Planet Earth

Anger asked if I thought that Guitar was similar to Kiss, and it got me to go back and listen to the album all the way through again. It's a decent album. Not one of his best, but it has more tracks that I like than anything since the internet-only album Chocolate Invasion in 2004. Looking back over the discography this is probably his best since Come in 1994 if you restrict it to albums that the general public could walk into a store and buy.

Planet Earth - The heavily orchestrated ballad was done much better with Still Would Stand All Time or Grand Progression. It has a nice message about proper stewarship of the earth, but the religious component is pretty heavy handed, as has been his tendency in the past few years.

Guitar - Best song on the album. This is the sort of thing that used to put him on the top of the charts. A fun and infectious lyric contrasting his love for his guitar with his love for some unnamed woman, and some serious fretwork to go along with it.

Somewhere Here on Earth - Another ballad, but this one a much more personal one. Dominated by piano and saxophone this connects much better than any of his ballads since Blue Light. Prince sings in his beautiful falsetto about searching for love. It's remarkably simple and fresh with a little swing to keep in interesting.

The One U Wanna C - Still with the U and the C. You'd think a song by an aging rocker about "Hey sexy, I got lots of money" would come off as, well, desperate and pathetic. Surprisingly it's a pretty fun song and not at all silly. And this being Prince, it's probably a pick up line that would work. Though the transition from "I ain't got no money /but honey, I'm rich on personality" to "I got a lotta money / and I don't wanna spend it on me" is sort of amusing.

Future Baby Mama - A mediocre slow jam about all the women who aren't good enough.

Mr. Goodnight - I can't help but thinking about Smoove B Groove when listening to this. It sounds so much like one of his scenarios. A much better slow jam, however.

All the Midnights in the World - Reminiscent of Morning Papers both musically and vocally. It's pretty awkward lyrically, though a nice sentiment about a couple fresh in love.

Chelsea Rodgers - A you go girl song in the mold of Zannalee, Billy Jack Bitch, or Carmen on Top (and I mean that last comparison in a nice way). Very catchy R&B workout that would not have been out of place in the 87/88 Dream Factory era.

Lion of Judah - This is a weird track that uses imagery of God striking down his enemies as a metaphor for taking control of a failing relationship. It's got some great guitar work and a solid driving melody, but the lyrics are just strange.

Resolution - Much more effective comparison/contrast of war to love than whatever that was going on in Lion of Judah. There are some awkward crammings of lyrics into the lines, but the metaphors work much better and musically it's a good set of new millenium prince (e.g heavy use of undistorted guitar and choir with a tasty lead guitar line).