Musicology: It's is perfect pop/rock/soul record. It has extremely catchy melodies, radio friendly songs, and a mix of styles so diverse that only Prince could jam them onto one record. It's one for the masses and the charts. Not very adventurous for Prince, but still more diverse than most other major acts.


The Rainbow Children: The epitome of an experimental concept album that needs to be listened to all the way through. It is experimental, heavily pushing a message, diverse, operatic, messy, and risky. It is not radio friendly and not for everyone. No other major pop/rock star besides Prince would do this album.

Question: I can understand how some Prince fans can dig one of the albums , but not the other. However, how can anyone calling themselves a Prince fan absolutely not like either? To me, these to albums represent the great dichotomy of Prince. Everything that is Prince can be summed up in these two albums.

In my opinion, these albums are trash.

I like both Musicology and TRC.

But Musicology is far from being a perfect pop/rock/soul record. It's flawed, and it's not a masterpiece but i'm still pleasantly surprised.

TRC has musical moments which are among Prince's best work. The Everlasting Now, Family Name, Rainbow Children - excellent. Muse 2 the pharoah is among his worst.

But there are Prince fans and there are Prince fans. You don't have to subscribe to every single thing an artist has ever done unless you're a blind follower, outrageously hardcore fan. Which is fine and dandy for people like that. But i don't have a problem with someone who dislikes TRC and Musicology calling themselves a fan - the man has put out such a vast amount of material that it's only natural for some of it to be sub-standard, be it spread across albums or be it entire albums.

I can see why people would dislike TRC - for one, its lyrics are offensive at times. And I can see why people who dug earlier Prince would dislike Musicology - because it's not daring or interesting. It's a blatantly commercial record. Some excellent tunes, but not particularly innovative.

Ahh... the power of major label backing and relentless promotion. I'm listening to N.E.W.S. as I type this but Musicology has been on the shelf for weeks.

I appreaciate both these albums (now).

But I still want a rock album with lots of guitar, drums, and screams !!!!

SynthiaRose said:

Totally. And none of that So Far, So Pleased garbage. Bring the edge.
I dig Musicology but it's an easy album to digest. It would be great if there was a Musicology II hiding out somewhere.

EvilWhiteMale said:

skywalker said:

I'll have a few sets of released outtakes,etc..

So nice of you to ask. I want a genuine, Funky, Rock!!! album/C.D. from Prince. Yes Rainbow Children was a Masterpiece. It was not an easy bubble gum pop swallow like Purple Rain. It could of did w/o that narrator that sounded like a prank call. Musicology sounds bland. Its missing a great guitar jam. Lacks energy, emotion and that signature " I'm still the shit Groove." To call this album Trash? No, D12, Clay Aiken and Hoobastank is trash. Maybe I'm just spoiled by 20 years or more of excellent music from the Greatest Artist that ever lived.

skywalker said:

LOOK at his last 4 releases:

1) TRC: psudeo-religious sci-fi concept album
2) ONAL: box set of concert & aftershow jams
3) NEWS: jazz/funk fusion instrumentals
4) MUSIC: mainstream mix of pop/funk

...has ANY ARTIST EVER released 4 consecutive albums so incredibly diverse?!

This guy has been on SUCH a hot streak since 2001. Those 4 albums are certainly his strongest streak of albums since the mid-80's. Solid, solid music.

What I love is how "Musicology" reviews dismiss these albums, and "Musicology" is a return to form, or "Musicology" is the "return" of Prince. Sorry, but this guy has been pumping it out since TRC, but critics only understand familiar over artistic. Critics have problems with "artistic" because they don't understand it.

I think people who are buying "Musicology" and "VBOP" are going to want to hear MORE, and are going to discover some freaking great music unfairly neglected, just because it didn't have a marketing machine behind it.

Artists today are corporate-manufactured barbie-dolls; PRINCE IS A FREAKING FUNK ALIEN FROM OUTER SPACE and this is so refreshing to a tired public.

p.s-I want a "Time Machine" anyways, like Dr. Who's Tardis, where I can fuck my companions like Peri all over space & time.

i think prince set out to make a POP record. musicology is the epitome of that. if this record is successful, who knows what he'll release next. well, actually let's face it, if the cd ISN'T a success, who knows what's next? my point is, trc was not supposed to be a commercial release...or at least it didn't seem like that was his intention. same with news. i loved trc and i love musicology. i'm just so thankful its not another newpowersoul or emancipation or rave. so glad.

you know, there are so many different prince styles and so many of us have out preferences out of those styles. everytime he releases a cd we want it to be from our favorite genre. i hear people say he needs more funk. i hear people say he needs more rock. some people say he needs more pop-catchy stuff. i'm sure there are people on this board that think musicology is just what the doctor ordered. sure, i'd love something as diverse as SOTT but let's face it, prince wants a commercial hit and he ain't gonna get it with something that diverse. he needs radio friendly hits and musicology is full of them.

personally, i'm hoping he does something like the mid 80's. like when he released the perfect pop of purple rain and followed it with ATWIAD, a trippy, experimental record. but right now i'm very happy with the way things are.

TheFrog said:

see, this is a perfect example of the varying tastes of prince fans. i think muse is one of the best tracks on the record!

SassyBritches said:

i found that song boring...but Digital Garden...now that's the CUT!

warning2all said:

Absofreakin'lutely.

SassyBritches said:

Prefriggin'cisely.

EvilWhiteMale said:

We know that dude.

It's really starting to grate, hearing it over and over.

The definition of a fan.

You got to love this shit.

Relax and like you like and give people the respect to do the same.

skywalker said:

It's easy to understand: people like different things - and that means some people don't like the things that you necessarily like. That includes liking some things by an artist but excluding the two albums you mention. Despite the ground covered by the two albums, they don't cover everything there is to like about Prince's music.

Besides, it's worth remembering that if someone likes a certain song or style first heard from a previous time, although there might be something on 'TRC' or 'Musicology' that sounds similar, that doesn't mean it's going to be equally appreciated, or even liked. The listener might now consider it derivative, a pale imitation, Prince retreading old ground when he could be exploring new territory that is musically appealing to them (and that might not include the releases you mention).

A specific example: someone might have adored 'Erotic City' for its infectious combination of music and lyrics. BUT, they hear '1+1+1=3', and they dislike it because they hear Prince trying to pull the same trick musically; or they can live with him revisiting that sound, but they cannot enjoy the lyrics which accompany the new song. And there could be a whole myriad of other reasons why someone might not like the latest music.

People are different - different to you, and different to me. That doesn't make them any less a 'fan'.

Question: why do people think their personal appreciation of Prince's music epitomises the true definition of a Prince 'fan', and spend so much time and energy trying to justify this personal belief system?
.

A: A good album with good songs on it.

We should simply LISTEN to all of the music and enjoy it.
Anything other than that and you’re no longer a fan…you’re a critic.

langebleu said:

mrdespues said:

Much like your responses.

SassyBritches said:

But of course it's really not POPular amongst music listeners.

well i like both of them, but they are very different

the rainbow kids is a mellow album, and as someone mentioned before, its not 4 everyone, but it is for me cuz i love it.

musicology is good for 4 rhythm and such things.... but i have to admit

i can get into the rainbow kids more than musicology.....

I like them both but anyways...


FREE... THE VAULT!!

FREE... THE VAULT!!

I appreciate the beauty of both albums.

EvilWhiteMale said:

clearly there are many different views on this.