2004

Prince - Musicology

NPG/Sony/Columbia

Producer(s): Prince

Tracks
Musicology
Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance
A Million Days
Life 'O' The Party
Call My Name
Cinnamon Girl
What Do U Want Me 2 Do?
The Marrying Kind
If Eye Was The Man In Ur Life
On The Couch
Dear Mr. Man
Reflection

Total Running Time: 47:49

04:24
04:46
03:50
04:30
05:15
03:57
04:15
02:50
03:09
03:34
04:15
03:04

Highest Pop Chart Position:
US - 3
UK - 3

Notes

Some (critics) may hail this album as a comeback - to us (fans) the man has never been absent. Now in association with big multi-corporate Sony the rest of the world finally gets another chance to hear what we've been hearing throughout the so-called "wilderness years".
As fans we expect each new Prince album to offer something new and different from the last. 'Musicology' covers no new ground, (each song reminds us of something he's already done before during "the wilderness years"). But 'Musicology' does give what the record company 'men in suites' requires - easily accessible songs that the man/woman in the street can digest and commercial pop radio can readily play-list. This album albeit excellent, does not offer any aural challenges to the die-hards as say the recent 'N.E.W.S' or 'The Rainbow Children'. The songs here are well crafted and musicianship is superb but lets face it, Prince can do this sort of stuff in his sleep. If the 3-disc 'Emancipation' was made into a 12-track single disc it may have probably sounded something like this - first class premium music but not different from his music of the past 10 years. Nothing here takes his artistic genius up onto the another level. But if this is what it takes to get the man back on top in the ears and eyes of the music press and the general public then let it be.
This is the type of album Prince (either consciously or sub-consciously) acknowledges what the CEO at Sony Records (or any major record company) require. Personally I prefer the freer, more challenging, unrestricted version of Prince.

Standout Tracks: "Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance", "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "If Eye Was The Man In Ur Life", "On The Couch", "Dear Mr. Man".

Experience Rating: The best of the so-called "wilderness years" on one CD!!! Don't call it a comeback - he's never been away... (8/10)

Single Releases: Musicology, Call My Name, Cinnamon Girl

Prince - The Chocolate Invasion

*NPG Records
(Internet Only)
*Temporary cover by npgartworks used for illustration purposes only

Producer(s): Prince

Tracks
When Eye Lay My Hands On U
Judas Smile
Supercute
Underneath The Cream
Sex Me? Sex Me Not
VaVoom
High
The Dance
Gamillah
U Make My Sun Shine

Total Running Time: 49:04

03:43
06:35
04:15
04:01
05:44
04:37
05:07
04:43
03:11
07:05

Highest Pop Chart Position:
US - N/A
UK - N/A

Notes

Available only as a download from the musicology store at the NPG Music Club. This is the first of 2 compilations of tracks made available for download in the first 2 years to members of Prince's NPG Music Club.
A mix of funky, mid-tempo R&B emancipation-era type songs, a jazzy instrumental ("Gamillah") and a gospel flavored tune (feat. the brilliant vocal talents of Angie Stone and Millennia).
One of the standout trax is "Judas Smile" (originally intended for the soundtrack to the Spike Lee movie Bamboozled - "2045: Radical Man" was used instead) is just the ill-est piece of hard hitting P-funkyfied jam Prince has produced in ages, sh*t that George Clinton would die for... Other killer trax include the booty shaking "Sex Me? Sex Me Not", party favorite "High", the melancholic "The Dance" and the gospel inspired "U Make My Sun Shine".

Standout Tracks: Judas Smile, Sex Me? Sex Me Not, High, U Make My Sun Shine

Experience Rating: The chocolate invasion is here!!! (8/10)

Single Releases: U Make My Sun Shine, Gamillah

Prince - The Slauterhouse

NPG Records
(Internet Only)
*Temporary cover by npgartworks used for illustration purposes only

Producer(s): Prince

Tracks
Silicon
S&M Groove
Y Should Eye Do That When Eye Can Do This?
Golden Parachute
Hypnoparadise
Props 'n' Pounds
Northside
Peace
2045: Radical Man
The Daisy Chain

Total Running Time: 55:18

04:16
05:09
04:33
05:37
06:05
04:38
06:33
05:34
06:36
06:12

Highest Pop Chart Position:
US - N/A
UK - N/A

Notes

The 2nd of two compilation albums of tracks previously released as downloads to NPGMC members in the 1st 2 years of the club.
The trax featured here lean a little towards the political side, dealing with some of Prince's favorite subject matters of recent years such as veganism, unfair music business practices and recording contracts, music critics, slavery, racism... balanced with tracks that are more playful like the far-out kooky "Hypnoparadise" and the jazz/funk workout of "Northside".

Standout Tracks: Y "Should Eye Do That When Eye Can Do This?", "Golden Parachute", "Hypnoparadise", "Northside".

Experience Rating: Free of any restrictive contract... mo jamz saved from a fate worse than death... think about it. (7/10)

Single Releases: Peace, The Daisy Chain

Prince - C-NOTE

*NPG Records
(Internet Only)
*Temporary cover by npgartworks used for illustration purposes only

Producer(s): Prince

Tracks
Copenhagen
Nagoya
Osaka
Tokyo
Empty Room

Total Running Time: 34:03

10:08
08:46
05:42
05:07
04:03

Highest Pop Chart Position:
US - N/A
UK - N/A

Notes

C-NOTE (American slang for a dollar bill) is an album of live instrumental tracks (barring "Empty Room") recorded and made available for download to certain members of the NPG Music Club around the world during the One Nite Alone Tour aftershows. This excellent release once again showcases the jazz-funk/fusion sensibilities of Prince and his current NPG band.
"Nagoya" features some excellent understated jazz/rock guitar against a bed of funk. "Osaka" and "Tokyo" slows down the pace and chills the mood with some excellent jazz piano soloing from Renato.
Jazz may not be to everyone's taste, but anyone with a serious appreciation of music should invest in this piece of art...Highly recommended.

Standout Tracks: Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo

Experience Rating: The live jazz experience (8/10)

Single Releases:

Morris Day - It's About Time

Hollywood Records 62435

Producer(s): Morris Day, Jamie Starr, J Rhone, O Haynes

Tracks
The Bird
Jungle Love
Gigolos Get Lonely Too
Cool
Ice Cream Castles
Get It Up/777-9311
Girl
Fishnet
Ain't A Damn Thing Changed
In My Ride
Two Drink Minimum
Last Night
Total Running Time:  48:36

04:12
02:55
04:16
06:20
04:59
05:22
02:46
02:45
02:47
04:16
03:47
03:04

Notes

A collection of 9 tracks recorded live in LA by The Time plus 4 studio tracks by Morris Day. What a waste of time..!! (no pun intended..). Now that Prince is high profile again, Morris Day and his new record label (Hollywood records) saw fit to cash-in and rush release this piece of insult to the legacy of The Time. Thank goodness the red tape that surrounds the use of the name "The Time" prevented this project from being labelled a Time album. The live tracks, performed by the tightest band of musicians on earth, are so badly edited it's laughable beyond belief. There are no doubt countless bootlegs circulating out there that fully captures the real flavor of The Time experience live, than this poorly edited/recorded tripe that's been served to us poor fans starved of new Time material. (There exists an album's worth of new tracks as yet unreleased.).
Whereas the Morris Day studio cuts are typically standard formulaic Hip/Hop, R&B by numbers stuff you hear all the time on urban radio. Lyrically sending up MD's pimp style gigolo persona but lacking the cutting edge sound that used to make The Time different and stand out from the rest (the exception being the excellent last track - "Last Night" which offers some glimmer of hope that all is not lost).
Until we get that definitive 'Best Of The Time Live' (unedited) album and/or new Time material - this will have to suffice. Disappointing.

Standout Tracks: Last Night

Experience Rating: A wasted opportunity...It's about time for something new. (5/10)

Single Releases:

Rosie Gaines - You Gave Me Freedom

Dredlix/Dome Records CD48

Producer(s): Rosie Gaines

Tracks
I Can't Get You Off My Mind
Wanna Be
New Beginning
I'm A Woman
Give It To Me
Run To My Heart
In Spirit
It's Been A Long Time
What The World Needs Now
Honeychild
My Man
Get Into This Groove
So In Love With You
You Are My Friend

Total Running Time:  61:03
04:02
05:06
03:09
03:03
04:02
03:52
06:45
03:51
03:56
05:00
04:36
04:04
05:01
04:40

Notes

Seven years after her internet-only release album "Arrival", Rosie Gaines is back with a solid set of 14 new self-produced, performed and (mostly) self-composed songs.
This time around Rosie has signed licensing deals with various labels in different territories worldwide; for the UK/Europe she has chosen renowned UK independent soul label Dome Records to market her product and make it more readily available.
Rosie is a fantastic vocalist, songwriter and musician, but her exceptional talents remains sorely underrated. The material on display here shows she has the potential and ability to be in the same league as Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Patti LaBelle.
What (sadly) lets this album (and Rosie) down is the demo-like quality of the production...it was recorded at Rosie's home studio (and it shows). Understandably, her do-it-yourself approach to music making only affords her a limited budget that doesn't quite stretch to expensive recording studios. If this album was recorded in a world-class studio with top class session musicians/engineers, this could have easily been one of the classic soul albums of the year. A album like this cries out for real orchestration (not synthesized), real drums (not programmed drum machines), to provide a richer, full-bodied, more satisfying sound. Any soul, passion and warmth she puts into many of these songs (many of which are gems) is almost destroyed by the weak production. Perhaps a lesson to be learnt for the next album hey Rosie...
Beneath the poor standard production values lies what in essence is an excellent, sophisticated, old-school soul (with a hint of funk - the 'Gett-Off' style groove of "New Beginning" is off da hook!!!) album that just grows on you with repeated listens.

Standout Tracks: "Wanna Be", "New Beginning", "Run To My Heart", "In Spirit", "It's Been A Long Time".

Paisley Involvement: None

Experience Rating: Rosie in the raw deserves better production. Give the lady her dues! (7/10)

Single Releases: I Can't Get You Off My Mind

Kip Blackshire - Kip Blackshire

Bassmeant Music/
www.kipblackshire.com

Producer(s): Kip Blackshire, Morris Hayes

Tracks
As It Falls
Touchin' & Agreein'
Flying
Pieces
I Promise
Prelude
The Next Flight
Touchin' & Agreein' (Live @ Paisley Park)
Don't Leave (Live @ Paisley Park)

Total Running Time: 36:17

03:33
03:43
04:36
03:51
04:21
04:36
03:09
04:29
03:56

Notes

Close friend of ex-NPG keyboardist Morris Hayes, Kip was first introduced to Prince in 1999. His vocals contributed to Prince's The Rainbow Children album as well as other projects.
This album released on his own label showcases his R&B/Gospel rooted vocal talents which are reminiscent of KC & Jojo but with a harder edge. Musically his style is perhaps closer to a mix of Mint Condition and Lenny Kravits. Seven tracks are studio and two were recorded in front of a live audience at Paisley Park. All are co-written/composed (except "Touchin' & Agreein') with his writing partner Zoe Laplaca. Morris does a stellar job on production. Overall Kip shows promise and the individuality required to stand out above the rest of similar ilk.

Standout Tracks: "Touchin' & Agreein'", "Flying", "Prelude", "Don't Leave".

Paisley Involvement: None

Experience Rating: A taster for things to come..? (7/10)

Single Releases: