Symbol

New Power Generation, Prince | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 13, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000008JLP
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,803 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. My Name Is Prince

2. Sexy M. F.

3. Love 2 Da 9's

4. The Morning Papers

5. The Max

6. Blue Light

7. I Wanna Melt With U

8. Sweet Baby

9. The Continental

10. Damn U

11. Arrogance

12. The Flow

13. 7

14. And God Created Woman

15. Chains O' Gold

16. The Sacrafice Of Victor

Editorial Reviews

This CD is featuring Prince.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece, May 27, 2006

By 

W. Erickson "Scooch" (B-Town, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Love Symbol Album (Audio CD)

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!

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prince's last masterpiece-with a hip-hop house sound, April 2, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Love Symbol Album (Audio CD)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Symbol Cometh..., July 2, 2001

By 

"essence_uk" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Love Symbol Album (Audio CD)

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.