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Musicology marks return of legendary Prince


by Austin Burton
May 21, 2004


As is her nature, R&B songstress Alicia Keys said it better than anyone else could have. At last month’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in front of an audience littered with the genre’s immortals, Keys introduced the night’s headliner: “In history, there have been many kings; but there is only one Prince.”

Could anyone have argued with her? Starting in 1978 with his debut album, For You, Prince has made a career out of being original. Sometimes he leaves you envious of his brilliance. Sometimes he grosses you out. Sometimes he just makes you shake your head and say, “Well, that’s Prince.”

On the 20th anniversary of his signature Purple Rain album, Prince is back with Musicology. Released on Prince’s NPG Records via Columbia Records, this is Prince’s first solo album since 2001 and his first major-label release in almost a decade.

Like many legends, Prince’s new material will always be compared to his classics, which is totally natural yet admittedly unfair to the artist. Once someone has cemented icon status, how much higher can they go? Everything thereafter will be seen as letdown or a disappointment. Prince hit his peak in the mid-1980s with the aforementioned “Purple Rain,” “1999” and “Sign O’ the Times.” Putting out something better than those today would be next to impossible. But while one tries to judge Musicology on its own merits, the album will inevitably be held to unattainable standards.

The lead single, “Musicology,” is typical Prince—if there is such a thing. Over a funky, jazzy-type tune, Prince delivers a perfectly safe club song, one that more than anything just reminds you of who you’re dealing with.

Throughout the rest of the album, Prince shows his lyrical and musical diversity.

On “The Marrying Kind” he shows his slick side in one verse: “She’s gonna miss you at first / but then she’s gonna buy me things / that’s when I’m gonna lay her / across my piano stool and sing to her” and his humorous side on the next: “She’s gonna find out / what I like in my eggs / my bathwater / and how a brutha likes to be touched / I am gonna put her on / the same diet Missy went on / you know she eats too much.”

On “Dear Mr. Man,” he gets political: “Ain’t no sense in voting / same song with a different name might not be the back of the bus / but it sho’ feels just the same / Ain’t nothing fair about welfare / ain’t no assistance in AIDS / ain’t nothing affirmative about your actions / ‘til the people get paid.”

And of course, Prince gets romantic on a few tracks. Forget the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, anyone who penned “Adore,” “Darling Nikki” and “Shh” deserves his own wing in the Trojan Hall of Fame. On this album Prince again sets the mood with “Call My Name.” And in “On the Couch,” he whines like a talented version of Keith Sweat.

Musicology is another outstanding blend of jazz, rock, blues and funk, brought to you by one of the all-time greats. On the down side, some of the songs sound like something you could have heard from Prince or even Morris Day & The Time back in 1990. A dated sound like that doesn’t seem consistent with someone who once named his crew The Revolution. For almost every one of the album’s gems, there is a forgettable, almost-generic sounding track.

If great music comes from pain, then Prince appears to be in a comfortable state of mind. Of course, why wouldn’t he be? And realistically, we can’t expect a classic every time out.

Musicology may not be Purple Rain, but it’s still a good album to have in your collection. After all, it’s freakin’ Prince, truly an American original.

GrayKing said:

thats the funniest shit i've read all day

nakedpianoplayer said:

Keith Sweat can retire a Happy man now!