Reviews (page 2 of 14)
shes goood but nothing worth like rmememebring
need to relisten I couldn't finish cuz Spotify is dumb
It's groovy! It remains to be seen how this compares to others like Purple Rain (been a while since I listened) but my suspicion is that I prefer that one. Still, a good album.
No offence to the legacy of Prince, but this is an utterly boring album.
I could get behind this. Breath of fresh air after the last album. This is so fun. What is this guy on about. He really is just screeching and screaming. Hooting and hollering. What is this lad on about. O wonder MJ won. He's just kinda saying stuff. Buddy what are you on about. What are these munchkins singing?? Is that the wedding song? What? Oh hold on let him cook. Wait this is so romantic yearning. Prince is so real sometimes I wanna be someone's girlfriend too. Why is there a sitar. Questions questions. His songs just always kinda sound like someone threw a bunch of sounds in a bowl and mixed em around. Idk how to feel about it. Favourite: Slow Love Least favourite: It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night
Its a good album and prince is iconic but its not my kind of music!
A maximalist masterpiece. Couldn’t stop listening to this yesterday. It’s The Beatles, it’s p-funk, it’s gospel. It’s every little thing that makes Prince tick rolled up and mixed into one and pointed directly at our ears. Random thoughts about the album: Love the pitched up vocals on Housequake Love the sad, sweet nostalgia of Starfish and Coffee Love the weird decision to have the backup vocals, like, eight counts ahead of the main vocals in Forever In My Life! Why do that? Who knows?!? The fuzzy sound of Dorothy Parker basically created Frank Ocean’s whole career. I love that the hardest song on the whole album is his religious track, The Cross. The chunky guitars and his metal screech make me want to fucking headbang.
3/10
Drum machine-heavy funk on the first CD side and more rock on the second. Some tracks on this record seem to have anticipated the later 90s R&B sound. It sounds so varied yet so cohesive too; Prince knew how to stick to a vibe while still keeping it fresh. And this was what made the length of this double album not as bad (3.5).
Again, I find some of his stuff just too long and a bit overinflated. So much talent, and some great music tho!
Same signs, different times. This title track isn't so much ahead of its time as it is timeless, as it seems we never change. Also for some reason I thought this album was before Purple Rain for some reason. Not my favourite but it is Prince so still worth a listen.
It's Prince
En el año de Bad, Prince creó un disco magestuoso y atemporal. Una obra maestra, aunque yo prefiero Purple Rain. Es un doble de enorme claidad interpretativa (Sintes y sobre todo la voz de Camille, es decir Prince en falsete). Destacan la titular, pero sobre todo The Ballad of Dorothy Parker , U Got the Look, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (escrita ya en el 79) o It (un temazo), The Cross es especial y Housequake le gustaba tanto que siempre la tocaba en directo.
Niekedy skvelé, niekedy priemerné. Princa mám veľmi rád, ale tento album mi až tak nesedel.
no me encanto ninguna cancion, tampoco fueron horribles, totalmente mid
Really agonized over this score..more than any previous rating. Believe it or not, in nearly 50 years on this planet, this was the first time I had ever heard a Prince album all the way through. And...I am still not sure. It's not really my sort of thing but I could definitely tell the quality in there. The Cross was excellent, I really enjoyed Starfish and Coffee and Hot Thing as well. Realistically, with so much material and very much out of my listening comfort zone, it's probably 2 stars on first listen. But I suspect repeated listens would probably push it up..so that's what I'm going for!
Fantastic album with an amazing cover. A little long to listen to in one sitting, but that makes sense because its a double album. I like the woman backing vocals on "play in the sunshine", some of the solos were extremely well-done. The production was off the charts and it was generally just great to listen to. The first 3 songs were amazing and the rest of the album is decent. Best Song: Play in the Sunshine. Worst Song: "The Cross".
Started strong, then faded. Pure Prince vocals stand out on Sign O’ the Times and You got the Look; however, the rest varied in vocals and instrumental elements. I updated my playlist to include zero of these tunes.
Sign of the Times is an amazing dance album with lush production and experimental vocals. As the name suggests, the 80s sound shows itself fully in this project, especially in the infectiously groovy second disc. Prince’s vocals are so incredibly unique, an aspect that often enhances the song but can also tarnish the instrumentals, and need to be adapted to.
Highlights: Sign O’ the Times, U Got the Look, Hot Thing, The Cross 3.6
My second Prince album. This was better than the last one. Defo some hits on here and he’s a genius. A mad one but still a genius.
Formative. Brought back lost memories - I think I've underrated how much of an effect this album has had on my life. First music I bought was a cassette single of You got the look/Housequake. Went to see the live concert in the Savoy when I was 8. Was a bit bored admittedly, but I didnt understand it was going to be a concert film :)
sehr gemischt, sehr kreativ, das meiste mag ich gar nicht, aber manches ist ganz cool.
Prince succeeded a seminal record with one that was not your typical disappointing follow up. It’s not overwrought, or a failed experiment. The songs are actually intentionally de-weighted and made more low key, and as a result its 80 minute runtime ends up being pretty ho-hum save for a few good tracks on its second half. Non-committal to a sound, okay instrumentation, and mere glimpses of his boundary-pushing “demisexuality” on only some songs make the record strike a merely average reading.
Man this guy is really horny, isn’t he?
Prince be like “I love FUCKING, I love filthy dirty premarital SEX, I love having an alter ego who’s a WOMAN and singing about being your LESBIAN GIRLFRIEND, while I have you here do you have a moment to hear about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and consider joining me in the Jehovah’s Witnesses?” Just ridiculously excessively 80s (complimentary? derogatory? both?). They tell me it’s better than Purple Rain and I don’t see it, it is pretty damn good though. Definitely too long and you get lost a little in the middle section but the highs are very high. I love when he’s just kinda running his mouth at you in the middle of the songs. Fascinating guy. Second act montage needle drop in my biopic: “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man”
manages to be both incredibly straight and very dykey which is hard to do .
mehhh 2.5 .. there’s moments i like and i love prince and his voice and whole thing obviously but im sorry to say he’s just not as good without wendy and lisa and the revolution . lesbians really make everything better sorry i really hope controversy is on the list. also i think we’ve been spoiled by all these 40 minute albums so an hour 20 double lp really feels like a slog
Probably my favorite album of all time
Love IT and Housequake!
Great album from a fantastic artist with a talented band. Loved it!
It's just too long and uninspiring. I guess you could put it on if you're in some sort of marathon love-making session, but I'm not gonna listen to this in any non-coital setting.
Pretty fun sounds but no stand outs. That's ok! I enjoyed this a lot.
Good
Buen álbum. Un gran artista. Increíble que muchas canciones las haya hecho solo él. Típico músico ídolo de músicos. A mí particularmente no me volvió loco. 7/10
How anyone can listen to this album and claim it is boring is beyond me, the one thing this has going for it is the sheer variety on display and a good selection of slower jams and funky dance numbers. A great album, and well worth your time.
músicas boas mas nada que mude a vida.
Estaba contenta por escuchcar prince pero la verdad que me dio paja el disco, sobre todo los últimos temas. me aburrieron. imaginate que tardé dos días en escucharlo. mid.
If I had to pick one, it's probably my favorite Prince album.
I had some trouble getting into it at the start but after that it was pretty smooth sailing. This was a good album and I enjoyed my listen. I just don't like Prince that much, but his music is solid.
Very much in my wheelhouse of albums that I would listen to again. I won't go into Prince as a person because fuck that guy but his music is at least really good. Now that he's dead I can truly separate art from the artist. Thank 2016 for that.
Just like 1999, I found this very 80s. After three albums I have come to the conclusion that I am not a Prince fan. I respect what he has done and the songs he has written, but, much like 1999, i found this dated and somewhat ordinary. The opening track was ok. The entirety of second record was significantly better than the first. I could never take the place of your man, and The Cross were by far the standout track. Second records was 4 stars and the first was barely a 3. 3 stars
before this album the only prince i know are this hits. I don’t listen to this type of music much so I don’t know if i’ll like it but I do like the prince I have heard. I also think the cover is really cool. The songs I like I really like there is a lot I can’t imagine i’d ever listen too again.
I listened through most of it. Prince has never quite been my cup of tea, for reasons I struggle to explain. I don't think I like his instrumentals, which feel sort of stripped down. And I'm not so crazy about his voice. I wish I felt differently and should probably give a more thorough listen sometime.
I'd heard great things about this album, and I was excited to listen to some more Prince. I was not prepared for the single greatest album of the 1980s. There is no single moment in the record that doesn't work, no single song that overstays its welcome. Prince was simply unwilling to allow his hits to define his sound and decided to dig even deeper, and that's before he drops what might be one of the most stunning gospel songs in all history that happens to incorporate a riff heavier than any metal song of the era. Prince looked at the entire landscape of the music scene and said "bet" and made a masterpiece.
prince goated
ooof. strikingly disappointing
pretty good, I liked if I was your girlfriend
Prince not at his best but worth a listen
It’s no Purple Rain—nothing else could ever be—and that’s what made me overlook this album. A good Prince album is better than most people’s greatest albums. This is a good Prince album with a few hits to keep the good Times rolling.
This album screams excellence but also has a truly personal edge to it no one could make something so rocking and so groovy like Prince. As a whole package it gives you some of the strongest vocals and production by Prince and with most songs giving you some of his greatest lyrics. For me what makes a good double album is the variety of the music if you are gonna give me something like this make it worthwhile really blow my mind and with sign o the times I think Prince does it greatly giving me a perfect album experience. Fav tracks: All of them
Prince is an artist who I respect but do not enjoy listening to for any extended length of time so what I did not want was a double album! There are of course brilliant moments, and I wouldn’t say there’s anything bad about this, but I’m just not a Prince fan I guess.
Surreal, strange, kind of experimental. (In an enjoyable kind of way, though.)
I don't really care for whatever style of music is that Prince does, acknowledging that he does have a few certified bangers. Those bangers were not present on this album though, so it gets 2/5 what else do you want from me
Prince is an amazing artist that I do not like. I hate his 80s production sound.
really good
Prince the experimental sassy groovy king . RIP to that beautiful man lovely album .
Always great, but far from his best
Sign "☮︎" the Times - 4/5 Play in the Sunshine - 4/5 Housequake - 4/5 The Ballad of Dorothy Parker - 4/5 It - 3/5 Starfish and Coffee - 3.5/5 Slow Love - 3.5/5 Hot Thing - 4/5 Forever in My Life - 3.5/5 U Got the Look - 4/5 If I Was Your Girlfriend - 4/5 Strange Relationship - 4/5 I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man - 4.5/5 The Cross - 4/5 It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night - 4/5 Adore - 4/5 Prince is very much a singles guy rather than an album guy. He has a few standout tracks, and then a bunch of fluff to go along with that. Even with a double album that was a compilation of 3 other albums that didn't pass "go" (including a triple album!), there's still a bunch of stuff here that feels like he's trying everything and putting in whatever he likes during recording. I've still yet to listen to Purple Rain, but at this point I think that will be my most liked out of the ones I've listened to. This is still an enjoyable (if a bit long) experience, though not really my favorite outing of his. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
Very good fun album. Prince!!!!!
To me, Prince was always in the background of my childhood, but I was never one of those people that went crazy over him. I think because I was still a child in the 80's, aside from the radio singles, his music was a bit too mature for me. I enjoy his popular songs, but there aren't any of the ones I like on this album, so I can't say this is the best Prince I've heard. It's ok.
Solid album, not my favorite Prince album, but still has a really good vibe
I liked this and have a soft spot for Prince like most people my age. Knowing his talent with vocals and instruments it’s hard not to appreciate it all! It isn’t my favorite album but liked it alot.
I’ve never understood the love for this album. It has some good qualities, but it’s nothing great.
Prince
Too much synth to really work as sexy most of the time. A few real great jams, but underwhelming.
When an undoubtedly great artist gets a little carried away, they do something like this album. Even before reading the details around its release, it is obvious that the whole thing is brimming with ideas and there was nobody to trim it down and put it in an order. That makes the album feel all over the place in a rather jarring way, making the whole experience disengaging and confusing. That's a pity, because this album has some truly magnificent moments, and I'm not even talking about the opener Sign O' The Times, which is apparently considered among Prince's greatest songs. Songs like If I Was Your Girlfriend, Slow Love, Hot Thing, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, are all great on their own, but put in the whole are lost. Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily want a streamlined/boring album that chooses a vibe and sticks with it for 80 minutes. On the contrary, I like music to go places and surprise me. My issue is that the journey here feels like chaos and I'm not enamored with Prince enough to enjoy it as it is. I mean, on top of the multiple characters, you also have some live recordings to add to the variety. All in all, that's a horrible entry to Prince's universe, but I don't regret spinning it a few times.
Not a huge fan, but good anyways
Reafirmo que Prince no me gusta
The artistry and musicianship of Minneapolis-born Prince is always understated in this sort of reviews. This is yet another proof of his talents, but the added runtime makes it feel less exceptional than '1999' or 'Purple Rain'. 8/10 [KEEP]
only listened to half (it's a long album)! but very fresh
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
Signature Prince. Playfully bending R&B, funk, rock, and gospel to his will.
Has a few good songs (I could Never, U Got the Look, Forever in my Life) but a lot of this is just ok
Could have been shorter
I don't know, I like Prince, I really do... the man was obviously a genius, but despite some definite highlights that exemplified his generational talent, I didn't quite get this one - the stylistic jumps are a little jarring in places, and the appearances of Prince's high-pitch voiced alter-ego is weird... just like when Bowie did it, but to lesser effect in my opinion. I wanted to like this more. Sorry Prince.
Очень хороший альбом Принца, в особенности хороша его первая часть
Phenomenal album. First disc is a bit more solid than the second
I think I love prince
Interesting album, Prince had some good songs
Prince may not be for me.
I could not honestly give this a 4 🤷♂️
I first listened to this album over the course of two days: one day of emotional weight and turmoil amidst discussions of love and relationships, and one day of relative calm. There is an empty and despondent sound on the intro which caught me off guard, and that sad energy underpins a lot of this album. Much of it gives off the vibe like you're partying at the end of the world; not a sudden apocalypse, but a slow end that you can see coming from a mile away. The songs jump seamlessly back and forth between pop, funk, and R&B across the entire album in a chaotic but captivating balance. In particular, I want to shout out Housequake for being exactly the kind of funk sound my brain has been seeking, with massive drum hits and an infectious groove propelling some typical funk lyrisicm. I always love a good heavy drum, and they're featured incredibly well across the whole runtime. I also hear where this blend of light, higher register vocals and spoken word passages would come to inspire artists I love nowadays like Jhyve and especially Ehiorobo. Prince's voice is just so incredibly gorgeous, especially when he jumps into his falsetto; he has such an intoxicating voice, it just sends a shiver all across my body. Highlights: Sign O' The Times, Housequake, The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, It, Slow Love, Forever In My Life, If I Was Your Girlfriend, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, The Cross, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Adore
The Artist Formerly Known As Prince or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Cheesy 80s Synth Basslines. First time I've actually been really positive on Prince - it's a sound that's become horribly outdated in the four decades since release, but I'm chalking that up to some Seinfeld Effect-esque thing rather than it being hacky for its time. All things considered it's a very strong pop album that's not afraid to step outside of the typical space of sound. It's REALLY heavily driven by some of the more experimental sound patches you can squeeze out of the Fairlight in a way that feels a little cheesy, a little quaint, yet wholly bombastic. It takes an artist like Prince to make it sound cool and it does. Like, it's a paradoxical album: it's weird pop. There's an avant-garde thing about it while still being, indisputably, pop. The album feels really up-and-down but's also consistent? I don't know, it's confusing me. All I'll say is that I kinda get it now. Fav Tracks: Sign 'O' The Times, The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, Hot Thing, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Adore
Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Echt langweilig.
One killertrack - only.
Not Princes best album but not awful to listen to. 2.5 Stars.
It’s so so so long and quite self indulgent, I don’t really get it.
Decent energy but lacks the highs of princes other work
No rescato ninguna canción en particular, pero el disco... ESPECTACULAR, buenísimo. No sé por qué pero me encantó. Está muy bueno, Prince es un genio.
I love this album but I get why it's not the favorite of others on here because it's not as funky as some of his other work. Still, it's a classic and a different more soulful side of Prince and easily his second-best album. Side 3 is incredible. Standouts: Sign o' the Times, It, U Got the Look, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Strange Relationship, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
Segundo disco que ouço do Prince, e esse ouvi com um pouco mais de atenção. É um artista que ainda tento filtrar aos poucos, ainda não cheguei naquele 'feeling' de fato, mas gostei desse. Tem uma salada de varios elementos e gêneros, tudo muito bem feito e produzido. A voz inquestionavelmente absurda, a técnica com os instrumentos. O Prince era realmente uma mente brilhante e fora da curva, mesmo pisando pouco no gramado de sua discografia isso ja é perceptível. Minha nota vai mais pro lado da relevância e importância do que exatamente o que senti do disco como um todo, mas cabe com certeza mais alguns plays nesse trabalho e no restante da discografia dele. Deixo o meu destaque pra faixa 'I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man', que achei simplesmente sensacional.
Never liked Prince, and this album didn’t change my mind
08/08/2026 The critics think this is better than Purple Rain?! Insanity. Found this disappointing and dull. Favorite track: If I Was Your Girlfriend
The drum loops are tooooo much sometimes, his voice is timeless beautiful voice and artistry, super emotional, live instrumentals are stunning. If I was your Girlfriend was great. And starfish and coffee is my favourite ever wistful whimsical song. Quite an obsessive album about love and sex and idk if my mood but I wasn’t feeling it today, felt a little overbearing and suffocating in its need. For me a 3 - based on influence it would likely be a 4
Even an 80 minute epic was a massively pared back compromise, yet still manages to remain the best representation of a prodigious talent at the zenith of his powers.
this album was just fun and energizing - i loved it! definitely a few songs on here that i'll be coming back to.
This did get me through a lot of inventorying but it is (Prince) a little too sexy for blasting on the work speakers I did that anyway which made it awkward when my boss walked in to introduce a new faculty member
this was so much fun! ik i need to listen to more prince this was just reinforcement. and i'd never heard this before 🫣
I’m not sure I love it all the way through but I get it
Only listened to part of it it but I will come back to it later
Hm, not the stuff I expected from Prince. With two discs and 1:20 runtime, this record is just too long and with this quite a bit boring.
While I appreciate this record, and everything it's trying to do it does sound a bit messy and all over the place. They are great songs in there, they are also some duds and some quite dated songs. Probably, with a lot of listening I'd get into it, loved the cross for example, but as a whole it's not my vibe, and I tried it several times.
mega mid
Didn’t vibe with most of the production or the fact that almost every song was just horny nonsense
I'm only halfway through the album and I'm already tired. Prince's discography might be good, keyword being might. I'm just not the target audience I reckon.
Great album with some nice old-school synth. It sounds pretty innovative for its time. Prince's vocals sound just thrilling.
This was very cool. The drum machine makes it all feel a bit too artificial to me, and I also missed traditional choruses on a lot of the songs. I want to like this more than I actually do. 3.5, rounding down.
there are a few serious bangers in here his own lyrics makes him sound like a sex obsessed creep
Feels like this could have been a great album, the double album stretches out some grooves into songs
Idk, Prince just isn't for me, man.
Давно хотів його послухати. Ну не погано, там навіть якийсь хіпхоповий трек є. Але загалом нудно, не моє. Не буду дослуховувати.
Good. I wasn't able to fully appreciate it, since I was tired
Fun explorative album, but lacking the song quality of Purple Rain. Excessive use of drum machine and synthesizers doesn't make this a great sounding album either, but it's overall sound grows on you. The length of the album is it's biggest flaw in my opinion. 3.5/5
3/5
not my vibe
Prince is probably the biggest example of an artist who is renowned as a legend but I just can't get into. It's a me problem, I know. Purple Rain is fine as an album, but it doesn't move me like it does most people. This isn't as good as that. Prince was still undeniably cool, but his music apparently isn't for me.
This isn't my favorite Prince record (despite containing my favorite Prince tune). It feels unwieldy to me. For me, the second disc works better than the first.
Some individual hits, but overall felt inconsistent. Not sure how I felt about this one,
Very steamy, very slutty
This was a nice break from autotune after the strokes’ and charli’s new albums
It was quirky, horny and fun, but I didn't vibe with it. No memorable moments or songs on repeat for me.
'Sign 'O' The Times' is an artist at his commercial peak making the most overblown, ambitious, and varied album of his entire career. It almost feels like a culmination of his work until then: it has some of his best ever pop singles, it has multiple swerves into different strands of psychedelia, all of which work really well, it's probably his funkiest album to date, and of course, it still has a ton of experimentation to keep it interesting. And I haven't even gotten to how genuinely fantastic a lot of these individual tracks are! The title track is a fantastic minimalistic funk tune and a great bit of social commentary, 'Play In The Sunshine' is one of his poppiest and best ever songs, 'It' has one of my favorite vocal performances by him, and the entirety of the second disc is near flawless. 'The Cross' might be his best ever deep cut. This isn't my favorite Prince album...but it is closer than you'd think.
3eme album de Prince après '1999' que j'avais détesté (1/5) et 'Purple Rain' trop moyen pour me donner envie de l'écouter de nouveau (2/5). Malheureusement c'est un double album. Et dès le premier morceau (morceau lent de plus de 5 mn, répétitif donc ennuyeux) j'ai senti que je vais avoir du mal à aller au bout. Le second morceau est un peu plus dynamique, mais le 3eme une vraie purge. J'ai jeté l'éponge au 4eme. =>1/5
I hate that man's stupid whiny voice.
First time really listening to Prince. Liked it a fair bit, but didn't blow my mind. Faves: Slow Love, I could never take the place of your man, U got the look Rating: 7.7
Fresh!
хороший альбом принца, но надо будет потом переслушать что бы точнее оценку поставить
All timer easy 5 I’m partial to 1999 (which I’m sure will show up here sometime) but this might be better
Ei parasta princeä
Possibly my favorite discovery from this entire project so far.
Road trip album 1. Couldn't have asked for a better way to kick it off
whaddaya know, still a masterpiece. when i saw the concert film rerelease in IMAX someone brought a tambourine and it was awesome
That live track is a blast. Not bad. Just not my thing, overall.
Beautiful, lowkey, fun despite the sometime dreary but meaningful lyrics, that said i only really like half the album so i can’t glaze this that hard. Standouts are the title track, Dorothy Parker, Starfish and Coffee, Slow Love, Strange Relationship and It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.
Listened to it a couple of times but couldn't get into it all that much.
Good vibes and that's it.
6/10 Best songs: Sign O' The Times, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Adore I have to say, I was excited when I got Prince today - I was hoping for something really interesting or exciting. I soon discovered that the album has a lot of songs about sex and drugs sung against a backdrop of 80s synths and sounds heavily inflected by 70s disco and Motown. It isn't awful by any means, but I found that it started and ended really well, and everything in between ends up being largely forgettable.
RATING: 9/10 HIGHLIGHT: I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man LOWLIGHT: Hot Thing
Monday, 20 July, 2026 Killer album. Some amazing lines. Great songs. “…if you set your mind free, baby, maybe you’d understand!”
Didn't really land for me this one. Was surprsingly bored and found this really started dragging on after a few tracks. Favourite song was probably The Cross.
Loved it, first time actually listening to Prince
Ok, I get it. Something about this was so effortless
Good! Very good. Just not the best
It was good/ no Raspberry Beret, but good : ))
I love Prince. Such a talent and powerhouse artist. Strangely, while recognizing all his skills and vision, I don’t connect to this album. It’s ranked as one of his best, but I’ll take Purple Rain any day.
Correcto
This album felt more like a concert than an album. And that’s not like, my favorite thing? It was a good album but I thought I was close to the end and then It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night just kept going forever. This is like, a very high 3 for me. Season: True Summer Favorite Song: Housequake
A super small amount of highlights in an album just full of lowlights
So much fun and unbelievably horny. No way to talk about Prince without stating the obvious but damn this guy can do a lot of genres very well. Only not a 5 because it's too long for me.
I hate prince so this could be an endurance test 120 mins of his purple purpleness Now listened and it was alright.knew some of the hits and some other great tracks especially the cross. Listened on car my 30 yr old son liked it
I know this is a wildly unpopular opinion of this album (and honestly all of Prince's work) but I just don't get it AT ALL. I gave it a fair shot but I truly disliked this entire album. It was too cheesy and annoying to me for me to understand why it is held in such high regard. Reading the glowing reviews most others are leaving for this album makes me feel like I'm the confused person in The Emperor's New Clothes story. Again, not saying I'm right and everyone else is wrong, but man do I not get why Prince is put up on a pedestal, and this album didn't do anything to help me understand it. It feels like if anyone else had released this album it would have been panned and been a flop but maybe I'm wrong.
The top two reviews are wild. "So much of Prince's catalog is phenominal [sic]. This album just doesn't have any of those songs, I guess." "Prince didn't have good albums, only few good songs." Ask any fan of Prince, most will probably say that this is his magnum opus. (Though I'm more of a fan of Dirty Mind - and, beats me why it's not on this list but so many Costello and Bowie albums are.) I would argue that it's the best ALBUM that Prince made, simply because he was at the height of his creativity here in terms of putting American music in a blender. No longer could he be called a "rock" or "funk" or "R&B" artist - simply an ARTIST in every since of the word. Let's go through side A as an example - the title track is haunting, cold, bitter. Dark, bluesy riffs, cavernous drum and bass. Not at all what you'd call party music but a sober realization of the world inherited at the time. "Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling off a church and killed everyone inside You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died Sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it And we're sending people to the moon In September, my cousin tried reefer for the very first time Now he's doing horse—it's June" Then, Prince blows us away with a Paisley Park inspired psychedelic ride with "Play in the Sunshine", filled with optimism and bouncy, complex guitar and drum structures. "Housequake" follows, with the strangest tempo, in the key of C♯ major (??), with a non-traditional structure where a new kind of dance music is attempted. "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", with its dialogue and experimental mix, borders on a new form of R&B not yet explored. That's side A alone - the rest continues with Prince's ability to twist emotions and drive for experimentation that he would perhaps never top again. Be it the crooner cheese of "Slow Love", the sensational psychedelic "Starfish and Coffee", the funky, weird "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (introducing his alter-ego Camille), pop-rocker "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", and the only great Christian rock anthem maybe ever, "The Cross". As a fan of rhythm, texture, and drums and guitars, this is such a paradise for my ears. To enjoy this, you have to already be open to everything that makes pop and rock music great. Prince celebrated this here, and his live band and performances at the time were second to none. A master craftsman in every sense, with all of the tools. I can understand that as an album it might be turn people off, but for every critique, far more people of every background imaginable have joined the party. This album is unlike anything I've heard before or since. Simply essential in every way.
I don’t get these acclaim. The drums on every song is so loud and everything else sounds so buried, there’s some great guitar parts and synths all through this that are just so hard to connect with. And then the songs themself just feel like loops repeating forever with only little licks as variation. I like a lot of prince singles, but I don’t get why this album is so highly acclaimed. Maybe it’s just me?
I don't know. This is the first time I've listened to Prince's album, and I didn't really get it. Maybe I'm just not in the right mood, or maybe this music sounds a bit too old-fashioned for me. Overall, the songs seem like a mishmash of a bunch of genres and styles. I didn't hear anything particularly outstanding in his voice either. I still don't understand the hype and fame surrounding him.
I think Price is pretty cool, even if his music isn't quite my taste, and you have to appreciate his talent for instruments.
Wow! I wasn't sure about what to expect from this one, as I'm very much a novice when it comes to Prince, but I think this album may have converted me. The musicianship is sublime, the production is tight, each track is better than the last, and I found myself properly grooving here. Can't wait to explore more of Prince's discography as soon as possible. Favourite track: It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night Least favourite track: N/A
It’s not something I would listen to and it’s too long, but it is good music
With the hit singles being so iconic, it seems a no-brainer to dive into the albums for more treasure! But that is strange territory indeed, and not a welcoming place for the casual lister like myself I should have stopped after the title track
Are everywhere these days. Be prepared, everyone.
First time listening to Prince outside the hits on the radio, and thought it was an excellent ride. There's so much powerful R&B pop energy here that as soon as the train takes off it keeps going strong till the end. It being a solo double album is impressive and that he had to cut it down from a triple speaks to his raw creative force. The Camille sections are an interesting choice and work for the most part, I think vocally Prince nails the style of songs on display. I preferred Disc 2 in general in terms of songs that I was immediately drawn in to but 1 has a lot of great songs too. I will probably but throwing this album on here and there for the rest of my days.
Мені подобається purple rain, тому я очікувала більшого. Це доволі нудно
I’ve generally liked Prince in the past, but this album didn’t do much for me. I found it overly long and quite dull. A few songs I liked, but even there no big stand outs. 2.5/5
Prince’s best album Has a wide range of music. Highlights: Sign of the Times, You got the look, if I was your girl friend, the Cross. Prince plays all kinds of instruments. Writes his songs. The artist of the decade. A classic. Five stars
I, ashamedly, had never heard a Prince album front to back with the exception of Purple Rain (which I know every lyric of). This had some great songs, a few good and a couple I hit the skip button on. He created it all, played it, sang it…it’s Prince so an extra point added.
best thing on here so far
One of Prince's best albums
not my favorite prince album- some okay stuff in here.
I know Prince is a legend and I’m happy to listen to a complete album of his now. The story of Prince’s cameo on the show New Girl is what I like to see famous people do with their fame. Apparently he always watched the show on tour and was a huge fan. He wanted to be the reason Nick and Jess end up dating. So he asked the show if he could be on it to facilitate that. They of course accepted and he played himself in the show where he gives Nick and Jess relationship advice at a Super Bowl party. Apparently on set he only called Jake Johnson by his character name Nick.
Sign 'O' The Times is quite fun, a lot of different funky tracks that are really groovy and just a good time to listen too. This was such a refresher, the most memorable song that stuck with me was Starfish and Coffee, such a catchy song and the chorus is just fun, I can feel my fingers snapping to the beat.
I think this was too 80s for me, there were moments I liked, but I think there are other prince albums that I would prefer to listen to over this one. MY house did in fact NOT quake.
I want Prince to dress me
I see why Prince was considered a sex symbol. HIs charisma and confidence is off the charts. I enjoyed Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Forever In My Life. U Got the Look is very 80s. If I was Your Girlfriend was CREEPY!
There is stilll sooo muchh too listen to in it i liked the disc 1 tbh
Shut up, already. Damn.
Standouts: Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing. Strange Relationship makes me want to call the domestic abuse hotline.
Outstanding. A remarkable album from him at or close to his best.
Nicht mein Ding. Zu durcheinander, hektisch, chaotisch. Mir fehlen klare Melodien und ein roter Faden. Klingt alles sehr nach Jamsession und künstlerischer Expression.
Like most Prince albums there are some great tracks (the singles) while the rest is often pretty average. This album is no different.
Wasn't bowled over, there were a few tracks I didn't enjoy at all, but overall the album is ok.
Album #203 Prince: Sign ‘O’ The Times I can only really blame my increasing distaste for Prince on this list. Before, I wasn’t a huge fan or anything, but I enjoyed Purple Rain a decent amount like everyone else. But because of this list, I’ve had to endure 3 Prince albums in one week, with two of them being double albums, and all three of them leaving me feeling like I need a shower. After my bad experience with 1999, I kept hearing that Sign ‘O’ The Times was actually Prince’s best, so I figured maybe down the line I would give it a spin; the list, however, felt that it was incredibly important that day came as soon as possible. Perhaps if I had given the proper time for my tastes to adapt and put my prior Prince experiences behind me, I would have enjoyed this album, but unfortunately, as it stands, this is just another bloated, uncomfortable mess, which clearly was not made for me. If I had to single out one thing that bothers me here more than the other Prince releases, it would probably be the amount of unnerving high-pitched voices that he puts on, but to be honest, most of my grievances have been universal amongst his albums. Not the worst thing ever, obviously, and sure, every now and then there is an enjoyable tune, but my god, am I sick of hearing Prince. Best Songs: U Got The Look, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Sign ‘O’ The Times Worst Song: It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night Score out of 10: 5
First time listening to a Prince album, and I was surprised how much I liked it. Such a fun sound.
Love Prince
#372 This was bobbins, the vocals for the most part were very strange and the production was very of its time. I can tell it’s influential from listening (in addition to knowing how influential Prince was) but it wasn’t until the last few tracks where I found something I genuinely liked. It was long and bloated too, I genuinely expected better from Prince - maybe I’ll get on better with other albums of his. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die? ❌ Fave track(s): The Cross Rating: 4/10 ⭐️⭐️
I got halfway through this album and while it had like around 2 songs that were good, it just doesn't really seem like anything that special.
What a jam. Its so varied. Prince was truly one of his own. This record has everything. Great storytelling, interesting genre fusions, pop anthems, guitar solos, power ballads. Really cool and unique lyrics and storytelling elements. I like kind of shifts genders and POVs throughout. I enjoyed everything on this record. Truly a masterpiece.
Prince's magnum opus? More like magnum bloatus, ammirite?!
Sorry haters
🔥🔥🔥
Was never a fan of Prince
Its release in 1987 was like a gusting hurricane. After Around the World… kind of stunk, Parade had brought the fun back a little, until the Cherry Moon movie killed the vibes. My expectations were pretty low for Sign O’, so what a beautiful surprise it was to hear Prince unfettered and alive again. Funky, nasty, heartfelt and really really strange sometimes, Sign O’ was P’s magnum opus. It stayed in heavy rotation in my car for months. It’s not perfect, of course. He indulges himself in Christian moralizing more than once and some songs just kind of churn on instead of ending sharply. But it’s a risky, wild album that doesn’t care about your opinions, and lays down some legendary tracks.
Not sure if it’s for me
prince always eats i fear
Prince isn't really for me but I can understand his pop appeal
Prince is incredible
I’ve said in other reviews that I am not crazy about Prince, but totally respect his talent. Having said this, I enjoyed this album more than I expected…but I disagree with the critics, in that I prefer Purple Rain. Regarding this record, I could do without the drumming machine and altered vocal pitch; I find both of these really annoying. Anyway, this one comes in at three stars.
The first part of the album took some building to get to, but when you get to the second side of the album this too he really picks it up. Very strange album to listen to while working at a bar, but Prince definitely shows great vocal performance on this album and you can see why it’s got recommended. I barely knew any song on this album so great first listen maybe we’ll grow on me the more I listen to it, but as of right now, I think I’m gonna give it a 3
Oh, thank you, thank you! Alright. I love this. I have loved this. The use of the drum machine, the WAY he used it, Prince’s pitching his voice up, these were revolutionary and their impact is still being felt not just in RnB, but across musical genres, imo. BUT, it’s a dang double album. It was going to be a triple album! Thank god someone prevailed on him to cut it back. I’ve seen it compared to Stevie’s Songs in the Key of Life and I think that’s a fair comparison. Both have the feeling of artists at the top of their game wanting to get it ALL out, not necessarily create a single great work. I just can’t give either a 5 because I get fatigued if I try to listen in a single sitting. But that’s the only reason. It doesn’t have the individual hits that Purple Rain does, but every song is great. It just should have been TWO albums. 4 Boolean: TRUE
Little bit o this, little bit o that ahh album. Honestly, I can understand why this is perhaps one of the most influential albums of the late 80's and early 90's. You can hear an evidently transitory sound in Prince's instrumentation, incorporating more of the artificial "pop-y" sound into it's style. Yes, this was also the case in many 80's songs, but what I heard in this album was the CLEAR shift into the modern music world. Personally, not my cup of tea, some of the songs were rather sporadic and the album as a whole felt more like a compilation of good times in the studio, rather than a cohesive piece of work (which is what I personally enjoy).
Not his best
Prince: Notable Textzeile: Play in the sunshine Gonna love all our enemies 'Til the gorilla falls off the wall Am Anfang war ich sehr begeistert von der Behauptung des Jams, bei dem trotzdem alles so laid back und cool genau da hin gehört wo es ist und auch von dem Text- und Gesangsgestus des „das fällt mir so zu und gerade ein und wir sliden hier gemeinsam durch“. Das hat bei Housequake schon langsam aufgehört, weil es da so überdreht und ausgewalzt wurde. Nach 80 Minuten muss ich sagen, über die Hälfte der Songs bräuchte ich nicht, aber der Sound ist einfach verdammt gut. Eigentlich brauche ich daher gar nicht so viele und unterschiedliche Princesongs. Gerade auch weil sich mir die Dramaturgie der Alben, falls es eine gibt, nicht so recht erschließen mag. Es wäre voll schön ein Princealbum zu finden, dass man immer wieder anmachen möchte, was kein Best-Off ist. Ich denke dass das hier nicht dieses Prince Album ist. Daher und wg der Längen eine 3. P.S. I‘m back, hoffe dass das so bleibt.
Bunter Strauss Kreativität, der ungefähr alle Genres abdeckt und doch einzigartig ist. Für mich ist hier am Deutlichsten, was für ein musikalisches Talent Prince hatte. Textlich geht's dann so irgendwie um alles, warum auch nicht, man hat ja Platz auf nem Doppelalbum. Zu viel Platz? Ich hätte ein paar Kürzungsideen, finde das Kaleidoskop der Stimme und Stimmung aber auch cool hier. Produktion ist trotzdem schäbig und sehr 80er.
Wieder mal aus der Kategorie "ne halbe Stunde weniger hätte es auch getan". Songs werden dann sehr beliebig obwohl dass alles schon sehr cool groovt. Irgendwie fehlt dann aber auch so ein echter Hit an dem man sich gesthalten kann.
Side B is way better but this is still a pretty good album. I do feel like Prince can do a lot better though
A great album with amazing variety, it just didn’t grab me. Which feels silly to say as I know how iconic and talented prince is. I know it’s a good album it’s just not my favourite
sexy beat, sexy bass, sexy booty, sexy baby
I went to see The Cure the other day, and apparently Robert Smith thinks Starfish and Coffee was one of the best songs of the 80s and I loathe to disagree with anything he says. Personally I'd say Sign O' The Times and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man are the standouts. I know it's a double album but I do think it could have been trimmed a bit, the last two tracks don't really end on a high so it's a 4 rather than a 5 from me.
Not the best choice for prince
Good album that maybe deserved more of my undivided attention to appreciate.
This is a five for me. I could never take the place of your man is an all time fav.
I didn't hear much for hooks here and I need hooks.
Half great. Half not great. For me, like all Prince.
Day 314 Damn near pop perfection, Princes run of albums in the 80’s is just insane. Highlights Sign o the times Strange relationship I could never take the place of your man
Ugh I hate Prince. Everything so so funky and horny. He’s like a pick me.
initial reaction: FUCK YEH!!! Great album, will gladly listen repeatedly ☺ Well this was fun nostalgia, but it's only getting 4 stars because there are othere Prince albums which I would listen to in preference... hopefully also on this list somewhere!!
This was a tough one for me. I love his voice, I liked a handful of it but a couldn’t fully get into it. Some of the lyrics gave me the ick but I’ve always struggled to not be totally creeped out by Prince. The back half was definitely more enjoyable, ‘I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man’ was the standout for me.
First set of tracks sound dated but it picks up on 2nd disc to awesomeness.
Second disc is one of the best albums of the decade, first disc is good but has some weak tracks. Tempted to go 5* anyways but think it's more of a 4 for now
Another record that really upsets me, becuase at its best points it's phenomenal - but it goes on way too long, and some of that time is wasted on fluff.
This was an iconic 80s pop album. It maybe went on a bit too long, but I actually enjoyed jamming to it.
Very much the same and completely different from the albums I know much better. It’s ok, but I prefer the other stuff much more.
I prefer a more bombastic Prince
2,2/5
Widely considered by many to be Prince’s Magnum Opus, his greatest accomplishment, his masterpiece. I don’t really disagree with it but I’m personally way more of a Purple Rain and Dirty Mind fan. 7/10
This album literally made me want to jump up and paint and entire mural. The creative energy pulsing through this album was too good not to hear, and I really liked it. Personally not the album that I would rush to listen to, still an amazing display of artistry from Prince.
Rate: 8/10
This record shows Princes range. Small love songs to huge funky rocking bangers. It also contains two of my favourite Peince tracks of all time: the title track and The Cross.
Probably my favorite 80's Prince album. I do feel like a couple songs could have been trimmed out, and it might have been perfect. Some absolute classics, and some stellar deep cuts.
This shit is so funky I love it. Haven't listened to much Prince outside of the big hits. There are parts of this that feel unfortunately dated and then there are parts that genuinely futuristic. Put on your good time hat and chill. If I had a complaint besides a handful of dated sounds would be that it's a bit on the longer side. Maaaaybe closer to a 3 than a 5 for me. Hard to pick between 3 and 4, it really depends on the track you're on here.
great album, will listen again
I thought this was good, man! It’s a double album... but it didn’t feel like it dragged at any point. It’s an 80’s album with lots of synthesisers... but didn’t feel particularly dated. And I’ve never really been a Prince fan… but I dig his style here! Musically I think this album is on-point. I really like the range of instruments and approaches. There’s a lot of good hooks and funky upbeat grooves, and like some of his other albums it seems to get better as it goes on. Maybe he just gets under your skin a bit. It’s not necessarily one I’ll revisit, but my stance on Prince has maybe shifted that little bit more. He’s a real artist. 3.5 rounded up.
Not a big fan, I liked some songs but mostly filler. Not bad either, just indifferent
One of the better Prince albums
It seems a bit unfair that one man has this much talent. There's a concert video of him performing songs from this album and it shows him hitting the stage and working the crowd like a mix of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Cab Calloway. It's amazing to watch. There are songs here that are as good as anything Michael Jackson ever did and the album probably should be mentioned in the same breath as Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life as peak R&B. It might be suggested that some of the songs go on a bit long, but when the grooves are this tight - and no-one could hit a Groove like Prince - who's complaining? Spirituality, politics, sex, relationships, more sex - it's all here and it's all good. Masterpiece.
okok I think i get prince now (didn't before). Classic songwriting with fun risks. Kinda Zappa (less silly) and Pink Floyd (almost rock opera vibes) but with more funk and sexuality. Excellent musicianship and production.
This album never pulled me in, not for a full song at least. Take into account that it's way too long and both glorifies sinning and Christianity at the same time, easy
This was a 5-star great album that reflected the times in which it was produced in a great way. Then "If I Was Your Girlfriend" came on and I almost threw up from the cringe. That was a song people liked? Like without having a gun at their head? Like non-ironically? That song ruined this album.
188. ok
This might be the single greatest album I’ve been served on the generator. It was so good I stopped listening to the new selections and just kept listening to this. A few days before, I had been served Prince’s 1999 and the contrast is just amazing. This album is so elaborately plotted, revealing a sonic and lyrical world that feels entirely unique to Prince’s oeuvre. Shame on me for not listening to this (or Prince) sooner.
The Title track, ‘Play in the Sunshine’, ‘Ballad of Dorothy Parker’ and ‘Slow Love’ are my favourites on this album A very good album all in all from the Rock Maestro Prince! Rating: 4/5 GEMV (11.06.2026)
It could have been a good album if not for the runtime. You could easily cut half the tracks and it would only get better. As it is, it's typical Prince
2026.06.21.
A one man musical genius.
I’m not a Prince fan but had the chance to see him live once and he was nothing short of amazing. While a pale version of that live experience, there’s a hint of his brilliance in this album.
Disc 2 of this is vastly better than disc 1 (excepting the title track which is great), and if it were just that it'd be an easy five stars. Excess filler on disc 1 takes it to a four.
AIDS, house parties, religion and altar egos. Yes!
Sexy songs, sexy man.
Thoughts before listening: A sprawling double album from Prince that throws a ton of different ideas and styles at the wall, with most of them sticking. I feel like Purple Rain and 1999 get all the praise from Prince's heyday, but this is the music nerd pick for best album. I own this on vinyl, but its been a few years since I have listened. I am glad to have a reason to put it back on. Review: It's amazing that this works so well but it really does. It's pop, it's rock n roll, it's soul, it's gospel, it's punk, it's funk, it's many different things mixed together into one pretty amazing album. 5-stars
did not like it
I'm mostly okay with 80s pop but this is eh. A few songs I could do back to when the mood strikes but likely won't go back to this one
Sign O' The Times shows Prince moving his sound forward. From the opening notes, this album has a freshness that I think was missing from some of the earlier records in his catalogue. Early on, the title track is a highlight, along with Housequake. The synths are adding to the appeal rather than dragging songs down with their simplicity. There's a nice variety of styles here too... seeming to point the way forward for a lot of pop music through the early 90s. Songs like "It" and "U Got The Look" are full of sounds later lifted by artists like Gary Numan (who even covered U Got The Look in 1992). I'm not as into the ballads here and the longer this went on the less interested I was. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night got to be a real drag. With more listens I might figure out what my single-LP version of this double album is -- and I bet that would be something I return to. I'm not sure I'm going to give a Prince record 5 stars, but I've been a lot more impressed than I expected to be so far.
Some nice bits but not sure I believe the hype
I don’t think I really get Prince. His albums get hyped and ranked amongst the best ever, but I thought this was just alright. It’s 80s pop with Michael Jackson rip off vocals. Some good tracks here, including the opener, but equally some absolute cringe like Housequake, Hot Thing and If I Was Your Girlfriend.
One of my favourites
Wish this one was a Friday one ..so I could listened to it multiple times an old favourite.
Brilliant
4/5
prince's combination of immaculate attention to detail and incredible sense of style applies across genres, it seems. varied enough to not get worn out across a double lp, and the vocal performances are fantastic. only real negative is some of the lyrics are kinda sus, but they're certainly not worse than contemporaries
Prince is great
Nice interesting album yet not really for me a bit too theatrical
I’m a fan of old school Prince. I had the posters on my wall when I was a young teenager. Saw him during his Purple Rain tour. He was fantastic. But the last album I bought from him in the 80’s was Around the World in a Day. He kind of lost me after that, due to changing musical interests on my part and his. I was not a fan of this one. He’s incredibly talented but this was not good in my opinion.
Prince put out great music for decades before he left this place and his talent is not debatable. His presence on this project does not remotely surprise me. That being said this is not some of his best work and I would put his other compilations well ahead of this one. U Got That Look was the lone star of this collection. The rest of the songs are funky like Prince was known to be, but are all about the same level of musicality.
The musical equivalent of a neck tattoo … YOU might think it’s cool, but there should have been more than a few people telling you not to do it and you should have listened to them. This is what happens when a great musician is given too much creative control and stops listening to the advice of others.
AC/DC have released 16 studio albums and they all rock. Truth is we all know they have maybe 5 different songs, but somehow they got 16 albums out of 5 songs and people love AC/DC and all their albums. Prince released 39 albums, first of all wrap your mind around that..thirty nine! We all know Prince has maybe 10 songs and he somehow got 39 albums out of those 10 songs. The difference is Prince pushed is luck and reworked those 10 songs over too many albums, and some of his albums are bad. This is one of those bad albums.
если честно моментами спать хочется, но пару бэнгеров есть, 3/5
I honestly do not get the hate towards this album. I, for one, think the tracks were groovy and instrumentally advanced for something that came out in this period.
Creative and engagin, quite liked this long album! Also can clearly hear the influence it had on contemporary music.
Fantastic album, but it’s not my absolute favorite of his. It’s hard to say anything negative about Prince, but this isn’t an album I want to listen to over and over right away, which is why I didn’t give it 5 stars.
No es mi estilo
ujdzie tbh nie chce mi sie tego sluchav
A very 80s sound to me. I usually don't love Prince but this time there were a few songs that I enjoyed! A good vibe and nothing more than that.
(57/100)
A pretty safe album - gorgeous voice of course (see Adore). None of the tracks are particularly standout
Funky n’ Freaky
Prince has a mythology surrounding him that truly paints him as more than a person. I often think about the performance where he throws his guitar into the air and it seemingly doesn’t return. Or the super bowl performance when he plays one of his most iconic tracks, Purple Rain, in a downpour. Prince was undoubtedly a master showman, but this album proves definitively that not only did he know how to perform, he was a spectacular musician and writer too. Sign O’ the Times is as diverse as the length would suggest, experimenting with robust diversity in the music. You get harder, more bombastic tracks like Housequake immediately followed by the story telling bass strumming of The Balad of Dorothy Parker, only two of the massive and well deserved 16 track length. To say it as best as I can, I defer to Prince: “You got the look”.
Obviously there were brilliant moments but some of it was just not my bag. Too RNB or something. That said, hard to deny the talent and artistry. Liked the 1st disc over the 2nd.
For me Prince is an odd artist. I either end up being a fan of an album or just finding it extremely boring. This one definitely falls in the first category. Man this was a blast to listen to. The title track and ‘The Cross’ were the highlights for me but for a max rating from me it needed one more exclamation mark. 4/5
Brilliant album. Full of energy and catchy melody. Typically Prince. It's aged surprisingly well.
I do not like prince bro - im sorry.
SO MUCH FUN. It’s funky, fun and full of energy. Special mention for Play in the Sunshine, Hot Thing and I Could Never Take The Place of your Man. By far my favourites. Also loved the sitar on The Cross. I’ve listened to 2 Prince albums now and his music is amazing. Who knew? Trim out some of the less interesting songs and this would be a 5. It’s still a strong 4 though
A long album with only one hit song. It’s not bad, but it’s not very good. Favourite: Sign o’ The Times
Not my thing.
Sadly couldn't find anywhere to listen to this in full.
Feels like heresy but I really didn’t think this was amazing.. as good as Prince is across the board, this was just a bit too much for me today. And maybe that’s just it - on another day I would appreciate this for what it is/could be and rate it higher. Overall 2.75/5 today
Here's to the nameless record executive who fought to limit this album to 80 minutes. Thank you.
I mean it’s Prince. A musical genius. Fav song - it’s going to be a beautiful night.
I just don't get this album. I love Purple Rain. I don't know if I've listened all the way through his other albums, but this album just seemed weak. From everything else I've heard from Prince this just wasn't up to par. 2/5.
Not the best prince album for me
I'm always impressed by the sheer breadth of what Prince was able to do pretty much all on his own, and this album feels like a culmination of it all. There's the funk he made his name on, some of the hard rock that we all knew he was capable of, and the psychedelia he got interested in after Purple Rain. Unfortunately, the songs just aren't as memorable as they were on his previous albums. I could see this one being a big grower some day if I could get past the 80 minute runtime, but as of right now it's easily my least favorite of his albums that I've heard.
i love him
I don't know, I am not really a Prince person, but the album was alright for leaving in the background while doing other things. This is a fairly old one, so I assume it would've been pretty cool back in the day.
I don’t mind Prince’s music, but it’s not something I seek out. I also enjoy other albums more than this one. Some of the songs felt like they dragged on a bit.
This album is the answer to question I never thought would have a Yes as the answer and that is "Could Prince Make A Bad Album". WOOF, Starfish And Coffee was TRASH. I could not imagine Prince writing songs this bad, but here we are. Started strong with the title track for the album and of course U Got The Look and If I Was Your Girlfriend are strong songs but not enough to save this from a low star count.
How does the p man do it???
Disc 1: As a Minnesotan I feel guilty that this cocktail on disc 1 just doesn’t work for me. Most of the tracks remind me of Saturday morning cartoon themes, but if cocaine was in the breakfast cereal (not derogatory). 30 seconds of every song are heavenly, and I can see how the “what the fuck is going on” vibe could be fun at a concert. At worst some of the tracks remind me of the “RZA unironically cooks up a trash beat” (derogatory). Disc 2: Melodies slap harder on this disk. Much more intelligible and focused on this side. ‘It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night’ is fucking awesome. I might need to dig for the best Prince live album to find what I’m looking for from him. Disc 1 is a 2, disc 2 is a 4, so 3 overall.
I got up to hot thing before noping out. I appreciate the attention to detail and the one man bandiness of it all, but it's all so incredibly stiff. The run time is kinda ludicrous for what was going on and pretty self indulgent. I can see there's a lot to appreciate monument wise but it's not for me.
the first 4 tracks are awfull and boring as shit. Starfish and coffee was the first really good sounding track on the album for me, from now on the album turns listenable, but its not an absolute masterpiece at all. i really thank god and the universe that the artificial drumming is no longer a trending, i really hate that shitty artificial sound of some 80s albums. Its a 3 stars for me
Classic
another prince album today. this right here is his first solo venture after disbanding with his band, the revolution. now that prince is by himself, he's essentially alone in a warehouse, constructing a strange and sexy world unique to him. i only have but more praise to give the guy. you know me, i like musicians that experiment and play around with sound, and prince's sound is just... trademarked. nobody has and nobody will write songs like that guy. even with some of the same equipment that plenty of others have used in the past, prince will use those machines in a way that's so offbeat and so delightfully different compared to everyone else. this is probably the first time prince allowed himself to say and do whatever he felt like with little filters. well, unless we're talking about a helium voice filter. then in that case, i guess there's some filters!