Publication: Orlando Sentinel Tribune [US]
Date: October 23, 1992
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Title: "Prince and the New Power Generation"
Reviewed By: Parry Gettelman

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Prince and the New Power Generation (Paisley Park/Warner Bros.): Much of Prince'slatest is as goofy and pretentious as its title. No longer contentjust to sprinkle numerals around in place of letters (i.e., "4" for "for"), his Purple Heaviness has resorted to naming his album something or other, signified by an unpronounceable thingy (left) that combines the male and female symbols.Like, how deep.

In his lyric sheet,Prince also replaces the word "I" with a little sketch of an eye, which sounds dopey but isn't nearly as preposterous as the album's"opera" concept. Tommy, it ain't, and the theme isn't exactly novel for Prince - something to do with his pursuit of his latest erotic fixation/protegee.Surely he's not expecting us to keep up with their names at this point but, for the record, he has dubbed this one Arabia and she's supposed to be underage and a virgin (please).

In a distracting subplot, Kirstie Alley (Cheers) plays a reporter pursuing an interview with Prince.

At first, he hangs up on her. She apparently got hishome number, which shows fine journalistic instincts, although when she trackshim down again, she loses her temper in a most unprofessional manner. (But howelse could she show her dramatic range?)

The lyrics are the usual princely miasma - sex as a metaphor for spiritualunion, sex as a metaphor for sex and sex as a metaphor for more sex. And thenthere's belly dancing as a metaphor for love, or is it sex? At least,Prince hasn't lost his sense of humor. In "Wanna Melt With You," he's boogeying "until we're both deranged with endorphins," and in "The Continental," he proposes soulkissing by pleading, "I want all of your germs."

Fortunately, the music is cool. The songs are stronger than on last year's Diamonds and Pearls, and Prince'sproduction is particularly masterful.There's not enough of his guitar - he's fairly stingy with the searing licks andfunk riffs. But he does a great job blending rock, funk, R&B and hip-hopelements, getting good performances out of the New Power Generation. NPG rapper Tony M. is improved, and the band really rocks on tracks such as "The Sacrifice of Victor," "Sexy M.F.," "Wanna Melt With You" and especially the ultra-hip-hop "The Flow."

The album-opening single, "My Name IsPrince, " is one of the weaker numbers. It's a killer parody of Hammer-style hip-hop. The beat is funkier than anything Hammer ever came up with, and the braggadocio is hilarious.However, the repetitive chorus andPrince'suncharacteristically harsh vocals don't wear well.

"Love 2 the 9's" has a rather ludicrous bit of dialogue with Arabia, and the "Lemme see the booty boom!" chorus doesn't exactly rank up there with George Clinton's inspired nonsense. But the wayPrinceintegrates horns, funky bass, piano and vintage disco-era keyboards and synth strings is pretty neat.

The slower tracks have the strongest melodies. "The Morning Papers" is a pretty ballad spiced with R&B horns and pop-blues guitar.Prince'svocal on the lovely, reggae-flavored "Blue Light" is particularly easy and soulful, and "Sweet Baby" is light and sugary, but not cloying. "Damn U" is deliciously, comically overblown - from the swelling strings to the lyrics about "this kooky love affair."

Princegoes way over the top with "Chains of Gold," a rather misbegotten cross between Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (withPrincesounding more like Kate Bush and Dusty Springfield, alternately, than Freddie Mercury) and the soundtrack to one of those B-movies set in ancient Rome. Arabia, in her strange little snippet of dialogue, sounds like Sweet Polly Purebread.

"Chains of Gold" is one of the koo-koo-kraziest things that wild, wacky Princehas ever done - it'll sure be perfect for the Wayne's World II soundtrack. And what's the point in signing one of the biggest record contracts in history if he can't totally indulge himself like this once in a while?