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Entertainment

'Musicology' could be Prince's best yet


By Steve Standridge , Staff Writer 05/06/2004



Rating: 8 out of 10

Twenty-five years after the release of his first album, Prince is still going strong. In fact, his new album, Musicology, could be his best work yet. The album features a stripped-down sound, with not a hint of overproduction. This is just Prince with great vocals and instrumentation.
The first single, "Musicology," is a funk jam on which Prince pays tribute to some of his influences, giving shout-outs to Earth Wind and Fire, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stone.
The funk flows along into the second track "Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance. This is an amusing tale about a young man (male escort or boy toy?) and his older lady friend.
"A Million Days" is a ballad in the vein of "When Doves Cry." Wailing guitars and Prince's soulful upper range anchor this song.
After the brief break from the funk, Prince gets right back to it with "Life 'O' the Party." With horns and a heavy bass line, this one sounds like a cross between "1999" and "Gett Off."
In perhaps the best song on the album, Prince brings the soul back with "Call My Name." This is Prince at his soulful best, evoking Al Green with his vocals. The backing vocals are also superb.
"Cinnamon Girl" is an anti-racism anthem that speaks to the hate unearthed after the September 11 attack. "Cinnamon girl of mixed heritage/Never knew the meaning of color lines," Prince sings. "9/11 turned that all around/when she got accused of this crime."
The mood is once again lifted as Prince goes back to the funk with the popping bass of "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?"
The fuzz guitar and organ of "The Marrying Kind" begin a story about forbidden love. This flows right into "If Eye Was the Man in Ur Life," which continues the saga.
"On the Couch" is soulful and bluesy, with just the right amount of piano thrown in. This can only be described as mood music.
Prince goes back to the social conscience with "Dear Mr. Man." He pleads with the government to recognize the struggle of the black community, singing "Ain't no sense in voting,/ same song with a different name./ Might not be in the back of the bus,/ but it sho' feel just the same."
The album ends with the aptly-named "Reflection," which is classic Prince.
Overall, Musicology is Prince doing exactly what he does best. He shows off his songwriting talent, wide vocal range, and skill with any instrument he chooses to pick up. This is old-school funk and soul that will move the body and soothe the mind.





©Hershey Chronicle 2004

Heavy Bass line?

Listen to it again. There is no BASS in that song.

That's the beauty of it.

am i missing something here, critics everywhere love this album, ive listened to it backwards and forwards, i think its a tad bit above mediocre, when i here these reviews talking about "a return to form" or "prince's best yet" are they fucking nuts

radici27 said:

Nuts? No. Jumping on the bandwagon? Yes. Even the most hardcore Prince fan wouldn't try and sell this album as his best. Take all these reviews with a grain of salt.
[This message was edited Thu May 6 9:04:17 2004 by intha916]

wizard said:

I think he was referring to the 808 bass-like "thump" in "Life O' The Party".
I know, it's technically not a bass line, but most people hear something like that and they immediately think "heavy bass".

OdysseyMiles said:

exactly.

radici27 said:

Actually, some critics are not enthusiastic at all w.r.t Musicology. The opinion I get from the number of critics I have read so far (as I have not yet listened to the album), is that Musicology is a good album, by common standards, but still a deception coming from Prince, that has (or, rather, had) accostumed us with the highest standards.

David.
--

"...with not a hint of overproduction"



You gotta be kidding me... ...I love this CD, but "A Million Days" almost screams overproduction.

Musicology is a great cd, but it's certainly not his best.

I have seen weirder choices of favourite Prince albums. Some peop find Chaos and Disorder their favourite. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I can't blame them for liking this great album!!

radici27 said:

This is Why Prince "pays" Columbia to "market" the album

The album is not overproduced. 3 chains o gold is overproduced, there´s not tons of textures on any song of this cd.

Maybe not his best album, but certainly good. I like it better the more I listen to it. Also, let's face it, when you have put out so much good material, it becomes increasingly difficult to top it, and that's what I like about Prince, he evolves. He doesn't seem to stay stuck in the same place like so many artists, who usually disappear after a few years.
Fishman

Anyone who would state that "Musicology" could be Prince's best album yet has a SERIOUS HEARING PROBLEM and needs thier ears examined. Yes, people like different albums by Prince, but Musicology is no where NEAR "Purple Rain," "Lovesexy," "Sign o' the Times," "Around the World in a Day," "1999" and arguably many others.

I am becoming very sicked by people who know NOTHING about Prince jumping on the bandwagon and pretending to be so-called EXPERTS and fans. This is as bad as the trash music media about THE STROKES and THE WHITE STRIPES in past years.

Just a bunch of POSERS!!!

Obviously the previously unheard mixes of 1999 and Gett Off from the vault.

intha916 said:

Oh yes. There's one on amp who thinks it's better than SOTT.

(Then again, there's another who thinks NPS is Prince's best ever.)

TheEnglishGent said:

The Kirky J produced ones.

It could possibly Prince's best yet...


















...if someone went back in time and erased all the music from the 80s and 90s.

BartVanHemelen said:

Aaaaagh! Don't even speak of such things....my ears are melting....

It's not P's best, or even top 5 but it is a damn fine album. The songwriting is excellent.

There you go.

Next.

Prince's best??? Yet only give it 8 out of 10??!!!

Umm...excuse me...no, it's not!!

Good Review in my Opinion. But I would say it's a 10. Very Fresh Music and Potential for Airplay with almost all cuts. I say it's a Winner just put it on the right stations. Plus just like Prince did with Purple Rain you know how he had Unreleased B-Sides? He Should do This Again. But he should like Release Staples and then Singles with Unreleased B-Sides. More Videos will help. MtV and BET .I Smell Prince in this Album. There is Absolute Brilliance here. I am soo Excited about this for Him... You Know it's been so Quiet for like 6 years. Yes,Yes,Yes. 98 was the Last big Explosion and Now This....Yes...Yes...Yes... Look at all the Beautiful Pictures on Magazine Covers and all the Interviews and Appearances. So Cool. So Cool!
[This message was edited Thu May 6 19:39:43 2004 by Zelaira]

intha916 said:

i think it would be very sad indeed if the world remembers prince for musicology

"Best work yet?" I hope that's sarcasm.

EvilWhiteMale said:

Nah, man. School's back in, and Prince is teaching the next generation what they need to know.

It's unfortunate that you're still waiting for that sequel to Purple Rain (GOODNESS SAKES, STOP LIVING IN THE PAST, YA'LL!!!), and that you won't let yourself hear what's going on with this record. All ya gotta do, my hat-in' friend, is go back and listen with an open heart, and not be cynnical or resigned when you listen to it.

poetbear68 said:

At least this dude EWM has got his own opinions. Musicology, in my opinion, is a

decent record but to say it’s the best yet is just straight silly. Lots of us folks who are not

thrilled with Musicology don’t want a return to the 80’s…we want a return to Prince

being Prince, innovative and on the edge. 1999, Sign of the Times, Dirty Mind, Black Album,

Lovesexy, ATWIAD, and Purple Rain are all significantly better than Musicology.

poetbear68 said:

Standridge said:

Great album, probably not best. I love it though. I like this review too. Finally, someone gets through a review without calling it a comeback and dissing TRC and Rave.

IMO it's not his best album, but I still am able to enjoy it all the way through (except for cringing when Candy sings on LOtP )