alandail said:

"1000 Light Years From Here" and "1010 (Rin Tin Tin)" are two of the better Prince songs from the 21st century if you ask me. I like "Born 2 Die" and "Running Game." I really detest "Hot Summer".

Overall very happy it came out. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the Hit n Run albums when they came out (the Tidal thing plus life stuff) so I'd never heard "1000 Light Years" before. Huge hook for me, beautiful and joyful.

i skip the title song each time.

luckily its the first song so thats easy.

sorry to fans of prince as pop politico, i cant help but nitpick his political commentaries. they are all a bit half-hearted/half-baked to me.

thats prob also cos i actually dont much want to hear political commentaries from prince lol. he is really not that kind of artist in my mind. but most of the time, i dont really buy it. it lacks conviction. im sure he cared about this stuff, im just not sure it was a strong suit for him as an artist.

but there is good stuff here - 1000 light years from here, hot summer, stand up and be strong. a lot of the songs arent all there, they sound like they still need work, but i like that. he was over producing a lot at this point, so its good to hear stuff where he didnt do that. lyrically, i find it a bit messy, but thats just latter day prince. he was often all over the place. often lacking in focus.

overall though, id say this is better than most of his 00s albums.

[Edited 9/8/21 2:57am]

The album won't grab people who dismiss this stuff as 'boring soul music'. It's another R'n'B album that manages to sound different from his other R'n'B albums. Wow, and it's quality. Production top notch too, plenty of air between the different sounds.

its the sound of it that i like the best.

its got a lot of space.

so much of princes music is tightly controlled but this is definitely not like that at all, which is what makes it good.

the thing i dont like is when its obv derivative - born to die is bad curtis mayfield pastiche, welcome to america is sub-clinton. but the music is still good.

[Edited 9/8/21 3:41am]

I do like the album, yet I haven't played it for a while now.

This album was hyped too much and has died a very quick death.

I looked forward to watching this fly up the album charts, week after week, yet after the first week's chart position it has plummeted to an early death.

I think the themes of slavery, by a mixed race millionaire, have been taken as a joke by most people, and rightly so.

I don't know anyone who has taken this album seriously - unlike other Prince albums which has been revered.

[Edited 9/8/21 8:54am]

I am repelled by the few burnt CD sonic errors, especially when I don't care so much for the tracks with no production flaws. It was nice to watch that concert on Blu Ray and hear the CD, and I was wise enough NOT to buy the vinyl.

Hell, I'm still enjoying Sign O The Times Super Deluxe and reading Duane's book.

[Edited 9/8/21 9:27am]

I've been playing the album on high rotation, as it has grown on me quite a bit.

A lot of the songs do sound alike in content/tone/etc., so that's a bit of a Pro and a Con.

darkroman said:

I do like the album, yet I haven't played it for a while now.

This album was hyped too much and has died a very quick death.

I looked forward to watching this fly up the album charts, week after week, yet after the first week's chart position it has plummeted to an early death.

I think the themes of slavery, by a mixed race millionaire, have been taken as a joke by most people, and rightly so.

I don't know anyone who has taken this album seriously - unlike other Prince albums which has been revered.

[Edited 9/8/21 8:54am]

a millionaire can still write about slavery (prince wasnt mixed race btw)

the same way a millionaire jewish person can still write about the holocaust

etc etc

the diff is just whether prince himself sees himself as a victim of record industry exploitative practices

he might well have been, but its just a bit weird to hear it from someone who actually got a pretty good shake from the industry, all things said and done

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

i skip the title song each time.

luckily its the first song so thats easy.

sorry to fans of prince as pop politico, i cant help but nitpick his political commentaries. they are all a bit half-hearted/half-baked to me.

thats prob also cos i actually dont much want to hear political commentaries from prince lol. he is really not that kind of artist in my mind. but most of the time, i dont really buy it. it lacks conviction. im sure he cared about this stuff, im just not sure it was a strong suit for him as an artist.

but there is good stuff here - 1000 light years from here, hot summer, stand up and be strong. a lot of the songs arent all there, they sound like they still need work, but i like that. he was over producing a lot at this point, so its good to hear stuff where he didnt do that. lyrically, i find it a bit messy, but thats just latter day prince. he was often all over the place. often lacking in focus.

overall though, id say this is better than most of his 00s albums.

[Edited 9/8/21 2:57am]

I agree with most of your points, especially Prince and politics. Not his strong suit. I also think it is an enjoyable album after skipping the first song.

darkroman said:

I do like the album, yet I haven't played it for a while now.

This album was hyped too much and has died a very quick death.

I looked forward to watching this fly up the album charts, week after week, yet after the first week's chart position it has plummeted to an early death.

I think the themes of slavery, by a mixed race millionaire, have been taken as a joke by most people, and rightly so.

I don't know anyone who has taken this album seriously - unlike other Prince albums which has been revered.

[Edited 9/8/21 8:54am]

Prince's parents were Black.

also, even if he was mixed race, does that mean he cant say anything about slavery?

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

darkroman said:

I do like the album, yet I haven't played it for a while now.

This album was hyped too much and has died a very quick death.

I looked forward to watching this fly up the album charts, week after week, yet after the first week's chart position it has plummeted to an early death.

I think the themes of slavery, by a mixed race millionaire, have been taken as a joke by most people, and rightly so.

I don't know anyone who has taken this album seriously - unlike other Prince albums which has been revered.

[Edited 9/8/21 8:54am]

a millionaire can still write about slavery (prince wasnt mixed race btw)

the same way a millionaire jewish person can still write about the holocaust

etc etc

the diff is just whether prince himself sees himself as a victim of record industry exploitative practices

he might well have been, but its just a bit weird to hear it from someone who actually got a pretty good shake from the industry, all things said and done

Prince was mixed race. You can't wipe away his history to fit your own idea of what you want Prince to be. Prince has white family. There is nothing wrong with being white, I know lots of white people, some of them are friends.

Prince was not a slave. So no, he can't authentically claim to be a victim of slavery. Slavery ended hundreds of years ago - it is time for Prince to move on and get over it.

Many colours and nationalities were enslaved by many different nations yet we never hear them cry and complain about it.

Thousands of Spanish were enslaved - we don't hear them complain. They don't live with a chip expecting special treatment.

The Romans enslaved millions across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East - I don't hear them constantly crying and complaining about how hard done by they are.

Xerxes and Darius enslaved millions of people across all of Asia - if you listen carefully you won't hear them complaing either.

I can give you numerous other example. Don't live in ignorance, educate yourself.

Prince was never exploited by the recording industry. Prince was paid millions to do exactly what he wanted. He got greedy and abused black history by making a mockery of the real misery people suffered due to slavery.

Prince was never a slave.

purplethunder3121 said:

darkroman said:

I do like the album, yet I haven't played it for a while now.

This album was hyped too much and has died a very quick death.

I looked forward to watching this fly up the album charts, week after week, yet after the first week's chart position it has plummeted to an early death.

I think the themes of slavery, by a mixed race millionaire, have been taken as a joke by most people, and rightly so.

I don't know anyone who has taken this album seriously - unlike other Prince albums which has been revered.

[Edited 9/8/21 8:54am]

Prince's parents were Black.

Yes, well done!

I have to assume you believe Prince didn't have any other relatives.

darkroman said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

a millionaire can still write about slavery (prince wasnt mixed race btw)

the same way a millionaire jewish person can still write about the holocaust

etc etc

the diff is just whether prince himself sees himself as a victim of record industry exploitative practices

he might well have been, but its just a bit weird to hear it from someone who actually got a pretty good shake from the industry, all things said and done

Prince was mixed race. You can't wipe away his history to fit your own idea of what you want Prince to be. Prince has white family. There is nothing wrong with being white, I know lots of white people, some of them are friends.

Prince was not a slave. So no, he can't authentically claim to be a victim of slavery. Slavery ended hundreds of years ago - it is time for Prince to move on and get over it.

Many colours and nationalities were enslaved by many different nations yet we never hear them cry and complain about it.

Thousands of Spanish were enslaved - we don't hear them complain. They don't live with a chip expecting special treatment.

The Romans enslaved millions across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East - I don't hear them constantly crying and complaining about how hard done by they are.

Xerxes and Darius enslaved millions of people across all of Asia - if you listen carefully you won't hear them complaing either.

I can give you numerous other example. Don't live in ignorance, educate yourself.

Prince was never exploited by the recording industry. Prince was paid millions to do exactly what he wanted. He got greedy and abused black history by making a mockery of the real misery people suffered due to slavery.

Prince was never a slave.

dont disagree that slavery has existed in humanity for aeons and that there is more to slavery than african slavery. i also agree that prince was not a slave.

slavery itself might have ended hundreds of years ago (well in the 1800s really so not thaaaat long ago), but civil rights were still being fought for in the 60s.

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery#section_11

not sure how you have concluded that prince was mixed race though, apart from the purple rain film lol. his mother was light skinned, but that doesnt necessarily mean she was 'mixed', just means that there is some white ancestry in her blood line, as common with many slaves.

[Edited 9/9/21 7:55am]

darkroman said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

a millionaire can still write about slavery (prince wasnt mixed race btw)

the same way a millionaire jewish person can still write about the holocaust

etc etc

the diff is just whether prince himself sees himself as a victim of record industry exploitative practices

he might well have been, but its just a bit weird to hear it from someone who actually got a pretty good shake from the industry, all things said and done

Prince was mixed race. You can't wipe away his history to fit your own idea of what you want Prince to be. Prince has white family. There is nothing wrong with being white, I know lots of white people, some of them are friends.

Prince was not a slave. So no, he can't authentically claim to be a victim of slavery. Slavery ended hundreds of years ago - it is time for Prince to move on and get over it.

Many colours and nationalities were enslaved by many different nations yet we never hear them cry and complain about it.

Thousands of Spanish were enslaved - we don't hear them complain. They don't live with a chip expecting special treatment.

The Romans enslaved millions across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East - I don't hear them constantly crying and complaining about how hard done by they are.

Xerxes and Darius enslaved millions of people across all of Asia - if you listen carefully you won't hear them complaing either.

I can give you numerous other example. Don't live in ignorance, educate yourself.

Prince was never exploited by the recording industry. Prince was paid millions to do exactly what he wanted. He got greedy and abused black history by making a mockery of the real misery people suffered due to slavery.

Prince was never a slave.

cocaine is a helluva drug.

You have to either learn Chinese or get down on your knees"

lol this is the same 'god save america' prince who wrote ronnie talk to russia and america.

interesting that that prince didnt die even as he tried to style himself as being less patriotic over the years.

ofc now you get people trying to revise history and act like prince was always the same.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

its the sound of it that i like the best.

its got a lot of space.

so much of princes music is tightly controlled but this is definitely not like that at all, which is what makes it good.(...)

Yes, me too. Love the sound of it.

I¨m done with it.

thats over the top in the criticism.

but this song was played far more than ever needed.

prince did not choose interesting songs to cover on the whole.

but he seemed to like being a 70s tribute/covers band.

maybe that was where he was headed, just covering all his favourites, and making new songs that sounded like that era.

Its okay. Still a 6/10. The better songs like Check The Record, Stand Up and One Day We Will All B Free should have been up front because by the time those came on we were beat down with 3 songs in a row of jazzy political commentary.

FrankieCoco1 said:

I was surprised to see this comment from one of my (amateur) musician friends about Play That Funky Music on the concert. “Seen this song by many covers bands over the years and this is the worst version i have ever seen. Guitars are just amateurish, the drummer is so out of time, the backing band look really bored, the bass player has no groove and the singer... well the singer is just terrible! And as for the boots!...Who the hell does he think he is?” Are we over rating this performance or is this comment justified?

no idea but I like it. I'm not a musician and they tend to judge things differently - for obvious reasons.

I've showed the "Motherless Child" performance to a few of my musican friends and several were underwhelmed even though I think it's fantastic.

When you're a creator, the way you frame your critique and what you're looking at is just coming from a different place.

Generally agree - although, in this instance, didn't he actually intend to tour the album but the musicians weren't available...?

herb4 said:

It's just another Prince record post 2001 or so. Some good, some bad. Occasional flashes of greatness. I threw it on the pile and mixed up my favorite tracks with stuff from other albums, like I've done for some time, going back to Emancipation, Come and C&D.

TBH, as much as he said "albums still matter" on stage that one time, I don't think he cared all that much about the ones he made. Or at least not to the degree he use to. Precisely because the revenue stream(s) from selling them were dried up, inconsequential, moot and had been for some time - probably since the advent of Napster.

I think he might have been able to monetize "albums" a BIT more had he been more internet saavy and continued the NPGMC model but, to my eyes, he paid less attention to proper "albums" as he aged primarily because the money making model was dead. And still is. He was tossing CD's into magazines, folding them into newspapers, giving them away at shows, cobbling stuff together and shelving releases exclusively at Target, knowing the game (and the business) had changed. There's a reason his physical releases dried up over the last decade of his career and he resorted to things like residencies/live shows that minimized his overhead but let him earn. Part of that was not having to tour to push a new "album", like the old days, adn putting himself in one place where he could just play and charge ticket prices.

The biggest part was money plain and simple. And I'm not faulting him for it but it is what it is. He probably shelved this thing figuring "why bother?", knowing the profit margines were limited, and not because he didn't think it was decent. If ticket sales for his next tour were directly dependant on album sales, he may have pushed harder, but that hadn't been the case for him for a LONG TIME. He could announce a show 48 hours in advance and pack a house, fill the show with crowd pleasers regardless of what new shit he'd dropped. Nobody at the shows I went to post 1988 was buzzing about his new release. Most musicans simply don't make the bulk of their money from selling "albums".

It's what he meant when he said "the internet is dead", which people made fun of.

His statement that "albums still matter" struck me more as something he wished to be true than what really was. Philosophically, I agree with him (Shit, I miss COVER ART and reading the lyric sheets as I listened with headphones) but realistically, "albums" have - for close to two decades now - consisted of people ripping singles from them and throwing them on playlists.

There are no more "Songs in the Key of Life", "Dark Side of the Moon" or "Fear of a Black Planet" anymore. No "Purple Rain" or "Thriller"...no "Nevermind" or "Ten"...no "Back to Black".... full releases that make your hairs stand up on end and that force the world to stand up and take notice, let alone get us to stand in line to actually buy the fucker on release day or make us fans trade it amongst ourselves anymore. At least not much. To me anyways. Maybe these albums are out there and I'm just too old to know what they are, which is certainly possible, but the game has changed regardless and it changed a long time ago. Last "hype" around an "album" I've heard is whatever the hell Kanye West is supposed to be doing so...I'll pass. IF there's a "drop the needle on the album anywhere on the record" release out there, I'm all ears.

And there may be. There may be. But the "albums" don't set the world on fire and pay the artists, by and large. They just don't.

Prince was wise and knew this a LONG time ago. He didn't need this CD to sell W2A Tour tickets to his shows and, by then, the people showing up probably mostly didn't care to hear any of it anyway. He knew this so he mixed in the hits and, more so, the covers. Probably so he could have some fun. Also, like or not, HE was getting old.

And I doubt that excited him.

I've given W2A a few spins here and there, and I'm still seriously underwhelmed. I'm happy and thankful to own it, as I will be with any future release, but rather than being an unconditional fan, I like the opportunity to better understand his fascinating, complex musical path. However, this interest doesn't take away my critical abilities.

...

IMHO W2A sounds very "insular" - it's a problem with a lot of his later albums, apparently he was leading quite an isolated life, and that reflected in the music... it doesn't flow, doesn't build bridges, doesn't open up conceptually, doesn't try out unexpected paths... It's Prince quoting Prince, as well as quoting or covering the odd song that came his way here and there. Acoustically, it's built in a vacuum, with no energy flowing through...

...

- Born 2 Die I really enjoy

- Same Page Different Book I can groove to, but honestly, it's 100MPH re-heated

- The title track is OK... but listen to Childish Gambino's This is America for a real punch in the gut on similar subjects...

- Rin Tin Tin I can't help thinking of cheesy musicals like Phantom of the Opera

- Hot Summer and Stand Up are just unlistenable

- The rest I can't even remember...

- And then there's the unforgivable digital scratches... what a major technical f**k-up on what was meant to be a historical release.

...

I'm not an 80s Prince freak by any means, I finds gems in all decades - but by chance I had the Purple Rain deluxe bonus tracks play right after W2A. What a sense of adventure, discovery, fearlessness those had - you actually feel the adrenaline pouring through, P taken over by sheer electricity. I know, I know, musicians "mature", but I kind of wish Prince's wisdom had followed the "letting go", humble, promiscuous/collaborative path, rather than this perfectionist, self-referential paradigm.

[Edited 9/17/21 15:54pm]

[Edited 9/17/21 15:56pm]

[Edited 9/17/21 15:56pm]

I still think that Prince simply cared less and less about albums as they increasingly made less and less revenue - and it shows. I'm sure he enjoyed working on them and probably, as an artist, believed in their importance in that aspect (Art)..."Albums, like Black Lives, still matter"

He wasn't wrong...It was just..."what do I DO with this?" after he created it. Time to book a few shows I guess! So that led him to lose interest.

I deal with this as an artist. My best work, a lot of which is quite good, has no commercial application and decorates my house since I don't know any rich art buyers.

herb4 said: