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Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
1987
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!I feel like this is prince's last truly great album. Kind of like his "songs in the key of life." His last big supernova before becoming a neutron star. Like he's trying to get everything out, throwing in the kitchen sink while he's at it (even a live track). I'm kind of a sucker for sprawling, all over the place, wooden rollercoaster type albums with all kinds of twists and turns from track to track. Love him playing different characters with different voices. Love the Linn drum sound. Love the playfulness and range of emotions. Love Prince. Listened to the super deluxe edition.
Consistently hilarious (“shut up already, damn!”) while showing all manner of musical prowess and staying funky as hell. Both intimate and all-encompassing. Fav track: forever in my life
Sexy, soulful, and human. It has a song for many moods, all performed excellently and honestly.
Look no further if you want to see why Prince is such an acclaimed icon and music star. Although not as popular as Purple Rain, and with less recognizable hits, this album is Prince at his most talented. He sings mostly in the upper register, and you can truly hear his range as a vocalist shine through. On top of that, he did a lot of the instrumentation and sampling himself and it’s just impressive to see this project done by mostly one mind. I had never heard this album before, and I couldn’t stop listening after my first time through. Partly because it was so fun, but also because this album flourishes with every new listen. The songs are jams from top to bottom, and there is legitimately not a bad song. Some songs are minimal on instrumentation with focus mostly on Prince’s lyrics, a lot of which are politically charged and focused on the end days. There are some moments this album can lose focus, and if you don’t focus enough you may have questioned what you just listened to. Nonetheless, it’s a masterpiece from one of the all time greats. Favorite Song: I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Least Favorite: It
Genre: Contemporary R&B 5/5 Prince’s best album, Sign o’ the Times, is one of those musical archetypes that will be referenced for years to come. A la The White Album, Physical Graffiti, or Sandinista!, Prince’s double album is a mix of styles, flavors, and moods, but all of them combine to make a truly delicious, one-of-a-kind musical stew. In a where-do-I-start kind of way, this album has highlights up and down the tracklist, from the opening title track to Hot Thing to U Got the Look to the incredible live jam, It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night. But those not listed make up an entire body of work that even some of the best R&B artists would be happy to call an album. Prince’s songwriting, his singing and his playing, and his sexy attitude throughout the whole project are infectious, timeless, and perfectly Prince. A must listen and a must have in anyone’s musical collection.
An absolute masterpiece, probably Prince's greatest record. A solo collection from the his most fertile period at the height of his powers. Funky, fresh, profane, reflective, funny, sad, profound, silly. Not really a dud track on this, probably the last of the great, true double albums. Cannot recommend too highly.
In which Prince deploys his generational talent to such an extent that he makes somewhere between four and three-hundred albums in one, which is defined by two more features: the first, that most songs start as genre workout but finish as genre-defining; the second, that he plays everything, including rock god, funkmeister, a talking orgasm, silence, a besotted schoolboy, Jesus, oracle of the apocalypse, and John Lennon rewriting Norweigan Wood with Dorothy Parker in the lead role.
Huh. That wasn't what I expected. It was startlingly mediocre. Boring, even. Nothing stood out to me as particularly groundbreaking, exciting, or exceptional. I was glad to be done with it and sad to be glad. So much of Prince's catalog is phenominal. This album just doesn't have any of those songs, I guess.
“Sign ‘O’ the Times” by Prince (1987) At the time of Prince’s tragic and untimely death in 2016, I observed to a friend that I had never heard a song by Prince. He insisted I listen to the song “Purple Rain“, so I did, and I thought it was good, but not great. That’s the extent of my exposure to this great artist. Upon listening to this album (or at least the 10 out of 16 tracks that Spotify would allow me to access), I can say some positive things about Prince. He has a good voice, if lacking in power. Pitch problems on “The Cross“. Wonderful R&B stylings on “Adore”. He is reputed to be a great guitarist, but the only solid demonstration of his guitar work on this album is on the track “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”, and it’s good, but not great. Acoustic on “The Cross” is out of tune. Drum machine is annoying. It’s more than ironic that he has a photo on the album cover that includes an elaborate drum kit. The best song on the album is the final track, “Adore”. Really nice. Also, and probably not coincidentally, it seems to be the most collaborative song in this collection There’s a lot of mystery about this guy. 3/5
Over the years, Prince had a lot of great albums, but he also had a lot of bad ones. This was one of his best and that is saying a lot. Lots of variety and emotion makes this a must-listen.
De este disco de Prince puedo decir que siempre quedo confundido. No de mala manera, pero tiene tantos géneros, sonidos distintos, tonos o moods, etc., que no lo entiendo. Quiero bailarlo, pero no es del todo bailable. Parece festivo de repente y otras veces, no. A veces te encuentras con pistas tan largas (esa joya "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night") y otras más breves. De cualquier forma, Prince era genial y casi que cualquier pista —así en aislado— me emociona. De aquí, quiero mucho "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "It", "Hot Thing" y "U Got The Look". La canción que da título al álbum también es un rolón. 9/10
Well this easy! My all time favourite album. The best Prince lp, probably the best lp by anyone ever. Eclectic and covers everything good about Prince: pop, disco, rap, rock, blues, ballads, sex, politics, social awareness, live concert, quirkiness. An absolute masterpiece.
Before this album, I didn't think of myself as a Prince fan, but I have to admit that every song on this album is a catchy thrill. These might not be the songs he's known for, but that doesn't really matter; the songs come together to make a full and complete experience that will make you want to listen again and again.
Nearly flawless album. Politics, bombastic catchy jams, and plenty of funk. Incredible, timeless album.
An absolutely great album. Some really well known songs but the other lesser known songs are great too
Is this one of my favourite Prince albums? Hard to say, but with tracks like Starfish & Coffee, If I Was Your Girlfriend & The Cross, it’s right up there.
This album has some weird tracks on it and runs a bit long, but it’s Prince. You gotta love it. 9/10
Artist so nice we get him twice. And this is a double album, so technically we're talking three Prince albums in a row. I was worried at first, but damn this one pulled through. I know I said in my last review that he can sometimes be too quirky for his own good, but not here. It's the unique Prince spirit that makes these songs so addicting. Lots of '80s sounds that you could hear all across the musical landscape, but Prince doing it all his way elevates things. I'd only heard a few big hits from this one, but so much of it sticks immediately. Yeah it's long, and could be condensed a little, but the expanse doesn't bother me here, as I loved plenty of tracks from both halves of the album. I might just have to give this the five-star treatment. I previously thought 1999 was my favorite Prince album; I'll have to reassess when we get that on the list (maybe tomorrow?). Favorite tracks: So many, but Starfish and Coffee, Hot thing, I Could Never Take the Place, Sign O the Times, Adore. Album art: Lot going on here, and for what? It's maybe the biggest flaw this album has, which is saying a lot. The absence of a title on the cover, and instead featuring the words "two disc set" on some releases makes me nauseous. Is this a parade float or something? I do like the ominous photo of Prince, like something a spy would take of a target on microfilm. I just can't say this is a memorable cover; the strength of 1999's cover (and Purple Rain's) by contrast makes this even more unfortunate for me. 5/5
This is an album that I didn't appreciate in the 80s, but wow now I get the hype. what a solid pop record. it's trite to say, but every modern pop producer owes a debt to what Prince put together for this album.
The groove really takes over, I don't think I could listen without moving my head. U got the look is an easy favourite. I could never take the place of your man and it's gonna be a beautiful night make me wish I could have gone to a Prince party. What a fun vibe. Adore is so good, lemme light a candle and get a snuggle on.
I am a not a fan of Prince, I am aware of and liked his songs/videos that were heavily played on MTV: (1982): 1999, LITTLE RED CORVETTE (1984): WHEN DOVES CRY, LET'S GO CRAZY, PURPLE RAIN (1985): RASPBERRY BERET (1987): SIGN O' THE TIMES, U GOT THE LOOK and of course, Sinéad O'Connor's version of NOTHING COMPARES 2 U in 1990. I also did see the film PURPLE RAIN when it was first in the movie theater. After listening to SIGN O’ THE TIMES, while I enjoyed the music, it is not the type of music that I listen to. I can recognize Prince’s genius and ability to get people movin’ and groovin’, I believe that’s the reason why I rated Prince and SIGN O’ THE TIMES a little higher than I normally would, even though it just ain’t my thang. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, I see that Prince two prior albums included: 1999 (1982) and PURPLE RAIN (1984) Rate Artist: PRINCE (4.5) Rate Album (Year): SIGN O’ THE TIMES (1987 Original) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): SIGN O’ THE TIMES (2020 Super Deluxe (8CD + 1DVD) Edition) (5)
Fantastic! Some of Prince's best work can be found on here, especially with those last three tracks. Not all of the songs may be of the same quality, but this package is too much fun to not check out at least once or twice. Favorites: "Sign O' The Times", "Starfish And Coffee", "Slow Love", All of Side D.
Sign 'O' the Times, U got the look, Strange Relationship, The cross.... un bon 5 étoiles bien mérité Quel artiste
a genius gives us a sprawling pop/funk masterpiece, rammed with hits, and hooks, and funky jams
Brilliant combination of different genres like pop soul and rock as well as many jazz elements. Two highlights for me is the exquisite drumming and princes always fabulous scat singing as well as his charming falsetto and youthful vigor and energy. My favourite tracks were hot thing,adore,slow love,sign of the times and housequake. But honestly the whole album was incredible and Prince always keeps me listening and entertained. My fav so far, I’d give it a 9.3 out of 10 as I didn’t love every track but still pretty good lol 👍
I bought this album through one of those Columbia House offers, where you get however many tapes for a penny. I bought it mainly because I loved Purple Rain. I had no idea what this was going to be. And very lucky for me, I really loved this one. I think the only song on the radio was 'You Got the Look'. (At least, on rural NC radio). But Jesus, these songs - Housequake, Play in the Sunshine, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. If Was Your Girlfriend??? Do you know what that song means to a 13-year-old kid in the rural South in 1987? Well I'm just saying it's a perspective on sex that you do not get anywhere else. And then to have a track like The Cross at the end... definitely the best Christian-themed song ever written? Aside from maybe O Holy Night, but that's a whole different conversation. Anyway. Another sentimental favorite here.
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. I'd only listened to popular bits of his before but will definitely listen more in future.
The thing I love about most Prince songs is that you get the initial groove and you get lulled into an idea of “oh yeah; I see where this is going” and then BLAM! he drops a keyboard or guitar solo on you and introduces the secondary melody and the next part of the song. And you’d think you would learn after 5-6 songs but no you don’t. It’s MF Prince and he is the (insert superlative here).
This was a lot better than the other record I listened to by Prince. I am getting a clearer understanding of why he is so highly regarded. The songs on here just made me feel happy. 3.5, but I'll give it 4 stars.
Prince's well-known singles are good and all, but this is the stuff. A massive album in every way. Best track: It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
Bumping it a star because it is Prince...and that dude has talent. But the album and me just don't see eye to eye.
Only version was super delux and it was like 8 hours long. Some good songs in there tho
Admittedly I am not a huge Prince fan but I certainly appreciate him, and I feel like this album exemplifies what is so endearing about him.
I like that there's lots of prince that sounds like it's always been on the radio, but i've never actually heard it before. Everything just sounds like prince.
Bon album tres funky mais avec une bonne touche pop. Le drum beat est tres utilise et pour certaines tounes ca fonctionne moins bien pour moi. 4.25*
Variado, versatil, buen ritmo y buenas vibras (?). No lo sé en realidad, porque rara vez le pongo atención a las letras de las canciones, pero bueno... suena alegre. Agradezco los solos de guitarra en varias canciones y hasta los breves momentos protagónicos para el bajo que no me esperaba. Personalmente, me desagrada la música que suena muy positiva u optimista (sobre todo en la primera mitad del disco percibo esa vibra), pero aun así disfrute el álbum y estuve haciendo un ligero bailecito en mi silla y soprendido del rock psicodélico en medio de las baladas en y el pop de la segunda parte del disco. Varias son buen material para los memeros del future funk y a la mitad del disco, me dio risa en hot thing un gritito digno de Cradle of Filth, LOL. Track favorito: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker porque el bajo y los beats me tuvieron moviendo la cabeza como una gallina comiendo sus granos en un suelo vertical invisible. Mood: no sé, tenido personalidad múltiple en Nueva York ochentero
Sounds very 80s,very synthey. Good tunes. As a whole album it didn't feel as much of a masterpiece as Purple Rain, but I actually enjoyed the tunes. The last song The Cross was an absolute genius tune. Replayed it a few times. 4/5 overall just cos that last tune was so good.
4/5. Not totally my vibe, but I can appreciate the artistry behind it. Good music to do homework to if I’m looking for something more low-key.
Not my favourite Prince, but still good nevertheless. The random vocals support the whole vibe of the album, but sometimes they get annoying.
With Sign O' The Times, Prince capitalized on the success of Purple Rain, bringing us another strong album of creative sounds, catchy hooks and stirring soul/funk. The title track, while of it's time on the surface, is sadly still relevant today. The rhythms in Housequake are divine. I Could Never Take The Place... is a fun pop confection, but also a great jam session. A couple of tracks might be on the racy side (If I Was Your Girlfriend, e.g.) for average listeners and therefore a little off-putting, but there's still no denying his musicality. The Cross brings in so many kitchen-sink elements - pop ballad, raspy rock guitar, the slow-build, Eastern/raga instrumentation, gospel choir - that it shouldn't work, but somehow still does. This is a solid 4 for me, with moments that a clearly higher than that.
I love 80s pop, rock and prog, but have somehow never gone out of my way to listen to Prince. Turns out that was a mistake, because this album is fantastic. I'll probably end up listening to a LOT of Prince this month. The alter ego songs are fun, the instrumentation is great and the production is top notch.
Prince is underrated in a ton of ways. His guitar playing is out of this world... He's an unbelievable innovator... he has a great voice and pretty much everything he does funks. I've not always liked his songs, but I always had a huge appreciation for him. So I'm really glad that I enjoyed this album as much as I did - it's very long, and so there were a few moments that I tuned out, but all in all it was a damn good collection of tunes with a cohesive feel and sound
a good album by prince. Though this probably havsn't stood the test of time like purple rain has.
September 27, 2021 This is fun - I enjoyed "Housequake", "Strange Relationship", "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man". Not as epic as I expected given what everyone says about Prince.
8/10. Pretty good, but certainly not my favorite Prince album. Had good variety which helped mitigate the length, but not much of it stood out to me.
I’m not the biggest fan in the world. I think maybe I want funk to be dance music, where as this is definitely funky but kinda sit down funk? Maybe because he seems like a bit of a wanker? Dunno, but I like it but don’t love it.
Diverse sounds. This album shows the range Prince had and is easily one the best Prince albums.
i never really cared for prince while he was alive. there's still something about his music that puts me off, but christ, his talent is undeniable, innit?
Never been a huge Prince fan but was a fun album. A little too sexual for me at times. Felt like a peak into the 80s for sure
Fun and light, cool instrumentals and reallyncool guitar work. Just a little too poppy for my taste. 7/10.
Very funky and fun. Prince is a legend and so easily crafts these catchy jazz-pop-funk tracks. Heard Parliament Funkadelic vibes on Housequake, and the songs like Ballad of Dorothy Parker like influenced modern R&b/funk artists like Anderson .Paak. Favourite Tracks: Sign I'm the Times, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross
I recognise that these are all bangers but prince's vibes are just so rancid to me!! good stuff tho
Straight out of the golden era of Prince! I didn't know all of the tunes on this album and I loved pretty much all of them! Juicy 80s beats, some naughty lyrics and mix in the wacky unique Prince personality. Really enjoyed it! It's not a 5 though, every single song wasn't perfection a couple of them missed for me but enjoyed the journey of listening. 4.5!
Very sexy album. Struggled to get going, the first few songs really didn't hit but once over that hurdle there was several fantastic songs that followed.
Well I never heard this album before and I generally enjoyed its everything AND the kitchen sink esthetic. A few good songs, a few throwaway and one absolutely great tune that I had never heard; The Cross, which sounds like a moody, heartfelt post punk anthem that could have come off of a Sebadoh album (if it weren't for the gorgeous vocal performance). 4 🌟 for The Cross.
“Established Prince as the greatest rock and roll musician of the era — as singer-guitarist-hooksmith-beatmaster, he has no peer.“
Listened Before? N Another gap in my musical experience. Prince. First Prince album I've listened to beginning-to-end. Pros: Well, I now see why he was considered a pioneer and why he was so popular. This album is very, very good. Highly skilled production and never gets boring. It's very impressive that he pulled this off basically as a one man band. His attitude is INCREDIBLE. Prince gives no fucks. A classic of the 80's! Cons: Unfortunately not ENOUGH my style to add the whole album. I'll come back to it in the future I'm sure, but right now it's not really in my wheelhouse. Fairly dated lyrically, but that's okay. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Housequake, U Got the Look
I have an overall appreciation for Prince so a bit prejudiced. Can listen to this any time and not be disappointed
My first Prince! Funky and soulful. I’m sure it would anger fans, but I could have done without some tracks. Still overall very solid.
4.4 + One of Prince's four or five great records. For me, this one's notable for deeper cuts like "It", "Starfish And Coffee", "Forever In My Life."
Fav tracks: - Sign 'O' the Times - U Got the Look - If I Was Your Girlfriend Least fav: - It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night
Enjoyed the album quite a bit- "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man" had a catchy instrumental at the end. At the moment I still prefer Purple Rain to this, but this is definitely one that I'll revisit later.
Me tinca que todos los discos más antigüos que escuchemos van a ser del tipo: había que estar ahí para entenderlo. Se supone que esta es la obra maestra de Prince y se entiende por qué. Hay varias canciones que se quedaron en 1987, pero honestamente el disco tiene un buen ratio: hay varias que seguiría escuchando. Mis favoritas: la del título y The Cross
An album for the fans. It's a lot of fun, very pop-like and accessible, appeals to the contemporary R&B crowd, tons of synths and a standout drum kit to dance to, and littered with James Brown-esque funk rock. It's not a very good beginner Prince album though. Being a double album already makes it a heavy task to devote to. But nothing resembles hits as in 1999 or Purple Rain. And it's not very consistent either. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The style, tempo, and mood keep changing from track to track and it can be a lot of fun, but don't go in expecting for a cohesive experience. It feels more like Prince experimenting with a lot of ideas and having them work out. I'll definitely be playing this if I'm looking for variety 80s pop. Especially by one of the kings of pop.
Some great tracks on here like "Sign O the Times" and 'I could never take the place of your man". I think perhaps the album is over long, and some of the production is a bit off but a corker nonetheless.
Loved the classic singles, but with a repeat listen really enjoyed the stuff if never heard before. Unmistakable Prince and has encouraged me to seek lesser known album tracks.
It was ok. Certainly not my favourite Prince album. I can't see how many reviewers consider it one of the best albums of the 80s.
finally, some good music. 3.5! i love "u got the look" and "the ballad of dorothy parker"
Kyllähän tuota mielummin kuuntelee kuin turpaansa ottaa. Tarttuvia biisejä ja ei niin toimivia. Pitkä levy.
Ultimately a bit disappointing, way too long, songs sounded too much the same, too little guitar action
Definitely displays Prince's range and diversity in songs. I wasn't too much a fan of the album overall, but it did have some good songs with provocative lyrics like "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
Wanted to like this album. Started out strong. 80s vibe with some cool bass parts and arrangements. Then it got weird with the lyrics and the songs. Album went on for too long
Prince has made some nice music to me. But I do not like all his songs. Nice to have listend to this albm.
This is a hard one for me. I don't really like Prince as a whole. Mostly due to vocal deliveries and general style. He's obviously very talented in all aspects of music and music production, but the result isn't my cup of tea. Most of the instrumentation I like, but I enjoy it most when it's without the vocals. Side note: When the track "The Cross" played I thought it was a completely different band that came up after the album ended. Probably my favorite track cause it's the least "Prince-like" on the album. I actually like the vocal delivery on this one. It'd probably be a 3 or 3.5 but since I don't really "like" prince I will personally give it a 3. But, anything from 3-5 I think is justifiable.
Hit or miss, not my favorite Prince songs but Starfish & Coffee was a pleasant surprise
It was fine, kinda blended into the background. I've never been a huge Prince fan though
I liked this one better than yesterday’s, though not as much as Purple Rain. I think maybe I’m not as into 80s music as I once thought.
A really diverse and interesting album. Though there's only a couple of real highlights, nothing is really tragic... a lot in the middle of the road. It is a bit long though.
I Know this is critically acclaimed but except for sign of the times and I’d never take the place of your man I think most tracks on here are nothing extraordinary
The man can play and sing, and his music is almost instantly recognizable. I respect it, just don't love as much as his fans.
The long run time can turn off from the great songs towards the end. Decent album overall, cool grooves, but it doesn’t showcase to a new listener all that Prince was.
I feel that Prince is an artist that I ought to respect more but he doesn't engage me much
A bit too long (not a fan of double albums really), but more interesting than I thought it was going to be. The Cross is a banger
Ah, Prince. An undeniably excellent songwriter, musician, and performer. And yet he is so hit-or-miss with me. Some songs are absolute bangers, and other honestly feel bothersome. Every Prince album feels like this weird mixed bag, and this one is no exception.
Me gustaron varias canciones del álbum (siendo bien ignorante de Prince). Con toques funk eléctrico, un álbum que se disfruta escucharlo (en su mayoría). Nota: 3.5
The album while being a polished and well-produced Prince album failed to have the iconic songs or highs of other efforts.
Some solid tunes and great production but overall not that memorable of an album for me.
I respect the hell out of Prince who was a supreme talent. I think the man could play every instrument ever invented. Housequake sounds like a party at Prince’s house where we are all invited and I’m all-in. I’m also a big fan of The Cross. None of the other songs on the album definitely make me want to hear them again. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker could go away. Forever In My Life too. Most of the rest are nice and all, just nothing spectacular.
I appreciate the constant creative experimentation; however, I like other work from Prince more.
The record starts of with an extremely strong title track, incredibily catchy and funky rhythyms. This continues on Play in the Sunshine, with it's creative ensembles and swingy energy. (due to the extremely below average recording quality, on Spotify at least, it is a necessity to listen to the Super Deluxe edition). After those two classics, the record switches to a more hip-hoppy and "clap your handsy" style, which gradually started to annoy me. On the other side of the spectrum, the more slow and mellow Dorothy Parker, I am unamused and find that Prince does not use his vocal qualities to create something unique or even enjoyable. The album does end on a strong note with U Got the Look, Strange Relationship and The Cross, of which the latter has an amazing raw sound brought by a thumping bass. Overall, I believe a 3/5 is a fitting score.
Didn't enjoy this quite as much as I would have expected. I just did a run through all of Ween's albums, and there were some weird parallels to draw that I didn't expect (pitch shifted vocals, genre bending, and an overly playful feeling).
Wasn’t my favourite album from The Purple One but I was just happy to be along for the ride
about time i listen to a prince album. looking at the track list idt i know any of these songs. lyrics are insaaane in this first track. didn't love the sound though. loved the last minute or so of 'play in the sunshine'. 'the ballad of dorothy parker' is the first song i like the sound of. really nice. 'slow love' is okay. some songs are annoying, like 'hot thing', and others do nothing for me like 'forever in my life'. i'm bored. i had to look up who was singing 'if i was your girlfriend' it's just prince pitched up lol. 'adore' is so cute. well i'm done. pretty good i think. didn't love a lot of the songs but even those weren't awful and the good ones were pretty great.
Contains some of Prince's best and most innovative songs but just too long overall. 6/10
As with a lot of the records showing up in my queue, Sign 'O' The Times is something familiar but not something I spent much time with. I really like Prince and I enjoyed this work as well. It gets a little nasty, so it is not something I'd throw on with other folks around, but, if it comes up in my playlist I would not hit skip. Not my favorite Prince collection, but, have not heard much Prince that is bad...
Prince is a GOAT music artist. Now that the formalities are out of the way, I'll focus on the album. It's a weird product of it's time. I suppose that makes the name more fitting than not. There's lots of gated drums, funky synths, and it's all exacerbated by Prince's unique songwriting. He's so confident in his delivery though that Prince convinces me that it's great music. And there are certainly some great songs on here. But Prince doesn't wow me like he does for many others. I think he's certainly talented and worthy of praise, but I don't love any of his albums. That's just personal preference; I can't control that. It certainly seemed like Prince was trying to make a big statement about music and mankind as the 80's grew old, but I can't see much past the odd production choices and long runtime.
Nem voltam egy nagy Prince rajongó eddig sem, de írt jó dalokat, erre a lemezre is 3-4-t. De inkább csak meh.
I do love Prince, I mean the guy was a genius. But sometimes you feel that he never really embraced the notion that less can be more. "I could never take the place of your man" morphing into the Grateful Dead is sublime and "The Cross" almost becomes indie grunge. And that's after an hour of Synth laden pop. It feels like an album I need to listen to again, which says something.
Not sure if I'm giving this a fair shake because Spotify doesn't have the whole album on here, but this only had a couple of songs that I liked. The rest wasn't bad, but not great either.
I have heard this phrase associated with Prince, but definitely missed out on this album. It's pretty expansive! Basically, this is quintacential Prince. You have good stuff (Adore), weird stuff (If I was Your Girlfriend), creepy stuff (Hot Thing!), and everything in between.
Prince's ninth album & his most critically acclaimed, even though 'Purple Rain' was more successful. The album was certified platinum only 4 months after release, and was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. Prince experimented with many genres and musical sounds in this album, including R&B, funk, soul, rock, and pop. Because of this, the album is considered by some to be Prince's magnus opus. I highly recommend this album to anyone wanting to listen to Prince.
The man (formerly known as prince) so nice we get him twice! Very glad I could dip my ears in some of the lesser known prince songs. While this album didn’t hit the same way the last one did, feeling more whispy and long, it was still enjoyable! No songs stuck out but I like this album cover because it is a perfect description of this album being a little all over the place and a lot to listen to.
Never heard this album before. 16 songs is a lot for 1 album. There were 4 songs that stood out in the album that really were great. Prince’s voice is versatile like his instruments. Not my favorite album of his but still would listen again.
why does it start out with such a depressing song? very interesting industrial electronic background percussions, but it really gets weird after dorothy parker. Starfish and coffee is hilarious, and slow love is pure SEX. forever in my life is great. U got the look pales in comparison to its Roxette counterpart. Very boring second half 6.5/10
Don't really see the fascination with Prince. Thought disc 2 was way better, but idk. Some of the beats are cool and have clearly been sampled since. Second listen through was a little more enjoyable.
I do enjoy the occasional Prince music but not sure about full albums. It’s the 80’s sound which my soul just can’t bear lol
I have just never been able to get into Prince. I just don't get it. I know he was an incredible guitarist but I just don't like the music except for his top bangers. Feel like I'm really missing something but I've tried a few times and never got it.
An acquired taste. Something only Prince could pull off. Some tracks were a bit too niche and off putting for me but Prince isn't really for the casual listener.
I enjoyed this overall, but there were no really outstanding songs for me. Favourites would be Sign O' The Times, Hot Thing, U Got The Look.
I did not particularly enjoy this album, but it has mostly to do that I'm not a massive Prince fan. Didn't hate it either.
At least to a beginner, all the dance tunes sound alike. It’s a good formula, but it gets boring. The slow songs all have character of their own. Not sure I’d return to much here though.
This went for way too long for an album with no standout hits. There were a few alright tunes though. Dynamically it was all over the place - some songs were far louder than others for no real reason, and it never had much low end. On an individual level I can see how ambitious and complex this is, but it's too perfectionist-y. if it was half as long I may have given it a 4, but it isn't. 3/5.
Ich mag Prince, ich finde er schreibt gute Songs, immer Tanzbar und netter Sound - mag die Verknüpfung von Funk mit Drumcomputer und Synthies Sounds. Viel hängen geblieben ist am Ende nicht, klassischer 3er
Hab gar kein Lied von dem Album gekannt... Insgesamt hat’s mich nicht sehr begeistert, aber kann man hören.
I bought this album many years ago, and although I love the title track and maybe a few other songs, I can't seem to get along with it. I think it might be Prince's slightly creepy sleazy vocals, but I'm not sure.
Like many other reviewers, I don't 100% get Prince - though he is obviously an important figure and there are some great tracks in here.
The first few and the final four songs were truely great, a couple more were interesting (If I was Your Girlfriend in particular), and the rest were forgettable upon first listen. I may favour this more in the future once I give it a couple more listens as that happened when I got Purple Rain. The title track, Sign of The Cross and I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man were my favourites.
Reminds me of those times when we used to play the FM radio with a keypad phone every night before sleeping. It usually requires a headset jack to function as an antenna, but that particular phone has a built-in antenna. We would play the radio every night, because not aside from a built-in antenna, that phone also has a beast of a speaker. Our favorite radio channel mostly plays '80s songs, some of them are familiar, some are not. That's what this album feels like. An '80s radio channel. Overall, it has a great sound. But just like any double album that tries to explore as much sound as possible, this album is only enjoyable if one is in a mood for a musical adventure, or an occasionally familiar background music.
Obviously a very good artist but not exactly my vibe, enjoyable to listen to once but probably wouldn’t again.
I don’t know, I don’t know… I got “Purple Rain” on vinyl not terribly long ago and it’s just an uninterrupted string of greatness from start to finish. I never really knew much about this one short of “U Got the Look,” and mostly I was distracted by how much I dislike the overall sounds of the drums here (and those moments of bass slappy-slappy.) On the whole it feels like one of those albums designed by someone insanely popular to be intentionally challenging to the fan base. Mission accomplished. I’m gonna go down the middle but will need to listen to this again sometime.
Good jams and a diverse set of lyrics. I can never quite enjoy the simple drumm + bass sound of some of Prince's stuff, but I respect it.
This album is good and nice and really a jam. I kind of don't "get" Prince. By which, I mean, a lot of people think he's the greatest artist of all time. I don't get it.
I have deep respect for Prince, and I can see that this album is very good, but I just can't feel it. Maybe it's his particular brand of funk and soul. Somehow I just don't connect with it, except for the title song. 2.5/5
At 1h 20m, it serves up both a lot to like AND dislike, but even at his worst Prince is still entertaining.
This was an album that was hard to pinpoint what I really felt about it. It’s good. Artistically it’s really good. In my own terms of enjoyment it’s nothing superior though. This album isn’t as catchy as some of other prince’s. However this album shows his massive talent. Between his singing range and guitar ability it’s hard to overlook how good this is. I myself just don’t like it as much as some of his other albums. 7.6/10
Kolejny Prince na liscie, tym razem tytul z ktorym spotykam sie po raz pierwszy, bo sign 'O' the times z 87, ktory byl dziewiatym studyjnym krazkiem w jego dyskografii, dodatkowo jest to podwojny album z long plejem o dlugosci 80 minut, wiec materialu sporo a nagrywany jest podobnie jak purple rain, wiec one man show, bo wiekszosc instrumentali grana przez samego Princa, sporo elektonicznych synthow i ustrojstw, ktorych nie ma nawet creditowanych, bo pewnie nikt nie wiedzial co sie tam dzialo podczas sesji nagraniowych, ktore trwaly prawie rok, ale jak na tak dluga plyte i robote jednego czlowieka to nadal jest to wyczyn, tak samo jak kompilacja gatunkow jakich dotyka na tym albumie, bo mozna by tu listowac przekroj gatunkow muzyki popularnej od typowego r&b przez rockowanie po gospelowe influencje, a moze tak synteza rokowania i gospelowania, z nutka orientalnych sitarowan, znajda sie i takie kawalki, czego przykladem moze byc the cross, motywy liryczne nadal obracaja sie wokol zycia czlowieka z czlowiekiem zarowno w zwiazkach jak i w spoleczenstwach, wiec podobny kontent jak na poprzednim picku, ale tutaj jest on bardziej rozwodniony, bo prawie dwa razy dluzszy longplej, do tego dochodzi jedna z najdziwniejszych person jakie slyszalem w muzyce popularnej, bo price wystepuje na niektorych kawalkach jako Camille, co slychac chocby po mocno zpitchowanych wokalach i zenskiej stronie opowiesci milosnej, wiec daje to inne spojrzenie na seksy czy zwiazkowe sprawy, pomysl ciekawy i oryginalny, ale jednak wokalnie nie brzmi od najlepiej, na plejliste dodam openingowy trak tytulowy i wspomianego juz the crossa, sluchajac takiego nagrania popowego i porownojac go z najbardziej sprzedanymi popowymi rekordami popowymi ostatniej dekady czuc strasznie zubozenie jesli chodzi o artystyczna kreatywnosc topowych tworcow, a moze i biede ludzi sluchajacych, ze nie przeszkadza nikomu sluchac jednego i tego samego wyprodukowanego przez caly sztab ludzi i sprzedanego pod logiem danego "artysty", az sie samo nasuwa na usta, kurla kiedys to bylo
I know he’s a musical genius, but most of his music just doesn’t do it for me. I hate the fake-sounding drum machine in particular.
Had the same problem as the other prince album: got 2 tracks in and really wasnt feeling it. Isnt he supposed to be a guitar player? He doesnt seem to play it at all
A generous 2, a couple of good tracks, filled with a spectacular array of nonsence and lazyness.
Couple of decent tunes but mostly just insipid filler from a predatory, sleezy midget.
Felt like many random songs just thrown together. I cannot understand all the glowing reviews this one got.
Other than Purple Rain, I have not listened to any Prince albums. While I could listen to this, and didn't dislike it, it also didn't excite me much. Seemed a bit all over the place with nothing holding the album together. Not sure why this one is on the list.
For every bit of groovy funk or piercing electric guitar, there's something that is too cheesy, cringey, or just weird. Weird can be good, but "Sign 'O' The Times" is just all over the place. Much respect to Prince for his musical talent and boundary-pushing experimentation, but I wouldn't listen to this again. Hmm... just got to "The Cross" after writing all of the above. By far the most interesting song on the album for me. I feel like very few other songs on the album highlighted Prince's voice well. This one did. "The Cross" was also more stripped-down, without too much other stuff going on. Oddly, this doesn't boost my rating up - instead it confirms the ** level because I'm more frustrated with the rest of the album as a result. I think "The Cross" feels pretty timeless, whereas the rest of the album is dated and very much a sign of the times.
Back to back Prince 🙌🏼 Did like his Purple ☔️ more. Lot of songs I hadn’t hear on this for me but he still is a strong talent thru & through. You’ve got the Look & The Cross were 2 fav’s .
I really don't know how to feel about this - was it my mood but I really didn't care that much. Some of them were fun, but just felt quite ambivalent...
Not my favorite Prince album, but didnt skip around much either. He is clearly an amazing musician, but doing … 2
I didn't care for this the first time I heard it, but it was early in the morning during a rowdy hangover. You gotta be in a right mood to listen to a record like this, so I gave it another chance later on. It's one of the most unique pop albums I have ever heard. It's hard to really call it a pop album, because it's much more than that. There are a variety of different genres and styles at work here and Prince knows exactly how to fuse them. It's not something I could listen to all the time, though. Not only because it's a double-album (albeit a short one), but there's just a certain mood you got to be in for this to click. Also, a little Prince for me goes a long way.
Never been a fan, and this didn't convince me either. I know he's a very talented musician, and I liked the way he constructed the title track. But couldn't enjoy it.
I wanted to classify this as "terrible" after the first 5 songs .... made it to the end... If he´d skipped 50% of the songs it would be a decent album. 2 stars due to "the cross"
Not my idea of a good time either I'm afraid. One or two decent song but otherwise didn't appeal. I presume there will be other Prince albums and I expect those to be better...
Am I the only person who finds the whole Prince deal to be faintly ridiculous? And I say that as someone who went to see him in concert. A man as naturally charismatic and sexy as Prince didnt need to try so hard, but nonetheless he does. Everything feels so sweaty and unnecessary. The production is incredible, there are so many tricks and juicy bits to enjoy but ultimately I'm left feeling hollow.
I did not love this album. It is funky and has a house party vibe but nota single track stood out for me above the others. Was bummed about it.
This was a bit of a mess. I stopped one song short of the end with "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night". It was just so bad. The first few songs were fine, but then Housequake came on and ruined it. There were a few others in the same vein that just hurt to listen to. I wasn't a Prince fan before this and I'm not one after this.
Yes! This album is a sign o' the times and it needs to stay there. I was sorely disappointed by this album. This is like that movie Cleopatra, big star, big budget has some fans, but really not worth spending hours of your life in the hopes of enjoying something that isn't relevant. Also, sign of the times is the pushy- rape-y- coercion one-sided dialogue in 'If I Was Your Girlfriend'. Maybe I've been married too long, but I can't imagine that would be okay in 2021. With all this sexxy talk, this album just sounds impotent. Treble is not the friend you think it is. I wanted to get into some of the funk, but it seemed lame and tame by today's standards. Didn't they have a bass dial in the studio? I want to feel the thump of those bass lines and the excitement of the crowd. Unfortunately, time has moved on and left this album behind.
Sounds like Prince is having a nice time, which makes one of us. Random screeching. Bit dull. Weird chat sections. Don't care. Don't get it
Pretty decent for chilling and listening to while working.
I'm both enjoying "If I was your girlfriend" and finding it a little disturbing at the end. Overall it feels kind of flat... pretty good but not a new favorite.
I like it. Cool kid vibes with a heavy pinch of angst and anxiety. Soundtrackable.