"Timeless" Is Better Than The Last 20 Years Worth Of Prince Releases

 

Listen to another cash grab Prince vault release or have dental surgery?

I gotta say, this wasn't an easy decision.

Neither is much fun.

If you've been reading me for some time, you know I am not a disciple. I will be first in line to call out my heroes. My love is conditional. And let's face it, beginning in 2001 with "The Rainbow Children" and continuing through the unlistenable "Welcome 2 America" in 2021, Prince's output was godfuckingawful.

I can hear the disciples now, defending "Musicology" and "Lotusflower." 

Please, let it go. 

So why do I like the just released "Timeless?" 

Maybe it's because my expectations were so low, they were buried.

Yes, it's random. And it was haphazardly put together...or maybe it wasn't.

That it is chronological doesn't help my argument, especially after years of stressing how sequencing a record is so important. But with this release, I think it works. It lays it all out. 

Every song on its own is better than most of what is found on all of those weirdo experiments throughout the 2000's. Every song took me back to a period when I thought Prince was a god, maybe even thee God for a stretch. 

Is "I Am You" better than anything on Prince's debut? 

Yeah, a few tunes.

Is the original "Tick Tick Bang" better than the revamp on "Graffiti Bridge?"

I think so.

"Dirty Mind" is already amazing. Think about how much more amazing it could have been with "Tick Tick Bang" right before "Sister."

We love "Computer Blue" from "Purple Rain," don't we? "Heaven" is not much different.

I can't say I have ever heard Celine Dion's version of "With This Tear," but the version on "Timeless" is quite lovely.

"Stone" was considered for "Emancipation" and after hearing it twice, I think I'd considered it for one of my "Emancipation" edits I've made through the years.

My point is, nothing on "Timeless" is as terrible as most of those proper albums Prince released in the last 20 years. That's a bit backhanded, I know. But how about this? It's been years since I wanted to listen a new Prince album a second and third time. "Timeless" is the first in a long time and it will be revisited again and maybe again.

If a friend made you a Prince mixtape of rarities and it was "Timeless," you'd love it.