Prince - Sign O the Times
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Free Music Notes for Sign O the Times
Free Music Review: This Proves Why He Can Himself "The Artist".
Hit: 5 Stars
This sprawling, wildly eclectic and endlessly inventive double album forever dashed the notion that 'Purple Rain' would be Prince's creative peak. For my money, this is his finest work of art. Everything about it is refreshing, the cover art, the packaging the sequencing and most importantly the music all show him as the restless creative genius we've always known him to be. From the bleak, issued-riddled title track, to the jaunty 'Play In The Sunshine' this album is all over the place. To give a brief synopsis of my favorite tracks; 'The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker'- dominated by some sharp Linn-LM1 drum machine programming and supple, funky bassline that even quotes Joni Mitchell! 'It'- a simple canned beat that builds to an orchestrated, synth driven climax about "f---in'on yo' mind", one of his best sex songs ever. 'Starfish & Coffee'- notable for it's terrific sing along melody and chorus and sparse repetitive backing track. The lyrics are some of his best. 'I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man'- proof that he can rattle off a great, '60's influenced pop song in his sleep. (Special Note: rent the 'Sign "O" The Times' film and see the blazing treatment he gives this song live in concert, his ripping, orgasmic guitar solo is revelatory!) (Special Note #2 about the film, Shiela E. performs a drum solo during a jazzy instrumental jam that must be seen to be believed. She plays so hard, she abandons sticks altogether and slaps the crash cymbals with her bare hands!) And speaking of abandoning things, I hereby abandon the notion that the pleasures found on this epic release can be limited to a handful of tracks. Buy the LP in any format, and you'll be richly rewarded. A Classic.Free Music Review: There is no better
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the best album I've ever listened to. Where to start?
These are some of Prince's best lyrics. Even those of us who are die-hard fans will admit that sometimes his lyrics can be a bit tossed-off. But these lyrics are rich, heartfelt, and inventive, from the political commentary of "Sign O the Times", to the gender-role exploration of "If I was your Girlfriend", to the sweet and whimsical "Starfish and Coffee".
This album contains an incredible range of styles, yet hangs together as a cohesive musical statement. Prince has said that he doesn't like to categorize his music, and this album is the true realization of that statement. Although elements of jazz, funk, folk, and rock run through the album, the music is truly, uniquely, Prince's own.
Sign o' the Times contains some of his free-est vocals since "God", from the loopy, trippy high "Camille" voice on "Housequake" to the conviction-laden wail of "The Cross", to the nasty snarl of "Hot Thing".
The production on this album is also some of the best of his career. Each song is given an instrumentation that best conveys its musical message.
I could write many pages praising this incredible album, but your time would be better spent in buying and listening to this album *as soon as possible*.
THE one slight weak point of this album is the extended jam on "Playing in the Sunshine". It probably worked live, but on the album, a few minutes should have been shaved off in the middle.
Other than that, this album is truly flawless.
Free Music Review: Prince's Masterpiece!
Hit: 5 Stars
Although the sales of this album were not spectacular or anywhere close to what it deserved, this album remains Prince's peak artistically with his genius in full bloom. Also it is worth recognising that this was a double album which would limit sales, but there was no filler and Prince was right to be confident in insisting it be put out in it's stunning entirety.From the bleak, social commentary of the opening track segueing directly into the jubilant rocker "Play In The Sunshine" the quality and class never lets down no matter what genre Prince turns his hand to! Whether the James Brown style funk of "Housequake" or the jazzy swing of "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" Prince is revelling in his command over contemporary music.
Amongst an album full of highlights, other stand outs include the rocker "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" (Avoid Jordan Knight's bland cover) with it's ecstatic guitar solo and the under-rated class of the chugging Sly Stone-esque "Strange Relationship".
The best however is saved for last with Prince's ultimate ballad "Adore" (And that is high praise considering the consistency of ballads throughout his career). It is almost too beautiful for words and is the ultimate expression of devotion to a lover.
This album is Prince's defining work (within a career of Musical Genius) and as essential as any other album in musical history so make sure to own this and it's superb concert movie, sit back and then soak up the depth of the talent that is Prince Roger Nelson.
Free Music Review: His Second Best I've Heard.
Hit: 5 Stars
Out of the 16 songs here, only 2 I don't like: Starfish & Coffee and Hot Thing. That in itself is an achievement. How many albums today with just only 10 or 11 songs can please you from beginning to end? To love 14 out of 16 cuts on a record definitely means you're dealing with something special.
The song styles are all over the place, and it took me several listens to appreciate many of them; but sometimes it's like that. Sign...has my favorite Prince song of all time, If I Was Your Girlfriend. This song is weird, creepy, funky, understated, seductive, and imploring all in one.
Some even say Sign...is better than Purple Rain; but, I still have to give the edge to the latter album. Even though Sign has more quantity and very high quality attached, the songs fail to reach the same celestial heights as the songs from Purple Rain. The tracks on Purple Rain are legendary, while the tracks on Sign are just really really good. Even though ...Girlfriend is my favorite Prince song, I won't dare say it's in the same league as When Doves Cry. It's like having Mel Gibson as your favorite actor but knowing Marlon Brando could act rings around him. There is a difference between "favorite" and "best." And Purple Rain is simply put, his best.
I've heard the only GREAT (not mediocre or good or nice, but great) album he made after this one was The Gold Experience: a cd I still haven't had the good fortune to get a copy of. But never fear. I'll get it eventually.
Free Music Review: What the hell is this guy ON?
Hit: 5 Stars
The peak of his powers. Not his best album (Purple Rain) but not far behind. Prince was only capable of brilliance at this point in his career. He still makes brilliant music nowadays. Some people don't like the way he's moved into more strickly "black" (heh) music, but he is just moving, changing always. If he was still playing music like this now, people wouldn't treat him seriously. Sometimes people don't now, but he still gets a lot of respect and sells out concerts and his newest album was at the top of the charts for a long time. If he feels like it, he can be at the top. If he doesn't, he doesn't.
Either way, in almost every album he's done, he oozes artistic credibility. Yes, he's a pop star, but a self perpetuating pop star. Even if he had no record label deal, he could do albums even if he had to play and produce every note. Wait... he's already done that!
Anyways, to this album. Every song is great. Every song is immaculately arranged. He had ditched the Revolution on this album for some reason, so it's back to one man band. But this isn't the one man band of 1999: this is a different one man band, a man who has learned lessons from being a band, and while there is a scaling back on the lushness and improptu energy of a Revolution recording, he still makes these songs full, and REAL sounding, one of the only one man artists who can make an album where he plays all the instruments sound like a funky band improvising. God bless the man. Even his weirdness.