for.) June 23. its like 20 bucks.

.

AND you gotta say this to the kids.

.

DONT SHUFFLE, DONT PLAY A SONG ONCE AND WRITE IT OFF ALREADY. Truly I don't know how old you are but we used to sit on floors of our rooms listening to what we like each song or not over and over. we had attanetion spans. try to have one listen through when you do. and come back with your thoughts after purple rain remastered and especially the concert dvd. Because LIVE.... you'll see. But before you grab a best of, or whatever anyone else tells you... symbol album, Gold, Old Friends 4 Sale, purple rain remaster/purple rain concert. Based on that, you will know and we can talk about where to go.

.

There is so much to wrap your head around with Prince. Someone else describe it and dont tellmthis person to startnwith anything before 1983 better yet add 10 years. those masters as they are... i stille see or her something new and I am TRH many TBs of drives...I am shocked what keeps flying out I didn't even know was real......

.

but for someone new: pop, rock, funk/jazz, Remastered PR and seeing him live on the dvd. Easy exposure to all sorts of thngs on level one. Right?..

.

..and one day i will edit all my typos. but just like me it might beit may seem like confusion at first, then they will see a show even if on dvd and go.. OHHHH. I hope they come back and report. they just don't know yet.

[Edited 5/31/17 1:07am]

antonb said:

Welcome to the prince world, You have a whole world of stuff to discover, and I'm not just talking about the released stuff. In a way I'm envious. But i did get to see him live about 15 times, which sadly, you wont get to do. Me personally, i have been listening to Controversy. And in the Car, i have been listening to New Power Soul. Which I hated when i first listened to it. Now i can enjoy it, because its quite funky, and a easy listen.

thats i think exactly how many times for me... then again...aftershows, freaking exodus, freaking, something in the water, i'm just gonna name more songs... but even full releases like other than the song 1999 or do you really want to tell someone new to just hop over to SOTT or PARADE? and then say have a black album and a lovesexy and heres a film of that tour. or slap them in the face with rave followed directly but the rainbow children and ona and then so.... yeah you are not even 4% through, here is the avenue AND empty room and Joy in fing repetition from the nyc ONA aftershow (for which i was there npg laminate and all) still at 4%... there are 30 other albums and then another unofficial thousands of shows on audio and video doing radiohead david bowie the beatles and michael jackson and obvioisly himself most of the time. and 77 more layers. i hope i gave a decent starter plan...

..

now flame me. someone will.

[Edited 5/31/17 1:09am]

[Edited 5/31/17 1:11am]

purplerabbithole said:

Must every Prince album be a funk album though? If he set out to make a good R and B album, then maybe the album should be evaluated according to that criteria. The rest is just musical genre preference.

As a R and B album, AOA is truely unique in my opinion and a much more enjoyable experience than much of the Emancipation album (an at-times standard-issue R and B album).. I am not big on the segueways and spoken word parts of the album, but like much of his best music it is a timeless blend of modern sounds and old-school melody. AOA, despite its zaniness, actually feels more focused and concept-based. (a little like how 1999 feels like all the songs belong together).

purplethunder3121 said:

I agree that it could use some more ole school funk (I was secretly hoping we would get a total funk album) but I disagree on Time--that's one of the best cuts on the album. I also like the zaniness of Art Official Cage--would have liked a little more of this. A lot of people don't care for it but I do.

[Edited 5/28/17 17:24pm]

[Edited 5/28/17 17:26pm]

[Edited 5/28/17 17:26pm]

Emancipation is still tough. so good but.....mmmmmmmmm when it wants to be. Thats one i will not follow my own advice... skip necessary, but play also necessary. very

[Edited 5/31/17 1:14am]