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Prince
The
Hits/The B-Sides (Paisley Park/Warner Brothers 9 45440-2) ©1993
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Report Card
 
Copyright ©1999
PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. |
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Description: |
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Prince was simply the
most influential musician of the 1980s. In 1993, just in time to re-educate the
people who thought he was turning into a crank (an impression that he hasn't done enough
to disprove in the years since...), His Royal Badness released a three-disc refresher
course on his career. |
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What's
Good About It? |
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The Hits are
loosely broken up into clean and dirty sides. It chronicles not only Prince's career
but the progression of soul and rock music of a decade. It covers brilliant early
singles like the funky in-your-face "Controversy" and the almost fusion
"When You Were Mine." The gravy years are represented in force with the
party classic "1999,"the confessional "When Doves Cry" and the
love-man funk of "Kiss." Singles that were then newer, like "Sexy
M.F." and "Gett Off" may not quite hit the classic status, but it's still
better than most of the stuff you hear on radio. |
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What's
Bad About It? |
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The only minor problem
with this set is The B-Sides. Prince has made a habit of putting non-album
b-sides on all his singles. A few, like "Erotic City" and
"Irresistible Bitch" even became hits themselves. Still, while
interesting, these extra tracks take up room that could have been better used to focus on
the rest of his career. The guy was a singles machine. |
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What's
Missing? |
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There could even be a
third disc of Hits, Prince was that prolific and that good. |
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PopEntertainment.com
final grade:
A+
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As a rule, some boxed sets are over-padded tributes. The
Hits/The B-Sides is one of the few that only scratches the surface of a brilliant
career. This is essential listening.
Jay S. Jacobs
Copyright ©1999
PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. |
