Check out Goldies archived commentary.
Always check official sites for official information

Filling This Empty Room

The good years for Prince keep rolling in since he (and everyone else) began believing his purple boat had sailed off into commercial oblivion. 2004 saw him become the highest grossing live act of the year, in 2006 he released a number one album, his first in 17 years, the year he also hit the jackpot in Vegas performing for 6 months at his own club selling out every show. 2007 he outshone the match at the Super Bowl and he continued his winning streak by selling nearly 400,000 concert tickets in London alone before any promotion even had the chance to take off. Reaching 50 years of age in 2008, Prince's thoughts will be turning to retirement. For the purple gravy train is on a roll, even though slightly derailed in the mid 90's, even he must be wondering when it will hit the buffers on the other end of its very long and eventful journey.

So is The Earth Tour his farewell visit to 20,000 seater venues? His choice of using huge venues again in Europe since his theatre-sized tour of 2002 was a brave one, but choosing to perform the entire European leg of The Earth Tour in just one location demonstrates that he is still exercising post-Warner's caution. Nevertheless, today, the only person on the real planet earth happier than Prince with this colossal resurge in his Purple Reign is his accountant. Free V-VIP board and lodging given to him by the Rio Suites Hotel for Prince's Las Vegas stint plus 50 sell out shows of his 1,500 capacity club with top tickets going for over $300, his record sales, Golden Globe, high profile appearances, namely choice award shows and pounding out Purple Rain during the largest event in the global sporting calendar, a reported $3m for performing a mere just seven shows in Hollywood, launching a private high-end perfume line, and 21 sell out shows in London all in 2007 alone makes Prince still the envy of his so called (albeit lesser) peers, as well as the music industry, Prince has quite aptly spelt how his success with the title of his new album, for he knows he has re-conquered Planet Earth and he is not ready to rest on his legend quite yet.

Click for all Goldies Achieved Commentary

Planet Earth (2007)

No other Prince album has received so much media attention since Purple Rain. Planet Earth is a typically varied Prince album showcasing his diversity through rock, funk, rap and soul. The title track gives the album a real mark of quality with a haunting, yet theatrical Gold-style feel. Guitar keeps the pace before slowing it down with Somewhere Here On Earth relaxing the listener into an album of absolute quality. The One U Wanna C, Resolution and Lion of Judah are a nice simple old-style pleasers that bring a sense of fun into Planet Earth. Prince's skill with ballads is shown off again with Future Baby Mama, one of his most superior to date, absolute perfection. Mr Goodnight take is back as soothe as hell and is nice to see that Prince has got too grown up for rap. Chelsea Rogers is the highlight on the album, his funkiest Prince song in years.

Overall Planet Earth has feel of a stage show to it, taking the listener on a journey of absolute quality that is so rare to find in music this day and age. "So shall it be written, shall be sung." Prince is clearly showing the real Planet Earth that it is 2007 which marks his prime, not 1984. The rebirth of his popularity looks set to survive another year.