From Brisbane's own Urban, R&B, Hop Hop radio show - BLACKBEAT! 4ZZZ

Prince - Musicology

by RonnyRon
12-Apr-2004


"MUSICOLOGY" - the study of music.

"Real music, by real musicians"

Musician (singular) - PRINCE, a musical force, singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, guitarist extraordinaire, bass player, pianist, drummer etc etc.

Musicians (plural) - The NPG (New Power Generation), his band, ready 2 lay down the funk, at their leader's command.

What parts the NPG play on the album are debatable at best, since PRINCE can (and usually does) everything in the studio by himself. Hot on the heels of show-stopping performances at this year's GRAMMYS (with Beyonce) and The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (where he was inducted by Prince fans OUTKAST and Alicia Keys), PRINCE ROGERS NELSON drops his 23rd studio album "MUSICOLOGY". Fresh and funky, this latest offering is a celebration of everything PRINCE stands 4. 4 those not familiar with PRINCE-speak, he uses "4" instead of 'for', "U" instead of 'you' etc, Just like most of us do every day on our mobile phones. Except PRINCE was doing it as far back as 1981, and that in a nutshell is PRINCE, always years ahead of his time.

After a few years in the wilderness - internet downloads, concerts and finally putting out a LIVE album (2002's "One Nite Alone...Live!"), "His Royal Badness" makes a triumphant return with a new album full of (as he puts it) "old school joints 4 the true funk soldier".

Kickin' it off with the James Brown-inspired title track, "Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance" and "Life O' The Party", the jams are relentless. He easily slips into ROCK - "A Million Days", "Cinnamon Girl" and "The Marrying Kind", all with trademark PRINCE guitar work, it's next 2 impossible 2 categorize this guy. Now if u mixed Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" from 1979 with PRINCE's own "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", the result would be the brilliant "What Do U Want Me 2 Do". His signature falsetto seduction ballads are here also in the forms of "Call My Name" (written 4 his wife Manuella "Mani" Testollini) and "On The Couch" - further inspiration 4 the likes of D'Angelo, Maxwell and an army of Neo-soulsters who grew up listening 2 the master.There's also the thought-provoking socially aware "Dear Mr.Man" and the retrospective "Reflection" closes the album nicely.

With this being the 20th anniversay of "Purple Rain" and a (final) Greatest Hits tour which kicked off in Hong Kong and Australia, PRINCE is once again riding high. Don't take my word 4 it, but this album is exceptional, I would expect no less from a musical genius.


www.blackbeat.com.au

Good review.

KeLo07 said:

Many thanx KeLo07...

The reveiwer made a very interesting comparison. He combined MJ's I Can't Help It (which is a great tune from Off The Wall and written by Stevie!) with The Ballad of Dorothy Parker to describe the vibe of What Do You Want Me To Do?. I thought that was on the money.

"23rd studio album"

I have no direct concern, but if one is going for accuracy, that number of studio albums is incorrect.

OdysseyMiles said:

I agree....definitely on point with that comparison...WDYWMTD is one of my favorite cuts on Musicology...it also reminds me of Marvin Gaye's 'You Sho' Love To Ball.'

WORD!

Romance1600 said:

incorrect, indeed.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I'm afraid the media will always mess these stats up because they don't keep track of all of the independent releases.

OdysseyMiles said:

1) FOR YOU
2) PRINCE
3) DIRTY MIND
4) CONTROVERSY
5) 1999
6) PURPLE RAIN
7) ATWIAD
8) PARADE
9) SIGN O' THE TIMES
10) The Black Album
11) LOVESEXY
12) BATMAN
13) GRAFFITI BRIDGE
14) DIAMONDS & PEARLS
15) SYMBOL
16) COME
17) THE GOLD EXPERIENCE
18) CHAOS & DISORDER
19) EMANCIPATION
20) THE VAULT
21) RAVE UN2 THE JOY FANTASTIC
22) THE RAINBOW CHILDREN
23) N.E.W.S.
24) MUSICOLOGY

...from here on in u can insert compilations "THE HITS", "CRYSTAL BALL" etc, live albums, "demo" albums such as "The Truth", "One Nite Alone" and other obscurities...