Publication: Reuters [US]
Date: March 3, 1998
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Title: Sound Bites: Album Review Package
Reviewed By: Gary Graff

The Artist Formerly Known As Prince
"Crystal Ball"
(NPG Records)

3 stars

Less than a year and a half after his bloated "Emancipation" opus, The Artist unloads another three-CD collection (available by mail order or from selected retailers) whose appeal will be mostly to aficionados. But "Crystal Ball,"drawn from The Artist's overflowing vaults, fares better than its predecessor by adapting material from the past decade or so of his career in a manner that allows the music's diversity to work in the album's favor. It's still an awful lot of material to consume in one package, and there's nothing that stands out as a revelatory gem. But tracks such as "Movie Star," "Crucial"and a live take of "The Ride" are welcome additions to The Artist's canon.

5 stars....Buy it now
4 stars....Buy it at your leisure
3 stars....Borrow a friend's copy first
2 stars....Only for devotees
1 star.....Barely worth a first listen
No stars...Read a book instead