In my opinion Dirty Mind, 1999, SOTT, Emancipation and TRC are five stars. Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Lovesexy and Gold are four stars.

I would put this CD into the three star category along with Parade, Symbol, Controversy and Rave. It lacks that one great "classic" song, i.e. Anna Stesia, Holy River, When Doves Cry, but it has a bunch of very good songs and one bad song (Life O the Party).

Overall, I am very pleased with the CD. I think the CD is too short, because I've already digested most of it in a few hours and it usually takes me days to really get through a new Prince CD. It needs that one great song, but overall I'm very pleased because I guess it is better to have a bunch of above average songs than one great song and a bunch of below average songs. Here is my song by song review.

Musicology--3 stars--old school catchy joint

Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance--4 stars--funkiest song on the CD and has potential to be a single.

A Million Days--4 stars--reminds me of "into the light." one of the best songs on the CD

Life O the Party--0 stars--terrible, irritating and too long.

Call My Name--3.5 stars--good ballad, not great. Mixture of "You make my sunshine" and "Man O War". Everyone is hyped about this one, but he's done so many good slow jams that this one is ranked somewhere in the middle. Still, one of the strongest songs on the CD.

Cinnamon Girl--4 stars. Could be a single. Strong lyrics and guitar. One of the highlights.

What do you Want me to do--1 star--very mediocre and boring R&B track. Not bad, not good.

The Marrying Kind--3 Stars--Good rock track. Doesn't have single potential, but good set up to the best song on the CD.

If I was 2 Be Ur Man--4.5 stars--Best track on the CD and the CD would not be nearly as strong without it.

On The Couch--I'm not into this one yet. But, it has an old bluesy feel to it. Kinda like an Aretha Franklin track. I'll wait before I rate it because I think I have to digest it.

Mr. Man--4 Stars--Great lyrics. Has a "If you Want Me to Stay" by Sly Stone feel to it and you can also hear the influence from Curtis Mayfield.

Reflection--3 stars--Good song and great way to end the CD.

Parade just 3 stars?? Five star for me.

NEFRETIRI said:

Yeah, I was cool till I saw that.. basically ruined any credibility towards anything u had to say.. j/k


Parade 5 stars.

i'm almost tempted to agree that it is very consistent, but lacks the killer jam... i'll have to listen to it a few more times, before i can say for sure.. because "musicology" "call my name" and "what do u want me to do" are all jamming pretty hard right now... ...

donnyenglish said:

I have not heard it yet but most prince cd's grow on me over time and certain songs, like LETITGO 2 me is a classic prince song!

Donny what drugs are U on ??
U can't really mean that Emancipation (5 stars) is a better CD than Purple Rain and Lovesexy (4 stars) ?????
Not only that but U R only giving Parade 3 stars !!!!!
Damn I've read it all now.

Well, you do give 4.5 to one song, so that's pretty close to a great song.

By the way, that's two people who mention Aretha in connection to On the Couch. It does feel like songs like Do Right Man Do Right Woman.

Frankly, I think you are all coming out with your reviews a bit too early, but thanks all the same.

Controversy said:

I noticed that too... No way on hell, Earth or heaven Emancipation ranks higher than Purple Rain.

Aerogram said:

Co-Sign...

Yeah, I could never say Emancipation is as good as Parade. Parade is a 4 star album. Not as good as 1999, Purple Rain, SOTT, or TRC but definitely better than Emancipation and Rave (?) Of course that's just my opinion.

Donnie, please leave that crack alone. There is no way in hell that TRC is a better album than Purple Rain.In my opinion, PR is a 5 star along with Parade.