Musicology (2004)
Available for download as of late March and coming to physical stores on April 20 (distributed by Columbia). Prince is doing actual promotion for the first time since 1999's Rave, and in common with that album there's a disconcerting desperation to impress: One genre exercise rapidly follows the next - full-band funk (the nostalgic title track), pop rock ("Cinnamon Girl" - not the Neil Young song), gentle introspection ("Reflection") - without ever settling into a comfortable rhythm. The profusion of arranging tricks ("If I Was The Man In Ur Life"; the self-consciously weird "Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance") feels more gimmicky than playful. And unlike The Rainbow Children or The Truth, there's no overriding concept to give structure and focus to the collection. Still, the individual songs are solid (the cathartic rocker "A Million Days"; the mellow but unsettling "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?"), and he sneaks in some clever social commentary, wryly commenting on the Iraq war and government surveilance during the heartbreaking ballad "Call My Name," and reeling off a typically idiosyncratic list of social ills in the brooding, Sly-like "Dear Mr. Man." The one unqualified flop is "Life O' The Party," a New Power Soul-style tepid dance jam that reuses the melody from Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl." (DBW)
3/5

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well that is the most truthful review ive read yet. thank god some critics with some realism!

Definately one of the best reviews.

I like their reviews in general, they are very fair, goes to show you can be passionate about something, without being obsequious.


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[This message was edited Thu Apr 15 15:47:13 2004 by NouveauDance]