although i am not a jehovah's witness or anybody's witness for that matter, and i could probably do without the slowed-down narration, the album has finally grown on me. this is the longest it's taken for one of P's CDs to grab me. i remember being bewildered by lovesexy when i first got my hands on it. the stuff he does musically on TRC album are amazing. i can't stop playing "everywhere" - has there ever been a more pure musical expression of JOY and LOVE, whether it be for God or Man?
i'm a big fan of musicology, but in my opinion, TRC is more exciting musically. very challenging, but everything i look for in a prince record. do we know if there are outtakes?

sorry folks, but Prince has surprised me again, and it's not even with his latest release!

can't wait to see what's after musicology.

I loved TRC from the first listen, strangely enough.

...oh and yes it is a better album than Musicology, IMO.

r1ghteousone said:

Exactly

TRC still blows.

EvilWhiteMale said:

MamaLisa said:

cosign, thought i was the only who thought this. i've been playing the rainbow kids more often lately than musicology. almost forgot about it until i saw the video for the 20th time this morning, then i thought, shit let me put in musicology again...

This is a great CD that will grow in stature over time. It is among his most musically inventive and mature efforts. It will rise.

It's his best album since SOTT.

The music is flawless, the lyrics obscure at times and generally all over the map. The narration gives it personality and an eerie, yet appropriate vibe and there's a story being told all the while. There are so many styles of music which he incorporated. Like a chemist he melted them all down, mixed them up, and came up with a helluva record-- one no other human I know of could make. Basically, there's a lot to digest and it is very challenging (something I love in an album). That's why it takes a while to grow on you.

It's not an easy listen, so one has to be up on both "Prince-speak" and have an appreciation or open mind to many musical styles to truly appreciate it. This was the album for the hardcore, so if you didn't like it, it's time to jump ship.

It was a definitive statement much like SOTT was. I think that the brilliance of this album has hurt my appreciation of N.E.W.S. and Musicology-- both are okay albums but are dwarfed in comparison. It also lets me know that there's life after Lovesexy.

For me, TRC is best enjoyed by:

1) Fast-forwarding all the narration parts, even though this means picking up a few songs "in progress"
2) skipping the following tracks entirely- Digital Garden and Wedding Feast.

That said, it's a pretty great album, and having to do so much editing while listening really keeps those ears tuned...

i like the live band feel that the rainbow children generates, particulalry the drums and the guitar along with the extended instrumentals. it seemed to continue with releases such as c-note, xpectation, ONA it aint over and NEWS and it opened up this side of prince's music which until then had been available only to people who saw him live or got hold of the bootlegs. TRC is easily one of his best albums and will be seen as such in years to come; unlike musiclogy it breaks new ground and sounds like nothing else.

whodknee said:

Good Lord!

everywhere right into the sensual everafter-
i don't think there is a finer double whammy from p anywhere.

!

MamaLisa said:

TRC is my favourate Prince album. While I like 'Musicology', it's weak compared to TRC. I was actually surprised at how uninspired 'Musicology' was compared to it. 'Musicology' is a nice record, but I think it's really the sound of Prince chasing the mainstream, on his own terms ( and far better than most of say, 'Rave', his last effort at a 'commercial' album).

TRC is the sound of Prince, on top form, unchained and truly 'free', probably for the first time. I think he made the album for himself mainly. He wasn't really out to shock, or 'goin' for the money', he was just out to make the best record he could, musically speaking. I think TRC is much more a lesson in musicology than the album 'Musicology' ... There's nothing new for Prince on that album, and nothing he hasn't done a lot better elsewhere.

I'm no Jehovah's Witness, but I think the lyrics actually add to the mystique of the album. They're often obscure (and at times unintentionally amusing). I'd have loved another album in this vein, developing the musical aspects, but with less JW-centred lyrics (a double album of 'Xpectation'/ 'C-NOTE', combined with 'NEWS' (if they had good lyrics) would nearly be it, but not quite). 'Musicology' ain't it. I class 'Musicology' as more on the level of 'The Vault' - a very good, but 'minor' album in Prince's overall body of work. I'm speaking purely from a personal, musical viewpoint.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...TRC is a masterpiece, IMO

Miles said:

I hear ya.

With the exception of WF, Muse and Mellow, the music is outstanding. The lyrics are often irritating, at times downright offensive.

It's a fine, fine album on the whole, subject to the reservations I have as stated above.

r1ghteousone said:

No comparison...TRC is **** out of ****, Musicology is *** out of **** for me!!

rainbowchild said:

That's a comparison.

Cloudbuster said:

jthad1129 said:

TRC is GARBAGE. Well that’s a bit harsh. To Musicology’s three stars (and that’s

generous cause the brother is treading serious waters here), TRC gets two. While this

light elevator jazz sound might be new for prince it’s entirely derivative and unoriginal. I

like me some bite with my music. Not some shit that I can imagine playing while I’m

waiting for a demented dentist.

rainbow children contains best ever musical pieces prince ever wrote.
listen to the joy of everywhere and last december,or listen to the powerful funk rock of family name and everlasting now,or sexy smooth melow...wow .
anyone who thinks trc is garbage should go and listen to britney and shit like that...

I'm a relatively new fan of Prince's music. However, I have completely imersed myself in it. I liked a few songs off TRC immediately since I really enjoyed the live versions I had seen on the Aladdin DVD before buying the TRC album. Once I forced myself to listen to the entire album and not just skip to the songs I KNOW I like...I was absolutely floored. By far, this is one of my favorite albums of all time. Hate to admit it, but I even like Wedding Feast. It makes me laugh. I have tendency to repeat the track and sing along with dramatic operatic hand gestures. So, I'm easily amused.

PurpleHeeler said:

And that's the point.

17ways69days said:

Fuck, dude. Any dentist that plays The Everlasting Now while fucking with my teeth can charge double.

Miles said:

"TRC is the sound of Prince, on top form, unchained and truly 'free', probably for the first time. I think he made the album for himself mainly. He wasn't really out to shock, or 'goin' for the money', he was just out to make the best record he could, musically speaking. I think TRC is much more a lesson in musicology than the album 'Musicology' ... There's nothing new for Prince on that album, and nothing he hasn't done a lot better elsewhere."

I totally agree on this one! There are a few songs on Musicology I do like, i.e. Dear Mr. Man. As I stated before the reason I am not disappointed with this album is the output prince came up with the last few years. TRC, ONA, Xpectations, ONAL, NEWS. Although I do listen to prince a lot, Musicology made me go back and listen even closer to the before mentioned albums. IMO they are so much denser and musically interesting.

I do have to say that the success Musicology is having really took me off guard. But maybe it is just me, during the years I started to prefer the music which was less mainstream (no offense here). I never understood why TMBGITW was such a big hit.

IMO TRC is a masterpiece and I would have preferred this album to be as succesful as Musicology.

Peace

I will say it now and probably this is Not the last time. This is my Favorite Album.. I Totally Love Everlasting Now, 1+1+1=3 , and Last December.I actually was Enthralled with it from the first listen. I played it until ONA came out and then together in Unison I got to Experience Complete Satisfaction to a Higher Sphere. It is just Beautiful.
[This message was edited Sun May 9 0:38:18 2004 by Zelaira]

EvilWhiteMale said:

omg I actually agree with EWM