Click the artwork to see full track listings. View the singles reviews here.
Prince's albums reviewed by Goldie.
Planet Earth: Columbia Records (2007)
Given away totally free in the UK, no other Prince album has received so much media attention since Purple Rain. His "Best album in years" critics claim. 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-esque scope. Guitar keeps the pace before slowing it down with Somewhere Here On Earth relaxing the listener into an album of absolute quality. Old habits die hard in The One U Wanna C where he talks his woman into bed by promising her he will "come like thunder", however this, Resolution and Lion of Judah form nice simple old-style harmonies that fuse both maturity and fun into Planet Earth. Prince is well schooled with ballads, and Future Baby Mama is one of his most superior. Mr Goodnight is as soothe as hell and is nice to see that Prince has not given up of rap. Chelsea Rodgers is the highlight on the album, being the funkiest Prince song in years. Overall Planet Earth has feel of a stage show score to it, and maturity, taking the listener on a journey of absolute quality, that is so rare to find in this day and age. "So shall it be written, shall be sung." Prince clearly showing the real Planet Earth that it is 2007 which marks his prime, not 1984.
Ultimate Prince: Warner Bros. (2006)
This is no less than the third Prince 'greatest hits' package from Warner's, like with The Hits in 1993, they know how to target the core fan-base rather than the Very Best Of offering for the casually interested hit-and-run crowd-pleasing listener. This is a two disk set, one unsurprisingly containing 17 of the main hits up to 1992, apparently Warner's seem to think Prince stopped writing after 1992! So, how do Warner's get a hard core fan to fork out for music they already have? Simple, they add a second disk which is where this set comes into its own, for it puts on to CD no less than 11 extended versions that only ever previously surfaced on long deleted and hard to find maxi-singles. The bonus here is that every track has been re-mastered, this double set offers rarities and favourites with superior restored sound and superbly presented in excellently conceived artwork. Warners can only release one more 'greatest hits' package on Prince then their contract is truly over, this set, though missing a few gems and should not really be considered as 'ultimate', the stereo food is a hard one to follow.
3121: Universal Records (2006)
Ok, there is a pattern forming here, Musicology (a 12-track album) saw Prince return to the radio and commercial success, and 3121 (another 12-track album) thankfully follows that same road, his first album to strike number 1 since Batman in 1989. There is something special about playing a new Prince album for the first time, there are so many emotions the fan goes through, namely, nervous excitement in wanting it to excel their expectations. My expectations were smashed, 3121 excels by returning to old ground and revives my excitement in my ongoing relationship with Prince's music. It is any ways both classic, but new, Prince. The title track, which reunites Prince with Sonny.T and Michael.B, kicks off the funk which dominates the album, (Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, and Get On The Boat) incredibly infectious tracks that give the listener mere seconds to get their head bopping. Prince treats us to his rough - Fury - and the smooth - Incense & Candles - sides and also lets the old 'nasty' side of Prince peak through. The album slows down for the soulful Satisfied (which gets its long awaited release), the catchy Beautiful, Loved & Blessed (a duet with Tamar), schmaltzy Te Amo Corazon, and the rolling The Word. The standout tracks on this outstanding album are the electro-funk Love and Lolita, summing up to production of the whole album - smooth as hell! 3121 is immensely funky, enjoyable and fresh. Prince continues to amaze, when you think he had reached his creative extremes, he only goes and surpasses them. 3121 is easily and firmly up there with his very, very best, perfect joints for the party that you never want to leave. Musicology was a lesson in music, but if you want a master class in great music, then draw your search to a close here.
Musicology: Columbia Records (2004)
A nice surprise to fans and more so to Prince as it turned out to be his most successful album since Diamonds And Pearls. "Music comes before the 'ology" as Prince says, so the album is kind of intended to be an education in music - 'schools in' for Musicology, in which a more chilled out Prince finally succumbs to make a long awaited return to commercialism and has finally given his fans the much awaited 'proper' album, you know full of radio friendly tunes. Musicology's success is purely because he has gone back to creating albums with the wider audience in mind. It is clear he wants to be played on the radio again, the songs are catchy and are no longer the 4 minutes apiece. Its not art artful as The Rainbow Children but is far more enjoyable and just as inspired, which technically makes it a 'better' album. The outstanding tracks are: A Million Days, Call My Name, Cinnamon Girl, The Marrying Kind and Dear Mr Man which all make truly enjoyable listening. The surprisingly down-to-earth Musicology hits the mark perfectly. Will Musicology give you a musical 'ology'? No, leave that to Prince, if only all studying was this enjoyable. Warner Brother's better start repairing those burnt out bridges really fast, the Prince has reclaimed his throne as well as proving "money and art...[do]...mix".
N.E.W.S and Xpectation: NPG Records (2003)
For the first time in my life, Prince's music began to concern me. I felt him moving too far down the independent, arty, road, that he was isolating himself and his fans with completely inaccessible and even non-experimental music. This is not the Prince I became a fan for - a good beat and clever lyrics, and his two releases in 2003 had neither. Thankfully this era did not last too long. Even Prince later agreed that this music was not even worth putting on CD, yet another release, the 9-track, Xpectation, was only put out as a download from his site. As it turned out he got the taste for poncey music out of his system in a couple of years, but what it does show is a nice after dinner alternative aspect to Prince's vast talent. Needless to say, it would be wrong to suggest this is uninspired music but it provides too few footholds for the listener to get inspired about. These are albums you buy to own, not to buy to love.
One Nite Alone...Live: NPG Records (2002)
Always opposed to releasing a live album, Prince has finally given us what we've been waiting for since 1978, an officially released live album. Prince once said if ever released a live album it would have to be of the definitive show, being that his shows are always so varied, we all knew there was no such thing as the 'definitive show'. But then came along the One Nite Alone tour, in my view, his definitive tour. Worried that he was going to tour the piano album of the same name, thankfully the ONA Tour turned out to be the full-on rock fest we all dreamed of. ONA Live captured the music which swept us all away in 2002 in Prince's new musical peak. A year since the curtain fell at the last show of the tour this double-disk set keeps that dream alive for those who went to what was really a demonstration in perfection and and experience that continues to blow you away even years later. My only gripe about the content of the double album is that they do not capture the shows edge, and may make the concerts seem flatter than the guitar-fest it ONA became. Presented in a wonderful box to make the collectors gush, which also contains a bonus CD of a collection of recordings from the after shows taken from the US leg, named after the chant used throughout the tour "It Aint Over". This bonus disk containing real jam-laden funk of the after shows is the real gem of the set.
One Nite Alone: NPG Records (2002)
In 1998 Prince treated us to an acoustic set with The Truth, so in 2002 he followed it up with One Nite Alone his piano showpiece. Its nice, there are many good tracks there such as the title track, Here On Earth, A Case Of U (a cover from Joni Mitchell), Avalanche, Pearls B4 The Swine and Young And Beautiful. It does not live in the stereo, it just gets fleeting appearances in it. Which is good, because for this album you have to be in the right mood to let it in, so on some levels it works perfectly.
The Rainbow Children: NPG Records (2001)
Even though it is perhaps his most inaccessible album to date, and thank god (literally) that Prince decided to release this one in stores rather than simply an internet album, he finally releases an album that showcases his musical depth. Isn't it great when you listen to an album and you fall in love with every track. This is album is so beautiful, funky, and musically inspiring, it really does take you to another level. It does not even take a second listen to grow to like it, to simply put it, FANTASTIC, easily one of his all time best. This is a collection of songs and that could only go together on the same album, but it is let down by the religious storytelling which comes across preachy, you can hardly believe this is the man who also wrote Scarlet Pussy and Sexy MF but still, there are few albums as well crafted as this one. You simply don't hear music like today and, like a fine wine, Prince just gets better and better as time goes on. This could well be the album which Prince's musical genius sees its peak. This is the epitome of musical freedom, he would never have been allowed to release this under Warner's. Yet it contains; funk, melody, lyrical godliness, stellar guitar playing. The title track and Family Name make this album. It is so nice to hear Prince being genuinely happy again and not using his music to bicker about the music industry that made him, he finally shows us how to love once again.
The Very Best Of Prince: Warner Bros. (2001)
Warner Brothers appear to really believe that Prince's career ended when his contract ran out. But lets face it, this disk truly showcases a remarkable career. It contains all the stuff the casual fan should hear and its good stuff at that, but we all know this CD just looks like a half-baked effort to make Warner's to squeeze as much money as possible out of the Purple Reign that was loosing its steam, or so they thought. Does it contain the Very Best? Going by sales yes, perhaps it should be called Essential Prince as the 'very best' of his work lies elsewhere but that's what you get when a guy in a suit picks the track list.
The Vault...Old Friends 4 Sale: Warner Bros. (1999)
The release of The Vault proved Prince's point, that record labels can and will release music against the wishes of the artist who created it. One minute Warner's were wanting to limit the volume of output Prince put on the market, and since he has left them we have the Very Best Of Prince in 2001 and this. However, it is a shame that it takes a contract dispute to get these songs released from his vault, unfortunately though it was Warner's vault and not Prince's. Nevertheless, we get some classics; 5 Women, There Is Lonely, and Old Friends 4 Sale - perhaps one of Prince's most revealing songs. The top track on the album is When The Lights Go Down a remarkable tune to just made to listen to over and over again.
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic: Arista (1999)
Every artist does a collaborative album and this is Prince's - Gwen Stefani, Chuck D, Ruff Ryder, Sheryl Crow and Ani DiFranco - but Prince is clearly leading the way here as all his co-performers are given bit-parts because Prince was gearing up for his big year, 1999. Undisputed contains the most, lets say, interesting computerised drum beat(s) I can recall, but the album settles down into its stride with Hot Wit U. His cover of Everyday Is A Winding Road is a perfect example of the 'Prince treatment', the song is tighter, shaper, and classier than the original. Man O War is the outstanding track and the outtake, Beautiful Strange, gets its airing on the remix version of the album, Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic. Rave In2, to be honest, would have done better in the charts if that was the Rave Un2 version released here. Intended to be his comeback album, Arista stood idly by and let it sink, his return would have to wait for another time, but on it he does declare "Heavy rotation never made my world go round, commercialisation of the music is what brought it down" oops!
Newpower Soul: BMG (1998)
Prince has not been this funky since Dirty Mind, why did it have to take so long? And with Mad Sex and Push It Up, he gets talking about his favourite subject again. Technically this is an NPG album but hey, who is that on the cover and all over the tracks? I rest my case. In recent years Prince became more 'blues brother' than 'funk soul brother' and its easy to forget how funky Prince can be and thankfully that comes back with a vengeance on this collection. The best tracks are When U Love Somebody, Shoo-Bed-Oo, and Push It Up.
Crystal Ball: NPG Records (1998)
After clearing out his new stuff with Emancipation, Prince began looking for material he could put out only on his website, he ventured deep into his vault. Rather than look for B-sides and music owned by Warner's, Prince pulls together a triple album full of completely unreleased tracks, versions and demos.Everything is literally from the vault, even the title 'Crystal Ball' was the original name for the Sign O' The Times album. The best stuff here are what should have gone onto the Come album: Interactive, Days Of Wild, and Acknowledge Me. But there is more to keep you interested across its three disks - Dream Factory, Hide The Bone, and The Ride. Great bass lines in 18 And Over, and Poom Poom give this album a great mix. If most bands had outtakes half as good as these they will be happy. More releases like these will put the bootleggers out of business, so where is Crystal Ball 2?
The Truth: NPG Records (1998)
Many fans have been pleading for an acoustic album for years and their wishes did not fall on deaf ears, along with Crystal Ball, this 12 track acoustic album was simply tacked on the back of the Crystal Ball set. I will admit it took me 9 years to warm to it, then all of a sudden, it hit me and actually, it is now one of my personal favourite Prince albums - period. Don't Play Me is a great track with real honest lyrics, it got plenty of airing on the One Nite Alone Tour. There is pure ballad on this album and despite it being an acoustic set it still has a far from bland production value. There are stand-out tracks aplenty, The Truth, 3rd Eye, Animal Kingdom, Fascination, One Of Your Tears, Come Back and the great Welcome 2 The Dawn. This is pure honest simplicity, clever lyrics, clever boy. Ain't it The Truth!
Emancipation: NPG Records/EMI (1996)
Prince celebrated his departure from Warner's in typical style, a critically acclaimed TRIPLE album, which incidentally, is officially the longest pop album in history. Furthermore, Prince was truly emancipated when it went double platinum giving him good reason not to be miss his old label. A lot of it is samples from older songs from his vault. Though it contains welcome dreamy covers of Betcha By Golly Wow, One of Us, I Cant Make U Love Me, and La La La Means I Love You. For me the funk of Face Down and the sincerity of Friend Lover Sister Mother Wife and The Love We Make, are real the gems in this set. You don't need to interview its composer just listen to the music - starting off with White Mansion.
