Since there are threads for the '90s and the oughts, here's one for the twenty-teens (I'm a completist).

Songs from 2010 through 2016:

• Lavaux
• Laydown
• Indifference
• Breakfast Can Wait (Expresso Mix)
• The Gold Standard
• U Know
• This Could B Us (AOA version)
• Way Back Home
• Time
• Like a Mack
• X's Face
• Rock N Roll Love Affair (HNR 2 version)
• Look at Me, Look at U
• Stare
• Xtralovable (HNR 2/horn version)
• When She Comes
• Black Muse
• Big City

dodger said:

Surely Free Urself and, his final masterpiece IMO, Revelation should be on there

This.

Would consider adding to great songs mentioned above...

Clouds
June

Hardrocklover
Baltimore (song took a bit to grow, but quickly came to love it)
WOW
Live Out Loud
FUNKNROLL (too much fun to leave out)
Da Bourgeoisie (but like some other songs, IMO sad/problematic lyric content, so NOT for a "sugarcoated showcase")
2Y2D (on a lighter note re: lyrics, would really like to hear 3EG doing this -- "He's old enough to..., but too young to...")
Beginning Endlessly
Compassion

Same Page Different Book
Laydown Extended (assuming that's not already what's intended)


Covers:

The Whole of The Moon

Waiting in Vain

[Edited 11/16/20 9:41am]

Laydown

Clouds

Breakdown

Xtraloveable

Lavaux

This Could Be Us

Way Back Home

Hardrock Lover

Fall in Love 2nite

1000 Xs & Os

great album...

rednblue said:

Would consider adding to great songs mentioned above...

Baltimore (song took a bit to grow, but quickly came to love it)

[Edited 11/14/20 17:24pm]

I like the music and melody of Baltimore in-and-of-itself, but it doesn't seem appropriate to the subject matter / lyrics.

The tone of a song on this topic should either be A.) an defiant protest anthem ("F' the police!), or B.) a somber reflection. Yet, the tone of this song is, inexplicably, peppy, boucing, happy-go-lucky.

Future Soul Song

lurker316 said:

rednblue said:

Would consider adding to great songs mentioned above...

Baltimore (song took a bit to grow, but quickly came to love it)

[Edited 11/14/20 17:24pm]

I like the music and melody of Baltimore in-and-of-itself, but it doesn't seem appropriate to the subject matter / lyrics.

The tone of a song on this topic should either be A.) an defiant protest anthem ("F' the police!), or B.) a somber reflection. Yet, the tone of this song is, inexplicably, peppy, boucing, happy-go-lucky.

Appreciate the response, and yes, the topic is utterly distressing, infuriating, horrid stuff. It may well have been its somewhat unexpected (to me) tone that kept me from instantly loving it the way I do now.

NOT saying I'm right about the tone being appropriate in general...just that it started working for me. Want to be careful here, because don't want to suggest any minimizing of this topic.

The song to me now feels like a pain-tinged reflection of the struggle and a call for continued strength and action.

Edited to add: Have been thinking on protest songs. Clearly the last thing one wants to do is minimize situations of persecution and human rights violations. In thinking on it, have been coming up with more variety in the feel of the songs than I expected. Good protest songs can obviously be very powerful. If you don't mind me asking, what do you think of the tone of these two ("Free Nelson Mandela" and "El Salvador") songs?


https://youtu.be/AgcTvoWjZJU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Li-zAM4MM

[Edited 11/14/20 21:03pm]

rednblue said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

rednblue said:

Appreciate the response, and yes, the topic is utterly distressing, infuriating, horrid stuff. It may well have been its somewhat unexpected (to me) tone that kept me from instantly loving it the way I do now.

NOT saying I'm right about the tone being appropriate in general...just that it started working for me. Want to be careful here, because don't want to suggest any minimizing of this topic.

The song to me now feels like a pain-tinged reflection of the struggle and a call for continued strength and action.

Edited to add: Have been thinking on protest songs. Clearly the last thing one wants to do is minimize situations of persecution and human rights violations. In thinking on it, have been coming up with more variety in the feel of the songs than I expected. Good protest songs can obviously be very powerful. If you don't mind me asking, what do you think of the tone of these two ("Free Nelson Mandela" and "El Salvador") songs?


https://youtu.be/AgcTvoWjZJU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Li-zAM4MM

[Edited 11/14/20 21:03pm]

Baltimore was just too twee

If you don't mind my asking and you have time to take a listen/look, what do you think of the linked protest songs?

Also, if you've seen the Baltimore video, what do think of it?

i would say :

the funky 'Lavaux' from 20ten,

'Black Muse' of course, which is in my top 20 of his best songs,

the instrumental 'PlectrumElectrum' with 3rdEyeGirl,

'Midnight Blues' which is as good as the excellent Hendrix' material,

a maybe controversy one : the ethereal 'Tic Tac Toe' with its Cocteau Twins dream-like atmosphere

the melodic 'Whitecaps'

'Cause and effects' rocks and the Lisbon live version is excellent

i'm not a big fan of some songs of Art Official Age, but i like the overall sound of the record, especially its modern texture, so i would add to my list 'Clouds' and 'Time'

BlueLantern said:

i would say :

the funky 'Lavaux' from 20ten,

'Black Muse' of course, which is in my top 20 of his best songs,

the instrumental 'PlectrumElectrum' with 3rdEyeGirl,

'Midnight Blues' which is as good as the excellent Hendrix' material,

a maybe controversy one : the ethereal 'Tic Tac Toe' with its Cocteau Twins dream-like atmosphere

the melodic 'Whitecaps'

'Cause and effects' rocks and the Lisbon live version is excellent

i'm not a big fan of some songs of Art Official Age, but i like the overall sound of the record, especially its modern texture, so i would add to my list 'Clouds' and 'Time'

Thanks for mentioning Tic Tac Toe! Like it a lot. Almost listed it, then shied away thinking many may not be into it. But shying away like that is so counter to the point of a "showcase" thread.

[Edited 11/15/20 8:57am]

yes, it is a good song, happy that you like it too

[Edited 11/15/20 8:26am]

WOW

ANOTHERLOVE (if it includes covers)

FunkNRoll

Plec Elec

FixUrLifeUp

Marz

X's Face

HardRockLover

1,000 X's n 0's

JUNE

RockNroll Love Affair

Stare

Groovy Potential

Black Muse

Big City

Xtraloveable

If Eye Could Get Your Attention

Art Official Cage

Clouds

Breakdown

U Know

Way Back Home

Time

Sticky Like Glue

Everybody Loves Me (i love this song. It should be considered a sin to hate on this.)

Indifference

Free Urself

[Edited 11/15/20 8:51am]

i forgot to mention 'Screwdriver' and 'Shades of Umber'

part of the problem for this period is that there is probably a lot of material that hasn't been released yet, and maybe will not be released soon.

[Edited 11/15/20 9:33am]

[Edited 11/15/20 9:40am]

The Sweeter She Is

U Will Be

rednblue said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

rednblue said:

If you don't mind my asking and you have time to take a listen/look, what do you think of the linked protest songs?

Also, if you've seen the Baltimore video, what do think of it?

Not seen the video for Baltimore But I like free Nelson Mandela Protest songs dont have to be blowing in the wind by Dylan or a change is gonna come or on the more militant side, fuck the police or fight the power I just dont think Baltimore is that special a song though, full stop It sounds weirdly twee and devoid of passion Sounds like prince was going for a kind of detached 60s vibe but it sounds anaemic and more than a bit derivative Like he felt he had to write something about what happened but then I've never felt hes THAT kind of artist Hes better just writing about himself than big events or issues [Edited 11/15/20 13:19pm]

The video is a very direct presentation of what was happening in the city. I wonder if you'd find it even more of an odd disconnect to hear the song while seeing the images. I like the song and video, but as I'm sure you know, you're far from alone in finding that Baltimore didn't really work.

Much appreciate your thoughts and song examples. They bring even more songs to mind...music from my parents Weavers records, Mahalia Jackson singing We Shall Overcome, The Times They Are a-Changin, Get Up Stand Up, Strange Fruit, Biko, Living for the City, etc., etc.

[Edited 11/15/20 21:35pm]

Free Urself

June

Way Back Home

Time

afirmation III

Black Muse

X's Face

Rock n Roll Loveaffair

Stare

Baltimore

Clouds

Wow

Another Love

Layitdown

Hardrocklover

1000 XnOs

U Know

rednblue said:

Would consider adding to great songs mentioned above...

Clouds
June

Hardrocklover
Baltimore (song took a bit to grow, but quickly came to love it)
WOW
Live Out Loud
FUNKNROLL (too much fun to leave out)
Da Bourgeoisie (but like some other songs, IMO sad/problematic lyric content, so NOT for a "sugarcoated showcase")
2Y2D (on a lighter note re: lyrics, would really like to hear 3EG doing this -- "He's old enough to..., but too young to...")
Beginning Endlessly
Compassion

Same Page Different Book
Laydown Extended (assuming that's not already what's intended)


Covers:

The Whole of The Moon

Waiting in Vain

Joke is on me. Should have been paying better attention! Just learned from Prince Vault that 3EG DID record a version of 2Y2D. I heard it was great in concert, and would also love to hear how it came out in the studio.

My lyrical wish as reality is surely too much to hope for, but maybe I'll get to hear that version for myself one day.

Also, especially with observation about Da Bougeoisie, should make clear that women singing about "she" and men singing about "he" would be equally as great. Just thinking stereotypically here...for better or for worse.

Has anyone heard it?

[Edited 11/16/20 10:54am]

Time.

Uhhh, yeah, I'm out.

[Edited 11/16/20 10:32am]

MattyJam said:

Even though I'm not totally in love with every song on it (I'm looking at you, The Gold Standard and Funknroll), I really can't break up Art Official Age. I mean, it was Prince's last fully-realized concept album and, without question, the strongest thing he'd done since Lotusflow3r.

The HnRs (especially 1) can suck it, in general.

There's really people that don't like his last 4 albums? mind boggling.