Funk throw-down Chelsea Rodgers playing now. Click the  to hear Guitar. Click it again to hear Lion of Judah. |
These hardcore fanatics have nothing on me. I’ve been waiting all morning, Tuesday, July 24, in front of my laptop for the iTunes Music Store to post Planet Earth, the latest release from Prince.
You can imagine the hardship. I’ve been restricted all morning to computer-based activities such as online crossword puzzles and checking my watch list on eBay. Like any respectable reviewer, I’ve also been checking in on Yahoo Music News. The music gods are not with me today, as the lead item on Yahoo is (I am not even kidding) The Sante Fe Opera’s hiring of a new conductor. I am happy to report, though, that through all this privation, I have my Prince and it was worth the ordeal.
Early buzz on Planet Earth hinted at a return to Prince’s roots in funk and guitar rock. That got me excited. Although I have room in my personal collection for everything he has recorded, early Prince is my favorite. His 1983 breakthrough album, 1999, is nothing less than iconic. For many fans, the uninhibited, unpolished and unapologetic Prince of 1999 is the best Prince. For these folks, Chelsea Rodgers and Guitar are like a ride back to the ’80s in Michael J. Fox’s Delorean.
No Prince album would be complete without a generous helping of sexy ballads. Mr. Goodnight fits this bill and, in true Prince style, has such a suggestive title that a parental warning would be redundant.Prince has always had a strong style. So much so that even when others perform his work, we know that he is behind the scenes. This consistency has never made Prince seem tired or boring. To the contrary, although Lion of Judah may sound like a continuation of Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (1991), it’s among the most inventive cuts on an album that’s full of creativity.
For 25 years, the only thing predictable about Prince has been his continued relevance. Planet Earth not only continues this tradition, but increases the expectation level for future works by our quirky purple friend.
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