Controversy - Prince

Advantages: Um...the title track?
Disadvantages: 6 out of 8 tracks are pretty poor

Before those of you who read my reviews start to think I'm totally biased when it comes to Prince, here's a little surprise. I do not like the album Controversy. The title track is a good song, although perhaps a little dated now, and at over seven minutes, a bit long. "Do Me Baby" is also worth a listen - it's a nice ballad. That's where my positive comments stop, I'm afraid. I keep this CD purely because it's part of the collection. It doesn't ... Read review

Advantages: Man of immense talent
Disadvantages: America's worst nightmare

...), and life was looking up for the 'Black Prince'. Controversy continued to surround Tupac, and life became more and more dangerous for him. He was shot five times as he was robbed of forty thousand dollars worth of jewellery, in November of 1994, but recovered in a way which made the world think he was immortal. He came back with arguably his best work in the form of the album 'Me Against The World' which was released in February of 1995. It seemed the shooting had given Tupac a new outlook on life, aswell as reinforcing his old views. He still felt alone, which is portrayed in the title of the album, but at the same time felt his life was in the hands of God. He was thankful to be alive, but would only become more terrifying. In the midst of Tupac's acting exploits, shootings and the release of the new album, Tupac was charged... Read review

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Advantages: Uplifting songs, tender ballads, brilliant songwriting and numerous other positives!
Disadvantages: Album released as a single track, other than that, pretty perfect!

...Prince's ninth album is sadly best known for the cover, on which Prince appears naked, sitting on a lilac. The statement he was trying to make (at least I think!) was that this album is his purest yet, his statement about his beliefs on God, religion and sex. Prince is famous for mixing religion and sexuality and this album is the pinnacle of that Prince decided to record this album after shelving the "Black album", a funk record he wrote as a comeback against critics accusing him of abandoning his funk roots. The reason he decided to shelve it is controversial and I won't go into it here, but Prince decided he wanted to record a statement about himself and his music and soon his famous creativity kicked in. Supposedly he recorded fully half of this album in one day! And thankfully it doesn't suffer from it in the slightest... Read review

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Advantages: short accessable songs
Disadvantages: not all songs are actually that great

...the purple hippes bang your head on the one!' but other than that, it's not that noteworthy. Prince has done this sort of song many times before, and better, although alot of fans note that the live version is much better. Call My Name is next and this was the second single off the album. Prince called it one of the best he's ever done and in a sense you can see why. It's a homage to monogomy now that he's happily married to his second wife and knowing this and all Prince's history it takes on an extra 'niceness' to it. Again, like Musicology, this one is a grower but is now one of my favourites on the album. Its a real chilled out RnB ballad. Third single, Cinnamon Girl is next and if you've checked out Prince in the news lately you'll see the video has been causing all sorts of controversy due to the depiction of an abused American Muslim... Read review

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