HitNRun Phase Two is really an amazing album. I find myself listening to that one a lot.

It was treated as an "odd and ends" album when it came out . . . a compilation . . . but overall, and each song on its own merit, it shines.

Side note: on our tour of Paisley Park, they played Rock And Roll Love Affair in its various stages of development - I have a whole new appreciation for that song and the production process in general.

For me, 20Ten is brilliant almost start to finish. 3121 is excellent too, IMO but maybe a bit over-produced.

Prior to Prince's passing, I was one of the fans who was stuck in the '80s. I only listened to releases from that decade and a bit of stuff from the '90s. Almost nothing from the 21st century.

But after he passed I decided to listen to his later albums with an open mind. As a result, I now love his 21st century output.

Four of my favorite albums are: The Rainbow Children, Lotusflow3r, Art Official Age and Hitnrun Phase Two. They are all genuis and just as good as anything he released in the '80s.

And there are a lot of great individual songs on the other albums, to include the 3121 title track, Fury, Chelsea Rogers, Dance 4 Me, X's Face and Hardrocklover.

In fact, I now listen to his 21st century music almost exclusively. I still believe his '80s output was his best, but I've listened to it so much over the past 40 years that I made myself sick of it. I'm sure I'll eventually go back to it, but I need a break for the time being. In contrast, his post-2000 music is still new and fresh to me since I didn't listen to it back when it was released.

[Edited 7/21/23 4:19am]

Absolutely!

Planet Earth especially, both Hitnruns, & Lotus Flower have had renewed interest and love since his passing.

I already loved Rainbow Children, Musicology and 3121 and still do.

I still can't warm up to 20ten.

A little. I've grown to appreciate HitnRun Phase 2, in particular, but also Plectrumelectrum. Didn't pay them much attention until fairly recently.

Besides those, my view of the 2000s and 2010s albums hasn't changed, and that is the view that they are all mostly very listenable except MPLSound, AOA and HnR 1.

Only Lotus continues to tickle my tits. I find the rest to be mediocre at best.

MattyJam said:

There's just something about knowing that there won't be any more brand new albums from the guy, that's made me go back lately and reevaluate some of his later works which I had previously dismissed or not cared for...

I guess it was easy to take his work for granted when he was alive and we always knew there'd be a steady flow of new music coming out the purple gates. [Edited 7/21/23 2:58am]

I totally feel you on this, that's why i always listen to everything Prince produced on random play.

The perspectives are intense!

I love Hit&Run phase 2, great final album.

Musicology is just ok to me, 3121 is much better.

Everything in the last 16 years of his life is 50/50 for me. At best. Once he got into his acrylic production mode, the music suffered a lot.

The Rainbow Children: 4/10

One Nite Alone: 5/10

Xpectation: 4/10

N.E.W.S: 1/10

The Chocolate Invasion: 1/10

The Slaughterhouse: 1/10

Musicology: 6/10

3121: 8/10

Planet Earth: 6/10

LotusFlow3r: 7/10

MPLSound: 6/10

20Ten: 7/10

PlectrumElectrum: 3/10

Art Official Age: 3/10

HITnRUN Phase One: 1/10

HITnRUN Phase Two: 8/10

I find myself really being put off by a lot of that music. I get irritated listening to it, because the vast majority of it is just a pile of garbage, while other stuff is good, at best. I don't believe, for me, he had a great album past his 40s. Doesn't mean he wasn't great at what he was doing, but something was missing.

I've long since taken songs from Musicology, 3121, and Planet Earth and made one really good and strong album. Same with Lotus and MPLS. I don't know that you could get one from the last 4, but possibly. HnR2 is pretty good on its own, so maybe PE, AOA, and HnR1 would make 1 good record.


I can't even fuck with that Slaughter/Chocolate mess. It's preachy, weird, drab. I can't be bothered. And while I do put on Xpectation on rare occasion in the background, it's not a go-to.

It's one thing to say that "Private Joy" sounds different than "Billy Jack Bitch" because they're different eras. It's quite another to compare something like "The Gold Standard" and think "oh yeah, same dude, same quality." It's just not.

[Edited 7/21/23 10:04am]

TrivialPursuit said:

Everything in the last 16 years of his life is 50/50 for me. At best. Once he got into his acrylic production mode, the music suffered a lot.

The Rainbow Children: 4/10

One Nite Alone: 5/10

Xpectation: 4/10

N.E.W.S: 1/10

The Chocolate Invasion: 1/10

The Slaughterhouse: 1/10

Musicology: 6/10

3121: 8/10

Planet Earth: 6/10

LotusFlow3r: 7/10

MPLSound: 6/10

20Ten: 7/10

PlectrumElectrum: 3/10

Art Official Age: 3/10

HITnRUN Phase One: 1/10

HITnRUN Phase Two: 8/10

I find myself really being put off by a lot of that music. I get irritated listening to it, because the vast majority of it is just a pile of garbage, while other stuff is good, at best. I don't believe, for me, he had a great album past his 40s. Doesn't mean he wasn't great at what he was doing, but something was missing.

I've long since taken songs from Musicology, 3121, and Planet Earth and made one really good and strong album. Same with Lotus and MPLS. I don't know that you could get one from the last 4, but possibly. HnR2 is pretty good on its own, so maybe PE, AOA, and HnR1 would make 1 good record.


I can't even fuck with that Slaughter/Chocolate mess. It's preachy, weird, drab. I can't be bothered. And while I do put on Xpectation on rare occasion in the background, it's not a go-to.

It's one thing to say that "Private Joy" sounds different than "Billy Jack Bitch" because they're different eras. It's quite another to compare something like "The Gold Standard" and think "oh yeah, same dude, same quality." It's just not.

[Edited 7/21/23 10:04am]

Explain 1/10 for Chocolate Invasion and The Slaughterhouse.

paisleyparkgirl said:

Explain 1/10 for Chocolate Invasion and The Slaughterhouse.

I don't need to, other than to say they're piles of garbage. The 1 indicates there could be a decent or fair song on each compilation.

Chocolate Invasion and Slaughterhouse...I haven't reevaulated as I forgot they existed! From what I remember I did like Supercute and U Make My Sunshine...these are from one of these collections right?

I guess I need to search the depths of my iphone and take another listen to these .

Poplife88 said:

Chocolate Invasion and Slaughterhouse...I haven't reevaulated as I forgot they existed! From what I remember I did like Supercute and U Make My Sunshine...these are from one of these collections right?

I guess I need to search the depths of my iphone and take another listen to these .

"U Make My Sun Shine" is a great song. I always enjoyed that. But it feels tacked onto that set of crap. "Gamillah" is nice.

Shit like "Props n Pounds" is just HORRIBLE! "S&M Groove" sounds like a weird outtake from "Come On." And it has that flat ass production from NewPowerSoul.

The only thing on The Slaughterhouse that is reasonable is "Hypnoparadise," because I love a 4 on the floor. I had to go to YouTube to hear any of these tracks to reference them. They're incredibly forgettable.

I don't know why he didn't just release the High album, even just digitally. Makes zero sense. Then again, it's most of the same lower standard songs just in a different formation.

Silicon and 2045 are awesome

The Rainbow Children: 9/10

One Nite Alone: 7/10

Xpectation: 7/10

N.E.W.S: 9/10

The Chocolate Invasion: 7/10

The Slaughterhouse: 5/10

Musicology: 7/10

3121: 5/10

Planet Earth: 5/10

LotusFlow3r: 7/10

MPLSound: 7/10

20Ten: 7/10

PlectrumElectrum: 6/10

Art Official Age: 9/10

HITnRUN Phase One: 5/10

HITnRUN Phase Two: 7/10

The Rainbow Children: 10/10

One Nite Alone: 6/10

Xpectation: 5/10

N.E.W.S: 5/10

The Chocolate Invasion: 1/10

The Slaughterhouse: 1/10

Musicology: 5/10

3121: 9/10

Planet Earth: 2/10

LotusFlow3r: 10/10

MPLSound: 7/10

20Ten: 3/10

PlectrumElectrum: 5/10

Art Official Age: 10/10

HITnRUN Phase One: 7/10

HITnRUN Phase Two: 710/10

The Rainbow Children: 8/10

One Nite Alone: 4/10

Xpectation: 4/10

N.E.W.S: 4/10

The Chocolate Invasion: 7/10

The Slaughterhouse: 6/10

Musicology: 7/10

3121: 9/10

Planet Earth: 8/10

LotusFlow3r: 5/10

MPLSound: 7/10

20Ten: 6/10

PlectrumElectrum: 6/10

Art Official Age: 8/10

HITnRUN Phase One: 7/10

HITnRUN Phase Two: 9/10

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why he didn't just release the High album, even just digitally. Makes zero sense.

Makes as much sense as you calling out the "acryllic" production of his later albums and then rating Rainbow Children and N.E.W.S., two of the most undeniably organic albums in his catalogue, as 4/10 and 1/10 (dis)respectively.

[Edited 7/21/23 18:44pm]

WhisperingDandelions said:

Makes as much sense as you calling out the "acryllic" production of his later albums and then rating Rainbow Children and N.E.W.S., two of the most undeniably organic albums in his catalogue, as 4/10 and 1/10 (dis)respectively.

TRC and NEWS are probably the only two non-acrylic albums, which makes that shitastic production even worst because there's a glaring comparison just before and after. NewPowerSoul was flat like that, parts of Emancipation were. It felt 60/40 with Musicology, 3121, Planet Earth but after that.... blah.

My problem with TRC is the dogma. God, it's just front to back on it. NEWS was just kinda boring for me. When he went into his jazzy phase, man - that was not great for me. When I saw Renato take "Baby I'm A Star" and do some Muzak noodling, I was done.

The Rainbow Children: 7/10
One Nite Alone: 7/10
Xpectation: 7/10
N.E.W.S: 8/10
The Chocolate Invasion: 5/10
The Slaughterhouse: 5/10
Musicology: 5/10
3121: 7/10
Planet Earth: 2/10
LotusFlow3r: 7/10
MPLSound: 7/10
20Ten: 3/10
PlectrumElectrum: 7/10
Art Official Age: 6/10
HITnRUN Phase One: 5/10
HITnRUN Phase Two: 8/10

i don't care what anyone says, that Bria Whatsherface album buried inside 'Lotus Flow3r' is actually pretty good!

i even ordered that single for "2Nite", also pretty good!

For me, the latest Prince is always the best Prince, even though I have great appreciation for the earlier works. But, I thought Prince was hitting a new high again, his live playing with 3rd Eye Girl was reenergized. Especially if you compare his live shows with 3rd Eye Girl to the Welcome 2 America stuff, it's not even close.

Then the super fun Montreux shows, shit even the Larry Graham stuff during this time is fun and funky.

Art Official Age is a magnificent album, when I first heard it I turned to my partner, we were driving in the car to a meeting, and I told her, it doesn't sound like Prince will be around much longer. Way Back Home just was so revealing in that first listen.

Then the HitnRun albums are fantastic and fun, I even like Plectrum Electrum and look forward to hearing the second album done with 3rd Eye Girl if there is enough to release. I love the live version of The Sweeter She Is, would love a clean version of that.

Black is The New Black also sounds very promising. Hopefully the Estate gets their shit together soon.

lustmealways said:

Silicon and 2045 are awesome