Prince needs a producer bad, some of the production on the "rock" songs especially sounds terribly dated. They've got that "3 chains of Gold" sound and a little of Gold Experience. The guitars and keyboard sounds are very 80's, in a bad way, and I think with some more original production, these songs would have been much better.

I've listened to the Cd all week and the only songs that sound OK to me are Call My Name, Mr.Man, What you Want Me to do, Musicology and that's about it. "Reflection" is ruined by an awful, very loud drum track. The other guitar based songs sound awful. "A Million Miles" is a great song but damn it sounds like a Yamaha DX-7 keyboard from 1980. And the guitars and vocals just sound wrong. But I love the song.

Springsteen got a new engineer and producer for his last CD. He admitted that technology has changed and he needs someone to help get a fresh sound, and I think it worked. th Rising was still Bruce, but it had some new production touches. I'd like to see Prince work with some new roducers to get a cool new different sound.

I knew this was coming.

i disagree with your assessment of much of the album, however I definitely think P could benefit from letting someone else have some input on the production side.

PUHLEEZE, this subject is sooo tired! Run a search on the subject and you'll see just how tired it is.

I hate to say it, but you are right...

I have commented in a previous thread about the extremely bad recording of the drums which really hamper what I think are some incredible songs, especially the pure rock stuff. They are just so tame.

Personally, I think this is his best batch of songs perhaps since 96, but the production makes them sound like demos. I think that's one reason why people respond negatively to them.

They still rock, though. Just think they need to be delivered with more clarity and power.

Also agree on Reflection - the melody is so nice, but I can hardly enjoy it. The Tavis Smiley version was what I was expecting...would have been nice!

I totally disagree. The production is EXCELLENT.

Ok... let me say it again.

PUHLEEZE, this subject is sooo tired! Run a search on the subject and you'll see just how tired it is.

jpav said:

And it's bad demo quality, I like the demo sound of "Dirty Mind", but this demo sound is like a bad local band trying to sound big on a tight budget!

Please dude Musiclogy is this best Prince album since N.E.W.S

Y-A-W-N

Again, this is so tired. Some of you all know how to strum a few chords and think you know everything there is to know about making music.

Maybe the production isn't a problem... maybe the problem is your weak audio system. LOL

It ain't about thinking you are an expert or know how to produce, OR HAVING A KILLER SYSTEM it's about havin' working ears...

Prince is simply not at the head of the pack anymore in this department in my opinion, and should rely on others to lift his game and be a sounding board.

The album is STILL fantastic in my opinion cause good songs are good songs...just wish it had a more professional delivery.

jpav said:

Basically, what you're saying is a back-handed compliment, whether you mean it that way or not.

So... if you're know you're not an expert and you know you don't know how to produce, then basically that means you don't know what you're talking about. Sure you can have an OPINION, but that doesn't mean you actually know what you're talking about.

I just find it ironic that it seems that no matter what Prince does it's never quite good enough for some. I realize it's different complaints from different people. But think about this for second.

First, Musicology was going to suck because well... somebody heard the single and didn't like it so of course that means the rest of the album was going to suck too. And besides, it was going to be a new Prince album, so of course it HAD to suck.

Then, the tracklist was released, and people complained that the titles of the songs didn't sound good. So, quite naturally, the album was going to suck. And besides, it was a new Prince album, so it had to suck.

And now this... the issue of the album Production. It's like "well... the album is pretty good after all BUT, the production still sucks!" And I'm just like... WHATEVER!!! It's just un-frickin-believable how some fans respond. It's like some people just aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.

If the argument about Prince needing a "Producer" wasn't brought up EVERY SINGLE TIME PRINCE RELEASES A NEW ALBUM, I might actually be inclined to give that point of view some thought. But it happens EVERY time, and it's such a weak argument. Give it up!

chinua said:

LOL...I agree...and it's just barely better than N.E.W.S.

So some people say it's over-produced and some say it's under-produced. Which the fuck is it?

What do people mean by "produced" anyway. I suspect they mean "mixed" or "engineered".

The best Prince albums are sort of rough if you know what I mean. Rave was clean and clinical and was ordinary.



.
[This message was edited Thu Apr 1 21:30:17 2004 by bkw]

FutureShock said:

DMSR said:

Well I don't think he needs a new producer but a new set of engineers might be useful. See all of this is subjective really. I mean I would not be surprised if Prince uses the DX-7 on a million miles I really wouldn't. Not that that is a bad thing but if that is the sound that he is going for then so be it. I do think it would be good for him to colaborate with the Neptunes and such even on the DL not be produced but to see how other people do things.
That is not to say that Musicology suffers in anyway to me, but when you bring this up then a rational discussion must happen. A few years ago the Rolling Stones did a big album release whoop tee dooo! They used new producers and the whole nine and it really didn't change them at all. One of the producers I think was the chemical brothers (if memory serves and if I am wrong forgive me) who are studio wizards. In an interview the guys were saying how much the Stones taught them and how they really did not know anything that Mick and Keith did not already know. I think Prince is way more up on things than you are giving him credit but at the sametime it is an entertaining argument.
Peace

FutureShock said:

Your right that this subject is sooo tired. Almost as tired as the production style of every cd Prince has released since 1990

111
[This message was edited Thu Apr 1 23:01:35 2004 by chrisslope9]

FutureShock said:

the reason why the arguement is brought up EVERY SINGLE TIME PRINCE RELEASES AN ALBUM , is because every single time Prince releases an album, the production style sounds so outdated. therefore, it is only natural that people with who are capable of hearing sounds with their ears to pick up on it . anyway, would it kill Prince to (god forgive me for suggesting this) try expierimenting with a differnent producer or two on ONE cd. the world wouldn't stop spinning if you did Prince and you could always go back and produce your next 40 cd's if it didn't work out just like the 40 you produced before it.
[This message was edited Thu Apr 1 23:02:11 2004 by chrisslope9]

Prince could come over to yall's house and give you a 3 hour concert with the Revolution backing him and the Roadhouse Garden ,CD and you would complain about it.

The Musicology CD is a return to form for Prince.
Only time will tell if it is a great CD.

Some people are so controlled by what others think that they cannot make up their minds on liking a CD. Turn the computer off and listen to the music.

I liked Rave.
I loved TRC .
NEWS was cool.

In 1998 when the ORG was new people "hated" Gold. Similar discussions were posted about production etc.Now Gold is "one of the greatest Prince albums ever."

Why does every 2nd fucker want the Neptunes to produce Prince? I mean, WTF?

Why do you want Prince to sound like very other track on the radio?

When Prince produces you get the Prince sound and product. I dont want no Neptunes pile of beat laden crap for fucks sake. I want Prince.

If you like the Neptunes so damn much turn on the radio and breath in some car exhaust.

Amen!!

bkw said:

ouch! I think I like you a lot

bkw said:

Have to say I agree....

Listening to it on headphones last night, it sounds unbalanced in places. A good example is the drum in Reflection - just too loud.

It IS a great album and the songs are fantastic. But IMO it would benefit from a polish on the engineering / production side to improve the quality of the sound.

Old, TIRED subject I know.... but the album's probably the clearest example of this yet.

Such a true and such an old topic! My main explanation for Prince's decline throughout the 1990s. Listened to Emancipation a few days ago, there are such fantastic songs on this album, it is amazing, but the production is so poor (argh those beats) that it does not fare very well in my own ranking of Prince's albums



Problem is the man is way too proud to admit that as a producer he's a a complete has been...

"If the argument about Prince needing a "Producer" wasn't brought up EVERY SINGLE TIME PRINCE RELEASES A NEW ALBUM, I might actually be inclined to give that point of view some thought. But it happens EVERY time, and it's such a weak argument. Give it up!"





Well, it is precisely because it has been brought up a million times by devoted fans that you should give some thought to this point of view! There is definitely some truth into it. If you're not stuck into thye 1980s, if you listen to current music other than Prince, and if you like some of it, you know deep in your mind that this is the truth.

Are you crazy people? who the fc_k are you? Seems there's lot of people here who knows more about music than Prince. He is producing himself since 78, he is a musical genious, if musicology sounds like that is because he wants to sound like that. He knows some drums are loud, he knows some drums are low in the mix, he knows everything about this fckn record because he did the record. He wants it like this, he didn't want lots of drum fills nor extended solos. \\\\\

Btw i love the production of this record, it's does not sound like a demo from a band tryign to be big, re you crazy? what are you to say this? a experienced musican? i knwo everybody can have a opinion but there are something people say here that is very idiot. So you don'liek the music, ok, you dont like, but you dont need to go and find the most ridiculous arguments and try to talk about the way the producing sounds, to give more credibility to you argument,

I have only heard half of the album and I really cant see why people are complaining,its pretty good IMO and I actually think there are a couple of potential hit singles with the help of good vids etc. Its much better than i expected as I wasnt very keen on Musicology the song but 12 tracks is a nice short n sweet album so far I'll give it 7/10 from what I've heard.