Releases...1985
Prince and The Revolution |
Associates |
| Prince and The Revolution - Around The World In A Day | |||
Producer:
Prince
Highest Pop Chart Position: |
Notes | ||
| Dubbed by many as
Prince's "Sgt. Pepper", ATWIAD was far different from anything he had done
previously. After the Purple Rain explosion, this album came as a shock to many, but
in retrospect perhaps it was a wise move for Prince not to try and repeat himself and come
up with a Purple Rain pt. 2. His first release on his own Paisley Park label was a
complete change of direction. The album contained many Beatlesque type songs that began to
focus more towards spirituality/politics and less on sex. Standout Tracks: Condition Of The Heart, Raspberry Beret, Tamborine, America, Pop Life Experience Rating: Psychedelic Paisley! (8/10) |
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| Single Releases: Paisley Park [UK chart position No.18 May 85], Raspberry Beret [UK chart position No.25 Jul 85], America, Pop Life [UK chart position No.60 Oct 85] | |||
| André Cymone - A.C. | |||
Producers:
André Cymone, Prince, Hubert Eaves III
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Notes | ||
| Only notable thing on Andre's 3rd
album for CBS is the Prince written/produced track "The Dance Electric",
everything else on this set fails to live up to it. Although this album improves
upon the previous two. His over reliance on unimaginative monotonous electronic drum
programming on every track and lack of strong memorable songs lets the project down. Standout Tracks: The Dance Electric, Sweet Sensuality, Vacation Paisley Involvement: Low Experience Rating: Best of his three albums (5/10)
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| Single Releases: The Dance Electric, Lipstick Lover | |||
| Morris Day - Color Of Success | |||
Producer:
Morris Day
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Notes | ||
| Morris Day left the
"cool" of Minneapolis for the warmer climate of Malibu to record his debut self
written/produced solo album. From the opening bars sample of "Over The Rainbow"
which leads us into the title track, you know Morris was on a mission to prove
himself capable of a solo career. However he could not shake off that heavy synth-laden Minneapolis sound (no
bad thing) and still kept his "cool" sense of humor throughout most of the
material. Not a bad start. Standout Tracks: Color Of Success, The Oak Tree, Love Sign Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: C-O-O-L (7/10)
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| Single Releases: The Oak Tree, Color Of Success, Love Sign | |||
| Sheila E - Romance 1600 | |||
Producers:
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Notes | ||
| For her second album,
Sheila herself handled most of the production, songs and arrangements barring 3
contributions from the Purple One. As a result, most of her personality was present
bringing her Latin percussion to the fore on many of the tracks. The most memorable
track however on a forgettable set which generally lacked flow, focus and direction was the Prince written
and insanely funky "A Love Bizarre". Standout Tracks: A Love Bizarre Paisley Involvement: Medium Experience Rating: Love Bizarre is all U need (6/10)
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| Single Releases: Sister Fate, A Love Bizarre | |||
| The Family - The Family | |||
Producers:
Prince, David Z, The Family
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Notes | ||
| The Family was born out of the ashes
of the then disbanded The Time, with (sadly) their one and only album. With St. Paul and
Susannah
Melvoin on co-lead vocals, the album was arguably the best (non-Prince) product to be
released on the Paisley Park label. Under appreciated when first released, it
remains a highly sort-after classic by fans to this day. All songs were written and
produced by Prince (barring "River Run Dry" - Bobby Z) and was a pointer towards
Parade and Sign O' The Times. The uptempo tracks were extremely funky, the
ballads were poignant enough to move you to tears and the instrumentals
planted the seeds for the upcoming Madhouse projects. The clever addition of string orchestration by Claire Fischer
to many of the tracks were a revelation and a genius masterstroke. Brilliant,
brilliant, BRILLIANT. Standout Tracks: All Paisley Involvement: High Experience Rating: A classic masterpiece! (10/10)
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| Single Releases: The Screams Of Passion | |||
| Jesse Johnson - Jesse Johnson's Revue | |||
Producer:
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Notes | ||
| Ex-The Time axeman Jesse Johnson
first solo album for A&M showed great promise for a successful career ahead.
Many of the tracks were about love lost and found, and heavily influenced by the Purple
One's Minneapolis sound. But that together with Jesse's own "Jungle Love"
signature style mixed in, re-created his own kind of funk hybrid - which was no bad thing.
Standout Tracks: I Want My Girl, Can You Help Me, Special Love Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: A solid promising debut. (7/10)
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| Single Releases: Be Your Man, I Want My Girl, Can You Help Me | |||
| Mazarati - Mazarati | |||
Producers:
Brownmark, David Z
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Notes | ||
| Revolution bass player
Brownmark was placed in charge of overseeing the debut album by short-lived Paisley Park
group Mazarati (writing all of the songs apart from 100 MPH (written by Prince)).
Their
image and style came across as a somewhat androgynous, rock/funk type outfit. It
seems that far too much attention was spent on how the band looked rather than the music.
Half the songs on the album has its moments, but all of the songs suffered unfortunately
by the weakness of the lead singer's lame falsetto vocals. A shame really. Standout Tracks:100 MPH, She's Just That Kind Of Lady, Stroke, Suzy Paisley Involvement: Low Experience Rating: Lead singer's vocals spoil the ride. (6/10)
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| Single Releases: Players' Ball | |||
| Ta Mara & The Seen - Ta Mara & The Seen | |||
Producer:
Jesse Johnson
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Notes | ||
| This band, led by
former Lipps Inc. lead singer ‘Ta Mara’ (A.K.A. Margaret Cox), is
basically an extension of Jesse Johnson’s Revue. The production and
lyrics, and thus the sound, are all Jesse’s. That said, this album is a
worthy addition to the Jesse Johnson catalogue. It‘s a bass/drum-heavy funk
feast, set off by Cox’s sultry vocals. It includes the irresistible Top
40 track ‘Everybody Dance’, and all songs follow in the same vein,
except ‘Lonely Heart’, an unnecessary (and unnecessarily reprised)
instrumental that is best avoided. Standout Tracks: Everybody Dance, Summertime Love, Thinking About You, Long Cold Nights Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Everybody dance with Ta Mara and the Seen (7/10)
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| Single Releases: Everybody Dance, Affection | |||
