ian said:

Really loving this collection so far. Such a shame to have it as Tidal exclusive on June 7th, I'd have loved to go out and buy a physical copy of it today of all days. Anyway, let's hope they do a second volume.

Yeah, the Tidal preview should have been 2 weeks ago and today the hard copy release etc.

BartVanHemelen said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

Why the songs of the eighties put by Prince in Crystal Ball or Splash had excellent sounds

.

CB was brickwalled to death.

Originals is brickwalled to death, too.

TheEnglishGent said:

JAYJOE said:

I do like this album for what it is, but it's been 3 years I'm ready for the unreleased properly finished and mastered tracks that Prince himself was happy with...... e.g.

Turn Me Loose

We Live 2 Get Funky

Welcome 2 America

Born To Die

Adonis & Bathsheba

Same Page, Different Book

Check The Record

All My Dreams

In A Large Room With No Light

The Grand Progression

Days Of Wild (Studio)

Others Here With Us

Prince & The Band

Train

And the list continues.........

There are all great but I really want stuff we don't already have and haven't even heard of. A lot of these are already out and about in general circulation in excellent quality.

Wasn't Same Page Different Book an official release?

[Edited 6/7/19 11:45am]

Oh I agree on the the totally unheard tracks like. Born 2 Die, Check The Record, Strawberries etc this was just showing some of the unreleased tracks that we know are out there that have yet to be officially released by the estate, Same Page was only streamed so quality was low

ian said:

Really loving this collection so far. Such a shame to have it as Tidal exclusive on June 7th, I'd have loved to go out and buy a physical copy of it today of all days. Anyway, let's hope they do a second volume.

The Estate has written about this quite a few times, about this album wrapping up their legal obligation to TIDAL. It will be interesting to see if they continue to work with TIDAL when they don't legally have to . . .

Is this the first album to be released (such as it is) on his birthday? I know some singles (incuding soft and wet) were but not an album.

mnfriend said:

I told myself Stop being an old lady and sign up for Tidal. And now I can’t get in and have to wait.

What's stopping you getting in?

I absolutely love the album and I'm known to be critical. I think this is an album for fans because we get to hear his unfinished product and compare it with the finished versions. Getting this glimpse into the studio helps us see a side of his genius that we rarely get to see. I'm not sure that this release is for the masses because his vocals are mostly guide tracks not meant for release so some of the vocals are not very polished or sung in a style to fit the artist that it is intended for. A prime example would be Gigolos, which I was initially very excited to hear. However, one I heard it, I realized that there is a reason why he gave it to Morris. Candidly, Morris did Gigolos and Jungle Love much better, which is no diss of Prince. It just shows that Prince is a great songwriter and can write songs with other artists in mind. That Kenny Rogers song also sounds very weird in Prince's voice, but it works for Kenny. With that said, he should have kept that striking version of Neon Rendevous.

BartVanHemelen said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

Why the songs of the eighties put by Prince in Crystal Ball or Splash had excellent sounds

.

CB was brickwalled to death.

.

Most of the '80 songs on Crystal Ball have a better sound that Originals, IMHO

TheEnglishGent said:

A review from the current with a Duane comment track by track (except Would You Love to Love Me, strange!)

https://www.thecurrent.or...-originals

New Variety article, featuring interviews with Susannah Melvoin, Jill Jones and Peggy McCreary: https://variety.com/2019/...203235532/

BartVanHemelen said:

New Variety article, featuring interviews with Susannah Melvoin, Jill Jones and Peggy McCreary: https://variety.com/2019/...203235532/

"How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” It’s such a great song. The long version is gonna come out soon, we faded it out."

mnfriend said:

rdhull said:

soladeo1 said:

I think they’re pretty excited at interest and enthusiasm, frankly. And even better - the critical reaction has been rapturous!

Ok but that doesn’t exactly mean what I asked. I understand it’s getting marketing push that’s better than previous releases which shows they have faith in the release, etc but I dont think they are expecting blockbuster [Edited 6/7/19 9:37am]

Why would they think this is going to appeal to anyone other than die hards? I mean can we all get serious and let go of the idea that NEW FANS are going to suddenly get into prince now. The way media and people are now with having the attention span of about a week, this album needed to come out days after his death if they thought in terms of "Blockbuster" sales. this is for the fans as will ANY reissues, nothing is going to be huge at all, the remaster of PURPLE RAIN his biggest most wide appealing work ever, sold less than 1% of what the original sold, about 180,000 overall sold of it since it came out.

lastdecember said:

rdhull said:

soladeo1 said: Ok but that doesn’t exactly mean what I asked. I understand it’s getting marketing push that’s better than previous releases which shows they have faith in the release, etc but I dont think they are expecting blockbuster [Edited 6/7/19 9:37am]

Why would they think this is going to appeal to anyone other than die hards? I mean can we all get serious and let go of the idea that NEW FANS are going to suddenly get into prince now. The way media and people are now with having the attention span of about a week, this album needed to come out days after his death if they thought in terms of "Blockbuster" sales. this is for the fans as will ANY reissues, nothing is going to be huge at all, the remaster of PURPLE RAIN his biggest most wide appealing work ever, sold less than 1% of what the original sold, about 180,000 overall sold of it since it came out.

DJ's need to spin "Erotic City" in all nightclubs for starters, should be a dancefloor standard. Then you will have a new crowd already.

BartVanHemelen said:

New Variety article, featuring interviews with Susannah Melvoin, Jill Jones and Peggy McCreary: https://variety.com/2019/...203235532/

Hay, I always wanted to ask about your signature:

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
your use. All rights reserved.

First, maybe you should Google "NPG Music Club" and see that it has been discontinued for some time now, and a non-existent Club could not authorize your post even if it was in existence. Also, NO WARRANTIES? Really?

I have NEVER EVER EVER SEEN A POST ON ANY WEBSITE that did not have a three page attachment including the Warranty. All posts have Warranties. Why would you not include such a common thing with your online posts?

But I do have to say your posts on Originals is award winning, in depth, and without errors, even if you forgot to include the Warranty. Great Job.

Wouldn't You Love To Love Me.......I can't stop dancing. What a track.

Wolfie87 said:

lastdecember said:

Why would they think this is going to appeal to anyone other than die hards? I mean can we all get serious and let go of the idea that NEW FANS are going to suddenly get into prince now. The way media and people are now with having the attention span of about a week, this album needed to come out days after his death if they thought in terms of "Blockbuster" sales. this is for the fans as will ANY reissues, nothing is going to be huge at all, the remaster of PURPLE RAIN his biggest most wide appealing work ever, sold less than 1% of what the original sold, about 180,000 overall sold of it since it came out.

DJ's need to spin "Erotic City" in all nightclubs for starters, should be a dancefloor standard. Then you will have a new crowd already.

Nobody who goes clubbing (the youth) is tryna hear no dann Erotic City.

rdhull said:

Wolfie87 said:

DJ's need to spin "Erotic City" in all nightclubs for starters, should be a dancefloor standard. Then you will have a new crowd already.

Nobody who goes clubbing (the youth) is tryna hear no dann Erotic City.

Our clubs always keep a mix of variety from different decades. Good music is good music. So your statement is wrong. 17 Days would be great on a dancefloor as well.

Sound quality is not the best. i hear hiss on tracks..

My first thoughts if these are Originals why is jill jones on baby your a trip.

Sheila on Holly Rock Frankenstein mixes i guess

it its what it is a guess

I’m really enjoying it. For me, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Sure it’s really annoying they put the edited versions on there (I’m guessing this is deliberate for future sales, as there is room on the disc), and the vocal mix is a little low on tracks like Manic and Make-up, but I doubt that would be a deliberate act by the engineers/producers.

But the vocals on You’re My Love, Noon Rendezvous and Gigolos are a delight.

As for the ‘Frankenstein’ version argument, it’s too early to tell if this is even an issue. This issue would go away if estate simply provided technical information, plus, untouched versions may come at a later date, in more hardcore comprehensive sets.

If you look at various mainstream archive releases, it’s not uncommon for parts from various takes or mix downs to be combined; The most obvious being the Beatles anthology. They made a better version using individual unreleased takes and mixes and combining them. But they were clear in the notes what they had done.

If you know the original take/demo versions (For example, ‘You’ve got to hide your love away’ or ‘Strawberry Fields’), then you know the result on Anthology is superior, but it’s not an archival record of ‘as it was recorded’. Interestingly, it was the band members that were happy to sign off these alternatives. Who’s to say Prince wouldn’t have been the same?

Equally, I didn’t have a problem with the MJ’s Xscape approach, because they made the originals available.

Both these approaches are fine, if they are up front about it.

I love the information ‘elite’ collectors have provided on the org over the years, but I do think their argument out legacy destruction is misguided. I think judgement gets clouded when the exclusivity of their ‘stash’ is eroded by official releases.

Lets take ‘Manic Monday’ as an example. The new album’s purpose is to let people hear Prince singing the song he gave to the Bangles. It was never sold as ‘here’s the demo/take 1/final take’. The job of the producers is to make it as sonically pleasing as possible, not to pander to completists who want to argue over the one (and often incomplete) reference point they have.

Ironically, the best way to ensure that the labels put stuff out untouched without the wraith of the fan base, is to ensure the fan base already knows what it should sound like, and not hoarded by a few. Releasing snippets to try and prove a point doesn’t prove a label wrong. It’s a pretentious assumption that their version of events, and how the archive should be handled, must be correct, and sounds more like a school yard argument.

If you want people to know how original mixes are sounded, let them free, rather than lecture those who enjoy what’s put out.

I find it amusing when ‘elite’ traders get annoyed with peers who ‘sell’ tracks to bootleggers; as if they have broken a code. Prince is dead, and he ain’t coming after the ex-employees and traders that share the rare stuff.

The stance is hypocritical. The people who supplied and handle the elite material are breaking the very code Prince expected people to uphold. But when the table is turned, and the exclusivity of their stash is threatened, they get defensive.

If the ‘legacy’ is being eroded, the elite traders are as much to blame as the estate, as they are criticising from the shadows, rather than blowing the issue out in the open.

If an elite trader tells me a track has been altered but won’t share it; verses a bootlegger, and now, the estate who will provide me with ‘a’ version, I’m going to side with the bootlegger and estate every time.

One side is giving me a rant, the other is giving me Prince music. I’ll side with the music.

Favorite Songs from the set:

1. Love... Thy Will Be Done

2. Make-Up

3. Gigolos Get Lonely Too

4. Holly Rock

5. You're My Love

Honorable Mention:

1. Wouldn't You Love To Love Me

So damn eclectic. I like this release if only just for the way it reminds me of his prowess in such a specific way. Like, "LTWBD," shouldn't be on this for all the reasons outlined, but none of the songs really cohere anyways. I'd rather have the song than not. WYLTLM is also amazing, just wish it could have the same clarity the rest have.

My one nitpick: the cover and title of this release are terrible. It looks like a bad bootleg. I liked how they did P&M83 in terms of optics but this is on some "graphic design is my passion" type ish.

Solid release. They shoulda named the album "Portraits in Pronoun Courage"

Kind of striking hearing him sing from female perspective. He was famous for his gender-bending aesthetics. But rarely sang such things first person. Not implying anything other than he was someone who was so possessed of creative vision, he fearlessly went where it led. Gotta admire the commitment.

Standouts include:

Noon Rendezvous -- definitive. Proof others just can't channel his raw intimacy.

Make-Up -- classic schizo new wave. How do you make 100 wasps in a tin can sound funky? Nobody did it better.

100 MPH -- solid jam.

You're My Love -- Thanks for coming out folks. Buffet's closing in 10. Look, I know this song was meant for the Coward of the County. But seriously, was Michael McDonald first pick? I can imagine Prince aping McDonald's husky soulful tone in that same way people made fun of McDonald.

Holly Rock -- Sheila's version is hard enough to find. Glad to have the original. Calls to mind Black Album's raw cartoonish funk.

Baby You're A Trip -- love Jill. But I like this version better. His falsetto rap at the end is EVERY thing.

The Glamorous Life -- Rare instance where the official release is superior. Still, this is fun.

Gigolos Get Lonely Too -- Never was fascinated with the official. The persona is funny but distracts. But this original makes the music more accessible and enjoyable.

Love Thy Will Be Done -- Such a cherished and affecting song. The layered vocals are intense. What a vision. Martika's take on the original is still safe.

Dear Michaelangelo -- Love to hear that guitar grinding. Takes you back and calls to mind a backlit, otherworldly Prince seducing you in a smoky void. You want to call out stranger danger. But the phone in your hand turns into a rose as he glares and beckons "Don't die, don't die... without love..."

Wouldn't You Love to Love Me -- AWW YEAH. The funk is heavy on this "All Skate!" throwback jam. Calls to mind everything I love about the jamming tail end of I Wanna Be Your Lover. Wish the sound quality was better.

Nothing Compares 2 U -- eh, yeah. Hard to imagine what anybody might do with this song. Can you imagine receiving this original as "gift" and faced with the challenge, "okay, your turn." WHY WOULD YOU PAINT A BETTER SMILE ON THE MONA LISA?

[Edited 6/7/19 18:37pm]

OldFriends4Sale said:

I'm very greatful for this. Cannot wait to own a physical copy

1. 100MPH: loving the extra guitar work ****
2. Baby You're A Trip: -is cool, never got into before, a good vocal workout, I enjoy hearing Prince singing the 'spoken' part **
3. Dear Michaelangelo: -always loved the song, love hearing the extra instrumentations, loving the drumming/linn. The opening I love, a combination of this and the released version would be perfection *****
4. Gigolos Get Lonely Too -Morris definately did a better job vocally, but this is one of very rare times we hear Prince singing lead on a Time piece ***
5. Holly Rock -never cared for the song so much, but loving this with the extra Minni sound and the use of the Romance 1600 band, it's wilder. I wish he would not have pulled back on the released version *****
6. Jungle Love -eh **
7. Love-Thy Will Be Done -nice, has that airy 90s feel with a touch of Batman-esque
8. Make Up -always loved this one, Susan or Prince great song *****
9. Manic Monday -should have been released through the Prince camp, and this confirms it even more
10. Noon Rendezvous -enjoy the evolution, simple cool ***
11. NC2U -heard before, I like the PR era sound ***
12. Sex Shooter -enjoy the evolution, nothing to shout about ***
13. The Glamorous Life -enjoy the evolution, Sheila E kicks it up 5 notches ***
14. Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me -I LOVE this, the feel of that 79/80 period with some extra purple electricity and pump *****
15. My Love is 4Ever -I actually appreciate this, feels like a 1977 demo ***

Being a little hard on your star rating, no? Remember this is Prince laying down a vocal track for the proteges to follow. I'm sure had he released these songs under his name, Glamorous Life and Gigolos would be fire! I think it's cool how Prince mimics the voice of the person who he was giving the track to, especially Morris' voice! Classic Prince!

SquirrelMeat said:

I find it amusing when ‘elite’ traders get annoyed with peers who ‘sell’ tracks to bootleggers; as if they have broken a code. Prince is dead, and he ain’t coming after the ex-employees and traders that share the rare stuff.

Preach. At this rate (of releases) we'll all get to hear Prince perform originals, as intended, in the afterlife.

joyinrepetition said: