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Emancipation was a critical moment for Prince, one that he designed as an artistic rebirth and, optimistically, as a commercial comeback. In a typically perverse fashion, Prince decided to make the album a triple-disc set running exactly three hours, easily making it the longest album of all-new original material ever released by a popular artist. As the first album he released since leaving Warner Brothers, Emancipation was supposed to dazzle, proving that he had not lost any of his creative skills or power. And it does dazzle, but it's hard to digest a full three discs of music, even if it is almost all of high quality. Fortunately, Prince made each disc into a distinct entity in its own right, with the first being the most pop, the second being a song cycle devoted to his new marriage, and the third being a dance/funk extravaganza. Throughout all three discs, Prince tries on a variety of styles, from jazz to R&B, but he doesn't break any new ground; instead, the album is simply reaffirmation of his strengths as a composer and a musician. Emancipation doesn't have the bristling, colorful eclecticism of Sign 'o' the Times nor does it have the wildness of early one-man projects like 1999 or Dirty Mind, but with its gentle ballads and complex jams, it signals that Prince has evolved into middle-age gracefully. It's a mature effort, to be certain, but in this case that doesn't mean that it's an album bankrupt of ideas -- it means that Prince's craft continues to grow.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Rosie Gaines, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Flute, Tenor Saxophone - Walter Chancellor Jr., Saxophone
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - The Poet 99, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Brenda Lee Eager, Composer, Lyricist - Hilliard Wilson, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Baritone Saxophone - Rhonda Smith, Bass Guitar, Background Vocal - Kat Dyson, Background Vocal - Montalbo Stewart, Background Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Baritone Saxophone
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Thomas Randolph Bell, Composer, Lyricist - Prince, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - LINDA CREED, Composer, Lyricist - Michael B, Drums - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Horn - Brian Lynch, Horn - Rhonda Smith, Bass Guitar
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Janice Garcia, Speaker
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Michael B. Nelson, Arranger, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Baritone Saxophone
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Michael Barry Reid, Composer, Lyricist - Eric Leeds, Saxophone - James Allen Shamblin, Composer, Lyricist - Rhonda Smith, Bass Guitar - Todd Burrell, Keyboards
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Leon Ware, Composer, Lyricist - Ice Cube, Composer, Lyricist - ARTHUR ROSS, Composer, Lyricist - Scrap D., Rap - Mychal-Kaye Simmons, Composer, Lyricist - Victor Nathan Taylor, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
DISC 2
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - RICKY PETERSON, Piano - Eric Lee, Horn - Rhonda Smith, Bass Guitar - Kathleen Dyson, Guitar
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Sandra St. Victor, Composer, Lyricist - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Thomas Hammer, Composer, Lyricist - Jonathan Kemp, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Saxophone - Brian Lynch, Trumpet - Kathleen Dyson, Bass Guitar
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Saxophone - Rhonda Smith, Bass Guitar - Kathleen Dyson, Guitar
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Savion Glover, Dancer - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Hans-martin Buff, AssociatedPerformer - The Poet 99, Speaker - Michael Mac, Scratches
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael B, Drums - RICKY PETERSON, Keyboards - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Baritone Saxophone - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Kathleen Bradford, Vocal - Rhonda Johnson, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
DISC 3
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - JOE GALDO, Programmer - Cesar Sogbe, Programmer
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - The Poet 99, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Mike Scott, Guitar - Chanté Moore, Vocal - Thomas Randolph Bell, Composer, Lyricist - Prince, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - WILLIAM HART, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - George Clinton Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Garry Marshall Shider, Composer, Lyricist - Eric Leeds, Horn - David Lee Spradley, Composer, Lyricist - Brian Lynch, Horn - Walter Chancellor Jr., Saxophone - Michael Mac, Rap - Smooth G., Rap - Azifwekaré, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Chester Thompson, Composer, Lyricist - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - JOE GALDO, Programmer - Cesar Sogbe, Programmer - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Baritone Saxophone
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Scrap D., Rap
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Kate Bush, Vocal - Elwood Edwards, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Prince, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Michael B, Drums - Eric Bazilian, Composer, Lyricist - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mayte, Background Vocal - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, All Instruments, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Kathleen Dyson, Guitar
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Album review
Emancipation was a critical moment for Prince, one that he designed as an artistic rebirth and, optimistically, as a commercial comeback. In a typically perverse fashion, Prince decided to make the album a triple-disc set running exactly three hours, easily making it the longest album of all-new original material ever released by a popular artist. As the first album he released since leaving Warner Brothers, Emancipation was supposed to dazzle, proving that he had not lost any of his creative skills or power. And it does dazzle, but it's hard to digest a full three discs of music, even if it is almost all of high quality. Fortunately, Prince made each disc into a distinct entity in its own right, with the first being the most pop, the second being a song cycle devoted to his new marriage, and the third being a dance/funk extravaganza. Throughout all three discs, Prince tries on a variety of styles, from jazz to R&B, but he doesn't break any new ground; instead, the album is simply reaffirmation of his strengths as a composer and a musician. Emancipation doesn't have the bristling, colorful eclecticism of Sign 'o' the Times nor does it have the wildness of early one-man projects like 1999 or Dirty Mind, but with its gentle ballads and complex jams, it signals that Prince has evolved into middle-age gracefully. It's a mature effort, to be certain, but in this case that doesn't mean that it's an album bankrupt of ideas -- it means that Prince's craft continues to grow.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 3 disc(s) - 36 track(s)
- Total length: 02:59:41
- Main artists: Prince
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Legacy Recordings
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Funk
(P) 1996 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
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