Publication: The San Diego Union Tribune [US]
Date: March 19, 1998
Section:
Page Number(s):
Length:
Title: "You Don't Need A 'Crystal Ball' To Know Prince's Album Is Bad"
Reviewed By: George Varga

CRYSTAL BALL
THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE

NPG Records when The Artist Formerly Known As Prince is seen hawking his latest album on TV's Home Shopping Network may not be far off. In fact, it might be inevitable.

And that might not be a bad thing for Prince, who has several rooms full of unreleased tapes spanning his 20-year career -- and an aversion to letting any established record company touch his work. But it won't be a good thing for his fans, unless he is far more selective than he is on " Crystal Ball" in deciding what to put out.

" Crystal Ball" is a 42-song, four-CD sequel to 1996's "Emancipation," which Prince also released on his own NPG label, after finally getting out of his contract with Warner Bros. It was initially available locally only at Sam Goody, one of several national chains that struck a deal to distribute " Crystal Ball," which Prince originally planned to sell strictly via the Internet. It can now also be obtained at Off the Record and other independent stores in San Diego.

Like "Emancipation," a bloated, triple-CD collection that would have made a terrific single disc, " Crystal Ball" is as erratic as the man who made it and far too long for all but the most rabid fans. It's longer still for those who order it by the Internet or phone -- www.crystalballcd.newfunk.com or (800) NEW-FUNK -- where Prince is offering a five-CD version, priced at $60, that includes an extra disc, the all-instrumental "Kama Sutra."

The four-CD version is dominated by three CDs of outtakes, studio jam sessions and similar aural curiosities that are mostly of such negligible quality Prince has labeled each of the three as a "bootleg." Yes, it's moderately interesting to learn that "Cloreen Bacon Skin" was the blueprint for the hyperactive funk rave-up "Irresistible Bitch" (last featured on 1993's "The Hits/The B-Sides"). But getting through "Cloreen's" 15 1/2 minutes requires a devotion few outside of Prince's immediate family will possess.

Some songs, such as the lovely ballad "She Gave Her Angels" (dedicated to Prince's wife, Mayte) and the frenetic "Good Love" (which failed to make the final cut for "The Black Album"), are enjoyable. So is the oh-so-naughty "PoomPoom," one of several tracks that demonstrates just how much Prince was influenced by funk pioneer George Clinton. But there is a good reason most of these tunes were held back from release, and little is gained by cramming them all together now.

The most impressive cuts are the dozen, predominantly acoustic solo songs on the fourth disc, which Prince recently recorded and has titled "The Truth." It features some of his warmest, most engaging work in years.

If and when Prince makes available any of his ambitious Synclavier digital synthesizer solo recordings from the 1980s, or some of his dynamic concert tapes, or his fabled collaborations with jazz great Miles Davis, a trip through the vaults of his unreleased material will be a treat indeed. But if he puts out another " Crystal Ball, " his future will be hazy at best.