https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/pitchfork-reviews-rescored/

Prince: Musicology (2004)

5.8 → 7.8

I was not surprised at all that Pitchfork’s 2004 review of Musicology was pretty lukewarm. It’s cool to like Prince now, and this was arguably not the case in 2004. Which is a shame, because this late-career album is a major masterpiece on a minor scale. Prince examines his own work and the history of Black music (both “Musicology” and the jazz fusion-gospel of “If Eye Was the Man in Ur Life”), gets contemplative (“Reflection”), and sings the blues (“On the Couch”). He’s not necessarily aiming at the same targets he hit in the 1980s, but this portrait in miniature contains everything he’s been contending with his whole career. –Hubert Adjei-Kontoh

musicology was fine, but 7.8 seems high for what it was.

[Edited 10/6/21 11:46am]

Its still a 6.5/10 for me.

While there are some good songs on it, doesnt hold up well as a whole musically. It is all over the place stylistically.

TRC - 7.9/10

ONA - 6.3/10

musicology - 5.5/10

3121 - 6.2/10

planet earth - 4/10

lotus flower - 5.2/10 + mpls sound - 4.9/10

20ten - 4.8/10

PE - 4.8/10

AOA - 7.1/10

HNRP1 - 4.9/10

HNRP2 - 6.8/10

[Edited 10/6/21 13:27pm]

paisleypark4 said:

Its still a 6.5/10 for me.

While there are some good songs on it, doesnt hold up well as a whole musically. It is all over the place stylistically.

That's a fair assessment.

Sorry, IMHO Musicology scores a 9 with me. It's one of his tightest and most accessable albums. Might be all over the map musically but each song is a gem. Old School Funk!!!!

Strange how they admit the reason for the 5.8 vs. the 7.8 is all about coolness. So the public's perception for how "cool" an artist is trumps the actual work of art being reviewed? Why have we all become so beholden to what other people think? It's a decent album, no more. They were closer the first time.

paisleypark4 said:

Its still a 6.5/10 for me.

...It is all over the place stylistically.

Oh man, you are not gonna like Sign O' The Times then...

It´s a good, solid album. I would give something like 7.5

billymeade said:

paisleypark4 said:

Its still a 6.5/10 for me.

While there are some good songs on it, doesnt hold up well as a whole musically. It is all over the place stylistically.

I think "all over the place" was his intention. Remember, this was him teaching "real music, real musicians" and a number of different styles were necessary.

But I really do not like the title song. It seems flat.

LoveGalore said:

billymeade said:

Oh man, you are not gonna like Sign O' The Times then...

SOTT productionwise are all closely related, songwriting was unique and harmonious

Or any other Prince record. The fact is, Musicology just has a lot of blah or boring songs on it with a few really standout gems. This revised review is trying too hard to forgive his mediocre records.

Musicology was one of the best songs on it along with Reflection, If Was The Man In Your Life and The Marrying Kind.

The issue was the drum machine tracks did not go well with the live cuts this time. 3121 did a better job at incorporating the two...Lolita, Te Amo Corazon and Black Sweat have a soudscape that is relateable and not jarred like the transition from Musicology to Illusion, Coma, Pimp and Circumstance. As well as the latter just not being a 'good song'. In essence I always felt 3121 was what he meant to do with Musicology.

[Edited 10/7/21 9:17am]

Pitchfork is the worst website ever. It's always like 5-6 grandstanding paragraph preambles about jack shit zero.point.zero before they actually start reviewing, then it ends like two paragraphs later.

Musicology is a great album from start to finish. It's not his flashiest release, he didn't need one because the tour, performances, and rrhof induction was enough. It's accessible music and a great rnb/soul record.

**also phuck pitchfork

[Edited 10/7/21 18:52pm]

TheKid94 said:

Mintchip said:

d

[Edited 10/15/21 19:33pm]

my God, this album just suuuuuuuucks - my least favorite of his

CAL3 said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

CAL3 said:

my God, this album just suuuuuuuucks - my least favorite of his

Felt the same though I wonder if there was better stuff he thought wasnt the right fit for this comeback album or if this really is the best he had.

.

Probably had better stuff, had to be. This album feels like such an incoherent grab-bag. I do happen to like "Call My Name" and the title track isn't bad. But mostly the rest just is mediocre to bad. And even beyond the quality control issues, the songs just don't hang together well. There just isn't any cohesion.

.

'3121' really isn't much better, in terms of quality songs. But it at least feels like an album. Like there was some thought behind the sequencing and overall vibe throughout. But that little era of those two albums was just really weak.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

This era wasnt much good in album terms tbh Prince didnt seem to care for album making any more Wasnt until aoa that that changed I think.

.

And even then...