Reviews (page 5 of 13)
A fantastic offering from Prince. Era defining sound, with all the Prince-ness you could ask for. Put this one on anytime you need a Prince fix and you won't be disappointed.
The title track, "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "U Got the Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend," "Strange Relationship", and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" are the best tracks on Prince's 9th album. The rest are serviceable and less memorable. 3.7 stars rounded up.
Pretty good
Prince is one talented motherfucker man. 2 hour albums are typically a recipe for disaster but this one is a banger all the way through. Might be a 5 but this is my first listen so playing it safe with a 4
4.0 Catching up on reviews so my memory is a little fuzzy on the details. I think if you were a huge prince fan, this would be your favorite album
Really good. Is it a 5 tho?
I saved a couple songs but I guess it makes it a 3? watched the movie so it's now a 4
Vibey, great tracks all trough. Though Prince has better projects, but that says more about Prince's genius than about the quality of this double LP.
Moments
I've heard this before. The last time I heard this album was the first time, and that was just recently. I remember digging this and noticing how very Prince this album is. Now I know where Childish Gambino gets his influence from. A lot of this reminds me of Childish Gambino artist. Great album.
He was quite the star.
No problem listening through any Prince album.
Absolute horn dog
Prince is great! This is one of his more ok albums but still really good!
I mean, c'mon dude. "Slow Love," "Adore," "If I Was Your Girlfriend," "Starfish & Coffee???!!!" Are you kidding me?
Haha Prince is such an amazing weirdo. Feels dumb to write anything about him. He's Prince. Telling stories. Shredding guitar. Moaning androgynously. The fact that he did this one without The Revolution is cool in that he was able to make a great album apparently single-handedly, but also a bummer knowing more of his story and how close he was to those folks, and how isolated he became. Not my favorite Prince but enjoyed listening multiple times. 3.5
Great Album and one of my favourites. 4/5
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Despite growing up in the 80s and in Minnesota...never been a huge Prince fan. Respect the musicianship and the talent, just wasn't my thing. I'll tell you what's selling me on this though...the jam in the 2nd half of I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man into the slow burner and fantastic build of the Cross. Now that's good stuff.
+20 pingüino pecho frio
An excellent album. Incredibly varied and creative. There is just so much here to get hold of, I feel like I need to listen again. 4/5
I'd always been under the impression this was Prince's What's Going On, his big social conscience/state of the nation album, but that's just the title track really. We're soon on to the Ballad of Dorothy Parker, the heartwarming story of how Prince agreed to take a bath with a waitress he'd just met, but warned her he'd be wearing his underpants out of respect for his girlfriend. (Spoiler alert: they don't stay on.) That's not a criticism - I like my Prince funky, funny and filthy.
We really loved our two album sets in the 80s and 90s, huh? Overall good.
Great album. I love prince. Honestly liked it better than purple rain
Oozes 80s prince. Hooked me with the first base line. Will be revisiting this one
I expected this to be an easy 5 stars, but damn, it just wasnt that good. None of the hits, no songs that stood out, nothing special. Still, it's Prince so it wasn't bad, but I expected more.
Loved the Sign o the times song, didn’t love any of the others.
Prince is always a good time.
Some of Prince's greatest ever recorded songs mixed with some dull pieces make this an uneven yet fascinating album.
I always love anything from Prince but this was my first front-to-back album listen from him. He was one horny dude.
Nach Queens gahts natürli ned lang bis de chli Prinz ade Reihe isch. Au en Künstler woni eifach paar Bangers kenne und mich no nie ah sini 25 Albe heregwagt han, darum happyhappy dass das mal passiert isch. Und de chlini Prinz sprudlet ja nur so vo sex-appeal, funk und viel sassyness, alles was mer a somene sunnige ziistig brucht! Paar tracks dezwüsche sind wider recht experimental aber alles andere Würd ned zu dem sexy boy passe! Vier fabelhafti Prinzerolle + no chli restkrümmel vomene 5te!
"Genre-bending album, encompassing genres like rock, funk, soul, pop, and even touches on gospel and blues."
Good album pretty smooth with couple funky tracks
Peak Prince. Mostly awesome.
I haven't heard a full Prince thing, I only really knew Controversy (great song) so I was excited about this one and seeing what I would get out of one of his albums, which surprise surprise it's GOOD I think the biggest thing I enjoyed from listening to it was just how... the songs seemed to start one way and segued into something different entirely which I enjoyed because it made most of the songs more interesting and varied than I initially imagined, plus Prince's a force as a vocalist. Just, obviously great
It's Prince. Not sure what else there is to say. Thanks to the sounds used it It, I now wanna play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Prince was a weird dude whose music sometimes astounds me, sometimes makes me cringe, but pretty much always makes an impression.
This fun, very quirky experimental songs going on. Housequake is nice and funky, fun It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night is funky and fun too! Best track - Housequake or Sign o the Times or It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night
Going with my gut after only one listen, will be giving this some more time I’m sure ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prince is an exceptional musician and while I appreciated the music the lyrics kept me from giving it a 5.
Crazy how Prince made one of the best rock albums of the 80s AND one of the best soul albums of the 80s. This album along with Purple Rain are Prince's best projects in my opinion. Might even be better than Purple Rain honestly. I will say disc two isn't as strong as disc one, but it has its moments most notably "Adore". Favorite track: Adore 4.5/5
Pretty good album in Prince unmistakable style. I'm not sure if I have ever heard this album all the way through before but it was really good with some great beats and excellent lyrics/vocals. I'm sure I will listen to this many more times.
A colossal and quite creative album that takes some weird turns but consistently dazzles. I’m not even the biggest fan of him personally, but I still think Prince probably hasn’t quite earned his due as one of our best all-around musicians. Best song: Adore
4/5 Feels more minimal and synth/club oriented than a grand operatic album like ‘Purple Rain’; Closer to the likes of Kraftwerk. Can tell that a lot of electronic music after this album has been influenced by it. Favourite songs: ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’ & ‘The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker’
Good album, I enjoyed it.
4.5
love prince!! from the different instruments like brass and guitar to princeMs perfect falsetto… great record
Solid Prince album.
rewarding when it caught my attention but too samey overall
ok but how was *this* man homophobic lol. absolute banger of a record. only complaint is he really has to keep it in his pants sometimes I'M SORRY
Come on, it's Prince.
It's Prince! So good!
01) Sign o' the Times - 10,0 02) Play in the Sunshine - 7,5 03) Housequake - 7,5 04) The Ballad of Dorothy Parker - 8,0 05) It - 7,0 06) Starfish and Coffee - 8,0 07) Slow Love - 7,5 08) Hot Thing - 7,0 09) Forever in My Life - 7,0 10) U Got the Look - 8,0 11) If I Was Your Girlfriend - 10,0 12) Strange Relationship - 8,0 13) I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man - 8,5 14) The Cross - 9,0 15) It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night - 8,0 16) Adore - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,03 (80/100) Current ranking: 160/494
My favorite of his since Dirty Mind.
Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of drum machines? Well in u got the look you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot keyboard? Well in If I Was Your Girlfriend you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of Drums? Well in sign on the times you can! I rate it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song.
the first song is okay I like the sounds it reminds me of the album "comedown machine" by the strokes. the next song is kinda the same its louder but still kinda sounds the same I don't really like it though. the last song is still the same it starts off the same as the second song but stays quiet its still not that good though.
Mainio synalevy Prinssiltä! 4/5
Another iconic album. Great lyrics
Prince has this way of singing where it just feels like he's trying to seduce whoever he's singing too. And not in a creepy way, just this emotional but sensual passion. Plus the beats are funky and fun, or soft and sweet. A legend for sure
Sign 'O' The Times was a much more enjoyable album than i thought it was going to be. This one is a double album so you know there would be a lot of songs and with that hopefully, a lot of variety. This album did have a decent bit of variety while still sticking to a defined sound throughout. The main reason i like this album is mainly the music though. They often had some really cool instruments like the Sega Genesis sounding bass among others and the rhythms were cool too. Prince's vocal work had a Michael Jackson style flair to it and that i really enjoyed. This album isn't perfect but it is a great palate cleanser after the garbage i listened to yesterday. Best Song: U Got The Look Worst Song: Starfish And Coffee
The double set „Sign of the Times“ has an impressive cover design and met a massive media coverage upon release. I can tell, as I was witness. Its music, however, is a mixed bag, I find. The record contains a bunch of excellent tracks, such as the title song, „I could never take the place of Your Man“, „Starfish & Coffee“ as well as „The Cross“, and it also represents Prince's signature sound, making it instantly recognizable. Unfortunately, it also contains a bunch of lenghty stomping and highly repetitive funk-disco-tracks, that I could certainly have done without. A single LP would have been a better artistic choice and a much more satisfactory listening experience.
Sign o' the Times is a striking testament to Prince's songwriting and musicianship—an audacious, genre-bending double album that demands you keep up. From drum machines to gospel, he seamlessly blends what must have felt like the sound of the future in the late 80s with cutting-edge songwriting. While tracks like the title song and If I Was Your Girlfriend remain timeless, others now feel dated, relying too heavily on ’80s drum machines and production quirks. Still, Prince’s fearless experimentation should be lauded; he declares that pop music can be strange, sublime, and completely free from convention. If Purple Rain was his mainstream crown, Sign o' the Times is his unapologetic artistic manifesto.
Eu gostei muito do som dele, foi gostoso de escutar à noite e quero ouvir de novo depois.
i didnt need to know about the ways prince enjoys fucking
I really enjoyed this album. It was a great one to sit back and jam to. Loved listening to Prince be a master of his art.
It didn’t save my notes and I don’t want to rewrite them all. 4 stars
This took me a little bit to get into. By the second half I was drawn it. On my second listen I felt similarly. I’m leaning towards this is mostly all good. Didn’t quite hit the mark to get 5 stars from me.
I like Prince. I just couldn't get into this and I'm sad about it.
I've heard that Prince is a very prolific artist but I haven't even scratched the surface of his library beyond his hits. I respect prolific artists. They aren't afraid to take chances. Not everything Prince does is gold but he has alot of ideas. Great musician. Plus he doesn't get enough credit for his awesome guitar playing. Sign O The Times - kinda depressing but good song. Play in the Sunshine - let's dance to this feel good song and forget about drug addiction. Housequake - so funky. dig the horns. Shut up! It - YES! This is a hot sexy Prince song. Starfish & Coffee, Maple Syrup and Jam? - Is starfish on the menu? I don't think they would taste very good. This sounds sticky and kind of gross. Prince can make a song about anything. Slow Love - romantic. it's okay but lacks a good melody. Hot Thing - YES! I like this. Especially the horns at the end. Forever in My Life - very romantic but kind of an unrealistic Disney version of love. "All that is wrong in my world Oh, you can make right You are my savior, you are my life Forever baby, I want you in my life, oh" No pressure or anything. You are just the reason that I live and breathe. Okay... clingy much? U Got the Look - a great 80's hit. probably heard it enough times though. If I Was Your Girlfriend - so... I'm imagining Prince as my girlfriend and we go shopping for clothes. I'm sure he could give me some great wardrobe tips. We'd have breakfast in the morning (blackberry butter on toast). But then he wants to get naked and take a bath and I'm all like "Hey wait a minute Mr. Racecar... what about Slow Love"? I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man - Great song and I love the melody but I actually like the shortened radio version better than the album version which has a drawn out instrumental ending that doesn't really seem to go anywhere.
Prince's voice is almost like its own instrument. He brought such a cool factor to whatever he touched, and this album really highlights the range of what he was capable of. It's funky, it's jazzy, it's soulful, it's poppy. It's emotional, it's fun, it's sexy, it's reflective. There were a few songs that didn't really grab me, but as a whole album, this is a pretty special piece of art.
It’s becoming a cliché around here but it’s unreal how modern this thing is. There are sounds in this that I didn’t know even existed back then, nor did I think they were legal!!!!!!! Fantastic album, wowzers. I’ve never actually gotten deep into Prince but this is the best thing I’ve heard from him, for sure
One of the best. So close to being my favourite Prince album but it always fizzles out for me for some reason. One day, perhaps.
really still not 'getting' Prince... but really enjoying everything i hear and excited to learn to love his music more ... this was also the best thing of his i ever heard tho it was really amazing
80s funk. Gotta love it. I enjoyed this - maybe not as much as the stuff with The Revolution. 4/5
Very cool but didn’t make it all the way through for time reasons. Really on the edge but I’ll give Prince the benefit of the doubt and go 4 stars
I had not listened to this one previously. Very sprawling record shows the depth and breadth of Prince's talent. I enjoyed it
Quite an accomplishment as producer, performer and writer. Significant effects that made it a standout
No explanation needed
Some of the album sounded like 80s cheese but the eclecticism brought some timelessness and the good was great
Top vocals, funky, with elements from rock. Rhythm wise a little repetitive
I'm not actually a fan of Prince but I can recognize the artistry and talent involved. I love how it sounds stripped down but still solid.
Fav song: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker SO many modern artists owe so much to Prince. Such an iconic sound, REAL lyrics, and amazing guitar skills to boot. A proper musical pioneer.
Prince had a good sound and his album was well produced. Just never got into his music.
Banger.
An unexpected treat. I was only familiar with his radio hits. This album proudly demonstrates Prince's versatility as a musician and his uncompromising talent.
I don’t totally love this, but it’s Prince.
I had listened to very little Prince. I think primarily because I took him not to have been making music in my favourite genres, and I'd not enjoyed the famous singles enough to seek out the albums. This was therefore a first listen to a full Prince album. I won't say I'm a convert and probably wouldn't put this on very often, but I did enjoy it much more than expected, even if it lacks a stand-out track.
I like it, strange and funky but some of the songs could feel a lil generic at times. I think you could've cut some songs to make this a great single album. Other than that, I loved the Joni Mitchell reference
An absolute gem of an album.
I find it pretty ironic that the cover art features a full-on drum kit front and center, when real drums were really only played on 3-4 of the songs. And while I found the overuse of the drum machine along with the pitch shifted vocals somewhat annoying after awhile, the album is still pretty strong. It’s no Purple Rain like many journalists have written, but the talent across multi-genres and styles here can’t be ignored.
I don’t co-sign the popular opinion that this album is better than Purple Rain. In fact, I considered downgrading from the 4 I gave it in a separate “best of” album challenge. But it finds its legs about midway through and I ended at the same rating. It’s pretty solid but not great. 3.75/5
Sounds like Prince in the studio. Not my favorite, but good to hear a lot of tracks from the late 80s
it's a classic, not much to say here
I love Prince. A lot. He was amazing in everything he did. Sign ″☮︎″ the Times is a double disc masterpiece. A blend of rock, funk, rap, and just Prince. Great album, can't miss. 4/5
This was pretty alright. Not as funky as I would've liked from Prince, but still very good. Four stars.
Favourites: Sign 'O' The Times; The Cross
Definitely a bigger fan of the first half. If that’s all it was it’s be 5 stars
Didn’t realize Prince was Jehovah’s Witness until Jan 2, 2025. His religion definitely shone through on the Cross, but still had the recognizable freaky lyrical genius of his popular stuff. Favorite songs: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, U Got The Look, The Cross, and I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man.
Lots of fun bangers, loved. A few songs I didn’t love but might become 5 stars with more listens
4.5
Way better than the Beatles. Starfish and coffee almost kicks this to 5 stars
The second record is where thus really cooks, though the opening track of the album is also a grand highlight (8.55) ★★★★
Really cool , ambitious album from Prince. Highlights include "It", "U Got the Look", "If I was Your Girlfriend" and the title track. 4.5 stars
4.5
The real old heads will hear some strong similarity between this album and Sly And The Family Stone. This is a big album that is really trying to cover a lot of ground, and at times it seems to lose coherency. If you want a shorter album from Prince's catalog, go with Lovesexy or The Black Album, both from approximately the same era. This one is more satisfying altogether, but it's a big heapin' helpin' of Prince's irascible genius.
Actually better than expected.
It was a Hot Thing. Made me want to Play In The Sunshine
several excellent tracks, funky, bass and some nice piano
Heard
Not my kind of music, but not a bad album. Good production
Top funky shit from the Purple one
4.25
haven’t listened to much prince but it made me feel a certain nostalgia for a time i didn’t experience. a few songs gave very protest song vibes
听过
Impecable ejecución de instrumentos y sonidos, no le doy 5 porque necesto el remaster para ayer
Even if some tracks aren’t as strong as others, it’s an incredibly solid work overall from a legend of music.
Gets a good groove on 3.7
It's a great lesson. Really good reminder on how much I like Prince... This album is definitely going into the rotation
Original, fun, listenable. So creative. 4/5.
Enquanto escutava as músicas deste álbum, algo martelava na minha mente: qual nota atribuir a Sign 'O' The Times? É impressionante como ele consegue atingir uma quase perfeição, mas, ao mesmo tempo, ser, em alguns momentos, um pouco monótono, repetitivo... Sem dúvida, trata-se de um excelente álbum, com faixas para todas as ocasiões – ótimas para ouvir em momentos de introspecção, perfeitas para dançar em uma festa, ideais para se declarar ou até para curtir em uma viagem. É divertido, é bom, é aconchegante, mas não é perfeito. Sinto que, na busca por essa perfeição, acabou tropeçando em alguns pontos.
Pure Prince magic.
One of the most important Prince records, but this is just too long for me. I loveeeee many songs on this record, especially the title track, but there is also some filler material in my opinion.
I liked it! I’ve never listened to much Prince but this convinced me to check out more of his music
Prince is just soooo fun and I had a blast with this one. Favorite track: It
Funky banger. Didn't expect to like it this much tbh
Not sure why this had to be a double album. I liked it more than I liked Prince back in the day, but there were a lot of tracks I could have lived without. Since slightly more than half of the work was good, I‘ll round up my score.
Not as good as Purple Rain, more eclectic, but the quality production is still top notch. High 3.
This album is a vibe. Lots of songs on there that made me dance a little in my seat. Loved it!
A good Prince album with his eclectic style. Sign o the Times and Never Take The Place Of Your Man are classics.
An incredible Prince double album with songs so good it could have made two single albums
Haven't listened to a lot of Prince and while this isn't usually my cup of tea, I really enjoyed this. Lots of variety in vocals instrumentation. Just fun album all the way though. Favorite tracks: Hot Thing, I Could Never Take The Place of your Man, It's Going to be a Beautiful Night
There's a lot of sass and swagger in this album. Not normally my thing. 80s R&B is not normally my thing. But Prince makes it unique and original. ‘Starfish And Coffee’ was a good but strange track: it sounds like a novelty alternative hit from the late 90s. 'I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man' was an instant favorite, and sounds like everything I like in Prince's music, like a counterpoint to 'When You Were Mine'. ‘Forever In My Life’ and ‘The Cross’ were good too, heavy and dark. Songs like ‘Slow Love' and 'Gonna Be A Beautiful Night' simply aren’t the sort of music I like. But the best parts of the album are among the best songs of a truly gifted musician.
I mean... it's Prince. One of the best to ever do it. Favorite track: I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. But I really dig most of these. What I especially love about this is that a lot of the songs feel fairly normal at surface level, but there's always something crazy going on with the instrumentation or lyrics or Prince's delivery that really takes everything to the next level. Even the horny songs (and there are a lot of horny songs) are just, like, so good. I want to throw a party just to play this. Doesn't it feel like perfect party music? Hell yeah, Prince. 4 1/2 stars.
I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man is probably my favorite Prince song.
Less familiar with this later '80s Prince. Still solid though. Lots of nods to '70s era soul. Did this gut have any misses?
It's fun, it's genre-bending, it's weird...it's Prince! Fun fact: I used to hate Prince when I was in middle and high school because his hits would play daily on the morning radio. Shortly after denouncing pop radio stations, I became a Prince fan. Funny how that works. Favorite song: Housequake Least favorite: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker Knew before? No
It goes purple rain > dirty mind > sign of the times > batman soundtrack
Like David Bowie, Prince was not in my musical radar until starting this project. Might take me a few other albums before I start to full ‘get’ him but this was an enjoyable start. Lots of well written songs covering just about any genre you can imagine. From pop songs like I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man to whatever was going on at 3.50 in Play in the Sunshine plus some proper ear worms with Hot Thing and U Got the Look plenty here to explore.
There were a lot of good bits in this album, but overall it felt a little disjointed.
É um bom album, com altos e baixos, para mim. Gostei de Sign O' The Times e The Ballad of Dorothy Parker. O melhor ficou nas 4 últimas músicas. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man é muito boa! Mas eu queria dar mesmo 3,5.
Queria poder dar 4 estrelas e meia, pq esse album é muuuito bom!!! Variações de ritmos e de vocais excelente em todas as músicas. Destaque para "Housequake", "It", "Starfish and coffee", "U got the look" e "Sign O the Times"
hell yeah. not my favorite prince, but it’s still prince.
Really good - but not even close to his best!
Still feels fresh today! A few interesting moments of dated synth crunches, mario-kart interludes and sitar for some reason, but the beats and songwriting were all smooth, funky and refreshing. I know how iconic Prince is, but never listened before. Well worth it
Prince is a surprising blind spot for me in terms of his entire discography but I was excited to listen and this did not disappoint! A double album that i easily listened through and then another time.
Track 1: Sign 'O' the Times (8/10) Prince was such a great lyricist. This is a pretty dark song and I think it's great. Track 2: Play in the Sunshine (7/10) I like the backup vocals in this song. The lyrics are weirdly apocalyptic? At least that's how I interpret it. Track 3: Housequake (7/10) The poppiest, most danceable song yet! Track 4: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (9/10) Excellent storytelling! Very funky bassline. Track 5: It (7/10) I like the 80s sounding percussion on this track lol it's a pretty fun song about doing "It" Track 6: Starfish and Coffee (9/10) All Prince needed to make a great jam was a piano and some backup singers. Such a great song. Track 7: Slow Love (6/10) I'm not incredibly into these slow "bedroom time" songs, but it's good for what it is. Track 8: Hot Thing (7/10) Hell yeah, more music to dance to! Track 9: Forever in My Life (5/10) Found this kind of boring tbh Track 10: U Got the Look (7/10) Fun song, not incredibly diverse. Track 11: If I Was Your Girlfriend (8/10) This is the only song I knew going in, it's so great. Love the slappy bass. Track 12: Strange Relationship (6/10) It was okay, nothing really stood out to me. Track 13: I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (8/10) Very fun and funky! Track 14: The Cross (8/10) The most rocking song on the album! Track 15: It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night (7/10) This one was kind of hypnotic, I was digging it. Track 16: Adore (7/10) Great track! Overall: 7/10 The only issue with doing this for me is that sometimes you'll get an album that you may not be into at the moment. I'm gonna have to relisten to this on a day where I'm feeling more mentally up for it but I did enjoy it still! Fav Song: Starfish and Coffee Least Fav Song: Forever in My Life
Now this is a party!! I put this on during a rainy Monday and despite the mood, I found myself dancing along. Such great grooves. It’s playful and fun and the talent shines through. Such a nice surprise!
Prince is a masterful artist and this album is an amazing listen. It is also WAY too long.
Weird album. I bought this for like six bucks in college and it's a treasured find. For real fans.
Arguably Prince's best album great songs ,a variety of styles, interesting, this encapsulates what made Prince great. Lack of quality control is certainly a criticism that can be levelled at Prince, and a culling of this double album to be a single album would have been wise. If an alien landed on earth and said I want to hear some Prince I would hand him Sign of the Times!
gotta listen on some speakers
Expansive but quirky. A 3 hour movie that could have been 2 hours.
Sign 'O' The Times is pretty good, with a classic vibe that makes it pleasant to listen to, even if I wouldn't normally like it.
I saw prince on the musicology tour. He was amazing. This isn't the first prince album I would put on but you can't deny h8s genius
3.75 - guitar over everything, yes very harry
I like Prince - but mostly know his hits. This record felt like an entrance to do a deep dive through his catalogue. Funky, surprising and fun.
all the pervy shit kind of grosses me out but that’s kind of a stupid thing to hold against prince
A lot of adds here a lot of good singles few misses
Pop? Rock? A little bit of both I guess. I had a whole weekend to digest this one and it honestly hasn't changed since I finished. Kind of like how Taylor Swift is super overrated and popular, Prince is similar but with actual talent. His music is really accessible and he could play a lot of different instruments. Didn't do a whole lot for me but I totally see the appeal.
Not his best, but even his very good is still amazing.
It's good but i definitely did not enjoy if i was your girlfriend. cringe in edeka
I've never really listened him but in like him.
Classic 80s feel, and its Prince. Can't go wrong
Moments of mastery - but mixed with a few misses.
Great album! Prince is very talented
Музыка 80-ых, как я люблю, близко к песням Майкла Джексона, но местами напоминает R'n'B музыку нулевых. Тем не менее, из-за специфичности альбома (не все песни запоминались), он меня не зацепил полностью.
Je vais être honnête, j'écoutais un peu d'une oreille, mais ce qu'il rentrait dans mon oreille unique était quand même d'la funky bombasticolomatique
This album was all over the place. It's so fabulously '80s. Absolute banger.
Depending on who you ask, this album could be seen as the big, messy exclamation mark on Prince’s imperial phase. He’d fucked the taste from our mouths in “1989”, gone grinding through “Purple Rain”, orgied his way “Around the World In A Day”, and… whatever the hell he was taking on “Parade”. Was 1987 his last gasp? Well, he continued to make work to delight his ardent fanbase (and I enjoy “Lovesexy” quite a bit), but the fact this album is his last on the 1001 list tells you much about his mass-appeal afterwards beyond a few hits. Because “Sign O’ The Times” is so damn dense, let me break it down for you: “Sign O The Times”: A quality opening, microcosm of the album: sparse arrangement, dark lyrics, tight funk guitar, synth bass, omnipresent drum machine. “Play In The Sunshine”: A welcome burst of adrenaline, gorgeously upbeat, all hail the breakdown in the second half. “Housequake”: A little marred by the ubiquitous drum machine and buried guitar/bass, making it feel more sterile than it should… but still a great groove. “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker”: An introspective jazz-leaning song, beloved by Prince fans, which I just can’t get behind. Nice slap bass, though. “It”: Horny by numbers: the man could write a song like this in his sleep by the ripe old year of ‘87. Fine but forgettable. “Starfish and Coffee”: Refreshingly bonkers, with intriguing production and a great melody to boot: psychedelic-leaning Prince is my vibe. “Slow Love”: Yes, it’s corny and schmaltzy, but the horns, strings and glockenspiel sell the whole package: it’s great to hear Prince lean fully into straight R&B and soul. “Hot Thing”: Grinds and groans with a dark sexual energy. Not my favourite, but the instrumental break around 2 minutes in really elevates it. Sax and slaps! “Forever In My Life”: Continues to be “the track I forget about”, after repeated listens… that can’t be a good sign. “U Got the Look”: Prince comes out the gate swinging in the second half, with this blues-leaning stomper. Great squalling guitar riff. “If I Was Your Girlfriend”: Pitched-up alter-ego Camille rears her head again in a surreally sexy, strangely substance-less non-sequitur. “Strange Relationship”: Sounds like a “Parade” cast-off in the best way: a circus-like synth flute line, strong and steady bass part, dense with hooks. “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man”: Yes! Yes! YES! YEEEES! Oh, GOD YES! “The Cross”: A sudden left-swing into Christian rock, with a glorious melody and very satisfying build: he could have totally owned this for an album or two (and did, I believe). “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night”: Now we’re cooking: an extraordinary live recording with more dynamism and drive than anything else here. Sticks out a bit, but made me long for more of its kind on the disc. “Adore”: Gorgeous retro soul to see us out, with some velveteen Prince vocals to close the book. So there we have it: after quite a few listens over several years to settle into it, I’ve been won over by this album. It really picks up steam in the second half, with some of the best cuts found towards the end.
Great album
Very good, funky!
I liked it Starfish and Coffee is my favourite. I enjoyed myself all the way through, although there was quite a bit of 80’s movie montage music
legendary creativity. Peak, so purely original not everything sounded the best best, but it's a very welcome ride
Sign ‘☮️’ the Times It took me a while to get into Prince, I think was put off by a lot of his 90s output in comparison to the Britpop I loved, and I didn’t really understand what an incredible artist he was and all the great music he made until I met Clair - she loves his early stuff and it was her playing the song Controversy a lot that really got me into him. This is probably his last really good album, ending a pretty incredible run of 5 or 6 albums from Dirty Mind onwards. I’ve really come to appreciate his single mindedness and willingness to try tons of stuff, sometimes all at once. He has that similar facility for music that McCartney has, although coming from a funk and soul angle rather than a rock and pop one, and perhaps without Macca’s degree of melodic and harmonic skill. The title track is absolutely superb, one of my favourite Prince songs. The sparse synthesisers and drum machine arrangement against the overall downbeat mood creates a nice tension, and I love the keyboard riff. It kicks off a great run of songs, the catchy pop of Play in the Sunshine, the rhythmically driven Housequake and It, the delicateness of Dorothy Parker, the AOR pop of Starfish and Coffee, the pulsing spacey funk of Hot Thing and the slightly hypnotic scythe riff off Forever in My Life. The only misstep for me is Slow Love, a foreshadowing of some of the vaguley flat records he did in the 90s. Even before I got into Prince I always liked U Got the Look, a classic bit of 80s pop, with added Sheena Easton 80s ness. If I Was Your Girlfriend just about treads the right side of that same line as Slow Love, and is definitely a grower. Strange Relationship I’m not a fan of, one of a few dips on the second disc. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man is great though, along with U Got the Look one of the highlights of this disc, a super bit of 80s soft rock pop. The first half of The Cross is superb, I love the melody and the guitar, but then the 2nd half’s rock out doesn’t quite convince, maybe due to the dominance of the echoey drums in the mix. It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night I strongly dislike, it’s a real nadir, the woah-e-oo refrain is really annoying and the whole song has an ersatz quality that is really dislikable. Adore brings things back though, a great bit of crooning 80s RnB, I love the organ and the sitar touches. Despite some fantastic music on here, I don’t think it quite works as a double album. There's an obvious dip on the second disc, and the 3 or 4 cullable songs are of significantly lower quality than the rest. As a single album it would be a 5, but it is too long, and the presence of It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night alone is worth a star deduction in its own right. I’ll settle on a high 4. ☮️☮️☮️☮️ Playlist submission: Sign ‘☮️’ the Times
Prince kicks ass. Never Take The Place Of Your Man, is my favorite. A solid listen.
8/30/24. Another Prince Classic!
This one keeps you on your toes and the percussion is WILD. The cornucopia of instruments employed is astounding. Vocal style changes similarly from song to song without a dropped note and the storytelling is paint-a-picture vivid. There are also some clever allusions to some other rock classics (the Stones especially). While not the style that fits my daily listening this is a creative masterpiece...of weirdness. Listened to: in Brooklyn botanical garden. Favorite tracks: Housequake, Strange Relationship, Adore
It’s an interesting album somehow. A blend of Electro funk and pop music ballads. Not a favourite album for me, but then there are the singles drawn from it, that really stand out. To me it is 3 stars for Sign o’ the times, the album, plus an additional star for Sign ‘o the times, the song
I wish this wasn’t a double album. The 2nd half is hands down 5 stars. Literally every song there is fantastic, perfect, etc. The 1st half, though, is boring and unremarkable, which is a bummer considering it’s Prince. The title track and “Starfish and Coffee” are the first half highlights, but the rest is nothing to write home about. Splitting the difference here and rating it a 4, which doesn’t quite seem fair because of the strength of the 2nd half, but it seems overly generous for the 1st half. Sadly this is one of those double albums that really shouldn’t be. Add a few songs from the 1st to the 2nd half, and you have a damn near flawless album. Oh well.
I'm a rarity among Prince fans. I think his songwriting got BETTER as time went on, and I regard this excellent album as a relatively primordial example of a man still gestating inside the chrysalis of pop music mastery. It's the MUCH later stuff - Planet Earth, Art Official Age, Hit n Run - that really does it for me. A lot of the "early" stuff - including Purple Rain - for me sounds fairly repetitive and does the most for me when I remember where it's pointing rather than where it is. Does that mean I don't love Sign O the Times? Oh hell no. This album is BONKERS level amazing. One song after another of a man taking a simple musical idea and then riffing on it until it's become a multi layered love affair. I still can't believe the utter consistency of Prince's performances and musical output. His worst music still sounded fucking amazing, and his powers as a performer never waned. The album length for this one can be a little intimidating - it is a double! - but it's worth doing whatever you've got to do to get from beginning to end because you can't get to the end without reaffirming why Prince was and is such a big deal.
Vilken nostalgitripp. Inte lyssnat på många år och det kanske finns skäl till det. Jag gillar flera av låtarna fortfarande visar det sig. Titellåten, Housequake, Play in the Sunshine, Starfish and Coffee och U Got the Look håller fortfarande. Jag slår till med en 4a för det var inte bara nostalgi. Jag gillar det.
This is one of those albums that is able to take so many different musical themes from a period and synthesize them into a something more than the sum of its parts. It's got a heavy funk current, uses a lot of well utilized synth, has soulful vocals, can get poppy, can shred on guitar and keeps a consistent sound while keeping each song fresh with a lot of variety. This is a masterclass of an album and an excellent representation of the period.
I admit I’ve not listened to Prince at all even though his music defined my generation. I’m surprised at his range, stylistically and thematically.
His Royal Badness was nothing if not highly ambitious—not all of the tracks on this sprawling double album work, but you can’t say he’s not putting in the effort. Blending subjects and genres in a stew that sometimes tastes sour, but is never boring.
Quite enjoyed, nothing that stood out that much but it was good music
Absolutely loved sign o the times opener. U got the look is a tuuuunnnnneeeee. Top Tunes: Sign of the times, dot parker, IT, Hot thing, U got the look. If i was your gf and the cross. Overall a good album.
Fine listen.
Sign o' the Times (often stylized as Sign "☮︎" the Times) is the ninth studio album by Prince, originally released in 1987. I'm typically not a fan of Prince. It's probably because I haven't heard enough of his music, because I ended up loving this. He was really into drum machines and synths at this time, as a lot of people were in the 80s. But this really didn't come off as cheesy for me. There is a great range of musical styles on here. Prince was clearly a great talent. Although he's horny in pretty much every song, I was digging this. I'd definitely like to hear more tracks from these sessions as this was originally meant to be a triple album.
i didnt listen to it again, its been a while since i've heard it but if i remember right its pretty HEAT
Excellent, maybe, but I can only appreciate it in one song doses.
Prince is a force. Prince is an attitude. Prince is self-defined. Prince is confidence. Prince is an artist. Prince is a genius. I knew all of these things coming in. But I somehow could count the number of his songs I knew on one hand (Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Let’s Go Crazy, Kiss, 1999). So I was eager to be educated in the ways of the legend. And educated I was. What a mix of genre here. Funk, soul, rock, R&B, some world music in there. He was truly a master. For me this came on strong, sort of slowed down the momentum in the middle, and finished strong. I don’t think the length of this was any help to it. I always dread the longer ones because they’re hard to find the time for. And so when I do, it’s often in spurts that makes it difficult to really fully understand and appreciate an album to its fullest. So a full relistening is in order. But who has the time for that? All of this said, it gets four stars. It’s Prince. What else am I supposed to give it? Standout Tracks: Sign O’ the Times, Play in the Sunshine, Strange Relationship, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, The Cross, Adore
It’s hard to go wrong with Prince. The ultimate reminder to Bruno Mars that it’s already been done. This isn’t my favorite of his albums, but still always a fun listen.
another level
8.5/10 This was good, possibly the best 80s album I’ve heard? Especially because it really leans into the synth and drum machine, it only getting away with it but still sounding great today A little bit of everything on a bed of pop: R&B, soul, gospel, blues, rock. The last side even hits pure rock/hard rock Great vocals, great guitar, great production. I guess Prince is good. Best: It
Excellent
I give 4 stars to the songs I extract from this double album and forge into my own playlist. They are: Sign o’ the Times Play in the Sunshine Starfish and Coffee Forever in My Life U Got the Look Strange Relationship I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man The Cross The other songs display Prince’s versatile talents but these are the songs that resonate with me at this point!
Prince at his horniest and weirdest. Still accessible, though, making this such an interesting trip of an album! 4+
Ok lowkey banger I fw the drum machines heavy. Prince has crazy vocal range it’s insane could talk about this for a while but idrc that much. 4.5 tbh but also first disc clears second
This album’s highs are some of the best music I have ever heard. But it is also an hour and 20 minutes, and much of the album is good but not good enough to justify the runtime. If this album was cut to the high points, it could still be 40 minutes and also be one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to.
Havent given prince the proper listen. Wowed by how fresh this still sounds
Clearly the reason Prince did the Batman 89 soundtrack. Fantastic statement record.
Sign O The Times
I liked it, it’s not the music I usually listen but it’s was good, the vocal was really so so good. I will definitely listen more from the artist. My fav: Adore
yes, prince is (ok, was) an incredible musician - and if you haven't seen his performance at the rock & roll hall of fame induction ceremony, seriously - check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWRCooFKk3c but...see, i've never really cared for the poor guy's actual music - and honestly, 1987 was *such* a bad year for music. i dunno what it was, but that whole year in pop music just felt to me like it was kinda...lost. it tried hard, but it just couldn't get there - that's my recollection, anyway. i mean bruce willis' solo album, y'know? that said, never take the place of your man - a distinctly non-princely prince song - has always been a favorite (see also: the goo goo dolls' cover, on hold me up), and the cross is a really cool standout. beautiful night has an absolutely killer groove, distinctly prince-worthy, and of course the title track was unavoidable in its day - even back then, i liked that he called it the telly, that alone apparently being enough to make it stick in my mind for all these ages. all in all, solid. even if you don't love prince, you can find something here to appreciate
Man I love Prince. Not my favourite album of his but still. 4/5
In my opinion, I think the second disc was better than the first and kind of saved the album. I wanted to like this more in general, honestly. Like its very well produced, don't get me wrong, but I don't think there's a song that is well known, let alone popular. It does make you wonder how Prince's popularity was even obtained; I guess this album reinforces why I think that Michael Jackson is always head and shoulders better than Prince. Other than that, this album has spans that sounded quite similar to the Batman album Prince made which was released a couple years later. 7/10.
It's good, kind of remember this album from when I was in high school. I like Prince but I'm not a huge fan. I may not opt to play this album but I wouldn't skip a song if it were on my playlist.
Creative. Unique. Erotic. This 3 words describe the sensations that Sign O' the times leaves on me. Even though I think its a proof of why Prince is one of the gretest icons of Pop music and even of culture, I think it didn't impressed me that much. This record has some very good things, and demonstrate why Prince is a musical genius, one is that it's very creative and changing, you have the upbeat and eclectic Play in the Sunshine in one side and the sexy "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" on the other; and even though they sound totally different, they're both great. The album is very funky, it has some cool basslines and the moments I liked the most were the saxophone solo in "Hot Thing" , and the guitar one in "I could never take the place of your man". I liked Prince's voice in many tracks, specially in "Adore". I liked the second part of the album because it was more consistent than the first part. I liked almost every song on it, meanwhile the first part had a few misses like "It" and "Forever in my life". And the second part had some of my favourite songs of the record. One thing I didn't like is a bit controversial, but I hate that Prince is horny almost every fucking song, I think it's one of the main things that make its personality so interesting, but it's a bit tiring to hear him on almost every song sinhing about how hard he wants to fuck. Also sometimes songs were just too long, which bored me at times, and just like one of my favourite things were Prince's vocals, they also were a thing that I didnt love at times, for example his falsetto almost ruined "Slow Love" for me, and sometimes he sounded like a teen alien. Overall I think it's a good album, maybe not my taste, but I understand its value and importance in pop's music history.
++: Sign 'O' The Times, Play in the Sunshine, Housequake, Starfish and Coffee, Slow Love, U Got the Look, The Cross, It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night, Adore + The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, It, Hot Thing, Forever in My Life, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Strange Relationship, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man 9,7/10
It's Prince. 3.7.
As with a lot of double albums, this record is a bit bloated. Prince was prolific during his life and they probably could have put out a quadruple record if they included everything they recorded during these sessions. I think if they had been editorial it easily could be a five star album, and I wouldn't argue with anyone who rates it that way.
Funky
Big Prince fan. I first came to him via the Batman soundtrack which I can still sing cover to cover. Later I hit up his greatest hits 1&2 (1993) which I played so much the CD started to skip. I remember Prince as a notch below Michael Jackson and Madonna, but the mid-80s were more Prince and Madonna, since Bad didn’t come out until 1987. Prince peaked with 1999 and Purple Rain, so this was at the tail end of his dominance. This album has its hits with the titiular track, the Sheena Easton fronted U Got the Look, If I Was Your Girlfriend (first introduced to me by TLC), and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, but newer favs include The Ballad of Dorothy Parker and Starfish and Coffee. This listen helped me appreciate The Cross. Musically a great balance of bangers, fun pop numbers, political statements, and ballads. Great album.
1. As a general rule, I don’t like horny music much. Prince is an exception, somehow, despite being the horniest of all. 2. Some jabroni in the reviews said he “heard Prince is a good guitarist, but this album doesn’t showcase it”. Way to tell on yourself for listening to the first 10 seconds of each song and crying because they started with synths. Prince shreds here!!!
Fun funky album, with Standouts in Sign O' The Times, The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, Slow Love, Forever In My Life, and I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.
Not my favorite Prince album (I'm I the only one who likes 1999 best?) but I love his guitar. Wish the drums felt a little more natural.
Good album. Very original.
Liked it, but others appeal to me more
-I really like it super duper groovy fun -definitely my fave album so far!
easy listen! almost a 5!
I've been waiting for some Prince! I was also familiar with a few songs on this album from a compilation that my parents have. Including the title track which has some weird, low-key energy, but Prince still somehow made it a hit. "Housequake" has that great quirky but infectious Prince energy. "U Got the Look" and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" are total jams as well. There are some lulls in the tracklist, it's not as punchy as his older stuff, but this is still a great listening experience.
Honestly my only familiarity to Prince before this was the song Purple Rain, so I was excited to dive deeper into his discography. This album surprised me a little. It wasn’t necessarily what I was expecting to hear from Prince. That being said it was still an enjoyable album. There’s a whole lot of diversity of sounds on here. At times it’s funky and loud and other times it’s slow and sensual. Do I think this album warranted two disks and over an album of runtime? Probably not. But there were still plenty of cuts on here that were fantastic. Fav Songs: Sign O’ The Times Housequake It Slow Love Hot Thing It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
Like
Enjoyed this album beginning to end for the most part. Great songs and brilliant delivery.
I will say I didn’t get into Prince’s music until after he passed away, and it’s a shame on myself because I’ve enjoyed what I heard thus far including this album. It’s not perfect, where Sign ‘O’ the Times is a double album (originally a triple album) that can sound dated in places with extensive use of a drum machine. But, I will say a lot of tracks stand out, from the simmering title track that opens the album before kicking into full gear with “Play in the Sunshine”, to the sensual “Slow Love”, to the swagger of the duet “U Got the Look”, and even the admittedly grunge-sounding ballad “The Cross”. Overall, it’s the kind of funky, groove laden, sexual 80s album you’d expect Prince to make, albeit a bit bloated. I’d divide your listening time into more than one session for Sign ‘O’ the Times, cause it’s certainly enjoyable when you’re not overindulging.
Not the best but a really good album from Prince.
Favourite Prince album so far. Elements of funk, pop, rock, prog, all melded into one. Some songs are undoubtedly better than others. Unsure if I like or dislike the wild sexual lyrics. Overall though I enjoyed this.
Nice album, will listen again, though I prefer his other stuff more.
Amazing variety on this one. Dated production but chock full of ideas. A masterpiece with a clunker here and there. 3.5 on RYM updated to 4 upon relisten.
Sing O Times is an entertaining album, a hard-to-achieve goal for double albums. Despite its length, it keeps bringing new things song after song a curious bridge here, an acoustic guitar there- making it a fantastic experience. I can imagine it was a massive challenge for Prince to keep up with the quality set by Purple Rain. Honestly, I think this album pass the test.
Very dynamic album. I enjoyed it.
Not my favorite prince album. But it’s still prince
Great album by an incredible artist. To this day probably my favorite concert I've ever been to
Prince's sound was definitely unique. Like a sexual revolution coming in via a mix of every sound of the 80s. While I didn't find this album as good as 'Purple Rain' and possibly a bit too long, there are definitely still a lot of bangers on here. Prince was unusual and it makes some of the less popular tracks a little more difficult to crack. But it's hard not to be intrigued by the show he puts on.
I had no expectations. I'm not sure clear on most of the lyrics, but I think many songs were about sex, but my puritanicalish upbringing wasn't terribly offended because the songs managed to not sound or feel... dirty. Musically, this is intriguing. It's, non-genre consistent. Hip-hoppy, rocky, poppy, funky, ballady. This makes sense, after all, it's Prince. I think I'll revisit this one again some time. More than a 3, less than a four. I'm just not sure if it'll get rounding privileges up to a four. Maybe that's a sign 'o' the album. More than average, and if the range of three stars is average, then it must need a four or greater.
Know a few of the albums by Prince, but did not know this album before. Has quite a few nice songs but will not become my favourite. But definitely worth listening to if you like his music.
It was good, but I really liked some of the songs and was not a fan of others. The highs were really good, but there were too many lows for a 5.
The 80s feel and aesthetic is both a blessing and a curse here. On one hand, it can make a song fun and catchy as hell. On the other hand, it can make songs drags and seem very good outdated. And yes, the cheesiness is something I like a bit. It’s good.
Classic
One of his best, but not quite a revolution
Disk 1 was fine, disk 2 kind of sucked.
Im more of a purple Rain guy myself
Not familiar with his early stuff, but the talent shines! A lot of R&B - Miss you, Prince!
prince be princeing
Prince was a true artist. I saw him live on the Lovesexy tour, which remains probably the best concert I've been to. Swagger and stage presence in spades, and a fantastic singer, dancer and guitarist. I didn't know this album well, and there are admittedly a few songs that didn't do much for me, but I really enjoyed it overall: he can do romance, and he can be funky as hell; he's also very funny, and just cool. You Got the Look and Sign o' the Times are definitely banging 80s singles but I was happy to find myself enjoying this as an album, I loved the overall vibe and sound.
There’s no denying the man was a genius. A few bangers, a few that were a bit more forgettable (for me) but I’m always going to enjoy listening to his work.
Shiet tough one to rate, the album is so much fun and the variety of sounds, styles and melody switch ups keeps it interesting. For me, there are parts that don't land, even if it's only for 30 seconds of a song, but its enough to keep me from being completely engaged. It's a bold and expansive album, so theatrical elements and moments of indulgence are to be expected. I think it's a great album even if I don't enjoy it as much as many may. 3.5/5
Good funk pop.
Lots of good songs but also quite a bit of filler.
That's a lot of talent
Solid record, not my style. U Got the Look is a clear stand out. Each song is unique, no stale or flat spots in my opinion.
4.5
Good
It's motherfucking Prince, arguably my favorite artist of all time. From his self-titled album up through Love Symbol, I'd argue that even a bad Prince song would be anyone else's best. Therefore, there's no such thing as a bad Prince album. It's all down to personal preference. And Sign "☮︎" the Times is a matter of preference. I've always felt like this is a Critic album, not a Fan album; it's boundary-pushing, expansive, and indulgent – all qualities critics fawn over when executed by the darling du jour who already has multiple classics under their belt. Personally, I always find these types of albums exhausting. They become instantly dated, because they use too many "new" sounds, which make them experimental for the era but old-fashioned a few years later. They're long-winded, which means more great material to mull over upon release, but the cream rises from these albums over time and become the only worthwhile pieces. They're too much of a good thing, and they often engage the egos of artists with already-huge egos, and it makes the music embarrassing over time. To me, Sign "☮︎" the Times has all of these flaws. Songs like "Housequake" and "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" are pretty unexciting by today's standards. There's a lot of only-great songs here – "Hot Thing," "U Got The Look," "Strange Relationship" – and I sincerely think this would've been his best if it was only a single disc. (Again, personal preference; I dislike most double albums). And there's moments where Prince is at his most...Prince, and not in the gender-bending, sex-icon sense, but more in the moralism, the religiosity, and even the playing. The title track is easily the worst offender, but also it's there on "The Cross," though better executed, or the extended outro sections of "Playing in the Sunshine," or the molasses build of "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night." Yet despite this, there are tons of high points on this album, which, given the amount of sheer material on this thing, is impressive. "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is easily my favorite Prince song, and songs like "It," If I Were Your Girlfriend," "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man," "Starfish And Coffee," and "Adore" are all career highlights. Career highlights from a man who has an entire decade dedicated to career highlights. Again, a bad Prince song is still another musician's greatest achievement, and so a messy double album is still a great album. If someone argued this was their favorite Prince album to me, I'd get it completely. Because this is an excellent album, just not flawless to me. But flawed Prince is still incredible and iconic, so this remains required listen.
Good stuff
I’m not a big fan of Prince 🤷🏼♂️ I respect the hell out of Prince. His guitar solo at George Harrison’s Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction is one of the greatest moments in rock history and I’ve watched it dozens of times. He’s one of the most singular and talented musical artists ever and profoundly influential, but on average I just don’t dig his projects as much as I’d expect I would. I’d probably never skip a few of his songs like Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret, or When Doves Cry - it’s just I just don’t vibe with Prince’s music as much as some other icons. All that said, I can see why Sign O the Times is held in the esteem that it is and I do love this record record. It’s a pretty outstanding album from beginning to end with few blemishes, or at least few songs that I don’t care for. The title track is the only song I think is overrated… sorry! There are several great to amazing songs: Slow Love, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, and The Cross are really incredible.
I wish I enjoyed Prince's deep cuts and jams as much as his bangers. Clearly a lot of talent here, just too long for me. Not quite the weird and wonderful double album I was hoping for, although excellent in places
It’s Prince, so it’s good. The drum machine and synthesizer created a very 80’s sound, however. Whether that’s good or bad is very subjective. The first half was enjoyable, I was feeling 3/5, maybe 3.5. But it took off in the second half. Maybe because I’m more familiar with some of those songs, maybe because they’re just the stronger songs, I’m not sure. But part two pushed it to a solid 4/5 for me.
Incredibly talented. Way ahead of his time.
It’s Prince, so it’s great. I am deducting one star because 80 minutes is just too much.
This took me 2 listens to get, even though I love Prince! The album is like a long dance party and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I've always had a hard time with this many drum machines--(why is HOT THING so long?) particularly when they're this obvious. But this could be his best overall album even though I will definitely rate Purple Rain higher.
I realize that I've never paid enough attention to Prince's music. This album was great, although there are a few tracks that must have been among the ones that made me think I didn't like Prince.
Excellent stuff
I don't love the first side of this one too much, but once we hit Starfish and Coffee I'm head over heels for the rest of the album. Drum machines tend not to be my thing, but the layering that goes on in the final 75% of this one really work for me, especially in the epic side 4!!
I mean Prince was the best!!
Funky, soulful and so talented. I am not sure why I did not become a bigger fan of Prince when he was producing recordings like this one. I am not sure he any hits from this album but this is very listenable in nearlybits entirety.
As someone who is a more casual enjoyer of Prince, this album definitely stood out to me as experimental. Granted, Prince always did have an element of experimentation to his music, which is one of many things that made him so unique, but this album strikes me as MORE experimental than I have heard Prince sound in previous albums. But when it comes to Prince, production is not sacrificed in the name of experimentation here; there is a lot of genre diversity and playing around from track to track, but every song sounds polished, complete, and overall well-executed. To me, this album represents a celebration of all things good in music: rock, pop, R&B, soul, funk, but all on Prince's terms, and all with a flare of experimentation. Prince and this album are an example of what happens when someone who is genuinely a musical genius is allowed to be creatively unrestricted.
Very nice sit! Had a good time
Disc one I found a bit meh but holy shit disc two rocked. Most funky and fun to listen to album! Strange relationship is a fucking banger
I like it.
From what I’ve heard it’s my favorite Prince album
This was really good and I listened to it twice. “The Cross” was super surprising to me. Was not aware it was in the album but wow.
its good but not his best album
I’ve never quite subscribed to this being Prince’s best album, when Purple Rain is tighter and Around the World in a Day has a stronger vibe. Additionally, I just prefer Prince having more of a rock n roll edge. But it’s hard to deny that this has a lot of his strongest ideas and he’s still great when aping P-Funk and Tower of Power. Easily an all-timer double LP A-
Day58 - the coolest guy making another cool album
4/5. This is a very good album but the vibe is not hooking me, it feels like a more raunchy and direct Songs in the Key of Life. Like you can hear the soul and disco but it's not as refined in my opinion. It is an experimental album, some new sounds, which is unique and fun, don't think it's a fully realized album though. To be fair, it is still an amazing album, just not perfect in my opinion.
Housequake!
Not my favourite Prince album, but an interesting listening experience of cultural significance nonetheless.
Algjör snilld.
Great album full of heavy synth sound of the 80's, but in a way that only Prince could do.
Good vocals
I liked a number of the songs
I haven't listened to much Prince. I liked it
i didnt go to work today this is a good album
I mean, it's Prince, it's going to be good.
Prince is one of the most famous artists of all time, and beyond a few songs here and there I really haven't listened to much of his music. And he made A LOT of it in his life. This seems to be a bit of a weird place to start with Prince (my Rolling Stones starting point on here was similar). This is a magnum opus-type release that came out a few years after "Purple Rain". It's a double album coming in at 80 minutes, and it's really all over the board musically, kind of just showcasing everything that Prince could do. It's a hard introduction, but here we are. Here's what I like about it. It's one of those albums that you can just tell the artist is on top of the world. There's like this confidence that just comes through in the sound, it feels like he's swinging for the fences on this one. The Revolution was out at this point, so Prince also does all the instruments and vocals which is impressive. It's also just wildly varied. There's some funky stuff, some smooth R&B, lots of catchy pop hooks, a few slow vocal-driven songs. It's almost a bit chaotic since everything is just really different. Here's what I don't like so much. First, it sounds notably dated. I won't knock it much since part of the reason it sounds this way is everyone that tried to copy him after, but it definitely sounds like an '80s album. "Strange Relationship" is a great example of a song that is good and also sounds really dated. Rarely does a double album work for me, and this isn't really an exception. I think he's got about 1.5 albums worth of good content here (which admittedly is more than a lot of double albums have), but there's a few clear weak points. Some of the individual songs drag on a bit too. Also for how famous this is, there really isn't that one song that just totally crushes it for me. I liked "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" best (and it's really good), and others like "Sign O' The Times" and "Starfish And Coffee" are really solid, but there's not that one song that just really sticks. I've been dragging my feet for a few days now on what to rate this. It's really good, it also didn't quite blow me away as much as I thought it might given the aura around Prince, and the million things online about how this is his greatest album. I'm giving it a 4, I might regret this after I hear more Prince but it is what it is, we move forward. Favorite song: I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Other: Sign O' The Times, The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, It, Starfish And Coffee, Slow Love, U Got The Look, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Strange Relationship, The Cross, Adore 2/18/24
This is an incredible, near perfect album. Biggest issue is that it overstays its welcome. Not like with most albums where there are too many songs, although that could be argued for this project, but in the sense that there a few select songs that are just needlessly long. There are instrumental translational portions that linger and I fall out of focus with the album before it can pick back up again. Great album though. 4/5
One of my more favored Prince albums. Disc 1 and most of 2 is fun pop songs and some slower ballads with drum machine and minimal instrumentation. Includes a long live track with lots of energy.
The range of the album is stunning. It's all over the place, but in a good way. Even with the range, the funk drips off of about every track. I was never a fan of Prince's higher range in his songs, so things like "If I Was Your Girlfriend" might have worked better in the Revolution for someone else to sing it, I guess. Having said that, "Adore" is just an aMAZing vocal effort. Putting this altogether himself is just such a stunning effort and it reminds you of what a musicl genius he was. A couple of times I felt his voice felt a little sped up, ("Housequake," maybe?) but this was an amazing effort and probably one of his best works.
Looking back, I didn't rate 1999 higher than a 3 mostly because I didn't like the instrumentals. My one big knock on this album is the instrumentals - far too much drum track and synth in his simplified musical approach. It just sounds too 80's. That being said, he has a lot to say in his lyrics. Sometimes it is insightful commentary on the times and other times it is a twisted or explicit love song. The former is better, but the latter is at least clever. I'm not sure I loved his alter ego Camille and altered high-pitched vocals either like on Housequake or If I Was Your Girlfriend. But I did love the energy and beats of the former and appreciated the lyrical perspective of the latter. And then the title track, Starfish and Coffee, and the Cross were absolutely outstanding songs - mainly for the lyrics but the instrumentation was decent, or awesome on the Cross (hands down the best song on the album, mostly Prince and his stripped down guitar but also real drums). It, Hot Thing, Forever in My Life, U Got the Look, and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man were other good songs - mainly the energetic sound. Adore is interesting. A classic slow jam style, a bit depraved, but kinda catchy like all good slow jams - uhhhh. Overall, it's a tough album to rate because for every great song, I felt like the next track was a bit boring. One for me, one for no one. Still, that might be a bit harsh. And I do think it's a better and more mature album than 1999, certainly it is ambitious. Still waiting for Purple Rain, but I think this is a pretty good album despite its weaknesses.
I'll get the negative out of the way first: a lot of it sounds like peak 80s (in a bad way) and all the songs where he indulges the "Camille" persona sound cheesy beyond belief, particularly If I Was Your Girlfriend - not a fan, even if it was a hit. Now the positive: there are plenty of great moments. The album starts incredibly strong with "Sign O' the Times" which is an amazing song, musically and lyrically (and, letting my prog-freak flag show, I first heard this song when Steven Wilson performed a very cool cover - look it up on YouTube). Then we go into Play in the Sunshine - fun bop, again very 80s, but the instrumental breaks are fantastic. Housequake is a cool groove with cheesy vocals (the first "Camille" track). It feels like most of the tracks are like this - cool moments, but then cheesy 80s sounds or corny Camille vocals (and sometimes both). But overall, lots of great songwriting and a surprising amount of variety for a double album. Definitely belongs on this list, and I like a lot of the tracks, but the cheese keeps it from being a 5. Favorite tracks: Sign O' the Times (hands down best on the album), It (ignoring the cheesy 80s sound and lyrics about doing it all the time - one thing I notice about Prince's songs is they often have the "bones" of great songs, but then have something about the sound that's pretty dated), Starfish and Coffee (nice chill groove), Slow Love (nice ballad), Hot Thing (Prince (musically) does his best Depeche Mode), U Got the Look (TOTALLY 80s, but definitely a good song - Prince does his best Robert Palmer, reminds me of "Addicted to Love"), Strange Relationship (very 80s, but good song), The Cross (Prince rocks out! I like it, especially how it builds through the song), It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night (fun funky live track - he should have stopped here, because Adore is cheesy as hell). Overall, good stuff and I would definitely revisit.
Class. First half needs another listen definitely, lot of madness going on there, way more layered than your standard pop r&b album. Overall great listen 5/5
Quite liked it. Only ever really hear prince songs while watching music videos.
This album is all over the place and probably deserves a bit more time. Imagine what the 3 album version would have been like. Standout tracks for me Sign O' The Times, Starfish And Coffee
Bit of a sprawling one this - I don't think two listens was enough to really get a grip on it. Lots of variety and experimentation, so a bit hit and miss as a result. Some of the tracks almost verged on sounding like industrial, and I bet Prince woulda made an absolutely baller industrial album - shame that doesn't exist. Learning about the proposed "Camille" project was fascinating! Fave tracks - "Sign 'O' the Times" is the most industrial sounding, so that one. "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" stood out. "Starfish and Coffee" bemused me, and then I read its wikipedia page and was even more bemused!
Groovy and classic Prince. He falls just short of my favorites, but still very good. 4.5
Legend
There is total brilliance all over this album, but to me, it can just be a little over the top at times. When it’s good, it’s Prince at his absolute best, but sometimes, in a strange way, it can sound more dated than earlier Prince albums. I think this is a clear “Your mileage may vary” situation. If someone thinks this is the best Prince album, I get it and can’t really argue, but it’s not my favorite. Still, when I try to be objective, I can’t really knock anything on this album and it definitely warrants the esteem it holds.
Awesome Album. Not his best, but, one of his great albums.
Not my favorite Prince album, but still great!
de lo mejor de los años 80, música negra con ritmo y producción de lujo