Customer Reviews

The Love Symbol Album

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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I signed up to this web site to pay this album its just due. Largely overlooked, this CD was one of Prince's crowning acheivements. If 1999 was a sign of what was to come with Purple Rain, then Diamonds and Pearls was Prince warming for the Symbol album. The album finds Prince sucessfully covering more musical ground in 75 minutes than most artists would attempt in their entire career. There's something here for everyone - Rock (The Continental), Dance (Melt With U), Reggae (Blue Light), Funk (The Maxx, Sexy MF, My Name is Prince) and everything in between (Damn U, Arrogance and Sacrafice of Vistor). Oh and if you need a hit, this the album where the single 7 is from. Each song has its own distinct personality and so well written that they stay in your head after just one listen. I must admit, this is not my favorite album (that title goes to his 1987 classic Sign O' The Times), but its one that shouldn't be overlooked. When people ask me which Prince album they should try first, I always recommend this one as it can not be categorized... most people should find much of this album appealing. He trades in the raunch of the 80's for style and sophistication. The album has it's sexy moments, but they are much more subtle. If you are a music fan, but not a Prince fan - this is an album you should check out!

Who knows what signs Prince interpreted from the resurgence of his career with the success of Diamonds And Pearls. Songs like "Gett Off" and "Push" signalled a more hip-hop/new jack/house party, with rap incorporated by both he and Tony M. That sound went into overdrive with (Symbol). And despite the new music scene of grunge, Prince seemed to look forward in the same light as he did the 80's, as judged by the futuristic buildings on the (Symbol) album, and the name of his band, the New Power Generation.

"My Name Is Prince"--yes, at least until the Beautiful Experience and then the Gold Experience. After an airy synth beginning, it's hip-hop/house overdrive, where Prince raps more than sings. Raps? His voice is more a loud and hoarse in the same way John Lennon sang "Twist and Shout" till his vocal chords were shredded. Part braggadocio, part affirmation that he's one to be reckoned with, and part reflections on being a star: "big cars and women and fancy clothes/will save your face, but it won't save your soul." Other songs that incorporate that thumping hip-hop/dance is "The Max" and "The Flow," which is another Prince/Tony B rap.

With a title like rapping "S-xy MF" Prince was clearly not looking for radio play in this naughty song with strong guitar, horns, and organ support.

The soulful ballad with jazz/rock stylings, "The Morning Papers" shows Prince in romantic poet mode: "if he poured his heart into a glass and offered it like wine." My favourite song here, especially with the fiery guitar and horns. So is the leisure jazz number "Blue Light," which features Eric Leeds on sax.

A fuzzy bass synth sound permeates in the bouncy seductive first experience and beyond of "I Wanna Melt With U", where Prince intones more than sings--that job's for his backing vocalists.

Everybody gets burned by love so hold back those tears. That's the advice Prince gives to some sweet thing in "Sweet Baby," which is another great keyboards and piano ballad done in Prince's falsetto. Smoother and more polished than "Insatiable," it's more a song of comfort compared to hotter material like "Do Me Baby" or "Slow Love." "D-mn U" is a lush slow-dancing strings/piano ballad, where his lyrical creativity is still alive, describing love as "having a hundred million little heart attacks."

"The Continental" is analogous to this album's "U Gotta The Love," with the grinding guitar and a heckuva party atmosphere. Carmen Electra has a soft-spoken guest rap in the latter part of the song.

"7" incorporates Biblical Revelation imagery with a futuristic vision of an enlightened and educated youth who will never grow old. A worthy enough choice for a single. Genesis is the reference for "And God Created Woman," with references to taking a rib, temptation, and serpents as experienced in his life.

The mini-opera "3 Chains Of Gold," which put together are the nucleus of his soul, has differing tempos and rhythms, part early swinging Prince, part lush falsetto ballad, part airy guitar solo, and even a section reminding me of the "I'm such a poor boy with a poor family" part of "Bohemian Rhapsody" All that's missing is a "mamma mia let me go."

"The Sacrifice of Victor" with backing by the Steeles, sums up Prince as a product of the civil rights era, with references to Dr. King's death and the rioting and burning that followed, and the discipline and perseverance to make it where he was.

As defining and groundbreaking as Sign O The Times, with as much material, (Symbol) can be considered the last masterpiece Prince put out. Prince then took the symbol as his new name, issuing five albums under it, as well as older unreleased material under Prince. That's another chapter, which sadly isn't as rich as the previous ones.

For reasons of simplicity I will call this "Symbol album". It came on the back of Prince's then record breaking $100m record deal with Warner Bros, due in no small part to the bargaining power "Diamonds and Pearls" being a major success had given him.

Prince attempted to incorporate a storyline into this album (featuring Kirstie Alley as a reporter) in a "Rock Opera" type style. However these segues fragment the album, leave the listener confused, and are rather ineffective. We are better to look at the music imbetween. :)

Kicking off with the raw and angry "My Name Is Prince" he lets everyone know he is still the best and makes thinly veiled digs at Michael Jackson amongst others. He half raps the vocal and Tony M joins in at end (As with Diamonds And Pearls he is all over the album). Then follows the homage to James Brown "Sexy Mf", in an edited format it was a substantial single. Very funky and addictive it is too. :)

"Love 2 The 9's" is clever and complex although its attempt to weld two different songs falls a little short (Delicate R&B and hardcore rap chant). "The Morning Papers" is a pretty, swaying rock song with nice guitar solos. "3 Chains O' Gold" is Prince doing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and very interesting, is he being ironic? Is it a pastiche? Nevertheless it's a fun song. :)

Two other highlights in my eyes are "7" a steadily-paced mid-tempo rock song which starts a cappella and the funky gospel chant "Sacrifice Of Victor" which closes proceedings.

Disregarding the "storyline" this long album (16 tracks) is as always diverse in genre (Hip-hop to rock), generally consistent and contains trademark Prince songs "Sexy Mf" and "7" so it is well worth checking out. I prefer the previous years "Diamonds and Pearls" overall though.

This album, the 1992 followup to 1991's "Diamonds and Pearls," is where the Artist shines beyond anything previous; it is the culmination of all his work up until that point, and it's a purely joyful musical experience. It encapsulates every genre Prince had adapted -- rock, funk, jazz, rap, orchestral, and just plain strange -- and it never lets up; it's a party on a CD. Listen to the musical meltdowns during "The Morning Papers," "The Max," "The Continental," and "The Sacrifice of Victor," and you'll understand what I mean. It also contains the notable hits "Sexy MF" and "7." Though "Purple Rain," "Sign O the Times" and even "Lovesexy" are perhaps more *important* albums, this one is more polished and fun. If you listen to it enough to pick up on the musical nuances, you'll find yourself in pure wonderment as to how he even *conceived* of the arrangements, let alone the lyrics; Prince desreves many kudos as producer alone, aside from his performance!). This album was a fairly big success at the time, topping the Billboard charts at #5 (higher than "Sign O the Times"), selling over 1 million copies, and producing the top-ten single, "7" (which, ironically, peaked at #7 on the singles charts).
The only flaw in this album is the "Kirstie Alley/Reporter theme," which attempts to tell a story, but ends up confusing.
Best Songs: "My Name is Prince," "Sexy MF," "The Morning Papers," "Blue Light," "The Max," "The Continental," "7," "Three Chains O Gold," "The Flow," and "Damn U," (one of his greatest ever ballads).
Find this album and cherish it; things changed for Prince after this one -- it was so good, he didn't even follow it up with an album the following year, only a "Greatest Hits" collection. I don't think that was a coincidence; I'll bet Prince felt he couldn't possibly top it for a while. (It wasn't until 1995 that he released his next purely "new" album, "The Gold Experience," (1994's "Come" being more or less a loose contractual obligation) which was absolutely incredible in its own right).

This 1992 follow-up to "Diamonds And Pearls", has a great blend of soul, hip-hop, rock, and jazz. "The Love Symbol Album AKA Prince & The New Power Generation" is a diverse and pleasing rock opera album. On this album, Prince experiments with hip-hop and the New Jack sound, he continues to push the boundaries of his band, The New Power Generation. The opening, "My Name Is Pance" is a funky, hip-hop banger with him flirting with rap. "Sexy MF" is a funk-rap, James Brown-type classic. Here, Prince pulls off the whole rap thing by rapping in his deepest voice. "Love 2 the 9's" has him dealing with jazz and blending it with hip-hop. The song also has Prince flexing the newest band addition, the NPG Hornz. The horns are laced all throughout the song. "The Morning Papers" is a mellow, but clam tune with smoothed-out instrumentation. "The Max" is a dance track that I consider a small filler song. It's really an annoying track. "Blue Light" is a reggae-drenched ballad with beautiful harmonies and instrumentation. It has a sexy saxophone and bluesy guitar being played throughout the song. "I Wanna Melt With U" is an odd filler track that has a weird, but upbeat off-key sound. Prince is rapping about sex. "Sweet Baby" is a beautiful, mellow ballad. It's soft and very relaxing. "The Continental" is a funky, yet strange hip-hop tune. Carmen Electra is featured as a rap guest. "Damn U" is a smooth soul/blues tune that is beautiful, but somewhat spotty. "Arrogance" is a short, up-tempo tune that has Prince playing off-key rhythms. I consider it a interlude. "The Flow" is a failed attempt for Prince to rap. It's not the best one on here, but it's far from being the worst. "7" is probably the best song on this album. It's a song that has a lot of personal and spiritual meaning in it. "7" has a great blend of instrumentation being played-- acoustic guitars, drums, bass, and exotic Indian instruments. Prince's vocals are really astonishing. The most amazing thing about this song is that it has a biblical concept in the song. The song, itself, is a powerful classic. "And God Created Woman" is a smooth jazz/soul cut that has a haunting melody in it. Believe it or not, this song is a tribute to the opposite sex. "3 Chains O' Gold" is a strange, rock opera-type song that really sounds like Queen's "Bohemian Rapsody". The song has a breathtaking, electric guitar-fused jam at the end of song. The thing I like about it is that the song has the tone of a opera atmosphere. "The Sacrifice Of Victor" is a upbeat, New Jack-type jam with nice rapping, but in some parts, it is ultimately flawed. It's a great album finale. "The Love Symbol Album" is the one that had Prince hit the pinnacle of his egotistical career. It was the first album that Prince used to represent his new name- The Artist (O+>). I was surprised that it only went platinum one time. This album also displays the talents of the group- the New Power Generation, performing together as a band. The 1991 album, "Diamonds And Pearls" sounded like a solo Prince album, if you ask me. The songs on this creative album are great, some are really subdued. The Kirstie Alley interview-like interludes are really annoying. To me, this is Prince's blackest record since probably Sign 'O' The Times-his best album. Overall, this is a funky, 75-minute classic that only Prince could do. It's his finest album of the 90's era. A-

Immensely entertaining product, provided at an exceptionally reasonable price, combined with better-than-expected, expeditious delivery... "A-for effort" simply isn't an adequate representation; this is an A+ product/customer service rendering. Thank you so very kindly!!!

Ever since Prince "converted" there's been a slightly subdued "edge" to his music. The "love symbol album," as this one is commonly referred, shows the singer at his most enigmatic, hedonistic, self-centered, controversial, and, to a certain extent, spiritual, than anything he produced up to that time, and, perhaps, more than his releases in the last decade. When he announces "My name is Prince" in the first track, the listener should be prepared. There is truly no one else like the guy from Minneapolis.

With backing on vocals and instrumentation by The New Power Generation, Prince has never sounded better and clocking in at just under seventy minutes, there's a lot of good music to behold.

The album comes with a "parental advisory" for the album's explicit lyrics and that disclaimer is warranted. Even though many of the songs are populated by profanities, they don't detract from the songs. In fact, unlike others who need a "cuss word" or two to supply a shock, Prince's songs are enhanced by a zinger here or there. But, mind you, the subject matter is definitely for the adult and caution should be advised when playing around "little ears."

Highlights include the aforementioned first cut, the James Brown-like "Sexy M.F.,", "The Max," "Blue Light," "I Wanna Meet with U," "Damn U," "The Flow," the gospel-influenced "7", and "And God Created Woman."

The entire album is a showcase for the funkiness of an artist that has been influential for close to three decades...with many more to come.

I came across this album at the age of 16. Now, 10 years later I listened to it again. It still makes the same glorious effect. Diamonds and pearls, compared to this masterpiece? Come on. Let's be serious. This album is a work of art. Funky rhythms... great soul... and what's the matter with 3 chains of gold? It's sexy, and its opera, and its metal... is everything u wanna hear. If u are a classical trained pianist... like me, you hear... passion. That's the right definition. Passion. 10 years later when I hear... "i wanna melt with u..." It still gives me the creeps. This is maybe the most underrated album ever. I don't know the real reasons, but maybe it was obfuscated by the symbol-name-record company problems and disagreements. The same fate of the COME album... which is also great.
The SYMBOL album however is not 4 everyone. U really need an open mind even if it has many great songs that your ear can pick up in a moment. Seven, My Name is Prince, Sexy MF... are just a couple of them. U have to expand your mind to enter in the beauty of this album... and that's why maybe it wasn't a huge hit. However I see a REAL PRINCE in this masterpiece.
Have fun. Even if u don't buy it...

The Love Symbol is one of my best albums (goes perfect with Diamonds and Pearls). My all-time favorite Prince song is "The Continental". Other gems include the next best song "Damn U", "Love 2 the 9's", "7", "And God Created Women", and "3 Chains of Gold". I will admit that this album has lost some fire over the years do to other prince albums like "The Beautiful Experience" (2001 re-release) or even "The Gold Experience", but this a great album that can hold it's own!!

An album that wasn't received as well as his previous release "Diamonds & Pearls," the o)+> album is probably one of Prince's most adventurous efforts. It has the experimental feel of "Parade" and "Sign 'O' The Times" but with more lavish orchestration and tighter production (however, I still wouldn't rank this album above "Sign 'O' The Times"). Prince dips his magic hands into reggae, opera, techno, and gospel. He pulls gold from this album. The 2nd track on this album, the infamous "Sexy M.F.", has got to be the most singular funky song he ever produced. James Brown guitar, punchy horns, back-bottom drums, it is funk perfected and personified in one song. This album is a weird mix, but give it enough time and it will grow on you.