Leave it to the artist formerly known as Prince to end his 18-year relationship with Warner Bros. Records by handing over a somewhat ragtag collection of tracks initially "intended 4 private use only." Who else would cast aside the elaborate wrappings of his previous release, The Gold Experience, in favor of a crude photo collage apparently cobbled together in one afternoon with the aid of a home computer and a color Xerox machine? And who else would assure that said album was actually a pretty good checklist of many of the things this frequent genius does best? Even when lyrics appear deliberately puerile ("Dinner With Delores"), Prince is often able to salvage the song with a cranked-up guitar (he plays a lot on these 11 cuts) or a catchy chorus. "I Like It There" is a metal-pop lust-anthem that's both slight and undeniable, the way "Raspberry Beret" was. ("More than I love my hair!" he exclaims in thrall to, presumably, wife Mayte.) "The Same December" takes a similar musical tack to extol the Book of Revelation theology that fueled past classics like "The Cross"; in a nod toward a more earthly deity, the vocal phrasing at song's end ("Uh, you only know what you know") is one of Prince's subtlest Hendrix tributes. Chaos ends with a big, lovely tease. Nearly orchestral guitars fanfare "Had U," which turns out to be less than a minute and a half long. Prince delivers a kiss-off note that, over this truly promising gorgeousness, turns out to be the most articulate and moving thing on the record. It's a frustrating ending, but one that trips you up. How mad, after all, can you get at someone who can summon those sounds, if only to drop them off in a cul de sac? This kind of nonclosure signals that Prince knows just how tossed-away, but listenable, Chaos and Disorder is. --Rickey Wright
Chaos and Disorder,Prince,Warner Bros / Wea,Funk,Pop,Pop/Rock,Popular Music,R&B,Rock/Pop,Soul,Urban
Average customer rating: 
|
Planet Earth
Prince Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Funk
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B000RMC7H0 Release Date: 2007-07-24 |
Tracks:
- Planet Earth
- Guitar
- Somewhere Here On Earth
- The One U Wanna C
- Future Baby Mama
- Mr. Goodnight
- All The Midnights In The World
- Chelsea Rodgers
- Lion Of Judah
- Resolution
Amazon.com
Because it would be un-Prince-like to release a new studio album without kicking up a little controversy first, the Artist Formerly Known As a Cool-Looking Symbol gave away copies of Planet Earth with a British news tabloid weeks before its U.S. release. Among the reasons he shouldn't have: nobody who catches wind of the peerless funk-rock-soul he lays out on these 10 tracks--least of all longtime fans--would think twice about shelling out for it. A big chunk of the appeal is that Prince finds his way back to his guitar here. The title track, a politically right-on-time environmental rant, steers him back toward "Purple Rain" territory, as does "Lion of Judah" ("Guitar," oddly, doesn't--it's more of a straight-up, shout-it-out modern rocker). And the flirty numbers are seriously flammable: "Somewhere Here on Earth" seduces with a crackly jazz vibe, while "Mr. Goodnight" gets friendly with a refined slip of rap. Coolest of all are two tracks at cross purposes-- "Chelsea Rodgers" fuses funk with disco until it's so far off the hook it's in a heap on the floor, and "All the Midnights in the World" paints a picture of artistic maturity through piano and lyrics that lean hard on positivity. There's an elegance to it that Prince fans, no strangers to pop music that's truly sublime, won't fail to appreciate. --Tammy La GorceAlbum Description
Simply put, Planet Earth is the album longtime Prince fans have been waiting for. Several cuts on this album revisit some of the classic Prince sound the captured fans all over the world and helped deem him an incomparable music icon. Superstar and legendary musician prince kicked off 2007 with a show stopping Super Bowls Half-time performance. Prince pulled out all the stops during the second most-watched super bowl broadcast ever. With an estimated 93.2 million viewers to entertain, Prince wasted no time showing off his stages powers and irrefutable guitar skills. He masterfully captured the attention and respect of music fans in general, while sending a message to long time Prince fans that he was ready to once again reign supreme.Customer Reviews:
Disappointed :(.......2007-07-31
Superb.......2007-07-30
Got a mind full of good intentions and a mouth full of Raisinets.......2007-07-30
All that said, I'll reiterate: I like this new album. It turned out to be a nice surprise - not a major return to form, but a mostly consistently enjoyable collection of new songs. Are they all new? It's hard to say - I do have trouble believing all the musicians who are credited in the album's sparse (nearly non-existant, truth be told) liner notes turned up for recent sessions. Some of this music was quite possibly in the can for many years - the wildly varying tone, and overall sound, throughout the album supports this idea. Before delving into a song-by-song look, I'll summarize my overall feelings. The focus here seems to be tight, concise pop songwriting. Prince used to break boundaries and take chances with song form, but since those days seem long gone I'm satisfied to hear relatively straightforward songs containing strong melodies and memorable hooks. It's far preferable to the aimlessness of recent sludge like "3121" and "Musicology." I also like hearing so many guitar solos - much more than anything since "Chaos and Disorder" way back in 1995. Throughout "Planet Earth," there are lots of little musical surprises and quirks - unexpected chord changes, unpredictable melodic twists, unusual backing vocal arrangements. No, it's not "Lovesexy" revisited by any means, but it keeps the listener from being bored to tears (like the last couple of albums did).
To be more specific, take the opening - and also title - track. On a musical level, "Planet Earth" sounds very much to me like the Prince of old. The plaintive - though highly dramatic - verses that give way to swelling choruses, ultimately climaxing with a passionate guitar solo: it's a full-fledged epic Prince track (bold move to open the record with what sounds like a big finish). The piano/synth/backing-vocals section midway through sounds the vintage late-80s era. Lyrically, I'm less enthusiastic. Prince didn't used to be so literal when tackling "big issues." Here - not surprisingly, given the title - he deals mainly with the fragility of our ecosystem. Sorry, but no celebrity can escape the hypocrisy charge when lamenting the mistreatment of the atmosphere while simultaneously boasting of private jets traveling the four corners of the globe. Prince, how big is your carbon footprint? In the final verse, he sings about sending off young soldiers to fight a war, asking "If they're blessed to make it home, will they still be poor?" I'm not exactly sure what he's implying about the financial status of the armed forces, but I am a bit confused about something: in this song, and later in the album, the lyrics do get a tad bit political. I was under the impression that Jehovah's Witnesses remain strictly apolitical. How can he include this type of subject matter without violating that belief? I'm not taking any shots at his religion, I'm just genuinely curious about this seeming contradiction.
"Guitar" takes us back to mid-90s NPG, "Undertaker" style. I wouldn't be surprised if that's Michael B kicking it on this rock track. Many have mentioned it - and 'I will follow' their lead (get it?) - the main riff sounds like a certain early U2 song. Once you accept that, the song is a fun rocker with some good solos and a light-hearted lyric (what a relief after the pretentions of the first song's message).
"Somewhere Here On Earth" starts off with a hokey 'scratchy record' sound, apparently signaling it's 'old school' balladry. There's also a bit of cringe-worthiness in the lyric, "In this digital age, you could just page me/I know it's the rage." Um, really? I don't know many people who still carry around pagers - but I guess "You could just text me" didn't rhyme as well. Or it could suggest this song's been in the vault for a few years. That wouldn't be a stretch, as it sounds like it could've been on just about any album from "Around the World In a Day" onward - which I mean in the best way: it's a very good falsetto ballad in the classic Prince mold. A tad overlong, though, at nearly 6 minutes, as no new ideas are introduced to justify the length.
Things get even better with "The One U Wanna C" - a straight-ahead pop tune with a subtle, yet comfortable, countryish twang. Again, this sounds so unlike anything Prince has done in years I can't help but wonder if he pulled it out of the vault. As lightweight as it is, I love everything about it - except for the line "I ain't trying to be a hater" (which is the first of several instances of Prince forcing some 'modern' slang into his lyrics). I do like that he sings "I come like thunder" and "If u wanna get creamy" because it proves that the JW's didn't shut down the innuendo completely.
Uh-oh -- Prince gets all lover-man in "Future Baby Mama" -- and there's another (obvious) example of that 'modern' slang. Building a song around the phrase "baby mama" wasn't a great idea, even if he did break out the Linn for this one (which isn't all that exciting anyway - he was trying to evoke the old days in the exact same way back on "Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic" back in '99!). Still, it ain't an entirely unpleasant sounding song, but it feels very out of place in context of the four songs that preceded it. Maybe the course will be corrected shortly...
...in a word, no. "Mr. Goodnight" sounds like it could've been on ANY "Emancipation"-onward album. It's a sort-of rap song, and I hoped he was done with that kind of thing. Suddenly the vibe of the album has been completely altered, and necessarily in a good way. Not that I don't love the funky R&B that has been Prince's bread and butter his entire career - I most certainly do. But this generic-sounding stuff evokes "New Power Soul" more than "Sign O the Times"...or even "Diamonds & Pearls" for that matter. In fact, songs like "Come On" and "Shoo-Be-Do" from that 1998 disappointment KILL this "Mr. Goodnight" bit of indulgence. Oh well, at least it DOES have the funniest food reference in a Prince song since the immortal "Cap'n Crunch with soy milk."
"All the Midnights In the World" - short, but oh so sweet. My favorite track, and it clocks in at just 2 minutes, 21 seconds. THIS is classic Prince pop: idiosyncratic lyrics, melodically inventive, captivating vocal performance. Can this possibly be a new song? Or is this some lost "Dream Factory"-era track? It's so fantastic I can't really explain it. Who but Prince would include a reference to Zuzu's pedals from "It's a Wonderful Life"? "Amethyst and rubies, crystals and black pearls/I'd trade them all just to spend with you/All the midnights in the world." I don't usually use words like splendiferous, but it truly applies to this gem of a song.
Nowhere to go but down, I guess, after such a natural high - but "Chelsea Rogers" is actually a pretty entertaining dance track nonetheless. It's a funky disco-style song, sung along with a husky-voiced woman (reminded me of Mavis right at the beginning). It doesn't really DO all that much in nearly 6 minutes (one of only three tracks that push past 5 minutes). It's about the same length as the title track, yet unlike that well-structured epic, it wears out it's welcome after the halfway point. I haven't really bothered to figure out if the lyrics, which apparently concern a real-life fashion model, tell a coherent story.
"Lion Of Judah" brings it back to guitar-oriented rock. It's grown on me over repeated listenings, though I'm not sure what he's getting at in the lyrics. Sure sounds like something was on his mind though. A failed relationship, it would seem - one that he didn't want to end, and felt ended in the midst of miscommunication...leaving him seeking some sort of revenge? I don't know really, but I like the guitar playing.
"Resolution" - bouncy up-tempo pop, kinda like a less corny "Graffiti Bridge." Also kinda like the opening track: I like it musically, I'm less wild about the lyrics. It's actually a good bookend - both songs tackle "big issues," albeit in a clumsy way. I really like the melody, the simple arrangement, and especially the backing vocals. But spelling out the world's problems in less than four minutes is a tough order for anyone. Actually, in the final verse ("Love is like a circle, no beginning and no end..") he has the right idea - keep it a bit vague, rather than trying to specifically explain the "main problem" with war (that no one ever wins) and with people (that they never do what they say). In fact, his reasoning is incorrect in both cases, so why bother trying to cover so much ground in one song? Anyway, the lyrics are just too dopey-hippy for me to take seriously - I still enjoy the heck out of the song on a musical/performance level.
I've been listening to the album as I write this. I really have to say: the highest praise I can offer is that every time it ends, I feel like starting it up and listening all over again. I haven't felt that way about a Prince album in far too long. Not because it stands as a truly classic Prince album, but because it's the most tuneful and entertaining album he has released in ten years. And, of course, there's that track 7 that brings joy everytime it rolls around.
be careful with your expectations..............2007-07-30
Prince being Prince.......2007-07-29
Average customer rating:
|
Chaos and Disorder
Prince Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Soul
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Funk
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002N9L Release Date: 1996-07-09 |
Tracks:
- Chaos And Disorder
- I Like It There
- Dinner With Delores
- The Same December
- Right And Wrong
- Zannalee
- I Rock Therefore I Am
- Into The Light
- I Will
- Dig U Better Dead
- Had U
Amazon.com
Leave it to the artist formerly known as Prince to end his 18-year relationship with Warner Bros. Records by handing over a somewhat ragtag collection of tracks initially "intended 4 private use only." Who else would cast aside the elaborate wrappings of his previous release, The Gold Experience, in favor of a crude photo collage apparently cobbled together in one afternoon with the aid of a home computer and a color Xerox machine? And who else would assure that said album was actually a pretty good checklist of many of the things this frequent genius does best? Even when lyrics appear deliberately puerile ("Dinner With Delores"), Prince is often able to salvage the song with a cranked-up guitar (he plays a lot on these 11 cuts) or a catchy chorus. "I Like It There" is a metal-pop lust-anthem that's both slight and undeniable, the way "Raspberry Beret" was. ("More than I love my hair!" he exclaims in thrall to, presumably, wife Mayte.) "The Same December" takes a similar musical tack to extol the Book of Revelation theology that fueled past classics like "The Cross"; in a nod toward a more earthly deity, the vocal phrasing at song's end ("Uh, you only know what you know") is one of Prince's subtlest Hendrix tributes. Chaos ends with a big, lovely tease. Nearly orchestral guitars fanfare "Had U," which turns out to be less than a minute and a half long. Prince delivers a kiss-off note that, over this truly promising gorgeousness, turns out to be the most articulate and moving thing on the record. It's a frustrating ending, but one that trips you up. How mad, after all, can you get at someone who can summon those sounds, if only to drop them off in a cul de sac? This kind of nonclosure signals that Prince knows just how tossed-away, but listenable, Chaos and Disorder is. --Rickey WrightCustomer Reviews:
Prince And The NPG Fight The Power.......2007-07-07
O(-> and released The Gold Experience did he begin to collect some of his "private music vault" for this album in 1996.Considering how well the same idea worked 15 years earlier with Dirty Mind he didn't see how it wouldn't work on 'Chaos And Disorder' and musically it did. Both albums have the one similarity of being Prince's more rock oriented music. Prince's style on the rock guitar is showcased throughout the uptempo songs on this album.The title track,"I Like It There","Into The Light" and "I Will" are extrodinary rockers.For those who enjoy more pop/rock the easy going "Dinner With Delores",with it's 70's soft rock feel will fit the bill nicely and it is actually one of his best songs of the period. The loud blues rock of "Zannalee" is not exactly typical of Prince but it challanges him as a musician.Don't think that just because this is often hyped as Prince "rock" album (which in many ways it is) Prince is his always eclectic self on the zesty funk-rock hybrids of "Right The Wrong","I Rock Therefore I Am" and "Dig You Better Dead"-all three of which are also some of his strongest songs.'Chaos And Disorder' is Prince's final "official" Warner Bros. album and presents some his most direct songs;most of these tunes are less then 3 and 4 minutes and have a very refreshing directness.One thing that anyone considering purchasing this should know is this was released during a very trying time for Prince-he was fighting with Warners,had the "SLAVE" tattoo on his face and the lyrics here are filled with a lot of bitterness and edginess.As with many of Prince's mid 1990's music it will certainly get your attention.But even I found myself revisiting it after all these years of thinking of this as one of Prince's weakest albums and maybe more people should do that.
A lot better than most contractual obligations........2007-07-02
Prince here delivers music that is suprisingly accessible, straightforward and diverse. He's not nearly as eccentric or quirky as usual, but that's fine. As most everyone has pointed ot, the best thing about the album is that Prince's sometimes underrated rock guitar skills really come to the fore here. The powerhouse title track gets things going with a bang, Prince searing guitar perfectly complementing the angry lyric. Prince sexual preoccuaptions (although less blatant than usual)also get the hard rocking treatment in the next track, "I Like It There." "The Same December" also kicks butt.
However, the album is more tham just rock. "Dinner with Delores" is a charming, whimsical pop tune with an acoustic base. Southern soul shows up, suprisingly, in another stab at social commentary, "Right the Wrong". Blues-rock is featured in the sexy "Zannalee". The Artist's sprituality gets a beautiful showcase with the uplifting "Into The Light", starting with a gentle piano part before rocking it out again. Prince pretty much forgoes the hip-hop of his most recent albums, with the one exception of "I Rock, Therefore I Am", which might sound like an egotist manifesto,
but actually sounds like Prince is delivering it entirely tongue-in-cheek. It goes on a bit too long, but it has Prince's usually solid musical base, an amusing rap by the NPG's Tony D. and great vocals from Rosie Gaines.
The album takes a positively vicious turn at the end with the jittery funk of "Dig You Better Dead" and the dark, classical sounding "Had You." They sound like kiss-offs to an old girlfriend, but could also be interpreted as giving the big middle finger to WB...
Anyway, while this album, certainly doesn't have the scope of the those from his classic period (from "1999" to "Sign of the Times"), it has a lot of what made those albums great, with none of the annoying filler that occasionally would drag them down. Unfortuantely, being the last album of his contract, WB wasn't motivated to promote it, and Prince himself had moved on by the time it came out, so it was a commercial failure. So, it's out of print, which is a shame. Anyone who enjoyed the best of Prince's 1980's work will like this strong collection.
This Album ROCKS!!!.......2007-06-16
I listened to it a second time and I was hooked.
This was supposed to be a "throw-away" lp. It is one of my 5 all-time fave Prince works.
"Dinner With Delores," the title track, "Same December"...great music from a Hall of Fame musician.
He Rocks, Therefore He Is!.......2006-04-11
Keep rockin.
surprise gem.......2006-04-10
Surprise! Although "Chaos and Disorder" isn't necessarily the most consistent collection of music, it's not nearly as thrown-together or unpolished as you'd expect. What ties most of the tracks together is the focus on the guitar. Most of Prince's 90's music with the NPG has focused on R&B and rap, so Prince hasn't rocked this hard in a very long time ... maybe even since "Purple Rain", and it's a welcome change of pace. Thematically, Prince seems to be more spiritually-focused than usual ... in fact, you could probably categorize this as a rock/gospel album. "Into the Light" and "I Will" are practically hymn-like, and "Right and Wrong" sounds like a southern baptist revival. The usually-libidinous Prince only turns up the heat slightly on "I Like It There", but then quickly turns down a woman for being too forward on "Dinner With Dolores." Even the defiance on "Chaos and Disorder" and "I Rock Therefore I Am" is more a critique of a soulless society (or perhaps corporation?) than it is pure rock n roll rebellion. The album ends on a strange, intriguing note with "Had U" ... an amelodic, somber track that signals the end of a relationship ... with a person? With Warner Brothers? With fame? Only Prince knows for sure.
Christian Music:
- Christmas with Babyface
- Cymande
- Da Real World [Explicit Lyrics]
- Daily Operation
- Definitive Ray Charles [Original recording remastered]
- Delfonics - Greatest Hits & More
- Deliver the Word
- Denials Delusions and Decisions [Explicit Lyrics]
- Drive [Enhanced]
- Even Closer
Christian Music
Tarkus [Original recording remastered] [Import]
Gerard Schurmann: Six Studies of Francis Bacon / Variants for Small Orchestra
Music Review: A Little Love Will Help
Pop Music: 20 Best of Relaxation
I'm Sorry That Sometimes I'm Mean [Import]
In Color [Import] [Limited Edition]
January 07003 | Bell Studies for The Clock of The Long Now
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Elvin Bishop