After listening to, and being mostly bored by, "Musicology", tonight I went back to "The Rainbow Children." When it first came out, I thought it was fantastic, and after tonight's listen, I really believe it's one of Prince's greatest accomplishments.

How TRC got dismissed by critics, yet Musicology is so unjustifyably praised and ridiculously overrated is beyond me. Let me tell you something....

To me, TRC is Prince at his best. This album sounded like the "freedom" he'd been talking about for years since his split with WB. It's ambitious, has a theme, the musicianship is extraordinary, the songs highly listenable and exciting, and the album as a whole stands as a strong statement. It's up there in quality with Purple Rain, SOT, Lovesexy, and 1999. While it may not have "hits", there's something about the beauty of the music and the listening experience from start to finish that just FEELS right.

There, I had to get that off my chest. Thanks!

I like TRC & Musicology, both fantastic albums.

I mostly feel the same. Thought they both could be better albums if they were missing one thing each. FOr TRC it's the Darth Vadar voice and for Muscology it is Life of the Party

switters said:

Actually, TRC was not roundly dismissed by critics (for those ready to give in to knee jerk reactions that doesn't mean some critics didn't like it). Ask Byron, he kept track and posted every review he could find on the old version of the Org.

The majority of them were positive, many of them to the point of glowing.

TRC is his 4th turning point classic.

Supernova said:

I agree. The reviews were very positive.
Probably since Parade, critics have given him positive reviews only to retract them later the next year--"a return to form after last year's disappointing..." They said that in the Batman reviews about Lovesexy!!

The amazing thing about Prince is that it is so hard to pick his top five albums.
Purple Rain, Parade, Sign o the Times, Lovsexy, The Gold Experience.
But not 1999, Dirty Mind, or The Rainbow Children?! He must have at least 10 great albums.
But TRC is the stuff that made me ask whether Prince has even surpassed the Beatles as a recording artist. Maybe it didn't have the public impact of a Beatles record, but it will be rediscovered someday. To make an album so revolutionary after 40 is astonishing. John Paul George Ringo didn't do it. Maybe James Brown did it at 40. But I don't think that James had the diversity in his music that Prince does.
Musicology is a return to pop form. Good short catchy songs. No annoying content.
Rainbow Children is a masterpiece. Okay...the Wedding Feast...okay...Darth Vadar. But aren't these ridiculous moments part of what allows Prince to take the chances that result in Everywhere, Lovesexy, Play in the Sunshine, Life can be So Nice, Joint to Joint, Come, If I was the Man in Your Life, and so many more?
I definitely agree about the freedom in TRC being what Prince has referred to for so long. The whole album is free, not just a song here or there. I hope he sticks with it.

andyman91 said:

copy, print, save

switters said:

Rainbow Children is the only Prince album in his entire catalog that i cant stand 2 listen 2..i have tried over and over to like it but i just can't

andyman91 said:

It's funny you mention the after 40 thing; one of the reviews even stated that Prince had done what most in the r&b/pop genre had not been able to do after 40: create a masterpiece. I had never really given that aspect any thought prior to that review. And I wish I could remember the name of the guy who wrote it.

Without TRC I might have given up on Prince.

Btw, "Wedding Feast" is supposed to be tongue in cheek, that's why he's giggling at the end.

And there will be some Orgers who will balance out all this goodwill toward TRC by telling us how much of a crappy piece of garbage it is. Phuck 'em.

Supernova said:

Moi??....

The Rainbow Children IS a classic!

It is heavily musical and ingenious...2 incorporate a story so deep with meaning and imply James Brown soul (The Work), one of the most beautiful inst. (Sensual Everafter), 80's funk (1+1+1=3) slow jams for the ladies (She Loves Me 4 Me, Mellow), politics (Muse, Family Name), 'God' (Everlasting Now, Last December). The album is definitley flawless. Even Snagglevoce is cool .. yes Snagglevoice is COOL! I guess after hearing him about 4 or 5 times after knowing the story and everything he can be ignoring though..but other than that it is flawless.

It is my first prince classic of my time... since i was 2 little 2 understand / buy Sign O The Times / Lovesexy at those times (although my mom played Lovesexy alot).

Byron said:

YES!!!!!

the first prince album to move me since 'parade'...

it made me stop, think, and REALLY listen. it gave me of a feeling of awe the way 'sign o' the times' did. in a progressive kinda way...

the 'gold experience' started to do the same with the early tracks that circulated. but the final product fell a little short for me...

how fitting that 'rainbow children' was the first album album released under the re-named prince, because it was the first release in years to TRULY feel like a prince record...

Supernova said:

I was the same without TRC i wouldn't be here now on the org.

After Emancipation, NPS and Rave and to a lesser extent Crystal ball i felt Prince wasn't playing the kinda music i liked.

All this after the gold experience promised so much and so nearly delievered [i agree with Peterv] the final product didn't quite match the hype. Adding we march at the loss of days of wild and taking the focus away from the guitars on endorphinmachine just lost it for me. And I'll never like Pussy control or 319.

I guess I had been constantly disappointed with each album since symbol.

TRC changed that, but i must admit it took a few weeks to get past the voice.

TRC is easily my favourite album.

Musicology is great but i miss those guitars.

TRC is a definate classic. I love it so much that I would actually pay $300 maybe even more to get a version without the narration. The narration is the only part of the album that I don't like. It is his best album since "Lovesexy". The only Prince albums that even come close since "Lovesexy" are "Gold" and "The Vault...". Every album released from "Purple Rain" to "Lovesexy" is a classic. The only other Prince album I can add to this list is TRC. How I define a classic album is an album that never gets stale. You can play it 10-20 years later and it still sounds fresh and inspired. Out of all of those albums, I can only think of one, maybe two songs that I don't care for. There are a lot of albums from various artists that I loved when they came out, but when I listen to them now, I find it laughable that I once revered them. I know that TRC has only been around for 2 years, but I find it VERY hard to believe that 10 years down the road, I will not like this album.

Oh my bloody god...

in about 20 years, it will be lauded as a great visionary classic.

just give it some time.

DiamondGirl said:

I am inclined to agree. What would you say the prior three were? Dirty Mind, Purple Rain, and SOTT?

it is easily in my top 5... ...

I can't possibly agree.
Musically yeah sure it's good, but it's not as amazing as everyone says.
It also still contains that spoken word dribble that ruins the whole thing 4 me.
Some songs are just bland and I can name 10 albums better than this preachy trash.
I play TRC as much as NPS and that isn't much.

I have to say, The Rainbow Children definitely ranks among my favorite Prince albums. It came out of nowhere and proved to me that Prince could still do it. Still push the envelope creatively. While they had their moments, Emancipation (disc 2 is genius), Rave and especially NPS were so uninspired...something you cannot say about TRC. For me, everytime I listen to TRC it still sounds fresh...just like Lovesexy or Parade still does. Before TRC, the last Prince album that sounded passionate was The Gold Experience...although I could feel some passionate anger coming out of Chaos and Disoder, another very underrated Prince album.

here is why The Rainbow Children is one of, if not his best...

TRC is Prince being Prince...no apologies...here's what i think, here's
where my spirituality is at at this moment, here is what i want to do musically,
if you don't like it, that's cool

Musicology is Prince being radio-friendly....a lot of safe material that will appeal
to a mass audience


admittedly, i like when Prince has hits, he deserves the attention...and it may
open people up to giving his more ambitious stuff a listen.

like he said, "you never would have drank my coffee, if i hadn't served you cream."

the rainbow children is EASILY one of princes greatest albums of ALL TIME.. infact its one of the GREATEST albums of all time period...

a brilliant masterpiece!!!!

it will be princes pet sounds.

if you dont get it now, you'll be getting it in ten to 20 years.

I wonder about the sanity of those wo have this big problem with the narration. Seriously.

NPGaddict said:

close: DM, 1999, and SOTT

I loved TRC from the very beginning as well!! Just when I thought Prince has become derivative, he came out with something remarkably different from anything he's ever done with TRC!! It's a masterpiece, indeed!!

The Rainbow Children, is a great album. Musically, lyrically... sheer genius. The title track alone is awesome, as is "Last December."

I have to completely block out the jw propaganda to sit through this one, otherwise it could've been one of his top 5, easily.

i agree with diamond99 and what´s ur name; Musicology isn´t musically challenging. TRC is and it is a step forward; with Musicology Prince make a step backwards. Don´t get me wrong, M. is a good album reffering to the obviously aimed radio and MTV audience, but after hearing it a lot of times trying to get into it i i have to attest, it is just for the collection;
After TRC, Xpectation and NEWS imo it is musically a disappointment (excepting Dear Mr.Man)
[This message was edited Tue May 11 10:15:02 2004 by stehol]

I love TRC, but I also really dig Musicology. Both albums brought me back to Prince after the Shit Years...with a minor vacation after NEWS....

switters said:

damn, nicely put.

i feel the exact same way.

it's far better than 'musicology'.

i only think it sounds too "clean".

it can definitely be rated among prince's best.