Prince - 20Ten

With a legacy like what Prince has already given us, there is an understandable tendency to evaluate his present releases not only by themselves, but also considering his past work in the equation. And this can lead to one of two things: either complaining about how he hasn't managed to deliver something so groundbreaking as, say, Purple Rain or Sign “☮” the Times; or seeing the man as a true genius exactly because of that past legacy and thus still finding proofs of that genius in everything he does these days. And before you read any further, you should know that, yes, I include myself in that second group.
With that said, 20Ten excels my expectations and then some, mainly because it contains some of the freshest music Prince has recorded in the past 10 years. Meaning that this is an album where he clearly just wants to have fun without any further complicated concept, and while doing so, he sounds, well, basically a lot like vintage Prince. Those classic synthetic beats are here, alongside an addictive funky atmosphere and a sensual minimal groove. Sure, maybe nothing new, but hasn't he revolutionized music enough times in the past 30 years already? And the fact that Prince being Prince sounds so damm good... well, that kinda speaks for itself. (7,5/10)

Prince - Everybody Loves Me (mp3)

Polaroids # 39 (Prince! ♥)

(Pictures taken on the 18th of July 2010 in Meco, Portugal)

Hot Summer!

Summer has officially started today and His-Royal-Highness Prince has recently put out a new super-fresh and fun song, which incidentally is called Hot Summer. So I guess this post just speaks for itself! Celebrate the new season in style below:

Prince - Hot Summer (mp3)

Prince - LOtUSFLOW3R + MPLSoUND

Before you read any further, you should probably know that I'm a big fan of this man. Even if his output since the nineties has been a bit irregular (which I'd say is inevitable when you have recorded more than 30 albums in your career), I don't really think that he is capable of making a bad record. And then, he's also responsible for what is, in most days, my current favourite album of all time, (1984's Purple Rain), along with a few more genius moments that sit very closely to it, like Sign o' The Times, Parade, 1999 or Dirty Mind. Actually, he has more than earned the privilege to be eternally adored, right? Right. (And only if someone could do something about those hideous artwork concepts, the world would be an even better place...).
So maybe he hasn't produced any groundbreaking record as of lately, although 3121, from 3 years ago, and particularly its ridiculously good song "Black Sweat", prove this theory wrong... But, even if this claim was true, who cares? His output from the last years has been consistent enough to not bleach his reputation, which in his case, is more than enough. And that is exactly what happens with this double release.
LOtUSFLOW3R is pure guitar-hero Prince, the same one that has given us what is arguably one of his best records from the nineties - the riff-loaded The Gold Experience. This time he got more elegant and polite but, on the other hand, the urgency, excitement and sense of catharsis that abounded on that record is now more reserved. Full of sophisticated midtempo songs that show his more "virtuoso" side, think of it as a decent new-age wallpaper. (7/10)
Now if you want some vintage Prince, then your best choice is, for sure, MPLSoUND. No one can funk like he does, and that's exactly what happens in here, with the extra bonus that the word "dirty" is also added to the equation. Full of mouth-watering details that give more than a few nods to his most-famous classics (that beat! those synths!), these 9 songs are still very much in touch with the present (is that auto-tune I hear somewhere?), but a present seen through his own wise and experienced eyes. With an unique balance between experimental, catchy and infectious doses, these are jams just perfect to celebrate how great this man is. (8/10)

Prince ft. Q-Tip - Chocolate Box (video)



www.lotusflow3r.com

P.S.: Still about the whole amazingness of the Purple Rain album, Cokemachineglow has written a very good piece about it, which you can find here.

Prince - Planet Earth

Another year, another Prince album, and as far as I'm concerned, I really don't complain. Prince 2007 is all about grandiose tracks, epic atmospheres and a more guitar-oriented sound (reminiscent of "The Gold Experience", arguably his best record of the 1990's). Of course there's also space to soul ballads, disco infusions, r&b jams and funky odysseys. Sure, after the almost-excellent "3121" and its futuristic-funk-pop, "Mother Earth" is a bit of a let down. But an average Prince album is still better than a good album by almost anyone else. (7/10)

Prince - Ultimate

Prince's legacy is one of a genius. He made (and still makes, I may add) fundamental and revolutionary pieces of musical history throughout his career, in the almost 30 years that he's been around. And, on a personal side note, he's also the author of my all-time favourite album - Sign 'O' The Times, from 1987. So every opportunity to be reminded of how great his work is, can only be welcome. This new greatest hits package has the extra interest of a second CD featuring rare extended versions of some of his classics, where his own interpretation of funk-pop using minimal resources is taken to the extreme. Proof of his genius: listenning to his music still makes me gasp over its excellence, while his influence nowadays is stronger than ever. Can you imagine how the music of today would be without him?

Prince - 3121

His influence is everywhere nowadays, but still, it's a surprise: the new album by Prince is number one in the U.S. charts this week. Nice to see him back where he belongs.