Prince: MUSICOLOGY

[JSngry]

I'm being called to the car right now, but just let me say that this album is perfect. Prince is on top of his game here, and I can't get enough of it. This is the kind of stuff that makes pop music worthwhile as more than ephemeral sociological mementos.

It's also hopelessy old-fashioned by today's "musical" standards.

So much the better.

An old school joint for the true funk soldiers?

Whatever!

[Alexander]

"Don't you EVER touch my stereo! These're MY records!!!"

Got it shortly after it came out, and it's certainly wearing well. It took a few listenings before it really took, but it is pretty damn good.

Title track is PHAT... B)

[Big Al]

Ehhhhhh, I must be gettin' old. I've listened to it a few times, and it hasn't stuck yet.

But I wholeheartedly concur that the man is on top of his game. AGAIN!

[JSngry]

"25 years to life

The judge senticed me to hard labor with a knife

Makin' cuts for y'all"

Edited May 10, 2004 by JSngry

[JSngry]

The guy is a freakin' virtuoso of the pop medium, and you best believe he knows it. A song like "Call My Name" contains so many "winks", both musically and lyrically, that you KNOW that HE knows that WE know that it's a goof, but that makes it anything BUT, since he goes ahead and delivers it in a totally convincing, powerful even, manner.

There's so many layers to this stuff (literally and metaphorically)...

"What Do U Want Me 2 Do" is the kind of "quiet storm" tune that Smooth Jazz artists would give their left nut for (assuming that they indeed have any to give....), slick, sophisticated, not particularly deep, but posessing great depth nevertheless just because it's so damn TASTY. Prince turns it out and throws it out like he could do this kind of thing in his sleep (which he probably could), but dammit, if it were so easy to do, and so "inconsequential", then why aren't we up to our collective asses in stuff this good? I'll tell you why - because it's NOT that easy, and the songs are NOT inconsequential!

In my opening post, I called this album "perfect", and perfect it is. Anybody who's ever struggled to make a record of any kind knows the nagging feeling that something could have been different and/or better, that you could have put something in or left something out, or that there's a few very VERY minor details that you'd like to clarify but you just can't...

Well, if there's any moments like this on this record, I don't hear it. I've listened "large" and I've listened "small", and this mutthafukkah totally TCB'ed on every detail, from the large macro design to the smallest nuance (especially vocally - good GOD amighty does this guy have an arsenal of vocal sounds and stylings, and goodgodamighty does he have total, TOTAL, control over them). It mindboggles me to listen to everything on this record and imagine the WORK that went into it, much less the WORK that it took to make it so perfect. Records don't make themselves, you know, especially production-centric affairs. Just listening to some of the "throwaway" stuff like the harmonized "I got good'n plenty of what you need, and that's time" bit at the end of the title tune humbles me, it's SO perfect in every way.

So what's the big deal about perfection? There ain't none if the results don't come alive, breathe, sweat, and move. And baby, PRINCE MOVES! On a lot of his stuff, it seems like he's creating an exhibition of work to be admired in the abstract, but here, he's back in the trenches throwin' down with everybody else. This record makes me smile, laugh, and dance even when I don't WANT to, and that's a feat that becomes increadingly difficult as the years pass and, uh, "things happen". Y'all know what I mean.

Prince is a virtuoso, a true giant of contmporary music (no genre qualifications necessary - virtuosity is about depth of command, not style) If it has seemed lately that he's taken his gifts and gone home to play by himself, here it seems like he's decided that his greatness is a lot more fun for everybody when he takes it to the stage. In today's musical environment, songs with melodies (hell, songs with real singing!) and seem seem hopelssly "old school" (and maybe that's why I've heard more than a few people say that it takes several times through this album for it to fully hit them - we've gotten used to such prefab garbage being the norm for pop that when we come across REAL MUSIC in the pop vein that we're not sure how to respond, maybe?), but maybe that's Prince's tact here - time (ie - age) has finally gotten him to the point that the BEST way for him to be the rebel that he's always wanted to be is to just crank out artfully produced and performed pop songs with grooves that any middle-aged Chitlin' Circuit band could ride for centuries to come.

It's perhaps a one-man revolution (pun intended), and probably doomed to fail (let's face it - the days of pop as a jubillantly silly celebration of everydayness are long gone, and ain't coming back, ever), but hell, if you ain't got nuthin' to lose, why NOT?

Go ahead, Prince, go ahead.

Edited May 10, 2004 by JSngry

[jamn]

The guy is a freakin' virtuoso of the pop medium, and you best believe he knows it. A song like "Call My Name" contains so many "winks", both musically and lyrically, that you KNOW that HE knows that WE know that it's a goof, but that makes it anything BUT, since he goes ahead and delivers it in a totally convincing, powerful even, manner.

There's so many layers to this stuff (literally and metaphorically)...

"What Do U Want Me 2 Do" is the kind of "quiet storm" tune that Smooth Jazz artists would give their left nut for (assuming that they indeed have any to give....), slick, sophisticated, not particularly deep, but posessing great depth nevertheless just because it's so damn TASTY. Prince turns it out and throws it out like he could do this kind of thing in his sleep (which he probably could), but dammit, if it were so easy to do, and so "inconsequential", then why aren't we up to our collective asses in stuff this good? I'll tell you why - because it's NOT that easy, and the songs are NOT inconsequential!

In my opening post, I called this album "perfect", and perfect it is. Anybody who's ever struggled to make a record of any kind knows the nagging feeling that something could have been different and/or better, that you could have put something in or left something out, or that there's a few very VERY minor details that you'd like to clarify but you just can't...

Well, if there's any moments like this on this record, I don't hear it. I've listened "large" and I've listened "small", and this mutthafukkah totally TCB'ed on every detail, from the large macro design to the smallest nuance (especially vocally - good GOD amighty does this guy have an arsenal of vocal sounds and stylings, and goodgodamighty does he have total, TOTAL, control over them). It mindboggles me to listen to everything on this record and imagine the WORK that went into it, much less the WORK that it took to make it so perfect. Records don't make themselves, you know, especially production-centric affairs. Just listening to some of the "throwaway" stuff like the harmonized "I got plenty of what you need, and that's time" bit at the end of the title tune humbles me, it's SO perfect in every way.

So what's the big deal about perfection? There ain't none if the results don't come alive, breathe, sweat, and move. And baby, PRINCE MOVES! On a lot of his stuff, it seems like he's creating an exhibition of work to be admired in the abstract, but here, he's back in the trenches throwin' down with everybody else. This record makes me smile, laugh, and dance even when I don't WANT to, and that's a feat that becomes increadingly difficult as the years pass and, uh, "things happen". Y'all know what I mean.

Prince is a virtuoso, a true giant of contmporary music (no genre qualifications necessary - virtuosity is about depth of command, not style) If it has seemed lately that he's taken his gifts and gone home to play by himself, here it seems like he's decided that his greatness is a lot more fun for everybody when he takes it to the stage. In today's musical environment, songs with melodies (hell, songs with real singing!) and seem seem hopelssly "old school" (and maybe that's why I've heard more than a few people say that it takes several times through this album for it to fully hit them - we've gotten used to such prefab garbage being the norm for pop that when we come across REAL MUSIC in the pop vein that we're not sure how to respond, maybe?), but maybe that's Prince's tact here - time (ie - age) has finally gotten him to the point that the BEST way for him to be the rebel that he's always wanted to be is to just crank out artfully produced and performed pop songs with grooves that any middle-aged Chitlin' Circuit band could ride for centuries to come.

It's perhaps a one-man revolution (pun intended), and probably doomed to fail (let's face it - the days of pop as a jubillantly silly celebration of everydayness are long gone, and ain't coming back, ever), but hell, if you ain't got nuthin' to lose, why NOT?

Go ahead, Prince, go ahead.

Sounds like my album of the week.

[Stefan Wood]

C'mon, it's NOT perfect! Prince has still done better, but considering what he's been doing over the past ten years this is definitely one of his strongest efforts. I'll agree that the first half of this album (and it is an album, a measly 47 minutes by today's standards) just gives up the funk old school style, and no one can imitate his style or creativity. I like a couple of his ballads also, but the pacing is lost as it gets towards the end -- even after a few listens, I found myself not paying attention to the final few tracks. Still, this is a good comeback album!

[JSngry]

I must respectfully disagree about the matter of pacing, but then I'm a middle aged man (as Prince now is), and can relate to it.

Other than that, I still say it's perfect, which is not to say that Prince has not done "better". Let's face it, the "thrill of discovery" w/his music is gone (as befits the aforementioned middle-agedness), and what's left is mostly consolodation and execution - it's no longer about "whatcha' gonna do" as much as it is "how ya' gonna do it?". I can't imagine this program of material being done any better!

A far as the material itself, vis-a-vis the pacing, I'll not argue that. I too noticed the "slowdown" of the 2nd half of the album, but I found it "mature" more than anythingelse. But, ok, if you want to use pop convention as a yardstick (or even personal taste), I see the point. I personally don't see it as a fault, but there's room for disagreement, no doubt.

[Eric]

Spurred by a chance to see him live (which unfortunately did not come to pass), I have embarked on a re-discovery of the purple one.

Jim says it a hell of a lot better than I can, but it is amazing how many bases the guy can cover. While funk may be his calling card, I really think of him as simply a pop/rock artist, who can pull off whatever he wants to convey the thoughts/emotions that happen to be on his mind.

I bought Musicology last week and been listening to it quite a bit. It really is a wonderful mature/funky/fun slab 'o work. Will definitely have legs in my CD player this summer ...

Eric

[chris olivarez]

Never in my life have I thought about buying a Prince album and now you've got me thinking about it-YOU FIENDS!!!!!

[JSngry]

Checkin' out "Mr. Man" whilst running errands this morning and marvelling at the pocket - so simple and direct, yet so deep.

You can't fake that.

[Peter Johnson]

Chris--hear me now, believe me later.

Buy this CD!!!

Your booty'll be shakin' all 'round the room when you put it on.

It's that good.

[rachel]

Wow. Thanks guys for all of your input. I knew I would be interested in Musicology when I first heard about its release. However, after reading this thread I am making my way right now to pick it up. Don't wanna wait for mail order.

Prince had a "Musicology" special on MTV recently. Great stuff. I'm sorry I missed the concert.

[PHILLYQ]

Rachel,

Who's that on your avatar? Is that your daughter?

[rachel]

Even better.... she's my God-daughter. I get to do all the fun stuff w/her--she now knows the difference between an airball and a brick and the appropriate times to say those particular terms out loud while at a Pacers game as well as when to blurt out that one particular ref needs glasses--I'm trying to keep it clean.

After her baby brother was born in February she was so happy to report to me that she hasn't "stepped on him yet!!!." We did a high five.

I think I have learned more about life and myself in the four years I have known her...

Edited May 9, 2004 by rachel

[Eric]

Even better.... she's my God-daughter.  I get to do all the fun stuff w/her--she now knows the difference between an airball and a brick and the appropriate times to say those particular terms out loud while at a Pacers game as well as when to blurt out that one particular ref needs glasses--I'm trying to keep it clean.

After her baby brother was born in February she was so happy to report to me that she "hasn't stepped on him yet!!!.  We did a high five.

I think I have learned more about life and myself in the four years I have known her...

as a father of three, all I can add is a big "no doubt" ...

plus if you train 'em right, they will grow up to love music just like we do

let us know how she likes Prince ...

Edited May 9, 2004 by Eric

[Big Al]

Still not too big on the album as a whole, but some tracks stand out, like "A Million Days," which proves once again how underrated a GUITAR-GOD Prince is!

[Joe G]

He's coming to Detroit in June. I'm going to try to get tickets this week. I caught the MTV special; it was badass. Maceo in the horn section!!!!

[Brandon Burke]

I've seen the video on MTV/BET/etc a few times and like it quite a bit--I always watch it when I happen upon it. Definately love the rhythm, drums, accompaniment and all that but what's the deal with those shitty, thin, p*ssy synth sounds? I can't stand that shit, man. Why, with so much at his disposal, does he insist on using those KORG circa-1986 synths?!

[Eric]

I've seen the video on MTV/BET/etc a few times and like it quite a bit--I always watch it when I happen upon it.  Definately love the rhythm, drums, accompaniment and all that but what's the deal with those shitty, thin, p*ssy synth sounds?  I can't stand that shit, man.  Why, with so much at his disposal, does he insist on using those KORG circa-1986 synths?! 

For better or worse, seems that a lot of Prince has somewhat of an "unpolished" sound, which is at times charming, at times annoying. BTW Brandon, what track are they playing on MTV? PS - You are a brave man for sporting that Royal's cap ...

Edited May 10, 2004 by Eric

[Brandon Burke]

I've seen the video on MTV/BET/etc a few times and like it quite a bit--I always watch it when I happen upon it.  Definately love the rhythm, drums, accompaniment and all that but what's the deal with those shitty, thin, p*ssy synth sounds?  I can't stand that shit, man.  Why, with so much at his disposal, does he insist on using those KORG circa-1986 synths?! 

For better or worse, seems that a lot of Prince has somewhat of an "unpolished" sound, which is at times charming, at times annoying. BTW Brandon, what track are they playing on MTV? PS - You are a brave man for sporting that Royal's cap ...

It's the title track. And as for the Royals: them's my boys. Always have been, always will be. This starting pitching situation is really killing me, though....

[JSngry]

...This is a trick question, tight? what's the deal with those shitty, thin, p*ssy synth sounds? I can't stand that shit, man. Why, with so much at his disposal, does he insist on using those KORG circa-1986 synths?!

This is a trick question, right? In a song with all the references to old-school classics? Who once ruled the world with "those KORG circa-1986 synths"?

And generelly speaking, this whole revulsion towards "cheesey", "dated", "Colecovision", etc synth sounds is kind of amusing. They used them at the time because that's what they had (and in somebody like Zawinul's case, that's how they tweaked them). They use them now (hopefully) because it's a specidic sound, and like any other sound, it has physical and psychological references which the user wishes to connect to/through/with.

Bottom line - they're a variety of sounds that happened in a particular era, and as such, they're like any other sound of any other era - fair fodder to be used at will.

Some people consider Rudy Van Gelder's sound to be "old fashioned" and "cheesy" too!

[wesbed]

I listened to a few tracks off the new Prince, today, at a music store. I trust the opinions on this board. But, me no likey. The problem, it sounds too much like... errr, Prince. To my ears and mind, Prince has been mostly an 'I want your attention and your money' bore since he recorded I Wanna Be Your Lover in 1979.

Hmmm... Does Prince have 'issues' with wearing clothes on his album covers?

No Prince for me, please.

Edited May 11, 2004 by wesbed

[Brandon Burke]

...This is a trick question, tight? what's the deal with those shitty, thin, p*ssy synth sounds?  I can't stand that shit, man.  Why, with so much at his disposal, does he insist on using those KORG circa-1986 synths?! 

This is a trick question, right? In a song with all the references to old-school classics? Who once ruled the world with "those KORG circa-1986 synths"?

And generelly speaking, this whole revulsion towards "cheesey", "dated", "Colecovision", etc synth sounds is kind of amusing. They used them at the time because that's what they had (and in somebody like Zawinul's case, that's how they tweaked them). They use them now (hopefully) because it's a specidic sound, and like any other sound, it has physical and psychological references which the user wishes to connect to/through/with.

Bottom line - they're a variety of sounds that happened in a particular era, and as such, they're like any other sound of any other era - fair fodder to be used at will.

Some people consider Rudy Van Gelder's sound to be "old fashioned" and "cheesy" too!

Jim, I usually agree with you but those synths sucked back then too, man. I'll admit to liking some--but not nearly all--of the retro 80's hip hop production that's coming back around again these days. I mean I'm a huge fan of early 80's synth rap (Fearless Four "Rockin It", Whodini "Five Minutes of Funk", etc). I grew up on that stuff and love it to this day.

As for modern day appropriaions of it: Mostly, I don't like it, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few that I dig. In the case of this particular jam, it seems clear that he was using them not in any kind of Grandmaster Flash 'let's get back the roots of hip hop' way. He just used them because that's what he does. I mean the beat is straight JBs, right? So his synths don't make any sense. And I don't want to hear any kind of 'melding all of the old schools of funk production' business. He just has a thing for synths and that's the way it is...

The track in general is brilliant but those synths really pull the rug out from it and make it sound wimpy.

In any case, it's the best Prince to come out in ages so I'm more than with you there. Great song.

B.

[EDIT] Look up both "Rockin It" and "Five Minutes of Funk" if you don't know them. They're still amazing and not at all victims of their era. Seriously...

Edited May 11, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[Stefan Wood]

Prince makes it WORK, that's the thing. The cheesy synths actually sound refreshing, in light of a lot of the current music being made.