Review: MPLSoUND By Prince

prince_mplsound_cd

Here is the CD that John Blackwell referred to months ago as Controversy: The Saga Continues.  Not quite but it does capture some of the MPLS0UND from the 80’s updated Linn-Drum style. 

1. There’ll Never B (Another Like Me)

Straight up, fans have been and will be divided on this.  Some will say it is funky, another will say it did not deserve to be on 1998’s New Power Soul.

It’s Prince bravado and arrogance that may have been missing in some of his songs of late with a long keyboard ending. I like the lyrics and would love to see a remix perhaps with a different arrangement.

2. Chocolate Box

So what’s the deal/R u sportin’ some wheels/or r u ridin’ in a limousine

Q-Tip sings the hook chorus of having a box of chocolates that will knock the sox off any girl.  So far, the Internet reaction to this song has been pretty good.  Others are just allergic to chocolate or don’t wear sox in the first place.

So what’s the deal/r u gay or poppin’ pills?/why u still wanna take my hand?/This discotech is ’bout to make me a wreck

This one will grow on people and I had a hard time stopping my foot from going with the beat when listening to it.

3. Dance 4 Me

The Linn-Drum again in full effect.  Prince uses his speeded up voice talking about how he loves it when you dance for him cuz it gets him hot, because you are shaking everything you got, he likes it because it’s so sexy.

The vourestic Prince takes us on a trip and what turns him on and makes him say Hallelujah! He even drops a nod to fashion icon Christian Dior.

I like this one. (What a surprise huh?)  This def will get played again before going on to the next track.  I like the fun and funny Prince and this is him all over.  Hallelujah indeed!

4. U’re Gonna C Me

This is a re-recorded version of his limited piano release of 2002 ‘s”One Night Alone” and it gets the re-treatment.

With the Linn-Drum hooked up to sound like the sister of “The Beautiful Ones”,  the vocals are different but not the words. To me, the previous was more romantic and didn’t need the updated version. 

Usually, when it comes to Prince, when he re-records one of his songs, it sounds so different, you could play it back to back and it would not be the same.  3121’s “The Dance” is a perfect example.

It is sung in a higher falsetto towards the end.  Look, I am not going to skip this track, I just preferred the original because Prince totally kills it and it is one of his most under-appreciated ballads.

5. Here

Here comes Prince laying on his purple charm that will have the panties dropping before the middle of the song. He doesn’t even have to be sexual. He has you at the first line where he asks how beautiful r u?

I just don’t want you here/I just don’t want u near me baby/Cuz I am scared I will cry and love you like crazy

It’s different when ur’e grown/The wine don’t taste the same/when ur alone/the size of the bed now seems like the biggest I’ve ever known

Sometimes, you don’t need to be explicit to express your love and desires. It may be more fun but not always needed.

6. Valentina

This song is about Valentina, Salma Hayek’s daughter….or is more about Valentina’s mother?  I’ll let you decide.

Hey Valentina tell ur mama/she should give me a call/when she get tired of runnin’/after u down the hall/

This song is gonna be a guilty pleasure like “Lolita” before her.  From lines like “bootyguards” and saying she is curvier than a fender stratocaster guitar and sure as Betty’s Ugly. Oh man. Even love the cheesiness of  the line Penelope wants to Cruz.

It’s playful and nothing serious and women, don’t front if your man got a thing for Salma, you know she hot too!

7. Better With Time

This is a slow lovey dovey groove. I can just see the threads on the fan sites starting up about who this was written about.

This might seem strange/since so much time has passed/and since only 1 of us still looks the same/ur words not mine, baby/ur still fine yes u r/Like wine, you get better with time

Was this the song that Prince was talking about when he mentioned a song about Kristen Scott Thomas to Ann Powers of the L.A. Times in December? it can’t be, can it?

If you liked songs like “One Kiss At A Time” and “Soul Sanctuary”, this one is def for you.

8. Ol’ Skool Company

For those wondering if this would sound like it did live, no it won’t.  Prince’s speeded up voice returns but the kicking groove is still the same.

He is grooving but still getting topical:

Fat cats on wall street/they got a bailout/while everybody else got to wait/ 700 billion but my old neighborhood/ain’t nothing changed but the date

You have to hear this cut live and hopefully one day you will, because the way Prince closes it, it’s true;

Tell ur’e friends Prince and the MPLS0und can’t be beat…suckas

Hidden Track???  No More Candy 4 U

We were not able to listen to this one but here is a snippet of some interesting lyrics:

2 all the haterz on the Internet/Somebody’s looking at u/No more candy 4 u/They got ur number now, fool/2 all the suckerz winning anything and thanking the Lord 4 what they do/No more candy 4 u

The disc clocks in at just under 50 minutes but it’s groove should last with you a lot longer than that.  I like this one.  I like lotusflow3r too and to compare the two would be an injustice to you, Prince, and the music.  Some will say Prince has lost “it.”  I don’t think he has.  I am glad the lyrics will be online so people pay attention to what is said. 

This CD is an enjoyable one compared to the socially conscious Lotusflw3r and it is a good thing they are both packaged together for your listening pleasure.-Dr.FB

Comments

comments

27 Comments
  • LOtUSFLOW3R… because l33tspeek is coming back any second now. « I’ll come up with something in a minute.
    Posted at 07:31h, 01 July

    […] when I got home I put in MPLSoUND and after about 15 seconds with the opening track I had to announce to Syd that we listened to the […]

  • QueenSparky
    Posted at 10:55h, 20 April

    I am so satisfied with MPLsound, Lotusflow3r will have to grow on me. But in true Prince fashion I will patiently await for it to infect me. Seriously though to me MPL is the best one of the trio. Even my 18 year old likes it.

  • zarcon
    Posted at 23:54h, 14 April

    somebody please shut up `lou da hater`here…i wanna read a review about new prince-material by someone, who`s a actual fan, not a hater…being ‘honest`in this case means ripping it apart, as critics did throughout the nineties (as they were told to, by u know who…)! go away and worship shitmusic if u want 2, leave us alone, thank u, goodnite! i`m not against opinions that are blunt or really critical-in-depht, but this behaviour is ridiculous…

  • Fender Telecasters
    Posted at 19:00h, 13 April

    Happy Monday! awesome idea!. Enjoyed “MPLSoUND By Prince | Dr. Funkenberry’s Celeb News” although maybe not everyone did. I’ll be back. Just subscribed to your RSS.

  • catherine b
    Posted at 01:27h, 11 April

    This new set of CD’s arre the box of chocolates..each song has its own groove, from ole’ school company sounding like off of the Black album, to Dreamer that has that 60s appeal, yet futuristic,,,ohh and lou,, stopp hatin!! Prince quotes in no more candy 4 u, that too much fame causes spiritual decay..prince has a very intense fan base,,i believe this cd set was his true followers,,ANDD he soo ahead of the game, that (as usual) people 10 years from now will finally catch up and start sampleing lotus flower,,god only knows how many new artists are either inspired by, try to duplicate, or sample Prince. I dont usually get involved about the politics around Prince, because there are those who get disrespectful, and down right nasty about his personal decisions,,Jehovah Witness or not,, he still is Talented…and most of all HUMAN..

  • Eric
    Posted at 11:02h, 26 March

    mplsound intention honorable; playing with a protool, and find vintage sounds. love that idea;
    The three first one are hits love them all. I never like “u gonna c me”, this new version is even worth. according to me.”Here” is way too mellow, don’t have it. “Valentina” “oldskool compagny”are absolutly great, in the mood with that electro combination we find around in brussels clubs .”better with time” cool improvised alike ballad but weirdly positionned in the album. “No more candy 4 you” may be my fav”among the three albums . It sounds nuts and very funny, and rebel, almost like Lux Interor would.

  • Laurie-
    Posted at 15:45h, 25 March

    Forgot this:

    ?

  • Laurie-
    Posted at 15:44h, 25 March

    How long do you want an album to be?

    40 minutes is about right for an LP, I wouldn’t be at all dissapointed spending £10 on a 40-minuter, but even better we get 3 albums in one. So quit your whining and go and record your own 3-hour LP if long albums are your bag.

    For the record, Purple Rain is 43.54 and each second is fantastic. Need I say anything else.

  • ChrisG
    Posted at 02:52h, 25 March

    ok, I just have to post one more shoutout to one of the baddest emmin effin songs I’ve heard in a LONG TIME from ANYONE!!!

    Ol’ Skool Company IS MY JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!! lol

    ok, that’s all, I’m through!

  • ChrisG
    Posted at 02:44h, 25 March

    O.M.Fing.G.!!! Wow, what a great album… I’m a very slow Prince album lover.. it usually takes me a year to appreciate it, but THIS.. oh my god… I’m really impressed with the production value.. it makes you want to close your eyes and FEEL the music. OK, how the hell am I supposed to sleep until Saturday night?!?!

    POOKIE!!! Get my Limo READY!!!!

  • LotusFlow3r.com, "LOtUSFLOW3r", "Elixir" und "MPLSoUND": Erste Previews/Reviews
    Posted at 02:23h, 25 March

    […] – LOtUSFLOW3r / MPLSoUND / Elixer Dr. Funkenberry: Review: Lotusflow3r By Prince Dr. Funkenberry: Review: MPLSoUND By Prince Dr. Funkenberry: Review: Bria Valente’s Elixer Tags: Elixir · Kritik · Lotusflow3r […]

  • kammi1999
    Posted at 00:51h, 25 March

    Valentina is sick, i love it……..Old Skool live is viagra on crack….the beat will make your head bob, this groove could run for hours… makes me want to walk with a cane and limp!

    pS DOC, tell those sorry bitches they can kiss your ass when they bury you FACEDOWN……keep doing what you doing…..

  • d3rtbox
    Posted at 18:30h, 24 March

    Hey Lou, albums were usually always around 40 – 50 mins until the cd came along! You might want to reserve judgement till you’ve heard this as well.

  • CherylZ
    Posted at 17:18h, 24 March

    “…Prince laying on his purple charm that will have the panties dropping before the middle of the song….” Oh my. Can’t wait 4 this 1! Can’t wait 2 hear this entire CD!!!!

  • Lou "Dawg"
    Posted at 17:13h, 24 March

    Hey CB… you can look forward to this new release all you want, but that doesn’t change the fact that this new music isn’t very good at all. Plus, MPLSound is less than 50 minutes long. Blah.

    Honestly, do you really think Dr. Funk is going to post a “real” review? C’mon man… he gets news directly from Paisley Park, so he’s going to tread very lightly around the truth in order to stay in Prince’s good graces so he can get the news and listen to albums first.

  • Lou "Dawg"
    Posted at 17:10h, 24 March

    The album is less than 50 minutes? Why bother even releasing it, then? It’s more like an EP than a full “album.” I guess I’ll listen to it during my lunch break. This 3 CD set could have been easily paired down to about one “good” album. You’re not really getting a deal for $12 because both of Prince’s albums could be paired down to one, and Bria’s could be locked away for eternity.

  • justmemuchlove
    Posted at 15:41h, 24 March

    “..I am glad the lyrics will be online so people pay attention to what is said…”
    ———————————————————————————-

    And that’s all I had to say.. Thank you Dr.FB 😉

  • Flor De Loto
    Posted at 14:52h, 24 March

    I think “Here” will a favorite of mine, hits too close to home 🙁

  • Asia Grimes
    Posted at 14:48h, 24 March

    I can’t wait to get a hold of this Box Set, i think it’s going to be a great album, ”Dance 4 Me” is gonna be one of my favorites, i can already tell. ”Here” is going to be another one of my favorites aswell, these songs are really romantic, i love Prince’s more romantic music it fits my musical taste. I’m just really extatic, i can’t wait.

  • cb70
    Posted at 14:42h, 24 March

    Why such a hater Lou? Plain old cockamamie. You’re quick to your negative draw but did it ever occur to you that he reviewed it positive because he found it that way? Sucks to be you. Now step aside and let the ones enjoying life, looking forward to a new Prince release, party in peace.

  • Lou "Dawg"
    Posted at 14:26h, 24 March

    Some slight criticisms, yeah, but reading this, you know every word is from behind purple sunglasses. That’s sad.

  • Daniel
    Posted at 14:20h, 24 March

    Thank you for this. I appreciate it.

    And come on Lou, there were some criticisms here and there. ‘Elixer’ by Bria is the most-critiqued.

    Most Prince albums divide opinion. It seems that every Prince album since the age of the internet certainly has. I wonder what effect the internet would have had upon the perceptions of ‘Sign ‘O’ Times’ and ‘Lovesexy’ for example?

  • j. w.
    Posted at 13:50h, 24 March

    this sounds really interesting. i bet No More Candy 4 U will be on the physical. the lyrics made me feel a bit sad, the fact i now know p knows the utter crap said about him online. i hope he keeps on and plays for us true fams.

    fantastic read and lou…please.

    i’ll be downloading in just a few hours!

  • jeanjean
    Posted at 13:40h, 24 March

    Chocolate Box, Oh Yeah!!! 🙂

  • Lou
    Posted at 13:27h, 24 March

    What a surprise, the purple butt-kisser gives a positive review to a Prince album so he can keep getting the inside scoop from the Paisley camp.

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