Welcome 2 America - an album for Prince fans:

- who thought the Parade tour didn't feature enough Wally Safford.

- who thought Diamonds & Pearls could have used a few more Tony M raps.

- who thought Bria's disc was the best part.

- whose only complaint about a live show was that Doug E Fresh and Q Tip didn't come out and rap.

Just what the fans always wanted; a Shelby/Elise/Liv album with a backing band consisting of Tal Wilkenfeld, some other folks, and oh yeah...Prince.

I know I'm being hyperbolic, and Prince always loved to feature his band members prominently, but I can't help but wonder how Prince thought this was a product his fans want. The trio of singers are mixed so upfront that they drown out Prince any time he's singing with them.

Maybe that's why he decided to shelve it.

[Edited 8/24/21 14:41pm]

lovitzj said:

This post is hilarious and will offend some but perfect

Someone can fart alone in their own home bathroom and Prince.org members will somehow be offended by it.

[Edited 8/24/21 15:03pm]

I need to fully listen to this one, but I remember having a little breakdown 1sec cry after hearing AOA and said in my heart "Prince is not here"

OldFriends4Sale said:

I need to fully listen to this one, but I remember having a little breakdown 1sec cry after hearing AOA and said in my heart "Prince is not here"

Totally agree. There is so little "Prince sound" on there. And obviously he changed his sound many times - but there was always come common denominator consistency that held it all together as one long symphony. Frank Zappa called his "conceptual continuity" and AOA didn't hold onto the Prince concept (whatever that means)

But the majority of instruments/vocals were Prince. Does anyone know how much of the co-producer "production" was actual playing/programming of keyboard and beats?

cblu said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I need to fully listen to this one, but I remember having a little breakdown 1sec cry after hearing AOA and said in my heart "Prince is not here"

Totally agree. There is so little "Prince sound" on there. And obviously he changed his sound many times - but there was always come common denominator consistency that held it all together as one long symphony. Frank Zappa called his "conceptual continuity" and AOA didn't hold onto the Prince concept (whatever that means)

But the majority of instruments/vocals were Prince. Does anyone know how much of the co-producer "production" was actual playing/programming of keyboard and beats?

The only thing that felt like Prince to me, was the throwback to the 90s interlude pieces

And it reminded me when Prince sounded like he was tying to be 'current' on that song or two in the 90s early 2000s, but it just was the WHOLE album

OldFriends4Sale said:

I need to fully listen to this one, but I remember having a little breakdown 1sec cry after hearing AOA and said in my heart "Prince is not here"

the thing is, at that point in his career, if he wanted to keep making pop albums, he needed someone else to take some control.

no way prince in the 2010s still understood how to make contemporary sounding records. and that is what he did want to make.

anyway, that was prob his sonically best sounding, most realised, most successful sounding album of the 2000s/10s so hey, he got it right.

but there is something about that album where it doesnt sound like hes quite 'there'. he sounds a bit detached from it. like his heart isnt totally into it. and i dont blame the people he worked with, i just think thats where he was inside himself at that point. he wasnt as confident or comfortable for whatever reasons.

as far as the new album though, i dont mind all the sharing of vocals.

it makes it more interesting.

makes it more loose and relaxed.

[Edited 8/25/21 13:53pm]

Agree, and that´s the good and the bad side of it at the same time.

.

.
.The good: great band, no cheesy synths or plastic drum programming, nothing embarassing like ´Everybody loves me´. An album that you can show to your friend who was never into Prince much, or the musicians who would be curious about Tal Wilkenfeld. I never liked Shelby much, but I really like the Steely Dan vibe of ´Running Game´, for example.

.

The bad: there isnt the good side of Prince. The guitar solos, some weird in a good way Prince vibes.

.

[Edited 8/25/21 14:22pm]

cblu said:

Welcome 2 America - an album for Prince fans:

- who thought the Parade tour didn't feature enough Wally Safford.

- who thought Diamonds & Pearls could have used a few more Tony M raps.

- who thought Bria's disc was the best part.

- whose only complaint about a live show was that Doug E Fresh and Q Tip didn't come out and rap.

Just what the fans always wanted; a Shelby/Elise/Liv album with a backing band consisting of Tal Wilkenfeld, some other folks, and oh yeah...Prince.

I know I'm being hyperbolic, and Prince always loved to feature his band members prominently, but I can't help but wonder how Prince thought this was a product his fans want. The trio of singers are mixed so upfront that they drown out Prince any time he's singing with them.

Maybe that's why he decided to shelve it.

In other words, the album is a perfect embodiment of the tour.

I know I'm being hyperbolic, and Prince always loved to feature his band members prominently, but I can't help but wonder how Prince thought this was a product his fans want.

Maybe that's why he decided to shelve it.

[Edited 8/24/21 14:41pm]

Prince obviously did NOT think it was a product his fans wanted since he chose not to release it.

But it's great that you can't help but wonder.

SNIP -of4$

everyone is being civil

#1
Be civilized
Don't create offensive, vulgar, obscene, threatening, abusive or excessively profane posts. Do not instigate, engage in, or encourage 'flame wars'.

I posted it here around the release of the album

But Prince was asked why he used a producer and he replied with 'well sometimes when things don't seem to be working..."

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I need to fully listen to this one, but I remember having a little breakdown 1sec cry after hearing AOA and said in my heart "Prince is not here"

the thing is, at that point in his career, if he wanted to keep making pop albums, he needed someone else to take some control.

no way prince in the 2010s still understood how to make contemporary sounding records. and that is what he did want to make.

anyway, that was prob his sonically best sounding, most realised, most successful sounding album of the 2000s/10s so hey, he got it right.

but there is something about that album where it doesnt sound like hes quite 'there'. he sounds a bit detached from it. like his heart isnt totally into it. and i dont blame the people he worked with, i just think thats where he was inside himself at that point. he wasnt as confident or comfortable for whatever reasons.

as far as the new album though, i dont mind all the sharing of vocals.

it makes it more interesting.

makes it more loose and relaxed.

[Edited 8/25/21 13:53pm]

I agree.

It took me two weeks after release (brand new cd still wrapped) to get around to listening to it.

Haven't listened again since.

It's still a frankenstein to me.

The whole thing.

Music.

Artwork.

Production.

Guess I'm the only one who liked AOA...

purplethunder3121 said:

Guess I'm the only one who liked AOA...

AOA is the best P Album of the 2000 together with TRC.

It is P finally exiting from "comfort zone" and tryin' something different.

And to my ears it is a real success.

Genesia said:

cblu said:

Welcome 2 America - an album for Prince fans:

- who thought the Parade tour didn't feature enough Wally Safford.

- who thought Diamonds & Pearls could have used a few more Tony M raps.

- who thought Bria's disc was the best part.

- whose only complaint about a live show was that Doug E Fresh and Q Tip didn't come out and rap.

Just what the fans always wanted; a Shelby/Elise/Liv album with a backing band consisting of Tal Wilkenfeld, some other folks, and oh yeah...Prince.

I know I'm being hyperbolic, and Prince always loved to feature his band members prominently, but I can't help but wonder how Prince thought this was a product his fans want. The trio of singers are mixed so upfront that they drown out Prince any time he's singing with them.

Maybe that's why he decided to shelve it.

In other words, the album is a perfect embodiment of the tour.

I was just about to say that. I guess cblu didn't go or heard any of the W2A tour shows.

BoraBora said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

BoraBora said:

AOA is the best P Album of the 2000 together with TRC.

It is P finally exiting from "comfort zone" and tryin' something different.

And to my ears it is a real success.

100% agreed. Thats why it has 3-4 of the best songs he made after TRC.

I think AOA already sounded dated when it came out. Not a single song I love on it.

purplethunder3121 said:

Guess I'm the only one who liked AOA...

No, you're not. I can take or leave The Gold Standard and Funknroll. But other than that, I think it was one of his stronger 21st century efforts conceptually.

JorisE73 said:

I was just about to say that. I guess cblu didn't go or heard any of the W2A tour shows.

I have heard them. And dislike them for the same reasons. Too much Shelby J doing a bad Sharon Jones impression. Elise singing like a soccer mom at karaoke.

sro100 said:

I know I'm being hyperbolic, and Prince always loved to feature his band members prominently, but I can't help but wonder how Prince thought this was a product his fans want.

Maybe that's why he decided to shelve it.

[Edited 8/24/21 14:41pm]

Prince obviously did NOT think it was a product his fans wanted since he chose not to release it.

But it's great that you can't help but wonder.

No shit, Sherlock, that's exactly what I meant. I was referring to Prince's thought process DURING the production of the album.

God some of you are dim.

JorisE73 said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

BoraBora said: 100% agreed. Thats why it has 3-4 of the best songs he made after TRC.

I think AOA already sounded dated when it came out. Not a single song I love on it.

you dont like breakdown or way back home? wow.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

JorisE73 said:

I think AOA already sounded dated when it came out. Not a single song I love on it.

you dont like breakdown or way back home? wow.

Like I said I don't 'love' anything on it, but do 'like' some (Way Back Home, Time).
Breakdown doesn't do anything for me except make me laugh when those Star Wars lasers come in. To me it sounds like a Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic reject. Plus the production on the entire record is just horrendous.

cblu said:

sro100 said:

Prince obviously did NOT think it was a product his fans wanted since he chose not to release it.

But it's great that you can't help but wonder.

No shit, Sherlock, that's exactly what I meant. I was referring to Prince's thought process DURING the production of the album.

God some of you are dim.

I think he was seriously condsidering releasing it to showcase Liv, Shelby and Elisa that's why he named the tour W2A and put them in on the forefront.

no.

JorisE73 said:

cblu said:

No shit, Sherlock, that's exactly what I meant. I was referring to Prince's thought process DURING the production of the album.

God some of you are dim.

I think he was seriously condsidering releasing it to showcase Liv, Shelby and Elisa that's why he named the tour W2A and put them in on the forefront.

Further evidence that Prince was completely out of touch. It reminds me of the interview with the 20Ten engineer; Prince was obsessed with how these songs would sound to young people "in the club". The poor engineer didn't have the heart to tell Prince that this will never be played in the clubs.