Here ya go. First listen, blah-de-blah.

The album sounds very programmed on some tracks.

Musicology - y'all know about already.

Illusion... - This is a stripped down, programmed sound a la silicon (but better). It's damn cool.

A million days - potential single. Very dolphin-esque. Good, straight guitar pop.

Life o the party. - Welcome to the Slaughterhouse style beat. The weakest track by a mile. Sounds like Prince was just sitting there pressing buttons at a mixing desk. "Think i'll add a triangle here." No melody - just a beat really.

Call my name. - Great ballad. Sounds much better in the flesh than that radio show excerpt. D'Angelo Voodoo feel. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.

Cinnamon Girl - live drums, another guitar pop song. Even more like Dolphin than A Million Days. In fact, this has got Single written all over it.

What do you want me to do. - Stand out track. Very soulful feel. Another potential single. Chilled out, programmed beats, smattering of piano, cool bassline, nice vocals.

The Marrying kind - heavier guitars, another "pop" song. Pretty good, but no discernable melody, really. Solid but not great.

If was the man - Synth-led track. Good vibe. Solid, but no single.

On the couch. - Stand out track. Old school, and i mean REAL old school. Got the background organ style. Falsetto, beats and a smidgeon of guitar. Superb vocals. This is the track. I mean, THIS IS THE TRACK, people. This track is going to pop up on all those, "best prince song to make sweet lurve love to" threads.

Dear Mr man. - Great beat, live-sounding beat. Synths again. Great baritone vocal - politics is the theme here. "Meek shall inherit the earth", pollution, ozone layer etc. Bit of horns but nicely used - in fact, i'm pleasantly surprised at the lack of OTT horns on the album.

Reflection - sounds better as a closing track, but y'all know this track.


Overall, the album is very solid indeed. However, it feels like a bit of a backtrack. IMO it's hands down better than the Chocolate Invasion, but compared to The Rainbow Children it's somewhat unadventurous. As many imagined, at times the album is going full out commercial, with some very good pop songs. As an album it's more coherent than Rave but it's by no means one of Prince's best. That said, there are a handful of truly great tracks on here which i'm looking forward to hearing again and again. Shame about Life o the Party. What possessed him to include that, i don't know. Doesn't work at all.

No problems with the download either - very efficient and quick, so props to npgmc for that (and for the cheaper Member downloads).
[This message was edited Mon Mar 29 3:42:30 2004 by TheFrog]
[This message was edited Mon Mar 29 3:53:03 2004 by TheFrog]

good review - sounds more honest than the others here. lol@this album being a new classic.

so is the album remotely adventurous or is it more a case of what could have been (but isnt)?

im a bit worried that there seems to be so much programming on the album, prince has been crap at that for a while now. i can imagine this being a neither here nor there type of prince album, a few good songs, but a lot completely unappealing. at least in the 80s, when the songs werent as good as the highlights, they were still interesting and intriguing. these days theres too much complete dross. he doesnt make solid 'albums' any more, apart from TRC.

Thanx Frog sounds cool
now do I download or do I wait 4 the cd

Best review yet. I'm tempted to DL now, instead of waiting for the simulcast.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

I have to admit, i am slightly disappointed that it doesn't seem to be adventurous. Ironically, for me, On the couch sounds the most "interesting", even though it harks back to stripped down soul. Just because there ain't that much around which sounds like this. I note that another reviewer thought it boring - that's fair enough and I expect some music critics to call it Prince ballad-by-numbers.

If i'm honest though, it's a shed load better than i was expecting.

Yo Frog...Superb review , is there any narration or weird deep voices like TRC and is there any humourous introo's 2 any of the songs as found on the NPG album?

FunnyWayOfStoppinTheJuice said:

Thanks Funny, my man.

Praise be, there are no gutteral ramblings on here. No funny intros either. It's all about the music. All about the music.

I by and large agree with the main post but I do actually like Life of the Party! Overall I find the whole album v interesting and though not his best by a mile it is really very good. As for the download side it really was seamless and actually very well done by the club - thumbs up to them. I think it is no bad thing that he has dropped a straight pop record - it is not necessary to be out there every time imho.

Overall well done Prince and the NPGMC

can i burn these trax on cd???

TheFrog said:

on the couch is probably the most intersting cos its just a honest to goodness 'good song'. im looking forward to hearing the guitar pop tracks, not so much the ballads apart from the couch one. call my name wasnt much of a song really, just a 'vibe'. plus the lyrics were as banal as the title track.

i wish prince would just do a good solid album of actual 'songs': im still waiting for him to do his equivalent to say, dylans time out of mind or love and theft but i dont think were gonna get it. maybe TRC was the closest.
[This message was edited Mon Mar 29 3:59:10 2004 by funkbabyandthebabysitters]
[This message was edited Mon Mar 29 3:59:53 2004 by funkbabyandthebabysitters]

I'm curious if you'll change your opinion about some songs after more and better listening to them, the way many Prince songs work for me is that I appreciate them better after a good while 'cuz of the depth and complexicty many of his songs have.

SunDance said:

I'm sure i will. Always have done - except on Rave, for some reason.

Another top review!

People should be well aware that THIS IS A POP ALBUM.

He's not attempting another TRC here, or NEWS etc, this is pop. Oh, and it's a million miles better than Rave.