Although I still thing Illusion, Coma, etc is better than anything on Batman.
― Jedmond (Jedmond), Sunday, 8 August 2004 09:37 (nineteen years ago) link
**if any of you kind gentlemen or ladeez has an extra copy for whatever reason, email me!!
― Vic (Vic), Sunday, 8 August 2004 11:31 (nineteen years ago) link
― Vic (Vic), Sunday, 8 August 2004 11:33 (nineteen years ago) link
― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Sunday, 8 August 2004 11:36 (nineteen years ago) link
― Vic (Vic), Sunday, 8 August 2004 11:41 (nineteen years ago) link
Race to the bottom...
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 8 August 2004 16:31 (nineteen years ago) link
― Jedmond (Jedmond), Sunday, 8 August 2004 17:03 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 8 August 2004 17:13 (nineteen years ago) link
― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Sunday, 8 August 2004 17:22 (nineteen years ago) link
as far as batman being half decent as it was recorded in a few weeks all by prince on his lonesome, isnt that how most of his albums were made?
― splooge (thesplooge), Sunday, 8 August 2004 18:08 (nineteen years ago) link
― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Sunday, 8 August 2004 21:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Sunday, 8 August 2004 21:03 (nineteen years ago) link
― bugged out, Sunday, 8 August 2004 22:14 (nineteen years ago) link
― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 8 August 2004 22:15 (nineteen years ago) link
1. Purple Rain2. Sign "o" Times
But maybe this thread will help me decide which one to get next.
― o. nate (onate), Monday, 9 August 2004 02:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Monday, 9 August 2004 02:30 (nineteen years ago) link
― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Monday, 9 August 2004 05:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― AaronHz (AaronHz), Monday, 9 August 2004 07:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― splooge (thesplooge), Monday, 9 August 2004 07:53 (nineteen years ago) link
― piscesboy, Monday, 9 August 2004 17:12 (nineteen years ago) link
I'm going to change my mind as soon as I post this.
― babyalive (babyalive), Monday, 31 October 2005 05:19 (eighteen years ago) link
― retroboy, Monday, 31 October 2005 09:28 (eighteen years ago) link
Embarrassed to say I skipped 3121 until now, not having been a huge fan of "Black Sweat." It's good! I've decided I've got to reconsider every single album.
Anyone have a comprehensive ranking? (Calling Matos!)
― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:12 (fourteen years ago) link
However I would rank them, Parade and Sign O' The Times would be at the top and the two new ones MPLSound and whatever the other one was) would be at the bottom.
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Friday, 8 January 2010 19:14 (fourteen years ago) link
SOOTDirty MindParadeControversyPurple RainEmancipationThe Gold ExperienceSymbol Album3121Musicology
The rest
― Hell is other people. In an ILE film forum. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 8 January 2010 19:17 (fourteen years ago) link
oops: slip 1999 b/w Controversy and Purple Rain
Have always loved Christgau's running overview and Harris's Blender guide, though the online Blender no longer links to the actual blurbs (which you can search out individually):
http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=1095http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/66639/every-original-cd-reviewed-prince.html
― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:21 (fourteen years ago) link
1) Sign o' the Times2) Emancipation3) Love Symbol4) 19995) Controversy6) Lovesexy7) Gold Experience8) Graffiti Bridge9) Purple Rain10) Dirty Mind11) Parade12) Around the World in a Day13) Diamonds and Pearls14) Batman15) Come
― Tuomas, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:27 (fourteen years ago) link
However I would rank them, Parade and Sign O' The Times would be at the top and the two new ones MPLSound and whatever the other one was) would be at the bottom.― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Friday, January 8, 2010 7:14 PM (13 minutes ago)
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Friday, January 8, 2010 7:14 PM (13 minutes ago)
Pretty much this, although on certain days I may be inclined to stick Dirty Mind above SOOT. Lotusflow3r/MPLsound was quite heartbreaking in how weak it was ;_;
― unpredictable johnny rodz, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:31 (fourteen years ago) link
1999Sign O The TimesPurple RainParadeDirty Mind
The first album and the rest of the 80's stuff are tied for 6th.
― nicky lo-fi, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:43 (fourteen years ago) link
1 Black2 Sign3 19994 Purp5 Contro6 0->7 World
― hardly a giant f-off pickup (Eazy), Friday, 8 January 2010 19:46 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm ashamed at how little I know of the post 80's stuff.
I know I like "7" and "Pink Cashmere"
― nicky lo-fi, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh yeah, I forgot to rate the Black Album, I guess I'd put it between Parade and AtWiaD.
― Tuomas, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:51 (fourteen years ago) link
highly controversial:
1) dirty mind2) purple rain3) sign o' the times4) 19995) disc 3 of the hits/the b-sides6) 31217) love symbol8) lovesexy9) parade10) controversy11) emancipation12) rainbow children13) lotusflow3r13) planet earth
― an american hippie in israel (Jordan), Friday, 8 January 2010 20:00 (fourteen years ago) link
shamefully, although 'i wanna be your lover' is one of my fave prince jams, i've never heard the debut album as a whole
― an american hippie in israel (Jordan), Friday, 8 January 2010 20:01 (fourteen years ago) link
i have some 94 East shit if that makes up for it
― an american hippie in israel (Jordan), Friday, 8 January 2010 20:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh yeah, if there was proper double-disc compilation that would collect the 12" versions of Prince's B-sides (instead of the 7" versions that appear on The Hits/The B-Sides), that would rate quite high on my list. Sadly such a thing does not exist.
― Tuomas, Friday, 8 January 2010 20:05 (fourteen years ago) link
These are the one's I own
1.Dirty Mind2.Sign O' the Times3.Purple Rain4.Parade5.19996.Controversy 7.Around the World In a Day8.The Gold Experience9.Lovesexy10.Musicology11.Prince12.The Black Album13.Symbol14.Planet Earth15.Diamonds & Pearls16.312117.For You18.Batman19.Graffiti Bridge 20.Come
The B-sides disc of the hits would probably be around six in my list.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 8 January 2010 20:11 (fourteen years ago) link
I gave it a go.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 11 August 2018 05:35 (five years ago) link
Ah hell why not
Dirty MindSign O' the TimesPurple RainParade1999PrinceControversyAround the World in a DayLovesexyBatmanDiamonds and Pearlsthe rest
― bunny slopes, Saturday, 11 August 2018 06:05 (five years ago) link
I'll rank the WB albums (and Emancipation) ...
Sign o' the TimesPurple RainLovesexy1999Dirty MindBatmanThe Gold ExperienceControversyComePrinceParadeLove SymbolEmpanciationDiamonds and PearlsAround the World in a DayChaos and DisorderFor YouGraffiti Bridge
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 11 August 2018 08:50 (five years ago) link
Batman, TGE abd Come above Parade is dunderheaded madness.
― An Uphill Battle For Legumes (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 11 August 2018 21:08 (five years ago) link
I wouldn't say that, more that it's the case that those three albums are far likelier to make it onto my stereo over Parade, which I still like.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 11 August 2018 23:21 (five years ago) link
omitting records I still haven't heard (rave un2) or can't remember (planet earth beyond "chelsea rogers" and "guitar"
paradesign o the times1999dirty mindpurple rainlovesexythe gold experiencecomethe truththe love symbol albumaround the world in a daycontroversyprinceemancipation3121black albumthe rainbow childrenbatmanart official agemusicologychaos and disorderfor youdiamonds and pearlsgraffiti bridgelotus flower/mplsound
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Saturday, 11 August 2018 23:25 (five years ago) link
I did this on here in 2010. My list would be quite different now.
1. Dirty Mind2. Parade 3. Purple Rain 4. Sign "O" The Times 5. 19996. Controversy7. Prince8. The Gold Experience 9. Around The World In A Day 10. Lovesexy11. Musicology12. Come 13. The Love Symbol Album 14. The Black Album15. For You16. Diamonds & Pearls17. HitNRun Phase Two 18. Lotusflo3er19. Planet Earth20. 312121. Graffiti Bridge22. Art Official Age 23. The Rainbow Children 24. Batman25. 20Ten 26. Emancipation 27. HitNRun Phase One 28. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic 29. Chaos & Disorder 30. N.E.W.S
― kitchen person, Saturday, 11 August 2018 23:39 (five years ago) link
Nineties edition
― You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:52 (five years ago) link
Christgau's overview is pretty good, though he seems to skip a few towards the end - can't blame him because it gets dire.
It's too tough to simply rank Prince's albums because too many of them in the second half of his career are basically a single or an EP of keepers buried in chaff
How I'd break them down using Christgau's grading system:
For You - ("For You," "Soft and Wet") *Prince - ADirty Mind - A+Controversy - A1999 - APiano and a Microphone 1983 - choice cut: "Mary Don't You Weep"Purple Rain - A+Around the World in a Day - B+Parade - ASign o' the Times - A+The Black Album - ALovesexy - A-Batman - B+Graffiti Bridge - BDiamonds and Pearls - B+The Symbol Album - A-Come - choice cut: "Loose!"The Gold Experience - AChaos and Disorder - B+Emancipation - A-Crystal Ball (1997) - B+The Truth - B+Newpower Soul - choice cut: "Wasted Kisses"Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic - choice cuts: "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold," "Baby Knows," "Prettyman"The Rainbow Children - choice cuts: "The Work," "She Loves Me 4 Me"One Nite Alone - choice cut: "A Case of U"One Nite Alone...Live! - B+Musicology - B+3121 - B+Planet Earth - choice cuts: "The One U Wanna C," "Guitar," "Chelsea Rodgers"Lotusflow3r - choice cuts: "Colonized Mind," "Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful," "$"MPLSound - choice cuts: "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me," "Chocolate Box," "Dance 4 Me"Elixer - Dud20Ten - choice cuts: "Future Soul Song," "Laydown"Plectrumelectrum - DudArt Official Age - B+Hit n Run Phase One - choice cuts: "1000's of X's & O's," "June"Hit n Run Phase Two - B+Originals - A-
― birdistheword, Tuesday, 2 June 2020 23:03 (four years ago) link
We are mostly on the same page. Parade is an A+, Come is a B+ and there needs to be more space between HnR pt 2 which is a strong finale and AOI which is kinda lame (think I’d give the latter a C)
― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 3 June 2020 11:44 (four years ago) link
I love "Parade" so I don't want to knock it to explain why it wasn't an A+. If the great B-side "♥ Or $" had replaced one of my less favorite tracks, I might've considered it. I never got into "Come," a lot of it just didn't work for me, but I know other Prince fans who love it. "Art Official Age" is underrated, I actually gave up on Prince by that point, but two glowing reviews - in the New Yorker and from Greg Kot in the Tribune - piqued my curiosity, especially when others were kind of down on it. I think the most common dismissal I heard was that it was Prince doing Janelle Monáe, and to an extent they're right - Prince saw how she used sci-fi concepts to explore the personal. But while he took that approach from her work, it was remarkable to hear how raw and exposed some of the lyrics were. There is plenty of levity, but on the more personal cuts like "Way Back Home" and the final affirmation, I think we got the clearest glimpse of how Prince really saw himself. Musically, this is where Prince really started to sound like an older man to me, but it works in his favor - the hint of fragility creeping into his singing gives the material more weight. So in a lot of ways, I think it's actually a key album if you want to understand Prince himself, and a B+ doesn't feel too generous in that respect.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 3 June 2020 22:17 (four years ago) link
I admit that the timbres themselves put me off AOI... it just sounds so incredibly DAW-y, with some weird stereo widener plugin sapping the color out of everything I should try it another time though, sometimes these gustatory issues just disappear
― gnarled and turbid sinuses (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 3 June 2020 23:15 (four years ago) link