With his legendary status firmly intact, jumping into an extensive discography such as Prince's can be daunting. Why not simply start at the peak? After all, Purple Rain is a frequent on top albums of all time lists. I have no excuses for how it took this long to get around to such a classic record but now, I am fully converted. I adore the genius that is Prince, a musical virtuoso channeling his extensive creativity for our pleasure.
Kicking off with Let's go Crazy, a clunky drum machine, soft organ keys and Hard Rock guitar licks whip one up into a feel good frenzy. Let your hair down and rock out! Immediately you'll sense eclecticism as each instrument plays like the lead, flashing its vibrancy through a range of influences that will only expand as the record grows.
Quite often Prince sings at equal measure to his instrumental pallet, becoming a part of the artistic canvas. His range of temperaments and techniques keeps each track feeling unique. However, he periodically finds apt moments to simply erupt and ascend to the limelight. His remarkable venture from soft tearful vulnerability to an outcry of raw passionate screams on The Beautiful Ones is just unforgettable.
Given my love of Metal, Compute Blue is an unsurprising favorite. Starting out with a plastic assemble of janky synth riffs and funk groove, its unusual charm suddenly pivots into a riot of slick metallic guitar shredding that ticks all my boxes. On paper, its quirky aesthetics and union of genres, including some Prog Rock vibes, shouldn't work. Its a common theme, Prince's compositions bend the rules of convention.
Darling Nikki is fascinating song. Toying with minimal elements, Prince lays out the thrills of his sexual escapade over bare instruments. Building to dramatic swells, his emotive singing follows suit, soaring into another screaming eruption of sensational energy. Alongside big synth stabs, a rapid fire double pedal drum groove rattles the cage. Another example of stitching oddities together with powerful persuasion.
Given my love of Metal, Compute Blue is an unsurprising favorite. Starting out with a plastic assemble of janky synth riffs and funk groove, its unusual charm suddenly pivots into a riot of slick metallic guitar shredding that ticks all my boxes. On paper, its quirky aesthetics and union of genres, including some Prog Rock vibes, shouldn't work. Its a common theme, Prince's compositions bend the rules of convention.
Darling Nikki is fascinating song. Toying with minimal elements, Prince lays out the thrills of his sexual escapade over bare instruments. Building to dramatic swells, his emotive singing follows suit, soaring into another screaming eruption of sensational energy. Alongside big synth stabs, a rapid fire double pedal drum groove rattles the cage. Another example of stitching oddities together with powerful persuasion.
A few more cuts roll by, delving into 80s moods better than most have done it. Its a notab aesthetic fit for the decade, however Prince's song writing survives the tropes and cliches. His musical indulgence into the range of these drum machines and chirpy synthesizers ascends through his fantastically adventurous and fun song writing.
Of course the record ends at the alter of an epic. Its title track Purple Rain needs no introduction, a nine minute embark into what I can only describe as beautiful sorrow, the sadness of great loss permeated by the subtly of its spiritual church organ tone. Crescendo' by his crooning howls and glorious guitar leads, the music eventually sees itself out through a wonderful deconstruction that has strings and pianos burying the moment. An epic conclusion to a remarkable record I'll adore for time to come.
Rating: 9/10