Customer Reviews

LotusFlow3r

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Prince has never been the kind of artist who you can force into one genre. One constant about him is that he is always changing and trying something new whether mainstream audiences or even his most hardcore fans like it or not. His body of work is so vast that I am always leery of people who try to compare everything to his 1980's work. He has tried so many different styles since then that it seems foolish to continue to compare new efforts to work from more than two decades ago. It would be different if he hadn't consistently released music since the 1980s. However, he's been steadily releasing albums every one to two years for his entire career. People who can just listen to Prince's music as music and stop comparing it to 25 years ago tend to enjoy his new stuff. The others just seem to be stuck in the past waiting for Raspberry Beret 2009.

Fans who like diverse music styles will love the two Prince albums that are part of this 3-CD set. The LotusFlow3r CD is the centerpiece of this hat trick. It offers blazing rock, whimsical jazz, funk and soul. The musicianship and production on this disc are top notch. The sound is organic and real. The standout tracks include "Colonized Mind," "Dreamer," "Love Like Jazz," "Boom," "Wall of Berlin," and the cover "Crimson and Clover." However, there really aren't any bad tracks. This is a spirited album that experiments, yet its creativity is accessible. The energy of it grabs you more and more each time you listen to it. As a solo disc, I would give LotusFlow3r 5 stars.

The second disc, Mplsound, has more of a back to the future feel to it. It mixes some of today's styles and production techniques with those of the past. There is some up-tempo R&B and Funk here as well as some ballads. Some of the attempts at the modern Pop/R&B sound like "Chocolate Box" and "There'll Never Be Another" miss the mark for me. However, the standouts are the infectious party cut "Dance 4 Me;" the catchy R&B track "Valentina,", the retro P-funk inspired "Old Skool Company," and the beautiful ballads "U're Gonna C Me" and "Better with Time." As a solo effort, I would give Mplsound 3.5 stars.

Elixer, the final disc, is by Prince's latest protégé Bria Valente. Overall, this disc is somewhat languid. Valente's vocals aren't very dynamic or interesting. Most of the tracks do benefit from great musicianship and production. However, unless you are in an easy listening mood, this one might put you to sleep. There are some up-tempo offerings but they never really take off. The standouts are the sultry ballads "Here Eye Come," "Something U Already Know" and "Elixer," which is a duet with Prince whose vocals are exquisite but also highlight the limitations of Valente's vocals. Another standout is "Immersion," which is an interesting song that might have really hit the mark if performed by a singer who was a better fit for the dreamy style. While Prince is a master at genre bending, Valente's attempts at it seem forced. She comes off more like an artist who lacks identity. As a solo effort I would give Elixer 2 stars.

Prince has made an album that could possibly contain some of his best music ever. His 2 solo CD's contain music from almost all categories. His guitar playing is magnificent. The music is just as good as it was back in the Sign O' The Times, Controversy and Purple Rain days. You can put these CDs on your player and listen to them from beginning to end. Prince is back and he is awesome! His new protege, Bria Valente, has a smooth and sultry vibe that reminds me of Chante Moore and Sade combined. The songs are nice and smooth and should flow easily for anybody who likes the sexy, grown-up, quiet storm flavor.
Prince has maintained his label as a musical genius with this album.

I can't believe Prince can still put out music this good. He's incredible and is one of the best musical talents of all time. It seems impossible but his guitar is better than it's ever been. You don't have to be a Prince fan to enjoy this.

If the Grammy's are not based on airplay but is really based on what is Best....Lotusflow3r & MPLsound... Album Of The Year!!!! Or should I say Albums since this is a 3 CD Set? Whatever, this is the work everyone's been waiting for from Prince. Back to Back Jamz! Okay honest, Elixer is the best song on Elixer. But it could be a huge hit if it gets any airplay. Bria does sound like every other woman Prince has brought out since Vanity 6. But the songs & music he gave her to work with, is far more superior than anything I've heard from one of his female acts. Both Lotusflow3r & MLPsound are CD's you can play from beginning to end and over and over again without getting tired. Well YOU might get tired from bobb'in Yo Head to the beatz! But you will Feel Better, Feel Good and Feel Wonderful. I must give mention to some songs including the fore mentioned, that should be HITS!!! 4Ever, Colonized Mind, Love Like Jazz, $, Dreamer, Back 2 The Loutus, Chocolate Box, Dance 4 Me...Now the Mega Hits.... U're Gonna C Me, Valentina, Better with Time, Ol' Skool Company and last, but to me one of the best....No More Candy 4 U!( Which is going to be my favrite new saying 4 Everything....) If you love Prince and you don't get this, you missed out.

If only 3 disc sets always came at single album prices! That aside, I feel like the work here is solid from an almost 51 year-old artist who hasn't lost his touch. 'LotusFlow3r' as an album is my favorite of the cds, but the other two continue to grow on me with repeated listens. 'MPLsound' is pretty much what I expect from Prince, not breaking any new ground. It is enjoyable however if you just want to hear some funky stuff with a couple of ballads thrown in. He still manages to keep it current although the sound is reminiscent of older work. 'Elixer' benefits from good production and musicianship. Bria Valente isn't the best vocalist but gets by with a smooth sound that the music compliments(even if she's outshined a bit). She does get welcome help from her mentor on the title track though. The overall package is good, if a bit uneven, and Prince shows why he's a legendary hall-of-famer both with his own work and his protege's. Back to 'Lotus' for a second though. I feel Prince never gets his due as a true guitarist. Oh sure, it's acknowledged he's good, even somtimes said he's great. He should be mentioned amongst some of the biggest axe-men to play a lick and this cd is another example of why. The man repeatedly scortched guitars throughout his career, and now at middle age(!) continues to do so with ease like a true veteran. I feel he sounds fresh and revitalized on 'LotusFlow3r' moreso than 'MPLsound'(though he still sounds good here too). Anyhow, thanks for more music for our buck. It was worth it.

prince is putting himself into his old trap of releasing too much material. unfortunately, the masses are missing something very good here. lotusflow3r and mpls cover the range that is uniquely prince. his other mistake is making it exclusive through target. why? you only limit your reach. if he's making music just for himself and possibly his core followers and does not really care about the listening public i guess its understandable. he probably does not need the money. if you like prince's past efforts you cannot bypass this set. a definite must buy. you won't be disappointed. now if he would just get off his butt and go on tour.

LotusFlow3r is a great 3-cd set. Everything you expect from Prince is here; there is a little bit of rock, funk, jazz, and r&b. The production and arrangements are excellent. The Bria Valente cd has a nice laidback neo-soul vibe. I've been hooked on this set since the day it was released. Prince is a musical genius.

Playing guitar like the notes are flowing out of his mind. Great songs, great sonics. Look on the YouTube for live versions of some of these songs from his 3-night stand of Jay Lenno, March 2009. For a near-50-year-old he looks like he's about 23, and plays gee-tar like cray-zay!

I got the CD when it came out at Target. Can't beat getting 3CD's for the price of one. Loved the Lotusflow3r CD. It was the best one to me. MPLsound was pretty good, but i preferred the other. Bria sounds nice, nothing special though. He is still creative as ever and there are no limits to what Prince can do. Solid CD set.

This has to be the triple album of the year! No body is gonna put out anything near this anytime soon. The surprise for me is that the album Prince has put together for Bria Valente's is probably the BEST protege album he's ever done (since maybe's Sheila E's first album). The title track "Elixer" is just as good as the best tracks on the Prince albums.

LotusFlow3r will go down in history as a classic. Its a grower. The 1st listen may not hook you, but after you hear it in its entirety from beginning to end 2-3 time you realize the work that went into it and the sheer brilliance of it all. MPLSound is just hot from the very beginning. Very nostalgic 80's sound to it. "No More Candy 4 U" is brilliant! "Here" and "Better with Time" are also very beautiful compositions. Too bad that as an idie artist he won't get any radio play. But, the cost of this set is worth any one of these CD's alone. So, its a definite bargain.