Artist: Prince and The Revolution
Album: Purple Rain
Genre: Rock, Pop music, Funk, Rhythm and blues, Soul music, contemporary R&B, new wave, hard rock, pop rock, synth-pop, psychedelic rock, funk rock, neo-psychedelia, Minneapolis Sound
Release date: June 25, 1984
Description: This quintessential album was the 6th studio album for the group and the soundtrack to the film by the same name, released in 1984. Much of the album had a grandiose, synthesized, and psychedelic sheen to the production and performances. The music on Purple Rain is generally regarded as the most pop-oriented of Prince's career, though a number of elements point towards the more experimental records Prince would release after Purple Rain. This was the first album to hit Number one on the Billboard 200s for the artist.
Favorite Track: Purple Rain
Reason: I bet most of you were expecting this to be the song choice for this album. I can't say no to the title track! As a fan of edgy and gritty guitar solos with soul, this one does it for me. That glam guitar tone (provided by Wendy Melvoin) in the beginning, gives me goosebumps every time. The fact that this song was also recorded (live base track) at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN is one of the coolest things ever. The vocals are so iconic in this tune. One of the coolest things about this song is that Prince performed it at the 2007 Super Bowl halftime show, IN THE RAIN! I remember reading about it after I had seen it live, and he was to have said to NFL show runners, "Can you make it rain harder?" I think that shows just how dedicated to this song and his work he truly was!
Album Rating: 9.8/10
Now, just because he is a Minnesota native and icon, doesn't mean his record automatically gets a high rating. This man knows music. Every vocal line and strum of his guitar gives chills down the spine. The intricacy in each phrase and note played is easily distinguished in every song he records. The album is a timeless classic for fans of rock, pop, funk, R&B, and that classic Minneapolis Sound.
The expressive tone of the guitar in every piece is well received. From the edgy upbeat rhythm of the opening track Let's Go Crazy, to the spine tingling glam tone in Purple Rain, this album makes you love music all over again. His vocal range is outstanding. The smooth tones in his range are present in every moment.
The unique use of electronic instrumentals makes each track different from the last. When the track opens in the begining of Let's Go Crazy, that initial sustained chord on the keyboards hits your soul along with his opening line, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called "life." Overall, this album is a must for everyone. Even if the genres represented on this album aren't your cup of tea, the Minneapolis Sound has something I believe everyone will enjoy!
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