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57 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Prince Is "The One U Wanna C", July 23, 2007
Coming off the heels of two of his most accessible albums in years, Prince continues his steady and consistent stream of releasing some solid material for the masses to hear.
Planet Earth - This title track opens to an eerie piano intro that eventually progresses into a grandiose production of heavy drums, spirited guitar playing and passionate vocal work. For some Prince fans, it may echo shades of the "Empty Room" and "Gold." A dramatic way to open the album - almost daunting to here the first time around. (5/5)
Guitar - Prince's most mainstream approach - a light pop/rock track with lyrics that almost anybody could write. It's a throwaway track, but it's got some spunk. Fun, nonetheless. (3.5/5)
Somewhere Here on Earth - A ballad track that taps into the jazz portion of Prince's varied forte. Renato's keyboard and piano contributions are a welcome change to this track, adding to the wonderful muted horns and trumpets with provoking lyrics. One of the more inspired ballads Prince has had in a while. (4/5)
The One U Wanna C - A very catchy track that dips into the country-rock category, but this maybe one of the few tracks that loses its appeal after a while. Plenty of fast guitar work, with thumping drums, a cool bassline and an energetic vocal delivery. But I think the country-twang attached to it gives the song its own charm. (3.5/5)
Future Baby Mama - An R&B melody that would fit comfortably on an Urban radio playlist. Touches of the old Linn-drum machine are scattered throughout, giving off the slight retro vibe that you would associate with Prince's sound. Cool and sensual are pretty much the words I'd use to describe this little ballad. Cool and sensual. (4/5)
Mr. Goodnight - Some Prince fans will have a problem with this track, since he brings out his dreaded "rap" skills on this one. In my opinion, it sounds more like spoken verse, so I had no problem with it, but that doesn't go without saying it won't give you a chuckle - it's slightly cheesy. This bassline reminds me of something you would hear out of the West Coast in 1994, but to the Prince fan that's familiar with more material, the overall track might remind them of "Player." I don't mind this track. It's a laidback R&B cut - nothing more. The guy's 49 years old, he's gotta chill every now and then. (4/5)
All the Midnights of the World - The shortest track on the album, with some pretty interesting arrangements. It's on the sugary side, but it has its charm. Its vibe is almost reminiscent to "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" and "Starfish and Coffee," but I wouldn't put it in that league. It's more of a segue than anything. A decent segue, at that. (3/5)
Chelsea Rodgers - Finally, some FUNK! A fun disco-funk number with Prince bringing in the whole band to contribute - lots of bass, lots of horns and trumpets, and assisting vocals. Prince's vocals are turned down a bit to mix in with Shelby's soulful singing, reminiscent of the arrangements Earth, Wind and Fire brought to the game. Prince sounds like he's having a lot of fun - full of energy and spirit. Definitely a standout track, especially for the funk lovers. (4.5/5)
Lion of Judah - A nice pop/rock number that sounds like a cross between "Cinnamon Girl" and "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" - could have fit easily onto the Musicology album. Prince's vocals sound sincere, with nice guitar work and effects to boot. (4/5)
Resolution - Another light pop/rock number that could have fit easily on Musicology. It's simple and to the point, not too much to elaborate on here. Another nice production, in terms of arrangement, once again. (4/5)
Prince obviously isn't out to reinvigorate the music industry, he just wants to make music in his own quirky way. No shame in that, considering he's got a 30 year legacy and doesn't have to prove anything to anybody. He just wants to hang around and make music for as long as he wants, when he wants. Compared to Musicology and 3121, Prince doesn't sound like he's being forced to do anything - it seems like he made some of these tracks effortlessly. He's definitely more vibrant and energetic on Planet Earth than he was on his previous two albums, which helps it out in the end. Solid stuff.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
For true Prince Fans, July 31, 2007
...because we're the only ones that will put up with such mediocre tripe from a man who knows better. First let me say that I love Prince, even when I chunk money down for stuff that should have never had a price tag on it. Not everything that pops in your head needs to be set to music. Overall, I like three songs on this: Guitar, Somewhere here on earth and Mr. Goodnight. Lyric wise: I could have written The one U want to C-probably like in the Junior High. Prince is very good writing senusal lyrics, but whenever he starts his political agenda stuff, it suddenly sounds juvenile and campy. Like: Planet Earth and Resolutions. He truely could have kept : All the midnights in the world. It's only tolerable because it's so short. While he's waxing proses about the problem with wars and people, I think the problem with telling certain people that they are musical geniuses is that they start slacking off and start pasting weak lyrics on recycled beats. Sorry, but some of these songs sound eerily familar. Still, I'm a sucker for my 80s icon and I'll continue to follow his music journey. Overall, get for your collection, but try to get yourself one of those free copies if you can.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Don't believe the hype- it's just "OK", September 18, 2007
With every album Prince unveils, comes the hope that he will serve up another classic like Purple Rain or Sign O' the Times- albums loaded with raw, sexy funk music, racy lyrics, catchy choruses, and at least a handful of potential hit singles that would leave a permanent mark on pop culture. Well, apart from last year's 3121, that hasn't happened since the early nineties. 3121 brought back the Prince of the 80's- at least a little bit, with songs like Black Sweat & Lolita. So with the arrival of Planet Earth and all the critical praise that has surrounded it, I had high hopes. Reuniting with Purple Rain-era bandmates Wendy & Lisa, not to mention Sheila E., almost guaranteed a return to his 80's glory, right? Sadly, no.
Planet Earth is watered-down, mediocre Prince. It's not that it's bad. It's just not great. The highlights here are the 3 (yes, only 3) uptempo cuts. "Guitar" is fun, but too lightweight. "The 1 U Wanna C" is breezy guitar pop but its country-rock flavor will be lost on some fans. "Chelsea" is the only dance-able funk song here, but its lead vocals are by New Power Generation member Marva King. The rest of the 10 tracks here are slow to midtempo R&B ballads, none of which stand out. I like to think these songs will grow on me with time, but I remember the good ol' days when a new Prince album would be so addictive, it wouldn't leave my stereo for months! So come on, Prince! You're headed in the right direction- just give us something spicier to chew on!
One last thing- this CD has NO booklet or lyrics on the inside. Save yourself a trip to the store & just download it from I-tunes.
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