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Prince|Diamonds and Pearls

Diamonds and Pearls

Prince & The New Power Generation

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Prince spent the latter half of the '80s courting the pop audience, and by the time of Graffiti Bridge, he had lost much of his R&B fan base. As a response, he formed the New Power Generation and recorded Diamonds and Pearls, his first record to reconnect with the urban audience since 1999, as well as his first to acknowledge the hip-hop revolution. Although he still has a problem with rap -- "Jughead" is simply embarrassing -- he manages to skillfully reinvent himself as an urban soulman without sacrificing his musical innovation. The New Power Generation is a more skilled band than the Revolution, and they are able to make Prince's funk jazzier, particularly on "Willing and Able," the breezy "Strollin'" and "Walk Don't Walk." It's clear that these subtly textured songs are where his heart is at, but the songs designed to win back his audience -- the slamming dancefloor rallying cry "Gett Off," the sexy T. Rex groove "Cream," the extraordinary Philly soul of the neglected masterpiece "Money Don't Matter 2 Night," and the drippy mainstream ballad "Diamonds and Pearls" -- are all terrific pop singles. However, much of the rest of Diamonds and Pearls is comprised of middling funk and R&B that sounds less like inspired workouts than stylistic exercises. Even with such weak moments, Diamonds and Pearls is a fine record, even though it's only marginally better than Lovesexy and Graffiti Bridge.

© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

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Diamonds and Pearls

Prince

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1
Thunder (LP Version)
00:05:45

Prince, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Brian Poer, AssistantEngineer

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

2
Daddy Pop (LP Version)
00:05:18

Levi Seacer, Jr., Bass - Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Rosie Gaines, Keyboards, Background Vocals - Bernard Purdie, Drum Loops - Prince, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Bland, Drums - KIRK JOHNSON, Background Vocals - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Elisa Fiorillo, Additional Vocals - Tony M., Rapper Vocals - Damon Dickson, Background Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

3
Diamonds and Pearls (LP Version)
00:04:21

Levi Seacer, Jr., Producer, Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar - Tommy Barbarella, Producer, Keyboards, Samples - Rosie Gaines, Producer, Organ, Backing Vocals, Samples - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Stephen Marcussen, MasteringEngineer - Michael Bland, Producer, Drums - KIRK JOHNSON, Producer, Percussion, Backing Vocals - Michael Koppelman, Engineer, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Tim Penn, SecondEngineer - Lloyd Thompson, Producer, Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals - Tony Mosley, Producer, Backing Vocals - Damon Dickson, Producer, Percussion, Backing Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

4
Cream (Without Rap Monologue) (LP Version W/O Rap Monologue)
00:04:13

Levi Seacer, Jr., Producer, Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar - Tommy Barbarella, Producer, Keyboards, Samples - Rosie Gaines, Producer, Organ, Backing Vocals, Samples - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Stephen Marcussen, MasteringEngineer - Keith Cohen, MixingEngineer - Michael Bland, Producer, Drums - KIRK JOHNSON, Producer, Percussion, Backing Vocals - Michael Koppelman, Engineer, MasteringEngineer - Tim Penn, SecondEngineer - Lloyd Thompson, Producer, Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals - Tony Mosley, Producer, Backing Vocals - Damon Dickson, Producer, Percussion, Backing Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 NPG Records Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

5
Strollin' (LP Version)
00:03:47

Levi Seacer, Jr., Guitar - Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Rosie Gaines, Keyboards, Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - SONNY THOMPSON, Bass - Michael Bland, Drums - Matt Larson, Engineer

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

6
Willing and Able (LP Version)
00:05:00

Jevetta Steele, Background Vocals - Levi Seacer, Jr., Writer, Bass - Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Rosie Gaines, Keyboards, Background Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Bland, Drums - KIRK JOHNSON, Percussion - Matt Larson, Engineer - Tony M., Rapper Vocals - Fred Steele, Background Vocals - Jearlyn Steele, Background Vocals - JD Steele, Background Vocals - Tony Mosley, Writer - Damon Dickson, Percussion - Janice Steele, Background Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

7
Gett Off Explicit
00:04:33

Levi Seacer, Jr., Rhythm Guitar, Background Vocals - Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Rosie Gaines, Keyboards, Background Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - SONNY THOMPSON, Background Vocals, Bass - Keith Cohen, Mixer - Michael Bland, Drums - Steve Noonan, AssistantEngineer - KIRK JOHNSON, Percussion, Background Vocals - Eric Leeds, Flute - RAY HAHNFELDT, AssistantEngineer - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Tony M., Rapper Vocals - Damon Dickson, Percussion, Background Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

8
Walk Don't Walk (LP Version)
00:03:08

Levi Seacer, Jr., Bass - Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Rosie Gaines, Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Bland, Drums - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Elisa Fiorillo, Additional Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

9
Jughead (LP Version)
00:04:57

Levi Seacer, Jr., Bass - Rosie Gaines, Keyboards, Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Bland, Drums - Steve Noonan, Spoken Voice Vocals - KIRK JOHNSON, Percussion, Writer, Background Vocals - RAY HAHNFELDT, AssistantEngineer - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Brian Poer, AssistantEngineer - Tony M., Rapper Vocals, Background Vocals - Tony Mosley, Writer - Damon Dickson, Percussion, Background Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

10
Money Don't Matter 2 Night
00:04:48

Levi Seacer, Jr., Bass - Rosie Gaines, Writer - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Michael Bland, Drums - KIRK JOHNSON, Percussion - Matt Larson, Engineer - Tim Penn, AssistantEngineer

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

11
Push (LP Version)
00:05:54

Rosie Gaines, Rapper Vocals, Writer, Background Vocals - Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Clare Fisher, Orchestration - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Brian Poer, AssistantEngineer - Tony M., Rapper Vocals

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

12
Insatiable (LP Version)
00:06:40

Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - Sylvia Massy, AssistantEngineer - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Tim Penn, Engineer

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

13
Live 4 Love (LP Version)
00:07:00

Prince, Producer, Vocals, Writer, All Additional Instruments - Prince & The New Power Generation, MainArtist - SONNY THOMPSON, Bass - Michael Bland, Drums - Michael Koppelman, Engineer - Tim Penn, AssistantEngineer - Tony M., Rapper Vocals - Margie Cox, Vocals - Tony Mosley, Writer

© 1991 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1991 Warner Records Inc.

Album review

Prince spent the latter half of the '80s courting the pop audience, and by the time of Graffiti Bridge, he had lost much of his R&B fan base. As a response, he formed the New Power Generation and recorded Diamonds and Pearls, his first record to reconnect with the urban audience since 1999, as well as his first to acknowledge the hip-hop revolution. Although he still has a problem with rap -- "Jughead" is simply embarrassing -- he manages to skillfully reinvent himself as an urban soulman without sacrificing his musical innovation. The New Power Generation is a more skilled band than the Revolution, and they are able to make Prince's funk jazzier, particularly on "Willing and Able," the breezy "Strollin'" and "Walk Don't Walk." It's clear that these subtly textured songs are where his heart is at, but the songs designed to win back his audience -- the slamming dancefloor rallying cry "Gett Off," the sexy T. Rex groove "Cream," the extraordinary Philly soul of the neglected masterpiece "Money Don't Matter 2 Night," and the drippy mainstream ballad "Diamonds and Pearls" -- are all terrific pop singles. However, much of the rest of Diamonds and Pearls is comprised of middling funk and R&B that sounds less like inspired workouts than stylistic exercises. Even with such weak moments, Diamonds and Pearls is a fine record, even though it's only marginally better than Lovesexy and Graffiti Bridge.

© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

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