i was gonna sayi love "big and stupid" prince and still listen to "Batdance" every now and again
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:18 (three years ago) link
Batdance and p control are worlds apart.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:25 (three years ago) link
The music on p control is great, but the lyrics are incredibly stupid and his tone as he raps the verses is so irritating idk how it ended up here.
Prince trying to sound both badass AND sort of feminist without wanting to sound serious ends up with a whole lot of nothing. I think he was going for a sort of p funk thing but it fails tragically.
Now is even more cringe. Prince trying to do rowdy? No thanks. Days of the wild from this era is equally awful.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:32 (three years ago) link
P control is smug, faux upbeat and lyrically confused basically. Interactive would have been much better opening the album.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:33 (three years ago) link
he used to have such a cool, distinctive production sound and it got so hamfisted...i maintain the pneumatic percussion of new jack swing (which works great for those artists) making its way into prince's sound was the worst thing that ever happened
I actually think it works fine with The Gold Experience, but Prince definitely struggled with those elements when he put together the NPG. Forming the NPG wasn't a bad idea - he was always a great bandleader, and I think recording with a live band was generally a good direction to take with his studio albums. But Tony M was terrible, Diamonds and Pearls would have been far better if Prince had dropped him, and the "Symbol" album was an improvement partly because Tony M had a smaller role on that album. At least to me, The Gold Experience sounds organic partly because Prince finally sounded comfortable and in control of those elements. (I want to say he understands his limits more too. Like when he raps, it never feels like he's pushing past his abilities to me.) It wasn't innovative like his '80s work, and more than ever it feels like he's incorporating ideas from other contemporary artists, but I think he executes them really well.
― birdistheword, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:38 (three years ago) link
"Prince trying to sound both badass AND sort of feminist"
Should add cutesy to that list
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:41 (three years ago) link
Listening back to the 90s albums, the best stuff is when he just isnt trying too hard. When hes trying to tick multiple boxes, it goes pretty badly. Gold is basically him doing his lenny Kravitz album. The undertaker album which wasnt released is a better representation of this era
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:44 (three years ago) link
title track is lovely, just pure pop, great anthemic chorus.
the hip-hop tracks are embarrassingly dated, but I love "Pussy Control".
"Billy Jack Bitch" is funky af, but I hear it's interpolating "Lyin Ass Bitch" by Fishbone?
mixed album but some bops.
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:46 (three years ago) link
"Most Beautiful Girl in the World" is gorgeous, and I've pulled it off at karaoke a few times.
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 19:47 (three years ago) link
"The pneumatic percussion of new jack swing"
He prob needed a new drum machine to get interested in after 1990. But after the fairlight, I think breakbeats eluded him.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:01 (three years ago) link
the New Jack Swing songs just do not work.
I feel like most New Jack Swing endurded, I can still listen to it, but I hear Prince's take on it and go "ooooh, cringe".
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:03 (three years ago) link
endured
Underaker is even more of a “Lenny Kravitz” album than TGE.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:09 (three years ago) link
Ok well it's a better lenny album!
Acknowledge me is/was just a weird song to hear prince do. And I loved new Jack swing and mid 90s rnb.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:34 (three years ago) link
the 2nd song on the album sounds like an Usher song
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:35 (three years ago) link
Shhh? Dont recall usher ever doing a bombastic funk rock ballad
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:39 (three years ago) link
anyone who likes this record should hear the triple album bootleg the dawn
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:56 (three years ago) link
combines come, gold experience, undertaker and a few contemporaneous tracks into a very cohesive experience
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:58 (three years ago) link
are you ready for the realllll
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 20:59 (three years ago) link
Brad OTM. The Dawn resequences all of this stuff and actually makes it coherent.
― doug watson, Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:27 (three years ago) link
Cohesive, even. Lol
― doug watson, Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:28 (three years ago) link
Shh sounds like an Usher song because Tevin Campbell sang it first
Also everyone talking about how New Jack Swing Prince doesn’t work needs to go back and relisten to “Pheremone” on Come, which is actually his best 90s album
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:43 (three years ago) link
"letitgo" too. i love "letitgo"
most of come is really successful new jack prince imo
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:44 (three years ago) link
Come is dope and I like all of the tracks
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:47 (three years ago) link
Come is the only Prince album whose tracks I've trouble remembering beyond "Letitgo" but like anyway.
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:48 (three years ago) link
"Letitgo" was the radio hit, right?
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:49 (three years ago) link
“Letitgo” is one of his best songs
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:49 (three years ago) link
You don't remember the title track? "Space"? "Papa"? I'm with DJP that Come is right up there with his best '90s stuff.
― On average, this critic grades 8.3 points lower than other critics (Eric H.), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:51 (three years ago) link
I actually recorded a version of Letitgo with me doing all of the harmonies maaaaaaaaany years ago.
are you ready for the reaaaaaaal?
I listen to Come more like a continuous album, it just doesn't let up the funk and dope atmosphere.
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:52 (three years ago) link
― On average, this critic grades 8.3 points lower than other critics (Eric H.),
Yep on "Space." Nineties Prince:
1. Emancipation2. TGE3. Come4. Symbol5. D&P6. C&D7. Bleh
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 1 November 2020 21:56 (three years ago) link
I'm not here to shit on Emancipation because "Sleep Around" is one of his hottest house-era jams but ... there's a lot there that doesn't need to be there.
― On average, this critic grades 8.3 points lower than other critics (Eric H.), Sunday, 1 November 2020 22:02 (three years ago) link
well, yeah
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 1 November 2020 22:04 (three years ago) link
That's why I love triple albums.
Emale.coooooom
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Sunday, 1 November 2020 22:07 (three years ago) link
Lot of emancipation sounds like he struggled to get through it. Or like he really worked to get rid of offending weird edges. Though he still ended up with cringe moments. I've tried to come up with perfect playlists of it but it's really tricky to make it work.
Agree with the 90s ranking above
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:00 (three years ago) link
The more I think about pussy control I keep wondering if John waters wrote it
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:02 (three years ago) link
https://www.discogs.com/The-Artist-Formerly-Known-As-Prince-The-Dawn/release/14983400
This looks great and like a triple with more life than emancipation but God, what a slog. I wish he just made short n sharp albums in the 90s like he did ten years earlier. The CD era did his weakness for musical overload no favours.
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:05 (three years ago) link
Actually that dawn set just looks like a compilation of every single thing he meant to release in this period. That's a LOT of npg action
― candyman, Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:15 (three years ago) link
the dawn is really not a slog inasmuch as any three-disc behemoth is inherently a slog, it would surprise you, it surprises me too. whatever fan put it together had an excellent sense of sequencing and pacing. i almost like to think of it as the unrealized glam slam ulysses
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:18 (three years ago) link
i'm relistening to the dawn rn and once again find it so impressive that i will send it to anyone curious but also my ilxmail does not work bc it is tied to a dead email address
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2020 23:57 (three years ago) link
im tempted to find it but idk if i want to listen to half those songs that much (18 and over? pussy control? we march?), though maybe in this new context, they will seem different. i know a lot of fans really adore this period as prince was so fired up and productive. im actually reading a jim walsh book on the era at the moment (basically just write ups he filed from the time, rather than a bigger picture view of it).
here's the undertaker if anyone hasn't heard it. worth half an hour of your time i think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZwGxv1GvMU
― candyman, Monday, 2 November 2020 10:05 (three years ago) link
Alfred's list OTM. Anyone creeped/skeeved out by Prince lyrics in the 90s or otherwise should prob stop listening to a good portion of all his stuff asap. You shouldn't go to pre-JW Prince for family friendly musical wholesomeness.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 2 November 2020 11:51 (three years ago) link
Who wants wholesomeness? Dont think anyone has argued for that. So untwist your panties please.
― candyman, Monday, 2 November 2020 11:59 (three years ago) link
My boxers are hanging fine. You?
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 2 November 2020 12:06 (three years ago) link
Got briefs on today but they're not my favourite. Only got them on as they were a gift. Wonder if prince was briefs or boxers guy.
― candyman, Monday, 2 November 2020 13:31 (three years ago) link
boxer briefs: https://flic.kr/p/2k2JmPw
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Monday, 2 November 2020 13:45 (three years ago) link
I know somewhere there is a fan with all the npg store merchandise in pristine condition.
When ppl say prince never really opened up in his music its these little details that make up the man that are missing.
I've a feeling he wasnt into underwear actually.
― candyman, Monday, 2 November 2020 13:49 (three years ago) link
kinda sad people are ignoring his great late career masterpiece Vikings song #skol #purplepride
crank it up to celebrate our win over the pack yesterday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3SfauwzgQ
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 2 November 2020 15:54 (three years ago) link
When ppl say the gems stopped after 92 its songs like purple n gold that tell me they just weren't paying attention. Says more about them than anything else.
― candyman, Monday, 2 November 2020 16:08 (three years ago) link
90's Prince for me from beast to least:
ComeGrafitti BridgeSymbolGold ExperienceEmancipationDiamonds and PearlsCrystal Ball/TruthBlack Album (if you want to count it)VaultChaos and OrderRave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
At least 100 great tracks! An enormously fecund era!I will also rep for all four of the final albums.
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 2 November 2020 19:07 (three years ago) link