WhisperingDandelions said:

The Gold Experience could have been the great album of the '90s, but too much time passed between it being fresh in his mind and its release.He removed Days Of Wild for the wrong reasons, added unnecessary overdubs like frequently doubling his guitar with synth.

But what bothers me most is the mix/mastering. Michael B's power is no longer present, it lacks depth and warmth.

For example, the track Shhh is completely stripped of its substance because of this (the 13/02/94 version is the definitive version for me). In short, there are gems inside, but I expected a lot from it at the time and never managed to love it properly. I hope a deluxe version will correct this a little...

To answer the question, my favorite album is a mix of Come/Gold, but as he certainly had originally thought, the album could have been called Welcome 2 The Dawn.

Tier One

1. Truth
2. The Gold Experience
3. Diamonds & Pearls
4. Exodus
4. The Symbol
6. Crystal Ball

Tier Two

7. New Power Soul
8. Graffiti Bridge

9. (tie) Chaos & Disorder

9. (tie) The Vault... Old Friends for Sale

Tier Three

11. Come
12. Rave Unto The Joy Fantasic
13. Emancipation


Note (1): I believe the best album *released* in the '90s was The Black Album. I would have put that number one, but despite its release date, to me it's absolutely an '80s album.

Note (2): I didn't include Goldnigga since Prince barely sings on it. Had I included it, it would have been at the very bottom (#14).

Note (3): I've never properly listed to Kamasutra, so I can't rank it.

highcalonic said:

The Gold Experience could have been the great album of the '90s, but too much time passed between it being fresh in his mind and its release.He removed Days Of Wild for the wrong reasons, added unnecessary overdubs like frequently doubling his guitar with synth.

But what bothers me most is the mix/mastering. Michael B's power is no longer present, it lacks depth and warmth.

For example, the track Shhh is completely stripped of its substance because of this (the 13/02/94 version is the definitive version for me). In short, there are gems inside, but I expected a lot from it at the time and never managed to love it properly. I hope a deluxe version will correct this a little...

I largely agree.

When the Gold Experience was first released, I thought it was amazing. I told some friends of mine who were lapsed Prince fans that the Prince they knew and loved was back... that the Gold Experience was just as good as his '80s stuff.

But as time went by, I liked it less and less. It sounded cheesy and date for many of the reasons you cite. My opinion of it kept sinking until I eventually decided I actively disliked the Gole Experience.

These days I fall in the middle. I'm back to really liking it, but I recognize its flaws. Despite it sounding dated and cheesy, it's clear that if you just peel back some of the over-production, there's a gem underneath.

lurker316 said:

highcalonic said:

The Gold Experience could have been the great album of the '90s, but too much time passed between it being fresh in his mind and its release.He removed Days Of Wild for the wrong reasons, added unnecessary overdubs like frequently doubling his guitar with synth.

But what bothers me most is the mix/mastering. Michael B's power is no longer present, it lacks depth and warmth.

For example, the track Shhh is completely stripped of its substance because of this (the 13/02/94 version is the definitive version for me). In short, there are gems inside, but I expected a lot from it at the time and never managed to love it properly. I hope a deluxe version will correct this a little...

I largely agree.

When the Gold Experience was first released, I thought it was amazing. I told some friends of mine who were lapsed Prince fans that the Prince they knew and loved was back... that the Gold Experience was just as good as his '80s stuff.

But as time went by, I liked it less and less. It sounded cheesy and date for many of the reasons you cite. My opinion of it kept sinking until I eventually decided I actively disliked the Gole Experience.

These days I fall in the middle. I'm back to really liking it, but I recognize its flaws. Despite it sounding dated and cheesy, it's clear that if you just peel back some of the over-production, there's a gem underneath.

hmm i agree generally. i dont think days of wild would have helped it though. that would have dated it even more. but yeah, something about a lot of it sounds both a bit too produced as well as a bit underwritten. its an album i think if you made a playlist of live versions of the songs, it would be better, as they were honed live, and kinda sound better in that context, where its all about the moment, is fresher. its weird cos for years i used to think this album was amazing, but then something years later changed it for me, and now i just find something about it underwhelming.

[Edited 11/5/23 8:51am]

SoulAlive said:

Sales-wise, yes.

But I would put The Gold Experience and the album above it.

SoulAlive said:

and look at all the great tunes that didn’t appear on the album: “Days Of Wild” (a fan favorite), “Ripopgodazippa”,”Acknowledge Me”,”Hide The Bone”,”Interactive”,hell even “Love Sign” could have been on it.Despite his issues with WB at the time,this was an incredibly productive and inspired period for Prince.

Those are on my extended playlist for The Gold Experience! It's a shame they were not on the album.

Prior to this SDE coming out, I always liked istening to D&P in-progress tracks because it lacked a little bit of the sheen that the final album had. I would say it was a patchy album with some high moments: Cream, Willing and Able, D&P, Insatiable, and some real low moments as everyonethe knows.

But that said, I was never a big fan of the album, so what is it about this album that people here seem to prefer? I always skip to track 2 on that album. My Name is Prince just doesn't seem like a Prince song to me.

Come is excellent btw. Probably his best 90s album IMO.

Everyone is going to rank Prince's 90's albums differently according to what their individual preferences are. My favorite will always be the Gold Experience but I think the early 90s was a very creative time for Prince and I enjoy albums from this period or at least many songs from them. The symbol album is under-rated IMO. The Come album also ranks up there, along with the Crystal Ball (yes, I like it!) release, Exodus, and The Vault: Old Friends For Sale.

1. The Truth

2. Love Symbol
3. Gold Experience
4. Emancipation

5. NPS
6. Graffiti Bridge

7. Diamonds+Pearls
8. Rave

9. Come
10. Exodus
11. Kamasutra

jizzclock said:

But that said, I was never a big fan of the album, so what is it about this album that people here seem to prefer? I always skip to track 2 on that album. My Name is Prince just doesn't seem like a Prince song to me.

Come is excellent btw. Probably his best 90s album IMO.

It's more diverse/"bigger"/epic. The band has arrangements that actually enhance the band and aren't stuff he could do equally as good by himself in a studio looping over a multitrack.

People deride "My Name Is Prince" but it's no more egregious than "Jughead", c'mon now. Not seeming like a Prince song is the best kind of Prince. The man's supposed to stretch himself as it relates to genre. We get it, you all hate rap.

Come probably is his best of the 90s, however.

[Edited 11/5/23 16:40pm]

WhisperingDandelions said:

jizzclock said:

But that said, I was never a big fan of the album, so what is it about this album that people here seem to prefer? I always skip to track 2 on that album. My Name is Prince just doesn't seem like a Prince song to me.

Come is excellent btw. Probably his best 90s album IMO.

It's more diverse/"bigger"/epic. The band has arrangements that actually enhance the band and aren't stuff he could do equally as good by himself in a studio looping over a multitrack.

People deride "My Name Is Prince" but it's no more egregious than "Jughead", c'mon now. Not seeming like a Prince song is the best kind of Prince. The man's supposed to stretch himself as it relates to genre. We get it, you all hate rap.

Come probably is his best of the 90s, however.

[Edited 11/5/23 16:40pm]

I like rap, just not when Prince or Prince affiliates do it. MNIP though, I find offputting not because of rap but because of the aggression. It's hard hitting for like 6 minutes without much subtelty. Just not what I'm into.

But I hear what you're saying about Jughead being a skip track too.

thisisreece said:

1. The Undertaker (if this can be counted) 2. Symbol (Outstanding production/musicianship, somehow everything I don’t like about D&P works here. Plus his two best songs of the 90s: Love 2 the 9s/And God Created Woman) 3. The Truth 4. Come 5. Exodus (Technically NPG, but its strengths are too strong not to include. Love Count the Days and funk epics Return of the Bump Squad/Exodus has Begun) 5. The Gold Experience (it’s over-baked, hits as much as it misses, but Shy/Dolphin/Eye Hate U more than make up for it. I’m a fan of Prince rocking out, but the rock here is a bit formulaic and Gold is horrendous) 6. Emancipation (as everyone says, different production and 1 Disc, this would have been up there as one of his best) 7.Chaos & Disorder 8. Vault: Old Friends for Sale 9.D&P 10. Rave 11. NPS Too much 80s to include Crystal Ball (though the 90s rock tracks on disc 2 are brilliant). The War is probably my favourite thing Prince did in the 90s.

"Everyone" says that? I've literally heard no one but you suggest that.

if that's how you feel, fine. It's subjective and you're entitiled to your opinion. But don't project it onto the general Prince fan base. I mean, I not completely opposed to hyperbole, and I might not protest your use of the term "eveyone" if most fans shared your opinion, but I doubt that's the case.

Not imo.

My faves:

Gold Experience

Exodus

Emancipation

D & P is just average, nothing special. The only album I dislike more is New Power Soul, which is utter garbage. The Gold Experience is his best album from the 90s.

I feel like D&P is similar to a lot of P's 90's output in that it has some absolute classics that I love (Cream, Gett Off and even the title track) but the rest is mediocre to bad. Same with Love Symbol album for me. Conversely, Come doesn't really have any real standouts but is just a really solid album throughout without any obvious clunkers. Overall, my favs are probably The Undertaker and The Gold Experience (even though the latter has some cheese to spare).

lurker316 said:

thisisreece said:

1. The Undertaker (if this can be counted) 2. Symbol (Outstanding production/musicianship, somehow everything I don’t like about D&P works here. Plus his two best songs of the 90s: Love 2 the 9s/And God Created Woman) 3. The Truth 4. Come 5. Exodus (Technically NPG, but its strengths are too strong not to include. Love Count the Days and funk epics Return of the Bump Squad/Exodus has Begun) 5. The Gold Experience (it’s over-baked, hits as much as it misses, but Shy/Dolphin/Eye Hate U more than make up for it. I’m a fan of Prince rocking out, but the rock here is a bit formulaic and Gold is horrendous) 6. Emancipation (as everyone says, different production and 1 Disc, this would have been up there as one of his best) 7.Chaos & Disorder 8. Vault: Old Friends for Sale 9.D&P 10. Rave 11. NPS Too much 80s to include Crystal Ball (though the 90s rock tracks on disc 2 are brilliant). The War is probably my favourite thing Prince did in the 90s.

"Everyone" says that? I've literally heard no one but you suggest that.

if that's how you feel, fine. It's subjective and you're entitiled to your opinion. But don't project it onto the general Prince fan base. I mean, I not completely opposed to hyperbole, and I might not protest your use of the term "eveyone" if most fans shared your opinion, but I doubt that's the case.

You haven't heard anyone mention that they think the production on Emacipation is junk and that if you put all your favs on one disc it would be really strong? Pretty sure I've read threads here on the org stating just that. Regardless, dude is just making a generalization. Not sure why you're getting worked up about his use of the word "everyone". He just means "lots of people". Which is accurate.

The Truth.

SpookyPurple said:

lurker316 said:

"Everyone" says that? I've literally heard no one but you suggest that.

if that's how you feel, fine. It's subjective and you're entitiled to your opinion. But don't project it onto the general Prince fan base. I mean, I not completely opposed to hyperbole, and I might not protest your use of the term "eveyone" if most fans shared your opinion, but I doubt that's the case.

You haven't heard anyone mention that they think the production on Emacipation is junk and that if you put all your favs on one disc it would be really strong? Pretty sure I've read threads here on the org stating just that. Regardless, dude is just making a generalization. Not sure why you're getting worked up about his use of the word "everyone". He just means "lots of people". Which is accurate.

I must have read a couple of dozen threads about that over the years

SpookyPurple said:

lurker316 said:

"Everyone" says that? I've literally heard no one but you suggest that.

if that's how you feel, fine. It's subjective and you're entitiled to your opinion. But don't project it onto the general Prince fan base. I mean, I not completely opposed to hyperbole, and I might not protest your use of the term "eveyone" if most fans shared your opinion, but I doubt that's the case.

You haven't heard anyone mention that they think the production on Emacipation is junk and that if you put all your favs on one disc it would be really strong? Pretty sure I've read threads here on the org stating just that. Regardless, dude is just making a generalization. Not sure why you're getting worked up about his use of the word "everyone". He just means "lots of people". Which is accurate.

i dont think the production is junk, but like a lot of fans think, its a bit too safe, clean, and sterile. but it doesnt totally ruin the album for me (but its a triple so that was always going to be a challenging listen). theres just too many things that would be better as b-sides or given to other artists (a bit like the more generic D&P vault tracks). but if you make a good single album from it, it actually could be the best prince album of the 90s. its also the most typically prince album of the 90s except the truth maybe in that it sounds mostly like one man in the studio, without the live/band sounding style of most of the 90s albums. i know he did that again on rave, but its better than rave.

People deride "My Name Is Prince" but it's no more egregious than "Jughead", c'mon now. Not seeming like a Prince song is the best kind of Prince. The man's supposed to stretch himself as it relates to genre. We get it, you all hate rap.

i dont hate rap. and if im honest, back in 91, i was barely out of single figures and liked mc hammer and vanilla ice (hammer sampled doves cry too), and had no issue with tony m (or carmen electra, or tc ellis lol). i played jughead and my name is prince (and tony showcases like call the law) non stop. but when i got into hip hop (and prince continued to rap or use rappers), i had a rethink on this, haha.

[Edited 11/6/23 9:58am]

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

SpookyPurple said:

i dont think the production is junk, but like a lot of fans think, its a bit too safe, clean, and sterile. but it doesnt totally ruin the album for me (but its a triple so that was always going to be a challenging listen). theres just too many things that would be better as b-sides or given to other artists (a bit like the more generic D&P vault tracks). but if you make a good single album from it, it actually could be the best prince album of the 90s. its also the most typically prince album of the 90s except the truth maybe in that it sounds mostly like one man in the studio, without the live/band sounding style of most of the 90s albums. i know he did that again on rave, but its better than rave.

People deride "My Name Is Prince" but it's no more egregious than "Jughead", c'mon now. Not seeming like a Prince song is the best kind of Prince. The man's supposed to stretch himself as it relates to genre. We get it, you all hate rap.

i dont hate rap. and if im honest, back in 91, i was barely out of single figures and liked mc hammer and vanilla ice (hammer sampled doves cry too), and had no issue with tony m (or carmen electra, or tc ellis lol). i played jughead and my name is prince (and tony showcases like call the law) non stop. but when i got into hip hop (and prince continued to rap or use rappers), i had a rethink on this, haha.

[Edited 11/6/23 9:58am]

On some songs I think the production is totally fine but there's so many where I just shake my head and wonder where P's touch went. I think back to the liner notes from the Hits / the B-Sides where Alan Leeds talks about seeing all of P's keyboards and computers on the street with a "For Sale" sign. They should've stayed sold

did he buy his old gear back? i thought he kept it all at paisley park in the basement and brought it back out for the rave album. emancipation was arguably the last time he was still looking ahead and not trying to look back to old prince or old eras. i guess NPS counts too but that album sucks lol.