he used to be a huge Prince but now he is rather hesitant to get anything new. he didn't like TRC at all so emailed him this little review. tell me what you think.

Milty’s review of The Rainbow Children – a misunderstood album by a misunderstood musician.

You know what the worst thing about being Prince is? It’s the fact that he was so generous in his 80s heyday giving the world all that good music that his fans just expected him to knock them out every time he issued an album; Prince fans are the most selfish of fans. Prince fans have always wanted him to play this way or sing that way.

Now when he releases an album with Jehovah Witness references everyone gets a bit weirded out about it and think to themselves,” I just wish he’d play like he used to”. Prince even sings that on a track from that album only to have the listener get bitched slapped. The album in question is The Rainbow Children, a fourteen song cd that touches on his faith in religion, political topics and there’s even some of that old time Prince balladry. In between the songs are those really annoying segues that have appeared in other Prince albums. Here the voice is slowed down to a gravely monotone fright.

The songs? Well in my opinion they are some of the best I think Prince has constructed in ages. He has released great stuff all this time but TRC is chockful of musical and lyrical ideas that makes you wonder if he has been playing with us all this time by releasing so-so albums like New Power Soul and Rave. TRC has been derided for it’s jazz leanings but the only jazz song on it is the opening title track. And that’s it really. Thru out there is more than enuff organic funk, beautiful ballads and a couple of scorching rock dramas. The first classic here is 1+1+1=3. It sounds like Erotic City from 1984 but it holds it’s own in 2001. He talks about theocratic order here. Now, Prince has been known to objectify and celebrate women in equal measures but here he is using the idea that the line starts with God, then man, woman, child, animal, etc. But whether you like the idea or not, this song must sound amazing up really loud in a club. Muse 2 The Pharoah is a soulful slow stomp that sounds like D’Angelo trying to sound like Prince. The spoken word section in the middle has been accused of being anti-semitic but it’s not. It’s just saying,” let’s not forget the slaves”. It’s also the blackest thing I have ever heard him write. On this album he has taken a black political stance and it’s obvious. More songs like The Work pt1 rip off James Brown so does Outkast when they rip off Prince. The Work pt1 is sizzling old time funk and it even has that great Prince yell.
Everywhere is a great gospel song that would not be out of place in any black church in the land. Full of scattering beats and jittery vocals, it makes you wanna sing to the most high. Other songs like Mellow and She Loves Me 4 Me chug along nicely in a slow funk, especially Mellow. Did you hear that live on the 2002 tour? I even creamed my pants. Get the bootleg if you find it.
The last three songs, Family Name, The Everlasting Now and Last December, are preachy but hasn’t Prince always preached? Family Name is Sly Stone funk for the new century before turning into a mack truck crashing thru a really big plate glass window while Prince demonstrates that he is the guitar god of the pop generation. The lyric is about how slaves got their names, how names get used and chucking them shackles offa you. The Everlasting Now wants to recruit you to the J.W. faith, and Last December is the rocker here. It sounds a bit Oprah but he makes a good point. What did you stand for? What did you do with this life?
Well there you go. I think this a great Prince album and it ranks up there with Sign O The Times and Lovesexy, lyrically and musically. If you can get past the religious references (which really are not that bad) you can appreciate this guy’s latest development.

However, I get a feeling that this album isn't a grower.
U either love it or hate it.
Most REAL MUSIC LOVERS will love it, but there are those
that slip through the cracks...
A BRILLIANT album lost in the mix. It's a shame really, because
it's tons better than Musicology, but that's the album getting the
sales.
Oh well, at least I know where my funk comes from...