I read this really awful review in the (generally good quality) british black music mag Echoes. R&B artist Monica is on the cover. first of all, i think its a really late review, maybe it got held back or something, but to add insult to injury, they then only gave it 3 stars. journalists can be so annoying. (i posted this by mistake in the other forum too)


PRINCE
ONE NITE ALONE… LIVE! (NPG)

Prince is one of the most bootlegged artists to ever record but officially speaking, his tours have never been documented. For the faithful few though, 2001’s jazzy The Rainbow Children was something of a return to form, if not quite that form, and this is the live complement with a few concert staples thrown in as legacy-reminders. As admirable as Prince’s quest for stretching out of his usual comfort zones seems, on this evidence, jazz tends to be a regrettable keyword for either a) a veritable smorgasbord of smooth and shiny adult contemporary-isms with none other than elevator king Najee on sax b) typical notions of musical maturity/respectability/complexity or c) a soundtrack for a porno set in a Las Vegas supper club. The approach works appropriately enough for the newer material but the between-song banter about performing “real music by real musicians” is at least one way of explaining why everything is so over-embellished and blandly bashed out. Strange Relationship, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore, Sometimes it Snows in April, nothing escapes the too-full band treatment. There’s nothing wrong with these versions, but there’s nothing interesting about them either. That said, when he isn’t making painfully duff adlibs (‘Who knows about the theocratic order?!”), reinventing himself as a reverend preacher doing stand up or coming off like someone’s uncle trying to be down (“You better ask somebody!”), Prince shows his voice has aged in his favour. And while there isn’t always enough to flatter his more ingenious pop/rock/soul/funk strengths, his underrated guitar work is arguably better than ever. Not the all-conquering live statement hoped for but there’s always bootlegs!
***

and WTF do these kids who write for new R&B mags know about real mags. Perhaps they should just stick to the mass produced US / UK shite that passes for soul.

I can't imagine anyone actually wanting to write for this kinda mag?!



TheLodger

javed said:

exactly. i mean, these journo types have got some nerve! for the record though, echoes has been going for over 30 years. it used to be called black echoes. i bet that writer knows nothing about soul or jazz.

Actually - he's not that far off the mark. OK, he doesn't mention Candy or MAceo, but the bottom line is... ONA Live is a disappointing first live album from P, especially when compared to live stuff that we have heard through other means over the years...

But why didn't the reviewer mention It Ain't Over???

the review is as late as the ones for the rainbow children but thats not surprising as the uk is poorly catered for.I hate to think how long it will be before n.e.w.s. gets an official release.

wasitgood4u said:

i have to agree actually. i reckon the reviewer is pretty much right on the money. he does exaggerate a bit, but overall this isn't exactly prince at his most thrilling is it now? i suppose if you compare prince to most other live performances, it would obviously seem better, but this is prince were talking about, not will young!

i don't know what you're moaning about.That review is spot on as far as i can tell.