Brent Kirkwood wrote: > After all this talk of Prince... > > Can anyone make an album recommendation for a newcomer to Price's work?
Interesting just how many Prince fans there are on the list. The connection between Prince and Detroit techno is squarely in the "what they were listening to when they weren't listening to each other" category, so I'm not sure how on-topic it is, but for what it's worth... Just about every Prince album and bootleg released up to the mid-1990s has its moments where he (plus backing band The Revolution or New Power Generation, when applicable) was at the top of his form. Usually there are a couple of songs that were great and were hits, and a couple that should have been, and some mediocre filler. There's also a fair amount of progression from album to album, so you can't really find a single disc that serves as an introduction to all of his styles or that is superior to all others. In the mid-1990s and beyond, his music became more ballad-oriented, less adventurous and hardly as fun as before... still of high quality, just not all that interesting, IMHO, and the recommendations given on here already seem to concur, by omission. As you might expect, the official greatest hits collections contain the safest of the tracks that charted, some of which sound out of place when separated from the original albums. IMHO they should be avoided unless you're looking for a gift for a nostalgic family member. But, there was a B-sides disc that is worth having. Your best bet, though, is to find some nutty fan to make a compilation for you, then research the albums the material came from.. or just take the plunge and start buying. Also, it wasn't mentioned, but the 12" singles he released in the 1980s often had extended versions (full re-recordings, not just remixes) and B-sides that were essential. The long version of "Raspberry Beret", the 20 minute version of "America", the long mix of "U Got The Look", etc... The withdrawn Black Album is raw but has the comical "Bob George" and the frenetic live jazz-funk jam "2 Nigs United 4 West Compton", which I can't imagine not putting on a *real* best-of compilation. I guess like everyone else I'd recommend Sign O The Times, but it's not jam packed with hits. It's just a really solid album from a time when he was at the top of his game. I thought Around The World In A Day was more enjoyable. I don't really disagree with any of the recommendations made... they're all good albums. If you want stuff that's "dancey" you should stick to Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, and Purple Rain.
