Can you believe this guy? What is he smoking?

Randy Krbechek's Metronews
Music Reviews

Prince, The Hits Volumes I and II (Paisley Park/Warner Bros. 1993) -- Prince, the diminutive sex-rocker hailing from Minneapolis, has rewarded Warner Bros. for signing him to a multi-year, mega-buck contract by (i) changing his name to "signman" (or some such silliness) and by (ii) releasing two compilation discs of material from throughout his career.

Don't get me wrong. I'm from Minneapolis, where Prince is (or was) king. Prince almost singlehandly put Minneapolis on the musical landscape, and breathed life back into a decaying funk\soul sound. In addition, Prince used sex in a way that most suburbanite fratboys could only dream about. Through his aggressive sexual politics, he divided his followers from the non-fans.

Once you crossed over the hurdle (or refused to be offended by his tactics), the music got great. Moreover, Prince made a big breakthrough on Purple Rain when he learned how to play guitar (reportedly by practicing for 18 months straight) and established himself as a major league talent.

However, Prince appears to have badly abused Warner Bros. by signing a big-buck contract and then refusing to release new material. Instead, we have a selection of songs from throughout Prince's 15 year career, all for the low, introductory price of $48.99 (this is the list price at Tower Records -- and it's not Tower's fault, it's just that Warner badly needs a return on investment). Warner Bros. may now agree with labelmates Dire Straits' description of Prince as "the little faggot with the earring and the makeup . . . the little faggot is a millionaire" (from "Money For Nothing").

Leaving aside questions of political correctness and business ethics, the two discs (each containing eighteen songs) are great pop samplers. Gail, who has been put off by Prince's more recent work, goes further and says that the two disks are "terrific -- wonderful."

The discs are intermixed, rather than ordered chronologically. Thus, The Hits -- Volume I contains the "cleaner," more radio-accessible numbers. This disc opens with the plaintive "When Doves Cry," and also includes "Let's Go Crazy," "1999," and "Sign 'O The Times."

The second disc contains Prince's more controversial numbers. Songs on The Hits -- Volume II include "Delirious" and "Little Red Corvette." The album also features "Raspberry Beret" (from the much overlooked LP Around The World In A Day) and "If I Was Your Girlfriend," a deliciously perverted number.

Disc three is said to contain rarities and unreleased numbers. I've previously heard the non-commercially available (read bootleg) Black Album, which mostly contains material from Sign 'O The Times, and don't recall anything special about it. Though Prince is certainly a prolific songwriter, I don't look for any real breakthroughs on Volume 3.

The little guy from the Twin Cites may shake his butt a lot, but he knows how to boogie on down to the bank too. Impressive music, but at an imposing price.


Here is link to the page. http://www.cdshakedown.com/102093.htm

All solos on "For You" must've been done by Blue Oyster Cult.

When the hell was this review written anyways???? I mean, why are the Hits only be reviewed now?? Where has this guy been for the last however many years????
[Edited 1/27/05 14:56pm]

The Black Album mostly contains material from Sign O' the Times? And the B-side disc doesn't contain any "breakthroughs?"


What a tard.
S

Redayh said:

Exactly....WTF is this guy talking about? And again...why now?

What an amateurish review.

purplerain7 said:

Ermm, I think this is an old review. It seems to be mostly written in the present tense, as in when the Hits were released. But it is/was a poor review - going on about a 2CD set for a large price, then later admitting there was a 3rd CD thrown in!

You can't blame every reviewer for not knowing all of Prince's history - after all, they sometimes just get set an assignment over the weekend, and you just couldn't listen to all of Prince's stuff over the weekend! But this reviewer was from Minneapolis and seemed to be a fan - just a very mixed up fan. The Black Album was mostly tracks from SOTT?!

This review clearly shows that hiring critics for review writing seems to be nothing else but an action to fight unemployment in many cases...

OdysseyMiles said:

Not 2 mention Bambi from 'Prince'

I am repulsed by this blasphemy!

Am I the only person that didn't know that line in "Money For Nothing" was a reference to Prince?

reviewers who put in super-erroneous info and half-assed reviews are so kyoot.

sextonseven said:

i don't think it pertains to him alone...there were a lotta other guys on the androgyny train in the '80s as well, that line could be about any of those cats. that's the way i've always looked at it.