In the old days radio often got to play new music a week or so in advance. I recall taping D&P tracks off the radio a week or two before release and listening to them on my walkman — and realising that I was listening to a seriously bad album. I’d only had 1/2 of the tracks, so I was hoping the rest of the album bould be better, but that wasn’t the case.

And no, not everything gets leaked.

Most of this album sounds like Prince woke up one day, realised he had to turn in an album to whatever record company was crazy enough to had him money this time, and grabbed some tracks from his vault. Dumb lyrics, at times awful production, uninspired music that only references stuff he’s made in the past decade or so, and artwork that induces barfing. This isn’t a Prince CD, this is a cheap knockoff.

If Prince has any sense he’ll stop peedling this crap and instead focus on his glory years. All of his 1980s albums deserve a super-duper re-release with tons of extras. But the way he’s going, people will forget that once upon a time he was required listening.

And no, his concerts aren’t great either. I don’t think endless soulfunkrockjazz jams are worthy of my time. I know plenty of bands that can play that bland crap, I want to listen to SONGS. And I want PRINCE to sing those songs, not some random fam he pulls on stage. And would it kill him to rehearse his band? Rehearse a set list? Remember when Prince concerts were memorable and not just endless marathon sessions of jams?

Thankfully there are bootlegs of those great times, so I can just listen to a recording from one of his show at The Park (like the one with Sly’s “In Time” and that killer version of “Days Of Wild”) or the infamous 1988 aftershow (“Just My Imagination” just slays me).

But you all see my point. Full concerts with little attention paid to a brand new album.

jt Says:
just for the record, he’s played somewhere here on earth live also.

It’s like my work neighbor’s giant vessel of chocolate at her desk. NO WILL POWER! *gobblegobble*

This is actually one downfall of being a music lover in the Internet age (and really, there aren’t many). Everything gets leaked before release! I don’t have a problem with that from a legal standpoint – free the music, I say. But I like to revel in the anticipation, at most hearing a single that was released ahead of the album. Going to the store on tuesday morning, ripping off the cellophane in the car, and hearing the release for the first time. Remember the old days when that was just the way it was?

But seriosuly:
I have it, only heard the first two tracks thus far and think you pretty much nailed it; for those tracks, at least.

I agreed with a couple of things you said, though, Pete…

* The guitar solo at the end of “The One U Wanna C” should NOT be fading out. Damn, it was just getting good!!!

* “Chelsea Rodgers” has so much potential… Especially with that thumping bass line. Shelby really overdid the vocals. And, just like with Tamar, if I wanted to hear HER, I would get HER album, not his.

* The last song is b-o-r-i-n-g. I didn’t even make it to the end.

On a more positive note, I’m glad that Prince is still putting something out. Not only does it show that he isn’t ‘washed-up’ or a ‘has-been’, but it also reminds the youngsters what true musicianship is all about. Forget about all these sampling, over-processed wanna-be pre-teen popsters… Dig the ‘real’ thing!

This is actually one downfall of being a music lover in the Internet age (and really, there aren’t many). Everything gets leaked before release! I don’t have a problem with that from a legal standpoint – free the music, I say. But I like to revel in the anticipation, at most hearing a single that was released ahead of the album. Going to the store on tuesday morning, ripping off the cellophane in the car, and hearing the release for the first time. Remember the old days when that was just the way it was?