Graycap23 said:

MIRvmn said:

TRC is Prince's best album since the 80s imo and it has aged well The music is mind-blowing and very impressive so it's definitely one of my favorite albums.

100%

Seconded

IMO you can hear that a 'new' Prince has awakened and he is more engaged and renewed with the music and soundscape than at any point since Lovesexy, which TRC is the mature 'sequel' to.

Pity his next major release of proper songs was Musicology. Man, was I disappointed at the time with the 'ordinariness' of the music on that album following TRC, Xpectation, C-NOTE and NEWS. But by then he was after the money and some of that Purple Rain 20th anniversary prestige .

MarshallStacks said:

Graycap23 said:

100%

Seconded

IMO you can hear that a 'new' Prince has awakened and he is more engaged and renewed with the music and soundscape than at any point since Lovesexy, which TRC is the mature 'sequel' to.

Pity his next major release of proper songs was Musicology. Man, was I disappointed at the time with the 'ordinariness' of the music on that album following TRC, Xpectation, C-NOTE and NEWS. But by then he was after the money and some of that Purple Rain 20th anniversary prestige .

thirded. and agree with your musicology assessment, though i wasnt too into xpectation, c note or news tbh.

Great tour....

violectrica said:

20 years. It seems like only yesterday that I felt profound disappointment at the lyrics and guitar work of Prince for the first time. Such great music on that record ruined (for me, at least), by the lyrics and lead guitar. If I could get a mix minus the vocals and lead guitar I'd be in love.

steakfinger said:

20 years. It seems like only yesterday that I felt profound disappointment at the lyrics and guitar work of Prince for the first time. Such great music on that record ruined (for me, at least), by the lyrics and lead guitar. If I could get a mix minus the vocals and lead guitar I'd be in love.

.

Still showing frustration after 20 years?

You must be a sad individual if you cannot see things in context and/or leave things behind you.

.

Sure, I too have shows that were disappointments for various reasons, but do I act like you?

steakfinger said:

20 years. It seems like only yesterday that I felt profound disappointment at the lyrics and guitar work of Prince for the first time. Such great music on that record ruined (for me, at least), by the lyrics and lead guitar. If I could get a mix minus the vocals and lead guitar I'd be in love.

what?

RODSERLING said:

I never understood that silly assumption by some fans the lyrics were a problem. English is not my first language, but I think the lyrics are great. I m trying for a few months to write lyrics, I can't help but being amazed at how easily Prince could write a bunch of great songs. That's a thing to be a great musician, always finding great melodies. But that's another thing to write hundred of songs for decades, and always find new original things to speak of. I m very moved by these lyrics, as I was too with those of W2A. When I listen to TRC, I always do it religiously reading the booklet, cause I don't wanna miss a thing. This stuff is really deep.

The reality is that those lyrics went over the head of the average listener.......because they simply they don't listen or don't comprehend or don't give a damn.

Hamad said:

I have a 2-part wish one, I hope the estate releases the instrumental version of the album, just because the musicianship is fockin awesome & it could stand entirely on its own. And two, the Jehovah’s Witness songs of worship themed album he shelved shortly after TRC.

Shout out to Femi Jiya who did an exceptional job at mixing the album truly outstanding work.
[Edited 10/20/21 3:00am]

JoeyCococo said:

Hamad said:

I have a 2-part wish one, I hope the estate releases the instrumental version of the album, just because the musicianship is fockin awesome & it could stand entirely on its own. And two, the Jehovah’s Witness songs of worship themed album he shelved shortly after TRC. Shout out to Femi Jiya who did an exceptional job at mixing the album truly outstanding work. [Edited 10/20/21 3:00am]

Femi Jiya...ahhhh. I thought I read someone named Joe Lepinski mixed and engineered this awesome sounding album. I return to this album very often. I just love the sound. I agree, he was definitely inspired.

Name pops up earlier :

https://prince.org/msg/7/149651

I call it the Brainblow Chitlins.

TRC was definately one of his more interesting later albums, and one of his best musically in my opinion. The musicianship was awesome, the concepts were different and the sound of this album was much better than anything he did in the 5 years before TRC. The low voice was a bit weird, as were many of the lyrics on this album. It showed that Prince still had some passion and fire in him, although less carnal/free and more spiritual/dogmatic. And the live shows were excellent, one of his very best bands ever on that tour.

funkaholic1972 said:

And the live shows were excellent, one of his very best bands ever on that tour.

.

That but also it was a concept based show.

Not per se a purely greatest hits one. (although we got to hear hits)

This was before his shows became boring.

funkaholic1972 said:

TRC was definately one of his more interesting later albums, and one of his best musically in my opinion. The musicianship was awesome, the concepts were different and the sound of this album was much better than anything he did in the 5 years before TRC. The low voice was a bit weird, as were many of the lyrics on this album. It showed that Prince still had some passion and fire in him, although less carnal/free and more spiritual/dogmatic. And the live shows were excellent, one of his very best bands ever on that tour.

The music is amazing, the lyrics are good and the energy level is high. TRC is a masterpiece, IMO.

I saw him in concert during this time (along with an NPGMC soundcheck), and he announced early on that this was not a "hits" show. He performed TRC and ONA stuff.

GustavoRibas said:

I have mixed feelings about this album.

THE GOOD:

- The sound and production were very good and organic sounding for a change.
- The tour was good
- Excellent compositions and songwriting for the most part
- NPGMC was at its peak

THE BAD

- The god damned narration/segues
- Preachy lyrics/religous message
- Wedding Feast
- Sound filters on the voices

I don't bust it out much and kind of burnt out it on it with 2 shows, an aftershow, the box set, a few bootlegs and the DVD but there's some good stuff on it.

herb4 said:

THE BAD

- The god damned narration/segues
- Preachy lyrics/religous message
- Wedding Feast
- Sound filters on the voices

I don't bust it out much and kind of burnt out it on it with 2 shows, an aftershow, the box set, a few bootlegs and the DVD but there's some good stuff on it.

[Edited 12/3/21 18:02pm]

^^^Well, since you put it that way^^^

20 years later - I still have not listened to an entire song from this album

not even 1 song, not even once..

mltijchr said:

Rainbow Children era photo outtake

OldFriends4Sale said:

Rainbow Children era photo outtake

Cool photo. Anyone recognise the buildings in the background?

Milty2 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Rainbow Children era photo outtake

Cool photo. Anyone recognise the buildings in the background?

They look very Arabesque

I get that people didn't like the JW and preachy lyrics. I'm not one for prostlysing as well and I think at the time I was a little dismissive about some of them. Half the time I wasn't even sure what he was talking about anyway. But to me, this was part of the journey that my favourite artist had to go through. At the end of the day, I wasn't offended because there was a fire and energy in the music.

The ONA shows were nothing but magic and restored his legend to exactly what it should have been. Plus, what other major and iconic artist goes on a world tour of small theatre gigs?

mltijchr said:

20 years later - I still have not listened to an entire song from this album

not even 1 song, not even once..

You're kind of missing out. It's not one of my favorite Prince albums but there's some good stuff on it that's hard to deny. The songwriting, production, vocals and his backing band are all really solid to great. I don't know why he weighted it all down with goofy segues, the narration, overt religious stuff and voice filters but the material itself is pretty strong and quite obviously inspired and well played if nothing else.

There's passion, dedication, musicianship and craft on display here for sure.

It's not shit just..."difficult" maybe?

"Opaque"?

jaypotton said:

Musically one of Prince's best albums and the ONA shows from that era were simply awesome. The lyrics didn't really click but were okayish but I am not one for religion or religious preaching, find it a turn off. The Darth Vadar voiceover and weird storyline almost ruins the album for me. Take that off and it would have been far better (for me).

The huge Bugs Bunny image up there disagrees with you (us).

Milty2 said: