If you don't appreciate Lovesexy, go and take a listen to it again. Think about what he did before, and what came after, and what else was in the charts at the time... in 1988! And in the context of it as an answer/companion to The Black Album.

Listen on good headphones and hear the little details, and effort that went into making it such a unique and timeless record.

It's bizarre, funky, mind blowing stuff.

.

Next best album... for me Batman, maybe ONA or Come or perhaps High (or whatever that configuration of NPGMC tracks was called).

james said:

If you don't appreciate Lovesexy, go and take a listen to it again. Think about what he did before, and what came after, and what else was in the charts at the time... in 1988! And in the context of it as an answer/companion to The Black Album.

Listen on good headphones and hear the little details, and effort that went into making it such a unique and timeless record.

It's bizarre, funky, mind blowing stuff.

.

Next best album... for me Batman, maybe ONA or Come or perhaps High (or whatever that configuration of NPGMC tracks was called).

.

Agree with you strongly re: LOVESEXY. And also BATMAN.

.

But uh... COME? All I can say is, I HOPE you're joking!

BobPaisleyPark said:

Quite simply, what do you think was the best Prince album released after the last great Prince album (Lovesexy).

For me, it's a choice between the Batman soundtrack and The Gold Experience, and you know what, Bats wins it.

Your Choice?

I don't understand the question.

mediumdry said:

SanMartin said:

Out of curiosity, when did the cliche that everything went to shit after Lovesexy begin?

.

Never understood it either. It went to shit with Lovesexy. It was great until Sign Of The Times, merely good after. Still better than most artists, just frustrating because of the unevenness.

This is a very interesting, endless subject of debate: did P's "golden age" end with or after Lovesexy? To me the reply is, without a doubt, after, because Lovesexy is just an oddity, something that sounds like nothing at the time. Note that I don't think, never have, that Prince's music is inferior after that, but I acknowledge that it (mostly) stopped being avant-garde. But Lovesexy definitely belongs to that era when Prince was ahead of his time, or maybe just somewhere else, far away from any musical convention or trend.

Musicology or Hit N Run Pt. 2

Hit N Run Phase Two or Art Official Age.

TGE is really hard to listen to. Aged really badly.

All of em

CAL3 said:

james said:

If you don't appreciate Lovesexy, go and take a listen to it again. Think about what he did before, and what came after, and what else was in the charts at the time... in 1988! And in the context of it as an answer/companion to The Black Album.

Listen on good headphones and hear the little details, and effort that went into making it such a unique and timeless record.

It's bizarre, funky, mind blowing stuff.

.

Next best album... for me Batman, maybe ONA or Come or perhaps High (or whatever that configuration of NPGMC tracks was called).

I love Lovesexy but in 1988 Rolling Stone said it was the first Prince album to start sounding like the rest. I never understood that reasoning but the critics didn't like the album and the lack of a super hit single kept it from grabbing the attention of the masses.

Phase Two

Gold Experience

Batman

Diamonds and Pearls

Art Official
3121
[Edited 8/26/17 10:47am]
[Edited 8/26/17 11:13am]

blacksignparade said:

AndrewMc said:

Lotusflower for me. Masterpiece.

The guitar work on Lotusflow3r is top-notch.

206Michelle said:

AndrewMc said:

Lotusflower for me. Masterpiece.

The guitar work on Lotusflow3r is top-notch.

I have a really hard time getting into Lotusflow3r for some reason. I guess I can throw it on again tonight and try again. I don't know what it is. It strikes me as, like generic or something. Too smooth. I don't know.

The Gold Experience by a long shot. Close 2nd for me is Diamonds and Pearls, take off Jughead and Push and you have a meticulous album full of hits and accessible pop jams. It is the album that made me a fan.

.

Right up there too

.

3121

Art Official Age

Hit n Run 2

20 Ten

Lovesymbol.

.

All of them are flawed in someway though, even TGE in some ways, but Lovesexy was his last perfect album. Batman on the other hand I consider one of his worst, larded down with crappy filler.

there are true gems on every single album - b4 and after lovesexy.
some may take some time to get into them. but that's the best thing about prince's music imo.

Adorecream said:

The Gold Experience by a long shot. Close 2nd for me is Diamonds and Pearls, take off Jughead and Push and you have a meticulous album full of hits and accessible pop jams. It is the album that made me a fan.

.

Right up there too

.

3121

Art Official Age

Hit n Run 2

20 Ten

Lovesymbol.

.

All of them are flawed in someway though, even TGE in some ways, but Lovesexy was his last perfect album. Batman on the other hand I consider one of his worst, larded down with crappy filler.

.

'The Gold Experience' has aged exceptionally poorly, IMO. I find the semi-rapped songs ("P Control," "Now") rather embarrassing more than 20 years on.

.

The NPG Operator stuff and the 'interactive' concept is clunky.

.

As a purpose-built grand finale, the song "Gold" is chintzy - a low-rent, wannabe "anthem" that finds P gunning for the charts at the expense of imaginative playing and arranging.

.

There's a clutch of strong individual songs, but it just doesn't all come together as a cohesive whole.

.

You may or may not agree of course (I noted that you admitted TGE is flawed "in some ways").

.

Agree that 'Lovesexy' is his last perfect album.

.

My nominee for second-best post-'Lovesexy' album is "Graffiti Bridge."

james said:

CAL3 said:

.

Agree with you strongly re: LOVESEXY. And also BATMAN.

.

But uh... COME? All I can say is, I HOPE you're joking!

To be honest I've not listened to Come in years, but when I think of that set of songs there's none that I hate... None that are staggeringly great also, but it's a pretty consistent album.

.

For me the problem with 'Come' is that it doesn't function well as a cohesive album. It sounds like a bunch of tracks lined up --- more like a mixtape than a full statement.

.

And of those tracks, most are - frankly speaking - second-rate filler.

.

The title track is saved by the great horn arrangement, but the rhythm track is way too repetitive and mechanical to support 11 minutes. A real drummer might've made this a killer jam.

.

The acoustic remix of "Space" from the maxi-single helps bring out that song's potential, but the arrangement/production on the album is too busy. There's not enough harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus to keep the ho-hum melody interesting.

.

"Pheromone" tells an interesting tale lyrically, though again the production is too busy and the drum track is monotonous (and yet P would continue to spin variations on the same lazy beat over and over throughout the years). The song overstays its welcome at five minutes.

.

"Loose!" - quite possibly the most insubstantive lyric he committed to an official release. Sort of a pleasingly ferocious beat, but this would've been a just-okay B-side.

.

No qualms with "Papa" - classic track.

.

"Race" is another cringe-worthy quasi-rap track (catchy chorus though).

.

No qualms with "Dark" - stellar.

.

"Solo" for me works as an experiment in super-lowkey accompaniment, and an interesting collaboration with David Henry Hwang. The virtusoic vocal doesn't quite overcome the unappealing melody.

.

"Letitgo" is a solid single with intriguing lyrics.

.

"Orgasm" - waste of space, barely warrants a mention.

.

Can't understand anyone's fascination with or appreciation of this album, his first "F You" to Warner and, by extension, his first "F You" to his audience.

.

Appallingly shoddy album effort with three very worthwhile individual cuts.

CAL3 said:

james said:

CAL3 said: To be honest I've not listened to Come in years, but when I think of that set of songs there's none that I hate... None that are staggeringly great also, but it's a pretty consistent album.

.

For me the problem with 'Come' is that it doesn't function well as a cohesive album. It sounds like a bunch of tracks lined up --- more like a mixtape than a full statement.

.

And of those tracks, most are - frankly speaking - second-rate filler.

.

The title track is saved by the great horn arrangement, but the rhythm track is way too repetitive and mechanical to support 11 minutes. A real drummer might've made this a killer jam.

.

The acoustic remix of "Space" from the maxi-single helps bring out that song's potential, but the arrangement/production on the album is too busy. There's not enough harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus to keep the ho-hum melody interesting.

.

"Pheromone" tells an interesting tale lyrically, though again the production is too busy and the drum track is monotonous (and yet P would continue to spin variations on the same lazy beat over and over throughout the years). The song overstays its welcome at five minutes.

.

"Loose!" - quite possibly the most insubstantive lyric he committed to an official release. Sort of a pleasingly ferocious beat, but this would've been a just-okay B-side.

.

No qualms with "Papa" - classic track.

.

"Race" is another cringe-worthy quasi-rap track (catchy chorus though).

.

No qualms with "Dark" - stellar.

.

"Solo" for me works as an experiment in super-lowkey accompaniment, and an interesting collaboration with David Henry Hwang. The virtusoic vocal doesn't quite overcome the unappealing melody.

.

"Letitgo" is a solid single with intriguing lyrics.

.

"Orgasm" - waste of space, barely warrants a mention.

.

Can't understand anyone's fascination with or appreciation of this album, his first "F You" to Warner and, by extension, his first "F You" to his audience.

.

Appallingly shoddy album effort with three very worthwhile individual cuts.

Don't fullt agree, Come is very uneven and the 3 songs you have chosen are generally good except Papa - never got it.

My analysis

.

Come - This is banging and off the hook, dirty and funky and some cool lines. It would have been better if cut down to say 7 minutes

Space - How can u not love this, sonic bliss, funky and sexy ballad and his vocals are creamy

Pheromone - Another classic, one of his finest sex thriller songs and some amazing lyrics. Plus how can you not love the falsetto.

Loose - Not bad, but too loud and screechy, the mid 90s swearing trend is cringeworthy now.

Papa - This is an experiement and not really a song, more a spoken word diatribe against Child abuse (I have no problems with the message though)

Race - agree, this is a throwaway although again I kind of agree with his message.

Dark - Glad you love it, as this is his finest woman done me wrong ballad of the lot, easily the best track on the album and up there with Space and Pheromone.

Solo - Ridiculous self indulgent experiment - yuck!

Letitgo - Great jangly pop and a nice accessible groove, this is excellent and good old "Hey its Pop Prince again, did u miss me"

Orgasm - i agree, stupid waste of space.

.

Agree with TGE, take off the NPG operators and some of the excessive swearing and you have a better album., still the songs on this album are just .... wow I mean you have Dolphin, Gold, Shh!, Now, 319, Billy Jack Bitch and Eye Hate U, I mean those are outstanding - sorry.

Adorecream said:

CAL3 said:

.

For me the problem with 'Come' is that it doesn't function well as a cohesive album. It sounds like a bunch of tracks lined up --- more like a mixtape than a full statement.

.

And of those tracks, most are - frankly speaking - second-rate filler.

.

The title track is saved by the great horn arrangement, but the rhythm track is way too repetitive and mechanical to support 11 minutes. A real drummer might've made this a killer jam.

.

The acoustic remix of "Space" from the maxi-single helps bring out that song's potential, but the arrangement/production on the album is too busy. There's not enough harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus to keep the ho-hum melody interesting.

.

"Pheromone" tells an interesting tale lyrically, though again the production is too busy and the drum track is monotonous (and yet P would continue to spin variations on the same lazy beat over and over throughout the years). The song overstays its welcome at five minutes.

.

"Loose!" - quite possibly the most insubstantive lyric he committed to an official release. Sort of a pleasingly ferocious beat, but this would've been a just-okay B-side.

.

No qualms with "Papa" - classic track.

.

"Race" is another cringe-worthy quasi-rap track (catchy chorus though).

.

No qualms with "Dark" - stellar.

.

"Solo" for me works as an experiment in super-lowkey accompaniment, and an interesting collaboration with David Henry Hwang. The virtusoic vocal doesn't quite overcome the unappealing melody.

.

"Letitgo" is a solid single with intriguing lyrics.

.

"Orgasm" - waste of space, barely warrants a mention.

.

Can't understand anyone's fascination with or appreciation of this album, his first "F You" to Warner and, by extension, his first "F You" to his audience.

.

Appallingly shoddy album effort with three very worthwhile individual cuts.

Don't fullt agree, Come is very uneven and the 3 songs you have chosen are generally good except Papa - never got it.

My analysis

.

Come - This is banging and off the hook, dirty and funky and some cool lines. It would have been better if cut down to say 7 minutes

Space - How can u not love this, sonic bliss, funky and sexy ballad and his vocals are creamy

Pheromone - Another classic, one of his finest sex thriller songs and some amazing lyrics. Plus how can you not love the falsetto.

Loose - Not bad, but too loud and screechy, the mid 90s swearing trend is cringeworthy now.

Papa - This is an experiement and not really a song, more a spoken word diatribe against Child abuse (I have no problems with the message though)

Race - agree, this is a throwaway although again I kind of agree with his message.

Dark - Glad you love it, as this is his finest woman done me wrong ballad of the lot, easily the best track on the album and up there with Space and Pheromone.

Solo - Ridiculous self indulgent experiment - yuck!

Letitgo - Great jangly pop and a nice accessible groove, this is excellent and good old "Hey its Pop Prince again, did u miss me"

Orgasm - i agree, stupid waste of space.

.

Agree with TGE, take off the NPG operators and some of the excessive swearing and you have a better album., still the songs on this album are just .... wow I mean you have Dolphin, Gold, Shh!, Now, 319, Billy Jack Bitch and Eye Hate U, I mean those are outstanding - sorry.

Agree with your thoughts on TGE and Come. Yes, they have their flaws but still a lot of outstanding tracks on both as you listed.

.

How someone would rate Batman & Graffiti Bridge above these is surprising to me but shows the wide range of opinions on here.

These are my contenders:

The Gold Experience

Emancipation

One Nite Alone...

Art Official Age

Hit n Run Phase II

and 3121 deserves a mention

Adorecream said:

CAL3 said:

.

For me the problem with 'Come' is that it doesn't function well as a cohesive album. It sounds like a bunch of tracks lined up --- more like a mixtape than a full statement.

.

And of those tracks, most are - frankly speaking - second-rate filler.

.

The title track is saved by the great horn arrangement, but the rhythm track is way too repetitive and mechanical to support 11 minutes. A real drummer might've made this a killer jam.

.

The acoustic remix of "Space" from the maxi-single helps bring out that song's potential, but the arrangement/production on the album is too busy. There's not enough harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus to keep the ho-hum melody interesting.

.

"Pheromone" tells an interesting tale lyrically, though again the production is too busy and the drum track is monotonous (and yet P would continue to spin variations on the same lazy beat over and over throughout the years). The song overstays its welcome at five minutes.

.

"Loose!" - quite possibly the most insubstantive lyric he committed to an official release. Sort of a pleasingly ferocious beat, but this would've been a just-okay B-side.

.

No qualms with "Papa" - classic track.

.

"Race" is another cringe-worthy quasi-rap track (catchy chorus though).

.

No qualms with "Dark" - stellar.

.

"Solo" for me works as an experiment in super-lowkey accompaniment, and an interesting collaboration with David Henry Hwang. The virtusoic vocal doesn't quite overcome the unappealing melody.

.

"Letitgo" is a solid single with intriguing lyrics.

.

"Orgasm" - waste of space, barely warrants a mention.

.

Can't understand anyone's fascination with or appreciation of this album, his first "F You" to Warner and, by extension, his first "F You" to his audience.

.

Appallingly shoddy album effort with three very worthwhile individual cuts.

Don't fullt agree, Come is very uneven and the 3 songs you have chosen are generally good except Papa - never got it.

My analysis

.

Come - This is banging and off the hook, dirty and funky and some cool lines. It would have been better if cut down to say 7 minutes

Space - How can u not love this, sonic bliss, funky and sexy ballad and his vocals are creamy

Pheromone - Another classic, one of his finest sex thriller songs and some amazing lyrics. Plus how can you not love the falsetto.

Loose - Not bad, but too loud and screechy, the mid 90s swearing trend is cringeworthy now.

Papa - This is an experiement and not really a song, more a spoken word diatribe against Child abuse (I have no problems with the message though)

Race - agree, this is a throwaway although again I kind of agree with his message.

Dark - Glad you love it, as this is his finest woman done me wrong ballad of the lot, easily the best track on the album and up there with Space and Pheromone.

Solo - Ridiculous self indulgent experiment - yuck!

Letitgo - Great jangly pop and a nice accessible groove, this is excellent and good old "Hey its Pop Prince again, did u miss me"

Orgasm - i agree, stupid waste of space.

.

Agree with TGE, take off the NPG operators and some of the excessive swearing and you have a better album., still the songs on this album are just .... wow I mean you have Dolphin, Gold, Shh!, Now, 319, Billy Jack Bitch and Eye Hate U, I mean those are outstanding - sorry.

.

I think overall the only tunes on 'Come' we significantly disagree on are "Space" and "Papa." The former I find pleasant, but unmemorable. It's certainly not bad, just kind of floats by weightlessly without leaving much impression (on me). The latter, I don't find particularly experimental - I think the narrative part is riveting thanks to Prince's dramatic delivery, and when the "Fair to partly crazy" kicks in it's just so... cathartic. Love it, love it, love it.

.

Re: TGE, just adding that although it seems a lot of folks can't stand "Shy" I think it's quite a bitchin' track (if only the extraneous sound effects hadn't been added; i.e. car door, etc).

Love Symbol

N.E.W.S.

Rainbow Children

The Truth

3121

Lotus Flower

HitNRun Phase II

Plenty of quality albums. better albums outside the 'classic' period than in it, albeit over a longer period of time

johnnyribcage said:

blacksignparade said:

johnnyribcage said:

Lol you rank Love Symbol as a peak and Diamonds as "absolute trash?" What are you smoking?! Love Symbol is kind of a Diamonds and Pearls Part II, only not as good and with a lot of the sins of Diamonds amplified and magnified through the roof. All the cocky shit talking, the god-awful new jack rapping, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I think there are some decent tracks on Love Symbol. If fine. But if you say Diamonds is trash and Praise Love Symbol, I'd be really surprised if you told me you listened to both back to back anytime recently.

. They're nothing alike to my ears. The only great song on d and p is Money Don't Matter Tonight. All the rest are trash, especially the other singles off the album. It was his worst album, that was until emancipation came out. Yuck. . I debated ever buying another prince album after d and p. Then i heard My Name Is Prince. Went straight to record store and bought the love symbol album. Loved pretty much every song on it. .

Interesting. I guess that's the thing with Prince though, everyone hears something different and it means something different to everyone. To me, My Name is Prince is cut from the exact same cloth as Thunder. Production quality is a little higher on My Name Is Prince. It's a little more balls-out agressive. But it's kind of the same deal.

I'm curious - what specifically do you find wrong with tracks like Willing and Able, Walk Don't Walk, Daddy Pop, Cream?