Book Review: Revolution

Revolution is a detailed exploration into the era of Prince’s most prolific and groundbreaking music made with considerable inspiration and performed by a unique cadre of musicians he gathered and relentlessly drove to be the sonic, visual, and ideological reflection of his evolving vision. Although being the most self-contained, versatile, and prolific artist of his era, Prince reveled in the band, a multi-racial, intergender unit that acted as both family and loyal acolytes that embodied his ethos, expressed his pathos, and lifted him to rarified heights of pop dominance.

This is the story of the genre-shifting, multi-media, trailblazing Prince & the Revolution from their humble inception to their precipitous rise in celebrated hit singles, albums, films, and tours to their controversial and shocking demise.

Book Review: Dearly Beloved

When Prince spoke those words over celestial organ sounds in the opening moments of "Let's Go Crazy," he wasn't just inaugurating yet another Billboard Hot 100 hit--one of forty-seven in his career; he was also giving voice to the deep-seated and richly complex spiritual underpinning of his art. Prince is beloved by millions worldwide, and a true legend of the pop genre. Yet most of his fans don't recognize the spiritual messages coded within his work, nor understand the connections between Prince's own religious devotion--which evolved over time--and the sexualized messages of his music. Prince was beguiling and used his seductive and mysterious charm to draw his fans into his spiritual and cosmic worldviews, often without their knowledge.

Purple Rain (Deluxe)(Expanded Edition)

This week saw the release of a deluxe, expanded edition of Purple Rain, Prince's 1984 super-smash soundtrack album for the film of the same name. Frequent visitors to the blog know I have reviewed this previously (click here for my full album review). Of course, this new version features a re-mastered version of that classic album, done by Prince himself back in 2015 before his passing last year. That disk sounds amazing - certainly much better than the 1990 CD version I own. This reminds me more of the sound I had from that original vinyl in 1984.

But this release has so much more.

The Time - The Time

Today (July 29th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of The Time, the self-titled debut from the famed Minneapolis band. While the cover showed the roster of the original group line-up who toured, the main people in the recording studio were Morris Day (on vocals) and Prince (on all other instruments and some vocals).

In Memoriam of Prince

2016 has already been a year of loss of so many from the music world: David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Paul Kantner, Maurice White, Vanity, Merle Haggard and more. The hardest blow yet though came this week.

Sometimes It Snows In April - Prince dead at 57

I just get the devastating news that Prince Rogers Nelson was found dead today at age 57.

His song "Sometimes It Snows In April" from 1986 is hitting me particularly hard right now. As my regular readers know, his music has meant so much to me over these last four decades. He is easily the most represented artist in my music library. He was a professional, a perfectionist, a powerful performer, and a prolific composer. He has touched so many.

I will have a more fitting tribute here after I have had time to process. Right now I am in complete shock.

Prince - Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon (30th anniversary)

Today (March 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Parade: Music From the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon, the eight studio album from Prince. This 1986 release went to number 11 in Canada, number 10 in Norway, number 8 in Australia, number 7 in Austria and New Zealand, number 6 in Germany, number 5 in Sweden, number 4 in the UK, number 3 on the US Billboard Album chart (with a twenty-eight week total on the chart), number 2 in Switzerland and on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 1 in the Netherlands.

For more on this album, click here.

For more from Prince, click here.

Prince - Dirty Mind

Today (October 8th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Dirty Mind, the third studio album from Prince. This certified Gold selling record spent fifty-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 45; it also went to number 7 on the US Billboard R&B Album chart. This critically acclaimed album was ranked number 87 on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1980s and number 206 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list.

The Family - The Family (30th anniversary)

Today (August 19th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the self-title debut album The Family. The album did fairly well on the Billboard R&B charts, spending a total of twenty nine weeks on the chart and peaking at number 14. It also spent twenty-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 62.

For the complete review of the album, click here.

For more from the Family, click here.

Sheila E - Romance 1600 (30th anniversary)

Today (August 12th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Romance 1600, the second studio album from Sheila E. This one spent a total of thirty-three weeks on the US Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 50.

For my complete review, click here.

For more from Sheila E, click here.

Prince - Around the World in a Day

Today (April 22nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Around the World in a Day, the seventh studio album from Prince and the third to cover credit his band the Revolution (Wendy Melvoin on guitars and backing vocals, Lisa Coleman on keyboards and backing vocals, Dr. Fink on keyboards, Brown Mark on bass, and Bobby Z. on percussion).

USA For Africa - We Are the World

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of We Are the World, the compilation album from a collection of artists known as USA For Africa that was released to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The record was a huge seller the world over; here in the US it debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held that spot for three consecutive weeks. It had an overall run on the Billboard Album chart for twenty-two weeks.

Prince - Prince (35th anniversary)

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.

Today (October 19th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the self-titled second studio album from Prince. The record spent twenty-eight weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 22.

For my complete review of this 1979 release, please click here.

Sheena Easton - A Private Heaven

Today (October 2nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of A Private Heaven, the sixth studio album from Sheena Easton. The Platinum seller hit number 88 in Australia, number 36 in Canada, number 26 in New Zealand, and number 9 in Japan. Here in the US, it spent thirty-five weeks on the Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 15.

Apollonia 6 - Apollonia 6

Today (October 1st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Apollonia 6, the self-titled only release from the three girl trio of Apollonia (Patricia) Kotero, Susan Moonsie, and Brenda Bennett. Moonsie and Bennett had previously been two-thirds of the group Vanity 6, while Apollonia was cast as the female lead for Purple Rain. As the last of the spin-off albums from that film, this one spent seventeen weeks on the US Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 62.

the Time - Ice Cream Castle (30th anniversary)

Today (July 2nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Ice Cream Castle, the third studio album from the Time. Powered by their appearance in Purple Rain, this record spent fifty-seven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 24.

For my full review of this R&B classic, click here.

Purple Rain (soundtrack) (30th anniversary)

Today (June 25th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Purple Rain, the sixth studio album from Prince and the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. The record spent seventy-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, including twenty-four weeks at the number 1 spot.

Click here for my full album review.

For the many blog posts that include music by Prince, click here.

Sheila E - the Glamorous Life (30th anniversary)

Today (June 23rd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Glamorous Life, the debut album from Sheila E. The 1984 release spent forty-six weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 28.

Click here for my full review.

For more albums featuring Sheila E., click here.

LaToya Jackson - Heart Don't Lie

This months marks the thirtieth anniversary of Heart Don't Lie, the third studio album from LaToya Jackson. It spent six weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 149.

Risky Business (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In August of 1983, a movie about an entrepreneur high school Senior who is left alone while his parents are on a trip hit the movie theatres. Risky Business became a box office smash, launching a young Tom Cruise into stardom. The film also starred Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Curtis Armstrong, Richard Masur and Bronson Pinchot.