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Prince/Musicology Reviewed on London's Evening Standard Website Another glowing review!! this time from the UK....
http://www.thisislondon.c...20Standard A star is reborn By John Aizlewood, Evening Standard 2 April 2004 A star was reborn at this year's Grammys. Many of the audience at the back of Los Angeles' cavernous Staples Center at February's ceremony failed to recognise the tiny figure in a garish suit who opened the show alongside America's sweetheart, Beyoncé Knowles. When the familiar strains of Purple Rain echoed across the arena, there was no mistaking the identity of the stick-thin man with the body of a boy. Prince treated the crowd and primetime US television to a blistering medley from his 1984 album. Knowles joined him for a smidgeon of her Crazy in Love, but only for courtesy's sake. The artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince was back. A world tour and a "proper" album, Musicology, due out on 19 April, indicate a renewed focus and understanding of his many gifts. After a decade of swinging a wrecking ball through his career, Prince has finally stopped sulking. Rock moves so rapidly that the memories are almost sepia-tinted. In the mid-Eighties, Prince was the world's most popular solo artist. More to the point, he was an extraordinary talent who wrote, produced, arranged, composed and (mostly) performed his material. During his golden period, that material was ground-breaking and magnificent. Prince embraced the contradictions of being God-fearing and unashamedly lascivious, although, as a Jehovah's Witness since 2001, he rejects his incest-and masturbation-based pieces such as Darling Nikki, Sister or Dirty Mind. He utilised funk, rock, disco and whatever suited him at any given point and harnessed the power of great melody more successfully than his musical forefathers, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. Then he blew it. Having already changed his name to a squiggle, he fell out with his record company, Warner. The row concerned contracts, percentages and the remarkably prolific artist's desire to release almost everything he recorded at the very moment he had mislaid his quality-control faculty. Scrawling "S-L-A-V-E" on his cheek stated his case simply, although it was never quite clear exactly how Warner had enslaved him, other than by selling 50 million copies of his records and paying him royalties. But Prince picked his ball up and took it home. After the Warner contract expired, he became a cottage industry, releasing what he wanted (everything) when he wanted (all the time), mostly via his website. Without proper distribution, and with his creative powers on the wane, the move was a commercial and artistic disaster, culminating in last year's N EWS, which consisted of four instrumentals (North, East, West and South), each lasting 14 minutes. This was, indeed, bad NEWS. Now, at 45, Prince Rogers Nelson has finally come to his senses. We've missed him. A month after the Grammys, Prince was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York, a rite of passage for the rock aristocracy. His behaviour, even by the standards of a man who refused to sanction the original release of the "evil" Black Album, was mercurial. Another glorious medley (Let's Go Crazy, Sign O' The Times and Kiss) established the groundwork. Later, during an ensemble version of George Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps, his extraordinary playing reduced Tom Petty and Harrison's son Dhani to the role of overwhelmed spectators. MORE interesting still was Prince's dignified and reflective speech at the ceremony, perhaps a result of the calming influence of Manuela Testolini, whom he married in 2001 after his union with backing singer Mayte Garcia was annulled. He thanked Warner for giving him his start and in expressing "a word to the wise, to the young artists: without spiritual guidance, too much freedom can lead to spiritual decline", came as close as he ever has to mea culpa. Decks cleared, he can move on. Prince has rejoined the world of major labels. He has signed to Columbia, but only for manufacture, distribution and marketing. Prince owns his music and, seemingly, the label has no artistic input. Columbia so far refuses to allow critics to listen to the whole of the forthcoming Musicology, which is usually music business code for "it's not especially good", although it cites spurious fears over downloading. I was permitted to hear three tracks. Columbia's caution is laughable, not least because Prince is keen for fans to download the tracks (for as little as 66 cents each) and, when Musicology is released, he plans to give away copies to those who buy tickets for his tour. "Musicology has no boundaries or formats," he says. This is arrant nonsense, but the new tracks are unquestionably Prince's best work since his last great single, 1991's Gett Off. No wonder he has started behaving properly. Further evidence of his rebirth is that tour, which began in Reno, Nevada, last Saturday (no UK dates are yet announced). He has, of course, toured extensively during his exile, but this one promises to be different. When he played the Carling Hammersmith Apollo last year and announced, "If you want the hits you've come to the wrong place," the groans could have been heard in Kew. A dreary funk set helped nobody's mood. This time, though, he is playing much of Musicology and many hits. He also claims it will be the last time those hits are played. Prince watchers understand this to mean it's the last time those hits will be played until he feels like playing them again. The album's first single, also called Musicology, released in the UK on 12 April, is a watertight collage which harkens to the Prince of Kiss, 1999 and Gett Off. It even mentions Earth Wind And Fire's Let's Groove, but manages to sound invigoratingly contemporary. As a return from the wilderness, it is a masterstroke, especially the final few seconds, which feature snatches of Prince hits. Call My Name, meanwhile, is multilayered and full of musical wiggles. It begins as a gloopy ballad and mutates into an epic tale of instant seduction. "I know it's only been three hours," he trills, "but I love it when you call my name." And there's a joke, which it would be churlish to ruin by revealing. The jewel, though, is A Million Days. It has an almost identical lyric to Call My Name. "You've only been here an hour, but it feels like a million years" (presumably his observation is fuelled by lust rather than boredom). Chorally symphonic and with coruscating guitar-work, this is Prince stretching himself and delighting those of us who have been waiting for his talent to blossom once again. It's been a long time. | |
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orlatron said: Another glowing review!! this time from the UK....
http://www.thisislondon.c...20Standard A star is reborn By John Aizlewood, Evening Standard 2 April 2004 A star was reborn at this year's Grammys. Many of the audience at the back of Los Angeles' cavernous Staples Center at February's ceremony failed to recognise the tiny figure in a garish suit who opened the show alongside America's sweetheart, Beyoncé Knowles. When the familiar strains of Purple Rain echoed across the arena, there was no mistaking the identity of the stick-thin man with the body of a boy. Prince treated the crowd and primetime US television to a blistering medley from his 1984 album. Knowles joined him for a smidgeon of her Crazy in Love, but only for courtesy's sake. The artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince was back. A world tour and a "proper" album, Musicology, due out on 19 April, indicate a renewed focus and understanding of his many gifts. After a decade of swinging a wrecking ball through his career, Prince has finally stopped sulking. Rock moves so rapidly that the memories are almost sepia-tinted. In the mid-Eighties, Prince was the world's most popular solo artist. More to the point, he was an extraordinary talent who wrote, produced, arranged, composed and (mostly) performed his material. During his golden period, that material was ground-breaking and magnificent. Prince embraced the contradictions of being God-fearing and unashamedly lascivious, although, as a Jehovah's Witness since 2001, he rejects his incest-and masturbation-based pieces such as Darling Nikki, Sister or Dirty Mind. He utilised funk, rock, disco and whatever suited him at any given point and harnessed the power of great melody more successfully than his musical forefathers, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. Then he blew it. Having already changed his name to a squiggle, he fell out with his record company, Warner. The row concerned contracts, percentages and the remarkably prolific artist's desire to release almost everything he recorded at the very moment he had mislaid his quality-control faculty. Scrawling "S-L-A-V-E" on his cheek stated his case simply, although it was never quite clear exactly how Warner had enslaved him, other than by selling 50 million copies of his records and paying him royalties. But Prince picked his ball up and took it home. After the Warner contract expired, he became a cottage industry, releasing what he wanted (everything) when he wanted (all the time), mostly via his website. Without proper distribution, and with his creative powers on the wane, the move was a commercial and artistic disaster, culminating in last year's N EWS, which consisted of four instrumentals (North, East, West and South), each lasting 14 minutes. This was, indeed, bad NEWS. Now, at 45, Prince Rogers Nelson has finally come to his senses. We've missed him. A month after the Grammys, Prince was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York, a rite of passage for the rock aristocracy. His behaviour, even by the standards of a man who refused to sanction the original release of the "evil" Black Album, was mercurial. Another glorious medley (Let's Go Crazy, Sign O' The Times and Kiss) established the groundwork. Later, during an ensemble version of George Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps, his extraordinary playing reduced Tom Petty and Harrison's son Dhani to the role of overwhelmed spectators. MORE interesting still was Prince's dignified and reflective speech at the ceremony, perhaps a result of the calming influence of Manuela Testolini, whom he married in 2001 after his union with backing singer Mayte Garcia was annulled. He thanked Warner for giving him his start and in expressing "a word to the wise, to the young artists: without spiritual guidance, too much freedom can lead to spiritual decline", came as close as he ever has to mea culpa. Decks cleared, he can move on. Prince has rejoined the world of major labels. He has signed to Columbia, but only for manufacture, distribution and marketing. Prince owns his music and, seemingly, the label has no artistic input. Columbia so far refuses to allow critics to listen to the whole of the forthcoming Musicology, which is usually music business code for "it's not especially good", although it cites spurious fears over downloading. I was permitted to hear three tracks. Columbia's caution is laughable, not least because Prince is keen for fans to download the tracks (for as little as 66 cents each) and, when Musicology is released, he plans to give away copies to those who buy tickets for his tour. "Musicology has no boundaries or formats," he says. This is arrant nonsense, but the new tracks are unquestionably Prince's best work since his last great single, 1991's Gett Off. No wonder he has started behaving properly. Further evidence of his rebirth is that tour, which began in Reno, Nevada, last Saturday (no UK dates are yet announced). He has, of course, toured extensively during his exile, but this one promises to be different. When he played the Carling Hammersmith Apollo last year and announced, "If you want the hits you've come to the wrong place," the groans could have been heard in Kew. A dreary funk set helped nobody's mood. This time, though, he is playing much of Musicology and many hits. He also claims it will be the last time those hits are played. Prince watchers understand this to mean it's the last time those hits will be played until he feels like playing them again. The album's first single, also called Musicology, released in the UK on 12 April, is a watertight collage which harkens to the Prince of Kiss, 1999 and Gett Off. It even mentions Earth Wind And Fire's Let's Groove, but manages to sound invigoratingly contemporary. As a return from the wilderness, it is a masterstroke, especially the final few seconds, which feature snatches of Prince hits. Call My Name, meanwhile, is multilayered and full of musical wiggles. It begins as a gloopy ballad and mutates into an epic tale of instant seduction. "I know it's only been three hours," he trills, "but I love it when you call my name." And there's a joke, which it would be churlish to ruin by revealing. The jewel, though, is A Million Days. It has an almost identical lyric to Call My Name. "You've only been here an hour, but it feels like a million years" (presumably his observation is fuelled by lust rather than boredom). Chorally symphonic and with coruscating guitar-work, this is Prince stretching himself and delighting those of us who have been waiting for his talent to blossom once again. It's been a long time. I knew it would be a song of this nature that critics would appreciate more than 'Musicology', or 'Call My Name'. If they thought 'A Million Days' was a jewel, they will dig quite a few others as well. Hope this leads to more positive reviews. I am not familiar with this publication. Do a lot of people read it? Columbia better hurry up and let critics preview this. Making them wait can be good, but if its too long, it might build expectations too high. Or as the writer said...take is as a sign that the album is no good. | |
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orlatron said: delighting those of us who have been waiting for his talent to blossom once again.
It's been a long time. my thoughts exactly. Although The "Rainbow Children" should be considered a new classic, "NEWS" should have been reserved for free download only which is by and by our modern day version of the "B-SIDE". Or even mo better just lumped it in with the "X" album. I guess it would have messed with the flow of names of that LP tho. | |
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dealodelandron said: I knew it would be a song of this nature that critics would appreciate more than 'Musicology', or 'Call My Name'. If they thought 'A Million Days' was a jewel, they will dig quite a few others as well. Hope this leads to more positive reviews. I am not familiar with this publication. Do a lot of people read it? Columbia better hurry up and let critics preview this. Making them wait can be good, but if its too long, it might build expectations too high. Or as the writer said...take is as a sign that the album is no good. Just about the whole of comuting London. It comes out in the afternoon so people can get a summar of yesterdays news and anything that has broken during the day. Even better is that the stories are often repeated the next morning in the Standards FREE little brother THE METRO, so maybe it will be in there on Monday. This is great, I am off to get my copy for the train ride home..... Happy is he who finds out the causes for things.Virgil (70-19 BC). Virgil was such a lying bastard! | |
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"Without proper distribution, and with his creative powers on the wane, the move was a commercial and artistic disaster, culminating in last year's N EWS, which consisted of four instrumentals (North, East, West and South), each lasting 14 minutes. This was, indeed, bad NEWS."
Yeah so bad in fact that the album was nominated for a Grammy. Whatever.... "New Power slide...." |
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"This is arrant nonsense, but the new tracks are unquestionably Prince's best work since his last great single, 1991's Gett Off. No wonder he has started behaving properly."
Gett Off huh? Cream?? Diamonds and Pearls? 7? The Most Beautiful Girl in the World? Again, whatever.... "New Power slide...." |
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PREDOMINANT said: dealodelandron said: I knew it would be a song of this nature that critics would appreciate more than 'Musicology', or 'Call My Name'. If they thought 'A Million Days' was a jewel, they will dig quite a few others as well. Hope this leads to more positive reviews. I am not familiar with this publication. Do a lot of people read it? Columbia better hurry up and let critics preview this. Making them wait can be good, but if its too long, it might build expectations too high. Or as the writer said...take is as a sign that the album is no good. Just about the whole of comuting London. It comes out in the afternoon so people can get a summar of yesterdays news and anything that has broken during the day. Even better is that the stories are often repeated the next morning in the Standards FREE little brother THE METRO, so maybe it will be in there on Monday. This is great, I am off to get my copy for the train ride home..... Very cool. | |
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Earth Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove"?????  I must have a different version because mine says "September"  | |
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He said that the ONA concert he saw in London was a "dreary funk set". He's just jumping on the bandwagon. | |
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In spite of obvious inaccuaracies, and despite the fact most of the rest of the London press who were at the Hammersmith ONA show gave it rave reviews, and although I disagree with a lot of his analysis, it's great that this article is out now, with no future London dates yet announced. Just shows that what Prince is doing he is doing "right", in that he's making some noise. Great! | |
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EverlastingNow said: Earth Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove"?????
I must have a different version because mine says "September" he mentions both those songs within the same lyric. | |
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i just found a stray copy of the standard on the tube.....you should have seen me accidentely find the article 
serendipity me thinks  
How, i'm gonna make that booty boom...step back, give a girl some room....OH  | |
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Handclapsfingasnapz said: EverlastingNow said: Earth Wind and Fire's "Let's Groove"?????
I must have a different version because mine says "September" he mentions both those songs within the same lyric. he got his head so far up wendy & lisa's ass that he can't pay attention... ... Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo 
Candy Dulfer is my boo...  | |
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EllisDee said: Handclapsfingasnapz said: he mentions both those songs within the same lyric. he got his head so far up wendy & lisa's ass that he can't pay attention... ...I never took the let's groove part to mean the SONG but just to groove to the damn song
Oh, I almost forgot  Ellisdee Don't hate me because I know what time it is  | |
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A world tour and a "proper" album, Musicology
As if it has to be attached to a major label to be a "proper" album...what complete BULLSHIT. This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes. | |
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EllisDee said: Handclapsfingasnapz said: he mentions both those songs within the same lyric. he got his head so far up wendy & lisa's ass that he can't pay attention... ...This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes. | |
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The artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince
HaHa I'm swrry but I can't help but laugh at that!!!! Sumtimez It Snowz In April
Joy y don't u love me baby joy y can't u love me baby Joy come on and love me baby joy in repetition | |
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EverlastingNow said: EllisDee said: he got his head so far up wendy & lisa's ass that he can't pay attention... ...I never took the let's groove part to mean the SONG but just to groove to the damn song
Oh, I almost forgot Ellisdee Don't hate me because I know what time it is you know what time it is, but you don't know "let's groove"... ...
i'll tell ya what time it is... it's time for you to move on and get with the new... and that wrinkled ass wendy you got in yo avatar ain't it, child... ... Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo
Candy Dulfer is my boo... | |
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Supernova said: A world tour and a "proper" album, Musicology
As if it has to be attached to a major label to be a "proper" album...what complete BULLSHIT. You're so right, Super.
There will be a whole different set of critics that will be more open to actually listening to this album now that Prince is playing the mainstream game. And there will probably be a whole other set of critics that'll dismiss it for the same exact reason. And I'm certain that the attitude that they bring to a work of art doesn't in anyway influence their judgement of it. | |
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if "the rainbow children" or "news" are not "proper" albums for this journalist, i'm afraid by the fact he likes musicology. I did not listen musicology yet... | |
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lmas said: orlatron said: delighting those of us who have been waiting for his talent to blossom once again.
It's been a long time. my thoughts exactly. Although The "Rainbow Children" should be considered a new classic, "NEWS" should have been reserved for free download only which is by and by our modern day version of the "B-SIDE". Or even mo better just lumped it in with the "X" album. I guess it would have messed with the flow of names of that LP tho. U,ME,WE!....2FUNKY! | |
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orlatron said: "You've only been here an hour, but it feels like a million years"
. What Musicology cd do they have?
Must be the alter ego version.. a la Musicology 202 | |
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EllisDee said: EverlastingNow said: I never took the let's groove part to mean the SONG but just to groove to the damn song
Oh, I almost forgot Ellisdee Don't hate me because I know what time it is you know what time it is, but you don't know "let's groove"... ...
i'll tell ya what time it is... it's time for you to move on and get with the new... and that wrinkled ass wendy you got in yo avatar ain't it, child... ...I was seeing Earth Wind and Fire in concert before you were born son. Actually the picture I have as an avatar is newer than yours generic pimp, so maybe you should get with the new | |
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Positivity everybody.  All you others say Hell Yea!!  | |
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Brendan said: Supernova said: As if it has to be attached to a major label to be a "proper" album...what complete BULLSHIT. You're so right, Super.
There will be a whole different set of critics that will be more open to actually listening to this album now that Prince is playing the mainstream game. And there will probably be a whole other set of critics that'll dismiss it for the same exact reason. And I'm certain that the attitude that they bring to a work of art doesn't in anyway influence their judgement of it.  That's the proverbial nail on its head.  This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes. | |
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EverlastingNow said: EllisDee said: you know what time it is, but you don't know "let's groove"... ...
i'll tell ya what time it is... it's time for you to move on and get with the new... and that wrinkled ass wendy you got in yo avatar ain't it, child... ...I was seeing Earth Wind and Fire in concert before you were born son. Actually the picture I have as an avatar is newer than yours generic pimp, so maybe you should get with the new blahblahblah.... keep sucking wendy's dick... i got no time for you... Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo
Candy Dulfer is my boo... | |
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EllisDee said: EverlastingNow said: I was seeing Earth Wind and Fire in concert before you were born son. Actually the picture I have as an avatar is newer than yours generic pimp, so maybe you should get with the new blahblahblah.... keep sucking wendy's dick... i got no time for you... That's all you had?? Some pimp you are | |
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EverlastingNow said: EllisDee said: blahblahblah.... keep sucking wendy's dick... i got no time for you... That's all you had?? Some pimp you are never claimed to be a pimp... and that's not all i have... i can come strong.... but like i said... i don't have the time for you... you're not worth it... Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo
Candy Dulfer is my boo... | |
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