Vannormal said:

jhon00 said:

Not enough FUNK! Funny FUNK. Cool Funk. Nasty Funk. Dirty Funk. Raw Funk.

-

That!

Topday, 2 out of five.

But tomorrow maybe 3... who knows.

The fucker still needs to grow on me (maybe).

Too much of lame two chord songs with barely any inspiration.

Up until now, I understand why Prince held it back.

But... we'll see within a week or so.

-

-

Well, me big mouth.

Today, i rate it 2,5 to 3 out of five after many more listenings.

Why ?

It's been a long time we had a cohesive new Prince sounding album.

Although the sound still isn't my thang.

But the album kinda 'works'.

It is a solid piece of Prince work tbh.

Even the goddman flatout silly songs like 'Hot Summer' and 'Same Page...' fit in OK.

But I can't help to feel it is a mediocre Prince album to me.

It is too easy and not enough Princy.

For me, I can feel his struggles wit hreligion and succes and hits and all that.

It is there in that album.

His political and society issues in his lyrics are somehow silly and doubtfull.

-

Give it a few more listens. The grooves become a bit hypnotic. Also lots to be said about have a consistent theme and sound through a whole album. I went from giving this what I though was a generous 2 (but never should have been released) to a solid 3 (and thinking wth was he thinking keeping it in vault). long term it may go higher.

AlexNevermind28 said:

I don’t post on here much and this is the longest it’s ever taken me to listen to a Prince cd after getting it(almost a week) but upon initial listen it is not good at all. When Hot Summer is your best track then something’s wrong. I wish the estate would just stick to 80s and 90s songs because this should have stayed in the vault. 2 stars.

I can respect somebody not enjoying an album, but to say it should have stayed in the vault is ridiculous. Maybe your money should have stayed in your pocket and you should be more discerning on what you spend in on, but nothing, literally nothing should stay in the vault now that he's gone.

I can't in good conscience give any credence to anybody on prince.org criticizing Prince on anything musical. But with pop music, it's all about "how does this sound to me?". And with Prince, it's more about, "Am I in a place (yet) where this music can be appreciated by me?" If you hate a Prince album, i've learned much more about you than I have the album, and that's cool. You're just not ready yet. Time, as so often is the case, is the remedy. You'll get there.

Anyway, 4 stars for me. The more I listen, the more I enjoy it, and once I vibe enough to feel ready to dive into the lyrics, I'll do that (Sometime in September, I surmise). Then it may go up to 5 stars.

jasopig said:

I just file it under "the album that would have came out in 2011." I don't know if you want to count Superconductor as the 2012 album or if there's another album in there, but it sounds exactly like what he was doing at the time. There's a reason he got 3rd Eye Girl going later on to add a bit of excitement to this stuff.

jaawwnn said:

ChaosDisorder said:

jaawwnn said:

I just file it under "the album that would have came out in 2011." I don't know if you want to count Superconductor as the 2012 album or if there's another album in there, but it sounds exactly like what he was doing at the time. There's a reason he got 3rd Eye Girl going later on to add a bit of excitement to this stuff.

And I know a lot of people didn’t dig 3rdEyeGirl, but man it was great for me to hear some new life and energy from Prince. I LOVE Pretzelbodylogic.

I'm not big on the 3rd Eye Girl album, and yeah he had better players before them, but they revitalized him, those 2014 shows were stunning. He spent so long shopping that album around I pretty much just consider it his 2013 album, although Princevault says lots of it was recorded in 2014 so IDK.

[Edited 8/10/21 10:45am]

A version of it certainly was. I can write off Come and TGE and replace them with The Dawn 4.1 as well

Why you trying to start a fight over nothing?

Prog5000 said:

homesquid said:

A 2.5 at best.

The fact I've only chosen to listen to it a couple of times reflects this, somehow it doesn't really inspire listening in the same way as his earlier stuff! I've only streamed it and I'm not really motivated to buy it yet but that may change.

The keeps for me are:

Check The Record, (funky as hell but let down by lacklustre lyrics) Yes (although this sounds like quite an obvious rip off of Van Halen's Jump mixed with 'Chocolate Box'), 1,000 light years (also a good version, they are both like 2 different songs really, this one feels quite summery), Same Page, Different Book and Born 2 Die despite slightly judgemental lyrics.

I find When She Comes somehow a bit cringey as he was then older, I can see why he decided to shelve his more racier stuff as he got older, somehow wasn't as sexy to imagine! The version he released on HnR2 is much more palatable IMO. I keep thinking he's singing about Andy Allo with the reference to 'shooting stars' which was also on Superconductor, and thinking of that age gap (!), but I think this was recorded before she was on the scene? Anyone know who it was about ?? I also find that ish don't stank line rather offputting!

The turkeys for me are: 1010 (irritating antiquated synth a la Alicia Keys, and doesn't really make any sense?!), Hot Summer (same track as released before - still sounds like a DIY commercial) and pretty much the rest. W2A just 'ok'- could be more lively, P just sounds bored, there's too many 'twinkling' sound effects, although I like the other atmospheric sounds.

The rest are just 'meh'..

As usual with many of his later albums, this has been massively overproduced and lacks 'air' and breathability and yes I can clearly hear digital dropout on the streaming tracks, I hope for those who bought it it's not on the physical versions too?!

In terms of tracklisting, I keep wondering if it would have worked better for Stand Up and B Strong to be the positive outro track and to be swapped places with One Day We Will All B Free? (which has some musical similarities to Diamonds and Pearls). Stand up and B Strong just like a Hannah/3EG style Christian rock cover (I'm aware it's a cover) and could imagine it on PlectrumElectrum.

Oh and it's missing a hidden track compiled of the best of Shelby's 'Put Yo' Hands Up' chants repeated x 400.

[Edited 8/11/21 2:15am]

[Edited 8/11/21 2:17am]

*** three stars ...could be 4 after a few more listens.

Finally listened to the album yesterday. Wanted to wait to hear it uninterrupted when I could give it my full attention. Had another spin today. I really like it, I didn't have high expectations but I like all the tracks except for 'Stand Up And B Strong' which is a bit 'meh' to me. Unlike when I first listened to 20TEN, I wanted to go back and listen to it again. My only wish is he'd played some of these tracks live, I think 'Check The Record' would have been great live.

Not a classic by any means, but a really good album that probably should have been released in 2011.

[Edited 8/11/21 3:56am]

TheFreakerFantastic said:

A 2.5 at best.

The fact I've only chosen to listen to it a couple of times reflects this, somehow it doesn't really inspire listening in the same way as his earlier stuff! I've only streamed it and I'm not really motivated to buy it yet but that may change.

The keeps for me are:

Check The Record, (funky as hell but let down by lacklustre lyrics) Yes (although this sounds like quite an obvious rip off of Van Halen's Jump mixed with 'Chocolate Box'), 1,000 light years (also a good version, they are both like 2 different songs really, this one feels quite summery), Same Page, Different Book and Born 2 Die despite slightly judgemental lyrics.

I find When She Comes somehow a bit cringey as he was then older, I can see why he decided to shelve his more racier stuff as he got older, somehow wasn't as sexy to imagine! The version he released on HnR2 is much more palatable IMO. I keep thinking he's singing about Andy Allo with the reference to 'shooting stars' which was also on Superconductor, and thinking of that age gap (!), but I think this was recorded before she was on the scene? Anyone know who it was about ?? I also find that ish don't stank line rather offputting!

The turkeys for me are: 1010 (irritating antiquated synth a la Alicia Keys, and doesn't really make any sense?!), Hot Summer (same track as released before - still sounds like a DIY commercial) and pretty much the rest. W2A just 'ok'- could be more lively, P just sounds bored, there's too many 'twinkling' sound effects, although I like the other atmospheric sounds.

The rest are just 'meh'..

As usual with many of his later albums, this has been massively overproduced and lacks 'air' and breathability and yes I can clearly hear digital dropout on the streaming tracks, I hope for those who bought it it's not on the physical versions too?!

In terms of tracklisting, I keep wondering if it would have worked better for Stand Up and B Strong to be the positive outro track and to be swapped places with One Day We Will All B Free? (which has some musical similarities to Diamonds and Pearls). Stand up and B Strong just like a Hannah/3EG style Christian rock cover (I'm aware it's a cover) and could imagine it on PlectrumElectrum.

Oh and it's missing a hidden track compiled of the best of Shelby's 'Put Yo' Hands Up' chants repeated x 400.

[Edited 8/11/21 2:15am]

[Edited 8/11/21 2:17am]

I am having the exact opposite reaction to this album. All these deeply negative responses - particularly those who have dismissed it out of hand after one or two listens (not saying you did that) - seem bizarre to me now.... the album has been growing on me more and more.... it's not airless, it's not overproduced, it's not tired.... I think it's a great latter-day Prince album actually.... it's funky, soulful, searching, with a sense of community....

I really, really think it's a great record, without a single bad track.

solid 4 stars. As a person of colour it resonates far more...

JohnCragg said:

* It's terrible

have you read the lyrics ? - do you get what he was saying? ...

people of colour get it...

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

JohnCragg said:

* It's terrible

have you read the lyrics ? - do you get what he was saying? ...

people of colour get it...

Er, and so do some of us whiteys.....

Rimshottbob said:

TheFreakerFantastic said:

A 2.5 at best.

The fact I've only chosen to listen to it a couple of times reflects this, somehow it doesn't really inspire listening in the same way as his earlier stuff! I've only streamed it and I'm not really motivated to buy it yet but that may change.

The keeps for me are:

Check The Record, (funky as hell but let down by lacklustre lyrics) Yes (although this sounds like quite an obvious rip off of Van Halen's Jump mixed with 'Chocolate Box'), 1,000 light years (also a good version, they are both like 2 different songs really, this one feels quite summery), Same Page, Different Book and Born 2 Die despite slightly judgemental lyrics.

I find When She Comes somehow a bit cringey as he was then older, I can see why he decided to shelve his more racier stuff as he got older, somehow wasn't as sexy to imagine! The version he released on HnR2 is much more palatable IMO. I keep thinking he's singing about Andy Allo with the reference to 'shooting stars' which was also on Superconductor, and thinking of that age gap (!), but I think this was recorded before she was on the scene? Anyone know who it was about ?? I also find that ish don't stank line rather offputting!

The turkeys for me are: 1010 (irritating antiquated synth a la Alicia Keys, and doesn't really make any sense?!), Hot Summer (same track as released before - still sounds like a DIY commercial) and pretty much the rest. W2A just 'ok'- could be more lively, P just sounds bored, there's too many 'twinkling' sound effects, although I like the other atmospheric sounds.

The rest are just 'meh'..

As usual with many of his later albums, this has been massively overproduced and lacks 'air' and breathability and yes I can clearly hear digital dropout on the streaming tracks, I hope for those who bought it it's not on the physical versions too?!

In terms of tracklisting, I keep wondering if it would have worked better for Stand Up and B Strong to be the positive outro track and to be swapped places with One Day We Will All B Free? (which has some musical similarities to Diamonds and Pearls). Stand up and B Strong just like a Hannah/3EG style Christian rock cover (I'm aware it's a cover) and could imagine it on PlectrumElectrum.

Oh and it's missing a hidden track compiled of the best of Shelby's 'Put Yo' Hands Up' chants repeated x 400.

[Edited 8/11/21 2:15am]

[Edited 8/11/21 2:17am]

I am having the exact opposite reaction to this album. All these deeply negative responses - particularly those who have dismissed it out of hand after one or two listens (not saying you did that) - seem bizarre to me now.... the album has been growing on me more and more.... it's not airless, it's not overproduced, it's not tired.... I think it's a great latter-day Prince album actually.... it's funky, soulful, searching, with a sense of community....

I really, really think it's a great record, without a single bad track.

Yes but perhaps you are comparing it to other shit out there now, which it compares well to, but compared to what we know he was capable of it's really nothing to write home about. Lotusflow3r, MPLSound and HnR2 are better examples of his later work for me and at least we know he sanctioned the release of these!

[Edited 8/11/21 7:23am]

TheFreakerFantastic said:

Rimshottbob said:

I am having the exact opposite reaction to this album. All these deeply negative responses - particularly those who have dismissed it out of hand after one or two listens (not saying you did that) - seem bizarre to me now.... the album has been growing on me more and more.... it's not airless, it's not overproduced, it's not tired.... I think it's a great latter-day Prince album actually.... it's funky, soulful, searching, with a sense of community....

I really, really think it's a great record, without a single bad track.

Yes but perhaps you are comparing it to other shit out there now, which it compares well to, but compared to what we know he was capable of it's really nothing to write home about. Lotusflow3r, MPLSound and HnR2 are better examples of his later work for me and at least we know he sanctioned the release of these!

[Edited 8/11/21 7:23am]

Why would I be comparing it to anything else? What would be the point? I'm listening to it and drawing my conclusions based on what I'm hearing. Simple as that.

I give it 3 stars.

There are some great tracks on it, like Born 2 die, 1010 (Rin Tin Tin), 1000 Lightyears from here, One day we will all b free, When she comes.

Personally I like it when Prince sounds more energetic and is more 'into it' vocally. On some parts of the record he sounds a bit flat. Or maybe I should call it laid back. Yet it's the vibe of the album, I can appreciate that. The grooves are funky, but they also miss some spice. I like his funk a bit harder. But hey, that's just my opinion!

The Blu-ray is the real treat of the package!

2 Stars.

On par with Planet Earth. Boring, bland, no excitement.

For me, its in the bottom 20% of Prince albums. Therefor, its a 1 star for me. After 3 listens, I cannot see myself going back to my vinyl copy very often, if at all.

The songs aren't that strong overall, not enough Prince, and the sound quality from song to song is odd and annoying.

Understandable why he did not release it.

Also, I'm very glad to have heard it.

It's an interesting period for Mr. Nelson.

I can see how it might be kind of a grower for some but can also see how a lot of us are kind of indifferent to it. I just don't get the people on the extreme ends of the scale who either call it complete trash or some sort of rare masterpiece. It has its own style and is cohesive enough, which is nice but...

It's kind of, more or less, just another 21st century Prince album

Rimshottbob said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

have you read the lyrics ? - do you get what he was saying? ...

people of colour get it...

Er, and so do some of us whiteys.....

evidence across social media strongly suggests otherwise...sad but true.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

Rimshottbob said:

Er, and so do some of us whiteys.....

evidence across social media strongly suggests otherwise...sad but true.

Okay, well I don't really do much in the way of social media. It's mankind's most useless invention, far as I'm concerned. And assholes will be assholes no matter what or who the topic, so fuck 'em, who cares?

You don't have to be black to 'get' Welcome 2 America. You just have to be listening.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

Rimshottbob said:

Er, and so do some of us whiteys.....

evidence across social media strongly suggests otherwise...sad but true.

Social media is not representative of real people / the public in general. It attracks and amplifies the most ardent and extreme opinions. It's misleading and should not be taken as evidence of anything.

Way better than I expected. not really a fan of 20Ten or Plectrumelectrum so I wasn't expecting much!

Musically, it's very diverse and inspired. Love the female vocals and the proeminent instruments. Lyrically, it is among his best. Prince was a truly utopian socialist, critical of the capitalist lies while dreaming of peaceful revolution being able to lead manking into a world without borders where every child, no matter what color, gets education.

one day we will all b free.

fernandomachado said:

Way better than I expected. not really a fan of 20Ten or Plectrumelectrum so I wasn't expecting much!

Musically, it's very diverse and inspired. Love the female vocals and the proeminent instruments. Lyrically, it is among his best. Prince was a truly utopian socialist, critical of the capitalist lies while dreaming of peaceful revolution being able to lead manking into a world without borders where every child, no matter what color, gets education.

one day we will all b free.

I'm fairly sure the last time utopian socialism emerged was in an period of early antiquity, predating early Roman and Greek Civilization.
You would have to go back many thousands of years to locate this period.
So it's almost certain Prince was not a utopian socialist.
Especially as this mode of socialism only works within small agrarian communes, numbering no more than several thousand.
Intrinsically, it's totally incompatible with any form of capitalism.
You can't buy and sell shit and call it utopian socialism. That's called an oxymoron.
Maybe Prince was thinking the front cover of Awake! or Watchtower, some shit or other. Being critical of capitalism does not make one necessarily a 'socialist'.