Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Trademark Prince robotic funky beats
It’s ok. The title track is amazing but it feels like there’s a lot of ideas that are only half finished. Expected more
I like Prince a lot. He was a god among men. This album has some bangers on it but a lot of it has a specific late 80s synth sound that I can’t quite stand. That’s why this is a 3 instead of a 4.
Not as good as I expected 2.7
Prince’s usual funky self. Can’t go wrong with Prince but it’s no Purple Rain or 1999.
Some catchy funk/groovy music - some nonsense sounds. Honestly don't know how I feel about the album.
I didn't find myself moved by anything in this album until Hot Thing, which is simply not at all what I expect from Prince. It's not offensively bad at all, but a pretty startling amount of stuff that only registered as background noise to me. The album does pick up quite a bit at the end, though. It's Gonna be a Beautiful Night is more of the energy I love from Prince typically. The second half of the album is a much higher score on its own, but this score is representative of the whole thing. Favorite track: It's Gonna be a Beautiful Night
“It” was a great song
Never been able to appreciate princes music aesthetically. But his music always feels like has impacted so much that came after.
Listened to it on the first day. Interesting album to start
pleasantly surprised by this; some songs i definitely wouldn’t vibe with again, but some were genuine bangers!
Ok, nema bas hitova osim Oh yeah
Essential Tracks: Starfish and Coffee (Playlist) Sign ‘O’ The Times I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
Despite its bleakness, I have always loved the title track, because it rightly concludes that the world is a completely messed up place. I always especially appreciated that because I thought it came from a totally irreligious point of view. In touch with reality, and no one needed to tell him so. But after listening to The Cross for the first time, maybe there was a spiritual side to Prince that I never knew about. Who knew. Apparently a very lusty zesty sexified spirituality, but still. Starfish and Coffee is fun too. The snare of his drum machine often has a sound like hands clapping. Strange Relationships is a good example. I never noticed it before, but now it feels like a key component of the Prince sound.
Not a huge prince fan and it was a little too long but still not bad
Ooof. This is definitely a 3 stars rating I’m gonna regret being so low in a few months. I can just feel it. This is Prince unleashed. He’s so all over the place here, it’s kind of all-inspiring. He is trying so much. This guy seems like he has unlimited energy and unlimited groove. Insane. As an album, it has some amazing, standout records (“starfish and coffee” is still one of my favorite Prince songs, since hearing him sing it on The Muppet Show of all places), and there are some tracks where I just have to stop the record and go “wow.” From a production standpoint, he’s so quirky. I just get this feeling of excess listening to this album. It’s too long, some of the tracks are so gratuitous and over-the top, especially on the vocal delivery, that it gives you a bit of vertigo sometimes. I had a super fun time, and Prince’s mind is like no other, but there are more album-driven, focused, thematic Prince albums out there… obviously! The man was a machine! Also, not enough Prince guitar. For a good time, but not likely to pick it up again (and the overlong runtime)… 3/5
Solid album, ready 3 not living it but there are some standouts housequake, slow love
Was ok
Wasn’t my favorite. A couple stand out tracks.
I’m not a huge fan of Prince’s, but I could find some songs that I enjoyed here and there. Overall it was ok
3.8
I really wanted to like this but somehow it didn't fit my groove. I probably need more time with it and I'll gladly give it another listen in the future.
Must re listen, I didn't give it enough love
Enjoyed. Got a lot more upbeat in the second half of the album. I don’t think I would particularly listen to it often or in a group setting, but it definitely has its place. Great lyrics and storytelling, the vibe and pace of the first half of the album wasn’t for me.
Pretty good, not really my thing though.
Some tracks (especially in the first half) dragged on for way too fucking long, and ironically enough the 9-minute "It's Gonna be a Beautiful Night" justifies its length more than some 4- or 5-minute tracks. Final few songs were great. Liked it overall.
has some catchy songs, also some pretty goofy stuff and attempts to be sexy that come off as pretty cheesy. also kinda goes in some experimental directions/funky sounds, but unlike the david bowie record it seems to still stay pretty musical. it all sounds very exact and purposeful, which matches what i know of prince's eye for detail. don't think i'll add it to my playlists, even tho i like some of prince's output, and he's a crazy good musician.
Started strong then seemed to fade in energy
Just okay, nowhere near my favorite prince album. Some good songs and some really bad ones lol, 6-7/10
While non of the songs here were catchy enough to stick in my ear or moving enough to stick in my head, I can't help but give credit to Prince for his incredible range on this album.
Not bad. Decent even. There's some fun stuff in here like "It" and "U Got The Look". Really enjoyed the drums and bass on this album, though a lot of the lyrics were a miss rather than a hit. It's a bit long at 80 minutes in total for the album. For me, it sits somewhere between a 3 and 3.5.
It’s okay. Not really my thing. I can tell it’s impressive, unique sounding, just doesn’t do it for me. Too much of what sounds like wining and synth bits/drum loops. Def pop. Not for me.
The album feels like it would be nostalgic if I used to listen to it when it came out.
Typical Prince: high quality, grooving music. A no-name looking at of songs that still rock. No singalongs, but a tone setter for a fun afternoon. Low 3
I want to like it... I really do. I just don't. Prince is objectively an incredible musician and I just don't connect with any project I've ever heard. I might have just missed the times. I don't know.
Like I had said on the other funk/soul/etc. album, I've never really been a fan of this type of music. I see that Prince is a great musician, and I appreciate the quality, but I just can't get into it. I've also been really busy and only half listening.
I know prince was ona different drug for every song. I wanna try em all and re-listen to this blitzd out my mind
The last few songs were excellent, but you have to wade through a lot to get there. I had high expectations too which doesn’t help
not my fav but still ok
Hmmm…can’t find the direction this album is going in. Not really one standout hit either. I think I heard the drums that were sampled for Hollaback girl. “The Cross” was kinda cool. Sounded very U2ish.
Un destacable álbum de Prince que si bien, está repleto de interesantes ideas que ayudaron a construir el imaginario del Hip-Hop norteamericano actual, carece del impacto y presencia que tuvieron sus antecesores. La producción en este álbum es bastante errática y la duración un poco exagerada. De todas formas, sigue siendo uno de los mejores lanzamientos que el artista de Minnesota realizó a lo largo de su larga e intensa carrera. Quizá no es una buena introducción a su trabajo, pero sí es un complemento para todos quienes se sientan atraído a su arte.
Understandably a 4 star album, but personal preference is a 3. Could see this going up on further listens, but it tires me out and is maybe too much? I can also imagine a cover of these songs in a slightly different style would make me appreciate them more. But 3 stars is still 'good' in my eyes.
Sign O’ The Times // The Ballad of Dorothy Parker // Starfish and Coffee // Slow Love // The Cross // Adore 3-3.5/5
Good album
Boring
I'm a recent prince convert and this one needs to grow on me more but for now it's a 3/5
For soul and R&B its pretty decent... 3 stars
solid
Geeft iets moderne Micheal Jackson vibes
I like Prince, I do, but I can't get on with this album. There's some class tunes here, and some really interesting stuff with the Camille alter ego. It's just a double album that should have been an album. Can't shake the feeling it sounds like what it is, 3 albums of track choices thrown into a single release. Probably for best that the triple didn't happen. If I was going to pick a 3rd prince album after the two most obvious choices, it would definitely be Around the World in a Day.
A diversidade de estilos musicais presentes no disco é um testemunho da versatilidade artística do Prince. Mas não foi suficiente para me empolgar a escutar mais.
Enjoyable in places, but thought it would be a bit better overall.
Honestly, not a fan
Okay, I suppose. A Iittle all over the place. I still liked the 3 radio hits, though.
Reading claims that this album is a contender for best album of all time, I was disappointed. I simply do not hear what other people are hearing. Replacing percussion and musical instruments with cold and lifeless synthesizers is a travesty that was repeated and repeated in the 80s. I did enjoy the song I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.
3.5
Good but not his best
I liked it, the sound was good. Lyrically great and prince's voice is ovbiously a gift to this earth. Just don't think his music is my jam. That era of pop rock doesn't really hit me.
Not bad, not super my thing. I'm sure Prince has stronger albums.
Didn't like this as much as the other Prince album I've gotten so far. Some songs were bangin' for me but it dragged at other parts that made me dislike it.
I was really surprised that this was released in 1987. I thought it was a post love symbol album. It had passed me by until recently, I was a mid- eighties and a mid-nineties Prince listener. A few good tracks.
Try as I might, I just can't get into most of Prince's stuff - too many gated drums, too much performative sexiness, too much synthetic sound. This album was no different: listenable but nothing really stood out.
some proper bops, super energising
3/5 Best: Adore Worst: It
I can recognize that there are probably elements of greatness on this album, but it wasn’t for me. I’d give it 3.5 stars if I could.
It was good not great. Some good songs for sure but not enough for a second listen.
Lots of instruments....sax, xylophone....hollow sounding drums and electric drum machines. Jammy sessions.
How are Summer and Housequake not more widely appreciated.
Jesus this is a long album... double disc with an 80 minute runtime. Prince is often kind of frustrating to me. Very talented man who made some amazing songs, but I just wish he would let loose on a guitar solo. Sign O' The Times has an Emminence Front style synth beat with some funky guitar work and drums. Relative to the rest of his catalog however, its pretty forgettable. I'm surprised this was chosen for the album title. Play in the Sunshine is a little upbeat boppy tune. Feels like Wham! but as sung by Prince. It sounds like a "When Doves Cry" knockoff, but less interesting. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man is my favorite of the album so far. Happy, poppy, and a little noodly. Also one of the freer sounding Prince guitar solos I think that I've heard followed on by a jammy breakdown that was unexpected relative to the rest of the album. The Cross is an equally surprising track. Heavier with a driving drum line motivating the tracks progression. There are also some more psych undertones complete with an Indian instrument. I'm into it. I think this one is a soft 3/5 for me. This is one of Prince's more forgettable albums that I've listened to, but at the core, he makes good music.
I’ve tried really hard to enjoy Prince. He is a massive guitar talent and writes good songs but I just can’t get into most of his albums 5/10
Has a very soul-ish feel to it, whether that makes it good or bad you decide
Good
5/16, 31%
I can see the appeal, but not for me
It wasn’t bad. Probably wouldn’t listen to again but not bad
Fun and freaky, just like the man himself. I have more preferred lps but good overall.
Je peux reconnaitre que c'est un album très bien exécuté avec une belle production. Mais généralement je trouve la musique tellement insatisfaisante : elle ne me captive pas vraiment et souvent j'oubliais que ça jouait. Je pense que Prince n'est tout simplement pas mon genre. 5/10
Prince is Prince, he's a legend for a reason. That said, he's not an artist I enjoy a whole album of at a time. So many of his songs are great additions to playlists for specific times and places, this album was no exception, but for me, he's an ingredient, not a whole dish.
Funky but I’d need to be in the right mood to listen to the whole album in one sitting.
Вайбово очень. Только мне кажется, в некоторых песнях я опять мог бы запросто спутать его с Майклом Джексоном. Звук прикольный, минималистично-модный, прям захотелось сесть в лоурайдер и поехать гонять по Лос-Сантосу (зачеркнуто) Анджелесу. Но долго...
не был знаком с принцем и приятно удивился. 3+
Prince solos ripped, otherwise it would have been a 2.
I’ve been listening to this for most of the day. The Apple music version is 92 tracks and over 8 hours. Crazy to try and fit into a day. The songs are good. I can see the appeal of Prince. I only knew Purple Rain before listening to this (which doesn’t appear on the album). I never really heard him growing up either but I guess he must be popular in certain circles. Quite a few tracks sound similar to modern pop songs. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were an influence. My favourite track so far is I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man Quite annoyingly there are several repeats on the album. Like a single having the same track repeated with slight tweaks Well I’ve managed to finish it the day after. I only had 2 hrs left to go. The last two “albums” on the mega album are a live show..so yet more repeats. To be fair it had Purple Rain in it. I Can see why Prince is popular but this album is just too much in one go. Im surprised the recording studio allowed it. It’s so long that you go off it and then enjoy it again all in one listen
- A cool enough vibe, but not really something I'd go back to - Some good funky beats and vibey vocals - Enjoyed disc 2 better than disc 1 - I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
I liked two songs from it but it's not really my kind of music.
Oh my. I mean, obvious talent but some of the lyrics - sheesh! Particularly on “If I was Your Girlfriend”. They started off laughable and then got creepy. A lot of ew. I can imagine if Prince was a budding artist now and tried his manipulation techniques on the new generation, I’d like to imagine he’d be laughed at. Sadly he would probably still succeed.
You know, Prince was an incredibly good musician. You also know what? Almost all of his music sounds the same. There's a certain Princey quality to it which makes it unambiguously Prince. I'd like to say that I loved this album. But I don't. It's just OK.
Every time I listen to a Prince album, I almost feel like I'm missing something? The songs were enjoyable, and some songs surprised me by being more upbeat and poppy sounding than I expected. But....idk?
Quite samey and flat for me, I've never really been a fan of this era of pop so this kinda misses the mark for me, still had some toe tapping but not much else to cling on to
Masse bra synth, men fortsatt ikkje innertier
IT
Good
Good album
I've tried many times, sorry world, Prince ain't my jam
Top 3: Sign O the Times The Cross I Could Never Take the Place Of Your Man
Love Prince. Like dinner of his music. Some great songs on here though and the musical talent is fun to hear on the live tracks.
"Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit." Very chaotic album, I expected more to be honest.
Holy shit this was a long album and I really wasn’t impressed by it. It’s Prince so it wasn’t bad by any means but it felt stripped back production wise and I think that it just made it less interesting 80s pop rock. Starfish and coffee and I could never take the place of your man are both sort of standouts
starfish coffee maple syrup and jam is quite a combo. album cover is cool. i like some of prince's other stuff though this is good
After Janet Jackson’s nipple said hello to world at the 2004 Super Bowl, the NFL decided it needed to be more controlling to maintain their wholesome reputation. The following year Paul McCartney was chosen since he’s the last person who would want a wardrobe malfunction in public. Two Super Bowls later, Prince was the half time show so the level of diligence had to be ramped up. During the last song, the lights projected his silhouette on a white sheet. While he played his solo he turned his guitar sideways and placed it at a 45 degree angle from his waist to make it phallic. Apparently when Roger Goodell saw that part of the show he said “Yup- that’s a penis”. Prince: 1 Church of the Sacred Bleeding Heart of Jesus: 0
On the sensual scale between Marvin Gaye and Biggie Smalls, this album goes right in the middle. Not really a big fan...
Some real slappers in here! First time listening to a Prince album all the way through. Good fun
6.5/10
It's Prince. It's ok. It's not Purple Rain.
I don't know a lot about Prince's music, but I liked listening to this one. I might even come back to it. I still need to figure out why he is considered like a true genius though.
Yeah it's good, but I don't see how he's supposed to be a legend.
Not bad but neither is best. A bit too long too.
There is no doubt that this is a strong and creative pop album. However, it hardly stands the 80 minutes length, it's like great peanut butter spread on a one kilometer toast.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, not usually what I’m use to hearing from prince, very calming and fulfilling Favourite song: Track 14 - The Cross
Prince, best wel lekker. Paar vette nummers, paar mindere
Fun album overall, but very long and a lot of songs about the same subject.
kinda long
Pop. R&B
I skipped over this part of the Prince catalog back when I checked him out previously, jumping from 'Purple Rain' straight to '3121' and 'ART OFFICIAL AGE'. 'Housequake' and 'Adore' are the two songs that stand out to me most. I don't really see how this is the Magnum Opus of the Prince catalog, like others claim, but I wasn't in existence in 1987 so maybe you had to be there. My headphones might not be doing a good enough job isolating the terrible construction noises going on in my building today to handle showcasing this album to the fullest.
It was OK, a little long. None of the songs really stood out to me. I doubt I would listen to it again.
A lot of music to digest. Many bangers, some odd production. Strong 3, will probably get better with repeated listens like with Purple Rain
Not best Prince’s album
An eclectic mix with some good songs. Overall didn't strike a chord with me like his previous albums.
I like Prince's voice but can't say any of these songs stood out to me.
I felt like there was a lack of urgency here. The first half of this is so sparse I kind of forgot it was playing. Nothing bad but just kind of long. Could Never Take the Place was very good.
It's patchy as fuck but title track a classic.
The songs that aren't too sparse and that don't have awful lyrics ("And a side order of ham") are ok. Still feel like I want to like Prince more than I ever will. Bonus point for generating the sample that led 'Late Night, Maudlin Street'.
Meh, it's alright, I guess?
What to say about this genre-hopping, somewhat sprawling 16 songs from one of the greatest songwriters of the era? There's easily an 8 to 10-song mix to be made for each kind of Prince fan out there that would perhaps serve them better than just taking this whole album in. Sexy Pop, Social Commentary, Party-Funk, low-key traditional singer-songwriter, you can have all this and more if you take it all in at once. This record feels made for a different attention span, a different media landscape, for people who are effectively trained to listen in a different way. What even is a "Two Disc Set", he asks rhetorically... In the end, it is Prince penning a few more classics in an album that was a Sign 'O' the Times and in many ways hasn't aged as well as some of his other work due to that fact. And finally, let's be real, Prince needed to be Prince lyrically for greatness to be achieved, for the gold to be struck. You take the good with the cornball writing that sometimes makes its way to tape when listening to him. You forgive the completely goofy lines because they created the space for him to tell the truth and cut to the core elsewhere in the song or maybe on another track entirely. This is one of the Prices of Prince we pay along the way. On a record like this it is even more apparent to me than others.
Some good tracks, but some wayward indulgent ones as well. Still worth a listen though.
This is not my go-to era of Prince, although I recognize the artistry. I feel like it might grow on me if I gave it more attentive listens.
Prince!
I want to like Prince more than I do. He's fine but I felt like I was missing something. Picked up towards the end.
Perhaps I need to devote more attention to these albums, or perhaps it is their responsibility to draw my focus. Either way, this album felt diverse in timbre and spiteful, but lacking in soul.
Not his best but an undeniable force. Taking a bath with pants on sounds terrible. I’d give it a 3 and a half
Prince is usually all a bit too much for me. Too much going on, lots of instruments (and layered voices) seemingly fighting for your attention. So this - apart from the odd Zappa-esque flourish, such as on ‘Sunshine’ - works much better for me with its minimalist grooves and (relatively) stripped down sound. The title track is a classic pop single, and I also love Hot Thing, for similar reasons. And, for me, these are some of his best tunes generally. Probably the only Prince album I would feel the need to listen to again, although it did start to drag a bit at the end with the slushy and live filler tracks. A bit Mariah Carey with all that warbling and vocal gymnastics.
Good musically just not my thing, will try some of his other songs at some point
I've always enjoyed Prince's music but found it hard to get through one of his albums in full. This album was no exception, It took two sittings to get through all 1 hour and 20 mins. I liked a lot of the songs here, but these were the bigger singles that I knew already. I found a lot of the deeper cuts to be longer than necessary and a bit boring. The mixing was also questionable is some cases. I'm not sure if it was intentional, buts in some songs the vocals are ridiculously quiet. I appreciate Prince's singing and guitar playing, but maybe his music just isn't for me.
Title track is a good one, rest are a bit eclectic. His music is definitely free of constraints and are expressive. Not an album I would likely return to.
I had this album on cassette. Purple Rain was legendary, but I wasn't really interested in Prince's music since then (Parade and such...). This just sounded different. Sign was fun again. So I bought it. 120 minutes of good music. That was a fucking deal. When you made an investment in an album before even hearing all of it, you kinda lean into it. This album was the shit at the time and it all hinged on U Got The Look (b/c Sheena Easton). I don't think I've listened to this album since I've given up on cassettes (and probably long before that). But it hasn't aged well for me. This doesn't scream 'life of the party' anymore, but it's still a well crafted album. Side 4 is overall the best IMO. Starfish And Coffee
Listened to this in RS500. I thought it was good, but nothing really blew me away 3/5
Super diverse and groovy and fun. The production or something about it sounds very 80s which I feel like doesn't age super well, but overall the music still felt relevant. Some songs hit right, others were a miss for me. A few felt like they were numbers in a musical, kind of corny. Also the album was pretty long, and it started to feel like a chore to reach the end
Good
Nothing really stood out, but it was alright.
Soooo long
T3B 1. Sign O’ The Times 2. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 3. Housequake Really enjoyable album. Heavy 3
Average Prince.
Not my favorite Prince, but still Prince.
I have heard all of Prince's hits in the past, but I am not familiar with many of the songs on this album. All of Prince's songs that I know, I like, so I am looking forward to listening to this album today. This is Prince's first solo album after the break up of his supporting band "The Revolution". This is a double album, so the run time is a little long, but it doesn't feel like it, because Prince has a way of keeping your interest, and there aren't many bad songs on this record. The one song I was very familiar with before listening to this album was Starfish and Coffee. Back in 1997, Prince was on an episode of Muppets Tonight. I was a big fan of the show, and remember that episode well. The whole show the muppets keep teasing him, and keep "forgetting" to call him "The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince)". Prince was a good sport through the whole thing, and when they got him up to sing a song, Starfish and Coffee was the song he sang. I remember thinking "what a great song, with some of the weirdest lyrics I've ever heard". That song is the definition of an ear worm, and I'm sure, now that I've listened to it again, I will be singing it for the next little while. Overall, a solid album. I wasn't much a fan of the drum machine he used, but his ability to write, and perform far overshadows that slight blemish on an otherwise great album! I think nostalgia drove this choice, but: Favourite songs: Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Sign O' the Times, Strange Relationship, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, The Cross, Adore Least favourite songs: If I Was Your Girlfriend, Housequake, The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, It (I wasn't as much a fan of the songs he sang as his "female alter-ego, Camille") 3/5
A very eclectic mix of styles but they don’t all seem to fit together. Adore is a great song but for me most of the rest are just ok.
very 80s commercial "hip-hop"
Horny boy
A lot of swings between songs. I liked it
Dunno man, 3 i guess
groovyyyy
Best Song: Adore. The actually legitimately sexy song to conclude an album full of songs trying to be sexy. Worst Song: Housequake. The beat is sufficiently funky, but the vocals here have a kind of chipmunky quality that I can't quite get behind. Overall: It seems like this whole album is centered around the thesis explicitly defined in "Slow Love". Maybe I didn't have enough candles playing while listening to this album, but I consistently wished to hear more of the upbeat, dance-worthy songs that I know Prince is capable of. Instead, it's full of Love so Slow it might be sleeping.
Prince is cool. I like the title and The Cross the most.
When the ballads are too frequent and the pitching up of the vocals take over, it can be a bit of a drag. The classic double record that should've been one. But that one, hot damn.
Starfish and Coffee is a fun ditty! But outside of this, this album was full of songs that I could see would be loved by all of the Prince fans. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t count myself amongst the diehards out there. The songs had their moments and there was a lot to listen to, as this was a double album apparently, but at the end I didn’t love too much about this offering from Prince. But I did appreciate this “forced” listen, as it’s hard not to know about this legend and I’d avoided any sort of deep dive up until now. I’m interested to see if any of his other albums show up here and how they fare in comparison. If you haven’t heard Prince before outside of his big hits, I feel this could be a decent gateway listen.
A bit boring really. Prince has some real great stuff (Purple Rain for example) but I found this album just so-so.
Rating: 4.6 Best Track: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
still don't get the tiny purple pervert, but this is the closest i've got to enjoying anything other than the famous singles.
While Prince was clearly ahead of his time - that time has long since passed and the music feels quite dated. And while I do appreciate the wide variation in his music, it frequently feels all over the place and sometimes lacking in coherence.
I know Prince is revolutionary but I still don't fully hype
The music was great, however I can't seem to get into Prince. I recognize his talent but his voice bores me a bit.
I don't think I was really in the right frame of mind for this one unfortunately. There were a few really good and funky tracks but it felt like a few songs just dragged on a bit. Might revisit eventually though. Favourite: Housequake
I'm sure Prince was extremely talented - but I'm not really vibing this. It's great quality stuff - but it's not something I would put on on the regular.
Prince is een goede artiest, maar ik vond dit album wat veel van het zelfde
Weird. Cool songs but not for me.
Impeccable for its time, but doesn't sit well with my current taste in music
Prince is good! Not my favorite so far, but good still.
There’s an interesting argument about whether this or Purple Rain is the more essential Prince album. I enjoyed that debate more than the album itself. It’s definitely more intellectual and maybe breaks more ground sonically - it’s certainly fun to pick up its influence on more recent artists, but makes me more excited to jump forward to D’Angelo or jump back to Purple Rain.
A good album! Will probably listen to it again. Not much of a coherent opinion right now, but definitely enjoyed it.
Just uneven for me. Some gems, some dull tracks. A revisit maybe.
I enjoyed this, it's not as memorable as Purple Rain, but still a good album
Never listened to much Prince. Loved the opening track! The rest just drifted by.
ALBUM GRADE: C- ALBUM RATING: 2.96 TRACK RATINGS: 1. Sign "☮︎" the Times - 3.5 2. Play in the Sunshine - 2.5 3. Housequake - 3.0 4. The Ballad of Dorothy Parker - 3.0 5. It - 3.5 6. Starfish and Coffee - 2.5 7. Slow Love - 2.5 8. Hot Thing - 3.5 9. Forever in My Life - 2.5 10. U Got the Look - 3.5 11. If I Was Your Girlfriend - 2.5 12. Strange Relationship - 2.5 13. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man - 2.5 14. The Cross - 3.0 15. It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night - 3.5 16. Adore - 3.0
Great album that I was not at all familiar with. Prince's guitar tones seem to have never changed throughout his career, thanks to his consistent use of BOSS pedals. Solid, confident, aggressive playing throughout, by a new group that was not The Revolution. This is after Purple Rain, it was very noticeable that there were far fewer hits (none) on this album than on Purple Rain. This album is definitely more raw and has less synth than what he did in the past and what most people typically associate with the 80's.
Not bad. Just a couple of songs liked.
I was lucky enough to experience Prince live twice. Two of the greatest musical moments I’ve ever witnessed! Listening to his albums doesn’t quite bring out the same magic though. It sounds like no one told Prince no in quite some time (and why would they think to do so, he’s a genius)… It might have been healthy once in while. Enduring tracks such as Housequake and Forever In My Life makes this feel way too long… Prince is simply better with a band than stripped down; as beautifully showcased on I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man. At least 20 minutes could easily have been cut.
I'll always enjoy Prince but I didn't feel like this album had that many hits
It wasn't bad but I'm never going to listen to it again. It wasn't for me.
Prince was an incredibly charismatic performer, amazing guitarist, gifted musician and all the rest of it, but I've never been able to really connect with his music, and this album doesn't change that. A few tracks stood out (Starfish and Coffee & the title track for two). There are some cool, quirky bits in If I Was Your Girlfriend, It etc that remind me of some of today's more interesting hip hop artists. And then there are other tracks that are kind of... meh. Like, it's probably great, but... maybe it's just overrated? The shear scope of the album kept it interesting though and it would probably benefit from further listens. 3.5
interesante, hubieron canciones que no me gustaron y otras que me gustaron mucho, es Prince y su genialidad y excentricidad se sienten presentes en cada rola. volvería a escuchar una que otra.
Not a big fan of most of the songs
The album was decent and full of 80s vibes. Definitely doesn't make me a full-on Prince fan though. Some songs were straight up creepy too. Best Songs: Starfish and Coffee, Slow Love, U Got The Look Worst Songs: Hot Thing (Creepy), The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
It's alright!
Du Prince tout craché avec plus d'une heure de soupe des années 80 mélangée à sa patte androgyne pop, nous offrant avec du recul un album pionnier d'androgyn soup.
Long et chiant, Prince nous prouve que l'androgyne pop est encore loin de l'homosexual pop.
Some gems here but the 80s drum style did not age well.
Incredible
Probably a 3.5 but this sounded so 80s...and not in a good way.
Not bad, but I just don't get Prince
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
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
Has its moments but is oddly uninteresting
Enjoyed this one.
I dig it
At 1h 20m, it serves up both a lot to like AND dislike, but even at his worst Prince is still entertaining.
Långt
Ja va ska man säga.. de e prince.
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
Identifying Prince : Yep, it’s Prince
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.
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.
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.
Obviously a very good artist but not exactly my vibe, enjoyable to listen to once but probably wouldn’t again.
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.
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.
Rockstar someday
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.
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.
Hab gar kein Lied von dem Album gekannt... Insgesamt hat’s mich nicht sehr begeistert, aber kann man hören.
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
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.
Some songs not available, what was there was not what I consider Prince's best.
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.
Nothing special
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.
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.
a variety of sounds here, from horndog rock ballads to dance-y funky r&b. synths can be sparse and a bit harsh. a fun box of chocolates of an album, but at no point did I think "wow, this is exceptional".
It was OK
Half relaxing, half manic.
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 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.
Nicht so meins
3.5 likely. Good sounds, clearly talented. Lyrically, mainly not for me to be honest
maybe the best artist i've ever seen who i listen to the least
3 - g
Behalve Purple Rain heeft Prince nooit een plaatje kunnen maken wat me echt helemaal overtuigt, hoewel het nr Sing O' the Times wel echt helemaal te gek is.
Beetje lang album, maar Prince in topvorm.
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
Not entirely my cup of tea, but I appreciate its value.
Didnt like it
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.
Most double albums would be better as single albums.
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
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.
Liked it…. 2 prince in a row
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.
No me atrapó
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.
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.
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 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 his greatest work
Fine. Good songs, nothing groundbreaking.
3/5
Nem voltam egy nagy Prince rajongó eddig sem, de írt jó dalokat, erre a lemezre is 3-4-t. De inkább csak meh.
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.
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...
Meh. Really inconsistent. Starfish and coffee was a highlight.
Some classic tracks, but also some 80's synth dross
Not sure if it’s in his best but still really good
Fantastic album. Showcases all of the musical genius of Prince.
Def not one of my favorite Prince albums but it's still Prince. (3.5 stars)
Contains some of Prince's best and most innovative songs but just too long overall. 6/10
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.
Wasn’t my favourite album from The Purple One but I was just happy to be along for the ride
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).
Busy and ambitious.
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.
I appreciate the constant creative experimentation; however, I like other work from Prince more.
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.
Some solid tunes and great production but overall not that memorable of an album for me.
Nice album. I liked Slow love and U got the look
Prince was a king.
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
Prince is great, but I don't love this album.
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
I like Prince but too much filler on this
Takes a few listens for a few of the lesser tracks, but a really good album
Enjoyed it but started to get a little bored towards the end
Obviously very talented, but not really my thing.
Some wonderful moments, and a bunch of filler.
Disco muy en la onda del artista, multi-instrumentista, con buena voz, canciones relajadas y sensuales. Suena a ser un tanto ochentero. Se puede escuchar para momentos relajantes
I feel that Prince is an artist that I ought to respect more but he doesn't engage me much
Immer noch nicht für mich
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.
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.
not in the mood :/
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
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 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.
I’ve never really understood the hype of Prince.
It was fine, kinda blended into the background. I've never been a huge Prince fan though
Tipo o Michael Jackson, só que menos.
good, but not as good as I'd hoped.
Hit or miss, not my favorite Prince songs but Starfish & Coffee was a pleasant surprise
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.
false
Prince has made some nice music to me. But I do not like all his songs. Nice to have listend to this albm.
A very odd and intimate album that just has Prince written all over it
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
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"
only had one song I actually enjoyed on it but wasn't the worse album ever.
Ultimately a bit disappointing, way too long, songs sounded too much the same, too little guitar action
En rodet bunke og numre. Nogle gode og noget værre skrammel. Et underligt misk mask
Kyllähän tuota mielummin kuuntelee kuin turpaansa ottaa. Tarttuvia biisejä ja ei niin toimivia. Pitkä levy.
finally, some good music. 3.5! i love "u got the look" and "the ballad of dorothy parker"
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.
I’ve never understood the love for this album. It has some good qualities, but it’s nothing great.
It's no Purple Rain let's just say that. I am not sure why this is considered his better work??? It certainly doesn't hold up the same was as Purple Rain does to modern ear
Sorri, Prince, aga see album on tõesti saast. Liiga palju mõtteid, liiga palju ebakõlasid ja tulemus on ülimalt tüütu. Mulle üldiselt isegi meeldib Prince'i looming, aga siin on ta liiga enda mõtetesse kinni läinud. 2.1/5
Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Echt langweilig.