Prince Parade: Prince (1979)
Prince Parade is UNHNGD's weekly column on the great Purple One: Highlighting key albums to initiate the newcomer and re-energize the existing fan to Prince's vast and mighty catalog, providing brief reviews and advice on how to complement your listening experience.
PRINCE (1979)
Careful, this is a good and affecting record. The loneliness within might creep up on you, especially after you’ve dropped your guard dancing your ass off to the first few songs. However, I encourage you to ride its waves while you go about your business. Prince moves from sexual to intense possessive energy that shifts to jealousy, anger, and ultimately loneliness – but you can heed the warning while vibing the whole way and trust that Prince will land on his feet again (and so will you)!
Make a list of the things you’ve harbored desires for but feared judgment; See the film you’ve been secretly curious about, go to the bar that you’ve been eyeing but were afraid to visit, tell a bartender what flavors you like, and ask them to make you something a little funkier than you’re used to.
Prince wants you to know that he’s shy but also a wild one if you let him be. So let him guide you to find the courage you need to go out tonight on your own. The songs on this album bounce back and forth between bops and ballads. Many blossom into jams so you can keep grooving along while others dwell in pits of jealousy and sadness…but always with soul.
But be warned, Prince wants to be the only one you come for. To say he comes on strong is an understatement. But maybe that’s a tall order, especially since Prince was a 21-year-old with apparent jealousy issues when this album was released. Still, he’s compelling, beautiful, and horrifically talented on his second solo album; On which he performs, records, and produces everything you hear. You thought his debut was impressive, so this forces you to reassess what greatness is. Your relationship with Prince’s provocative music is about to become a problem.
Listen to Prince on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube