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As any die-hard fan knows, Crystal Ball was the triple-album set Prince had planned to release in 1987, when Warner forced him to trim it to the double album Sign O' the Times. Since then, Crystal Ball had become a legendary "lost" album among Prince collectors, and many of its outtakes had circulated on bootlegs for years. So, it didn't come as a complete surprise that Prince revived the title for his own collection of outtakes, which turned out to be the first release on his independent NPG label. Any collector will quibble with the track selection, since there are literally hundreds of known Prince outtakes, and there's no way that a three-disc set could include all the best cuts. Still, this is an impressive sampler that illustrates the true depth of Prince's talents. There may be no hidden masterworks on the level of "When Doves Cry," but the music here is consistently strong and compelling. As a compiler, Prince errs by favoring latter-day recordings over his '80s studio creations, but this is a minor complaint, since he has included such legendary (at least among collectors) songs as "Dream Factory," "Movie Star," "Crucial," "Sexual Suicide," "Days of Wild," and "The Ride." Prince added a full-length album, The Truth, as the fourth disc to Crystal Ball. Taken on its own terms, The Truth is a terrific little record with a similar feel to Chaos & Disorder, but with stronger material. Purportedly, it's Prince's acoustic album, but he uses that concept to spring into the blues, tape effects, straight-ahead pop, and soul. It's a joy to hear him work in such a structured form, since it helps him focus his ideas and deliver a tight, enjoyable pop record that offers proof he hasn't lost his gifts.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Clare Fischer, Orchestrator
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Boni Boyer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Mayte, Background Vocal - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Clarinet
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Shock G, Re-Mixer - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Paul Peterson, Bass Guitar - RICKY PETERSON, Keyboards - DJ Fuze, Programmer, Scratches - Nona Gaye, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Brenda Lee Eager, Composer, Lyricist - Hilliard Wilson, Composer, Lyricist - Yo Mama!, Guitar, Vocal
(P) 1998 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) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - Kathy Jensen, Baritone Saxophone - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Susannah Melvoin, Speaker - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Dave Jensen, Trumpet - Carmen Electra, Rap - Michael B. Nelson, Trombone - Brian Gallagher, Tenor Saxophone - Steve Strand, Trumpet - D.J. Graves, Scratches
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
DISC 2
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mayte, Background Vocal - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards - Yo Grandma!, Guitar, Clavichord
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Clare Fischer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Leeds, Saxophone
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Wendy Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Saxophone
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Peggy McCreary, Producer - MORRIS DAY, Drums
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Jill Jones, Background Vocal - Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Clare Fisher, Conductor, Arranger - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
DISC 3
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards - Ninety 9, Speaker
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Saxophone
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Mike Scott, Guitar - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - KIRK JOHNSON, Loops
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Tommy Barbarella, Keyboards - Michael B., Drums - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Sonny T., Bass Guitar - Mr. Hayes, Keyboards
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Susannah Melvoin, Background Vocal - Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Eric Leeds, Saxophone
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Prince, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Clare Fischer, Arranger
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
Album review
As any die-hard fan knows, Crystal Ball was the triple-album set Prince had planned to release in 1987, when Warner forced him to trim it to the double album Sign O' the Times. Since then, Crystal Ball had become a legendary "lost" album among Prince collectors, and many of its outtakes had circulated on bootlegs for years. So, it didn't come as a complete surprise that Prince revived the title for his own collection of outtakes, which turned out to be the first release on his independent NPG label. Any collector will quibble with the track selection, since there are literally hundreds of known Prince outtakes, and there's no way that a three-disc set could include all the best cuts. Still, this is an impressive sampler that illustrates the true depth of Prince's talents. There may be no hidden masterworks on the level of "When Doves Cry," but the music here is consistently strong and compelling. As a compiler, Prince errs by favoring latter-day recordings over his '80s studio creations, but this is a minor complaint, since he has included such legendary (at least among collectors) songs as "Dream Factory," "Movie Star," "Crucial," "Sexual Suicide," "Days of Wild," and "The Ride." Prince added a full-length album, The Truth, as the fourth disc to Crystal Ball. Taken on its own terms, The Truth is a terrific little record with a similar feel to Chaos & Disorder, but with stronger material. Purportedly, it's Prince's acoustic album, but he uses that concept to spring into the blues, tape effects, straight-ahead pop, and soul. It's a joy to hear him work in such a structured form, since it helps him focus his ideas and deliver a tight, enjoyable pop record that offers proof he hasn't lost his gifts.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 3 disc(s) - 30 track(s)
- Total length: 02:29:09
- Main artists: Prince
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Legacy Recordings
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Funk
(P) 1998 NPG Records, Inc. Manufactured and Distributed by Legacy Recordings
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