klaatu said:

First, we take BoySimon to a listening booth and play the Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic album very loudly over and over again for a period of 7 hours.

If, at any point, he comments positively on any of the songs, then he is a witch and must burn.

If he remains silent, or makes any suggestion that some of the music may not be up to scratch, then...

He's a witch and he must burn!

Proper lyrics....well, how about a pretty groovy song called Housequake. A proper tune to give life to a party without having to tell people that's what the intention is. Prince used to write songs that became the life of a party. He now needs to find a seriously bizarre gathering for this number.

Wait, how do you know God's number?

Now everybody will be dialling it.

Yeah, but you see the surreality of Housequake stands square with the position Prince held at the time. The surety of the song, the simple grove, the simple lyrics, the fact that it sounded like a party you wanted to attend.

Life O The Party is your uncle dancing at a wedding. Now your uncles may be funky, but let me assure you, most are not. This is a song that dresses with an open collar and a medallion. This is a song that wears too much cologne. This is NOT Housequake.

Yeah, but you see the surreality of Housequake stands square with the position Prince held at the time. The surety of the song, the simple grove, the simple lyrics, the fact that it sounded like a party you wanted to attend.

Life O The Party is your uncle dancing at a wedding. Now your uncles may be funky, but let me assure you, most are not. This is a song that dresses with an open collar and a medallion. This is a song that wears too much cologne. This is NOT Housequake.

Sorry chaps, but I'm really disappointed with the new one. Hopefully it will grow on me.

Life O The Party is your uncle dancing at a wedding. Now your uncles may be funky, but let me assure you, most are not. This is a song that dresses with an open collar and a medallion. This is a song that wears too much cologne. This is NOT Housequake.

Just curious: Are there any folks from the UK that like this album? I've noticed a few people who really hate it are from there, and I'm wondering if there's any sort of larger trend. It does seem a very American album to me. With a few exceptions, the album seems out of step with current U.S. radio styles, but from what (little) I know of British pop, it seems REALLY out of step with what's going on there (Sugababes and such.) My genereal understanding is for whatever reason, current UK charts seem to favor style/modernity over songcraft, and this album's much more about the latter.

It's amazing how people can hear things so differently.
The moment I heard "Reflection" (live on Tavis), I thought it was absolutely beautiful.

BoySimon said:

That's sig-worthy. Let's see if I can make it fit.

OdysseyMiles said:

I agree - I thought 'Reflection' was just 'ok', and pretty much filler - then, when I saw Him do it on that show with Wendy, and saw Him shoot her a knowing glance during certain words, It took on a whole different meaning 4 me - I now love it.

Same 4 Musicology - again, 'ok' - didnt think it was anything particularly special by any means, then caught a sixty second clip of Him live in LA performing it and was like: I now love it.

Basically, I guess it's all relative.

Just curious: Are there any folks from the UK that like this album? I've noticed a few people who really hate it are from there, and I'm wondering if there's any sort of larger trend. It does seem a very American album to me. With a few exceptions, the album seems out of step with current U.S. radio styles, but from what (little) I know of British pop, it seems REALLY out of step with what's going on there (Sugababes and such.) My genereal understanding is for whatever reason, current UK charts seem to favor style/modernity over songcraft, and this album's much more about the latter.

Quite looking forward to this album.
Not a member of the fanclub, so not been able to access much of the new music. As a consequence NEWS was the last thing I heard...which I thought was qiute an amusing little thing, very entertaining and beautifully orchestrated, played, etc.

Musicology, by contrast, feels pedestrian, tired, appeasing and, well, boring.

Nice to see he's back to his old Ronnie Talk to Russia days with Mr Man and Cinnamon Girl (which is the second worst song on the album after Life O The Party....if that's the soundtrack, I'll pass thanks) - i.e. words with little thought.

There are some good tunes, ICP&C, What Do U Want.... and If I Was The Man In Ur Life excited me, but, beyond these three there is very little to please.

Reflection...well I guess he'll be sorry about this "comeback"....a very poor tune and a huge anticlimax.

Commercial? I don't know. I can't think of anyone who's going to buy into this other than those who buy into him regardless.....fools like me.


I just wanna know....what album were u listening to? This is his best since Emancipation. Okay, lyrically it might not be the best. At least it has a groove. Better than COME.
An all-time low. Lower even than NPS.....hurts me to say.

Come on....come on.....come with me down the sugababes cul-de-sac!

I thought their first album was nice lollipop pop....sweet and quickly forgotten. Their second...just too full of itself.

ANYWAY, back to the point.

Musicology is a disappointment. I don't get why this has been flamed. Presumably because we've talked about witches and the like, but, I think, this is a valid proposition.

This is the record on which his career hangs, will be judged etc, - with regards the next few years and how his career will pan etc.... Aren't you disappointed with it? Doesn't it make you wish he'd just released a few Vault songs and be done with it? Keep his real albums, TRC, for those that care?

endorphin74 said:

"lotp" grates my nerves, man! that's the only song on the album that i cannot stand and always skip....