Tangerine.
So far, so pleased
wherever you go, whatever you do.
Baby Knows.
I love you but I don't trust you anymore

These would have made great singles and the lyrics are better written than the songs on this current album. I'm confident that at least the first three will eventually age into classics because of their princely feel (especially So far, so pleased.)
Does Musicology have any songs that feel "classic" or really "princely"

I also liked the EveryDay is a Winding Road cover and I even secretly liked Hot Wit U and The Sun, Moon and Stars. Wasn't Rave more "Princely" than Musicology?

I like as many of these Rave songs as I like Musicology songs. Most I liked better. When I first heard Rave, I was giddy with love for some of the songs ... but Musicology really had to grow on me -- every song.

So, why are people acting like Musicology is the second coming. Even the lead single "musicology" pales to "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold".

Is Musicology simply benefiting from the 20th anniversary of Purple Rain ... but if I say that ... then Rave should have benefited from coming out in '1999' when everyone was remembering the album by the same name.


Rave had the special New Year's Eve pay per view, but Musicology rode on the back of Grammy and Rock and Roll hall of fame performances. I guess the latter did it.
Rave could only boast it was made by Squiggle, while Musicology has the definite Prince co-sign.

I can't figure it out.

All I know is I'm happy for the Musicology reception, but did it really deserve it more so than Rave??

Musicology doesn't seem to have any songs that immediately sound like "classics" ... maybe The Marrying Kind, but that's it. The other good ones have better cousins.

but long live both albums.....

Oh my.

I have a similar feeling that Rave is underappreciated, particularly Rave IN2, but Musicology is really a better album.

SynthiaRose said:

No, it's benefitting mostly from the promotional muscle only a major label can provide. The fact that it's the 20th anniversary of PR, the Grammy/RRHOF appearances are just taking advantage of good timing all around. Never underestimate the importance of timing when talking about marketing.

Rave and Musicology could go together as a double album. They sound the same.

Well, and a lot of people liked Crystal Pepsi, you know.

It's better produced than Musicology that's for sure!!

had Rave been properly sequenced... and a couple of the weaker tracks lopped off (the title track, Hot Wit U, EIAWR).... and a different cover...

yeah the potential was there, but he mucked it up.

EvilWhiteMale said:

you seriously need to clean those ears out.

i listen to rave every purple moon. it so rarely gets played in my place that i forgot i lent it out to someone...a year ago! i moved away from philly without even thinking about it. now, the remix album is damn good! but rave over musicology? not for me.

Musicology is much better production-wise. Rave sounds to plastic (at least 3/4 of the songs). Although, none of the songs on Musicology can match the greatness of "I Love U But I Don't Trust U Anymore".

I'd go for Musicology anyday, and I don't think time will change that. The production of Musicology ensures it. Rave will always be too "plastic".

Rave was an incoherent mess. Garbage almost all the way around. The problems begin with the ten+ year old weak ass title track. And the tracks with Chuck. D and Eve are just pure garbage. Please, this record is lame and while Musicology is no masterpiece, it’s damn better than Rave.

Exactly, and that's the only problem with Musicology imo-it doesn't have a truly amazing song.

Ex. Parade had Sometimes it Snows in April, Lovesexy had Anna Stesia, TRC had Last December, etc.

I Love U But... is absolutely phenomenal; one of the most emotionally charged, heartbreaking songs I've ever heard.

PurpleKnight said:

i know its a matter of taste but i think reflection IS that track. on the couch is a close second and dear mr. man is right there, too. but reflection...man, that song is IT for me.

yeah, sorry..can't back you on this
rave had a lot of filler garbage, which really felt desperate and not from the heart, save for I Love You and maybe Sun, Moon, Stars and Man O'War. The "pop" songs were just dreck, especially the title track, and Greatest Romance was stiff, lifeless bore. Every song on Musicology is better than that one.

The failure of Rave can be accounted to Prince himself, who, during the Hit N' Run tour, the time when Rave came out, he didn't even bother to sing a SINGLE song from the album!!

mrdespues said:

No thanks, I have perfect hearing.

EvilWhiteMale said:

Apparently not when you heard these two albums, cause Rave and Musicology sound nothing alike.

Musicology has very raw, stripped down production, Rave is really plastic and overproduced in a lot of places.

Rave has guest vocal spots, Musicology has none.

You could say they're the same in principle, but musically, what the hell are you talking about? They're totally different sounding.

BTW I know you don't like Rave at all, but can you at least admit I Love U But... is a fantastic song?

PurpleKnight said:

I like more songs on Rave than Musicology, but they sound like they could be from the same session.

GIBBERISH I tell ya, GIBBERISH Rave was a load - Musicology is awesome.

Y'all funny up in here - people FIGHTING (on various threads) about this friggin album, unbelievable

My take is that Rave (the title track) should have been updated for the late 90's- solution let John Blackwell rework the drums & trash the original weak drum loop. My Rave faves are Silly Game, Wherever U Go, Strange But True,So Far,So Pleased, Tangerine,PrettyMan ext & Undisputed remix.
Musicology is not Prince's best work,but so what. I'm in love with this cd. Illusion,Coma.Pimp & Circumstance is one of the funkiest stripped down tracks I've heard in a while, I LOVE THIS TRAC!!! The Marrying Kind & If I Was The Man In Ur Life...both great songs wayyyy 2 short though, along with On The Couch . Musicology is the jam The Work tryed 2 be. Matter of fact I like/love all the tracks on Musicology

Rave was a decent LP that sounds a little dated with more listens. Musicology is more coherentand cohesive.

And I'd respectfully disagree with those who say Musicology lacks a great track. What Do U Want Me 2 Do is as good a track as Prince has done in years.

Musicology doensn´t have stinkers like Hot wit U or Undisputed or Everyday is a winding road or...

Musicology

In response to Rave having better lyrics --- wtf?

what about Hot Wit U? horrible lyrics.

And so far so pleased? "Big scar on my knee" and then no follow up to explain what the point of that line was?

Musicology on the other hand, is lyrically rich....check A Million Days, What Do U Want Me 2 Do? If Eye Was the Man Ur Life...to name 3....

Rave sucks lyrically. Possibly his worst album lyric-wise except for NPS.

Anxiety said:

They're putting 'Tina' in Pepsi now?

So Far Not pleased. Musicology is overrated. I was excited all week about this album from reading all the reviews. Not the worst musical experience but definetely not deserving of all this critical praise. Rave is more enjoyable to listen too in my opinion. Sure there are a few garbage songs like Hot wit u/Winding Road, however, cuts like Manowar,Prettyman, So Far So Pleased and The instant classic I Love U But....More than make up for it. Musicology is alright
but kind of Booooorrrrriiiiinnnnng! The only decent songs are What Do You Want Me To Do? and Cinnammon girl. On The Couch is Forced and Reflection is just lame.
Lyrically Rich? Not really. Mediocre at best. Prince is a genuis but not on Musicology.

legendofnothing said:

let it marinate, dude....it's a grower, you've only had it a few days sounds like....NOT LONG ENOUGH. I've had it for weeks now and I LOVE IT.

I have never considered Rave to be a bad album just not a great album. It was okay and I played it a lot (because it was new stuff).

I think cutting it down to 12 trax like musicology improves it, but we'll never agree on those trax! For me you could lose RUTJF (should have been released on Grafitti Bridge instead of *that* title track), Undisputed, Hot Wit U (not on album but release at later date as special double a side single aimed at R&B chart), Silly Game (replace with Beautiful Strange). Obviously it would then need to be resequenced.

One of the main reasons Rave was not a success was that after Clive Davies was *sacked* from Arista the new management wanted to distance themselves from Clive's pet projects and stopped spending money promoting it. Prince suffered from this bad luck. It was ALSO because Prince didn't tour, didn't shoot the video for TGRES until two months after the single was released, made tv appearances playing songs other than the single.

I guess Prince must have learned his lesson?

Clearly (or Clear Pepsi-ly), we all have different tastes.

The one comment I do feel comfortable disagreeing with vocally is that Rave is a "more Princely" recording.

I take issue with this statement based purely on the unusually high number of outside collaborations on the disc. Sure, Prince still wrote the songs and played the music, but the inclusion of Chuck D, Ani DiFranco, Eve, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani...not to mention the decision to remake "Everyday is a Winding Road," a fun cover, but "unnecessary" in the grand scheme of music history as it was such a recent hit...

...all of these things make it slightly less "Prince-y" to me. And while some people are criticizing "Musicology" as a "desperate attempt by Prince to regain commercial viability," I would be much more inclined...if I had to accuse Prince of something like this (and I don't feel that need personally), to accuse him of trying to get a commercial hit with "Rave."

This withstanding, I agree that "I Love U..." is a flat-out gorgeous song. Pure magic. And there are a few other tracks (particulary "Prettyman" and "Baby Knows") that I love very much.

Keith/Kacey