In a world where it seems like every hot shot jazz artist feels the need to incorporate hip-hop, soul and electronics into their repertoires, veterans Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart have released a refreshingly old school organ trio record called "Rhombus."
"Rhombus" feels as if it could have been plucked out of the Blue Note vaults circa 1962. The playing is perfect and never overdone. There is melody. The trio relies on their chops to get the music across, not tricks or technology to appeal to a younger crowd. This is jazz the way I fell in love with it.
Until yesterday, this was going to be a pretty standard review of Timeless (NPG/Paisley Park 19958 44929-2), the newest posthumous Prince project,
arriving just over a decade after his tragic passing. You would read
about how unusual it is at this juncture to release a short compilation
of unrelated outtakes from the Minneapolis icon’s storied vault, one not
curated by him or guided by his examples, one that reminds you of
projects we’d love to have on our shelves – a pre-1999 deep dive, a complete presentation of his final concerts (or any of the many, many tours not represented on record).
And then the horns blew.
As I broke down in a report for Ultimate Classic Rock,
horn player Greg Boyer, who performed with Prince’s touring band The
New Power Generation during the 2000s, let slip on Facebook that his
contributions to one of Timeless‘ tracks, a funk number called
“Calabama” that dated to 2003, were in fact recorded “several months
ago,” a fact not noted in the package’s liner notes. (The other two
brass players, Adrian Crutchfield and Lynn Grissett, didn’t take up with
The NPG until the last few years of Prince’s life, the first sign of a
fudge in the timeline.) Charles F. Spicer, Jr., one of the co-chairs of
The Artist’s estate management company Prince Legacy, took to X to
corroborate Boyer’s claim. “I stated that nothing had been edited or
added to ‘Calabama,'” his statement read. “I’ve since confirmed that the
released version includes additional horns, so that statement was not
accurate, and I will take responsibility for what I stated.”
The already uneven presentation of Timeless – succinctly eviscerated for its haphazard sequencing, slight portions, and middling repertoire in Rolling Stone, Minneapolis public radio station The Current, and by former Allmusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
– suddenly seems like less of an affront to Prince’s output and legacy
than the wanton shattering of one of his guiding principles: a centering
of his artistic vision, uncompromised by outside ideas. This may sound
dramatic, but it’s true. Posthumous knob-twiddling is nothing new, and
many Prince outtakes – including all the ones on Timeless – are
often newly mixed. But this lack of transparency casts a dark shadow
over the current estate administration’s already-questioned ability to
tell a story through Prince’s music.
The releases that predate Prince Legacy’s involvement in the estate – titles like Piano & A Microphone 1983 and Originals as well as deluxe editions of 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times
– were touted as accurate representations of Prince’s theoretical
output. There were shaky moments, sure – reportedly, the fan-favorite 1999 outtake “Extraloveable,” later re-recorded for Prince’s final album HITnRUN volume two,
was allegedly barred from inclusion on the box due to objectionable
lyrics – but there never felt like any doubt that what you were hearing
was tracks that Prince himself put together. The misrepresentation of
posthumous overdubs – even ones done in ways or with musicians he easily
would’ve called to contribute – calls that veracity into question
forever. Fans deserve better, and so do we. With the current
leadership of the estate at the helm, The Second Disc does not expect to
cover future titles pertaining to Prince’s catalogue, unless actual
honesty and integrity can mark its every project.
This will no doubt be a challenging bar to clear. The estate’s other
co-chair, L. Londell McMillan (the typical “bad cop” in the estate’s
external presentation, responsible for much of the pomp around their
often headache-inducing decisions), recently gave an interview to Rolling Stone
to coincide with this album’s release covering a wide range of topics
(including the bizarre challenge that most fans are so disinterested in
listening to archival Prince box sets, instead just buying them and
never even opening them). When asked about what the Prince estate can
learn from recent financial successes from the Michael Jackson estate
(including a woefully error-ridden but financially successful biopic), McMillan’s meandering answer suggested that Jackson’s remaining executor could learn from them. Considering Jackson’s team courted controversy over the veracity of songs on the first full posthumous album, perhaps we can call this one a draw.
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 while that called me back 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.
The Summertimes are an Australian power pop band with a fantastic pedigree, featuring Davids Challenger and Beniuk doing the songwriting, Steve Bull from Icehouse on bass, and guitarist Ash Naylor, whose resume includes stints with Paul Kelly and The Church.
Their 2023 debut was released to critical acclaim and after one pass, you will understand why. Their forthcoming E.P. will also include Amanda Brown from The Go-Betweens and the first single from that E.P. caught me immediately.
"Save You Now" is a jangly masterwork that pushes all the right power pop buttons and that chorus will stay with you all day.
Give it a few spins. You can thank me later. And when you're through, check out the debut HERE.
Philly Freeze- Alvin Cash & The Registers Little Wild One (No 5)- Marshall Crenshaw Ride On Baby- The Rolling Stones Don't Turn Your Back- Johnny Sayles Mr. Cop- Gregory Isaacs Boom, Boom Out Go The Lights- Little Walter Goodbye Toulouse- The Stranglers
The Alvin Cash and the Johnny Sayles are just two of the many amazing tracks from that "Move With The Groove" compilation I mentioned last week or so. This is it, and you need to listen to it all.
Always loved this Marshall track. Like The Beatles' "No Reply," the subtle dynamic shift takes the song to another level.
There is a great Tommy Keene cover of the Stones "Ride On Baby" out there, but I enjoyed listening to "Flowers" so much last week, thought I'd go with the OG.
Okay rockers, these two ass-kickers conclude the rockin' project.
Thank you everyone for participating. I enjoyed every minute and loved (almost) every suggested song.
KOTJ Part 5
California Man- The Move Jealous- Robert Palmer Baby Won't Ya- MC 5 Saturday Night- John Waite I'm An Adult Now- The Pursuit Of Happiness In Love- The Datsuns If I Can't Change Your Mind- Sugar Little Doll- The Peppermint Kicks Crystal Ball- Utopia Precious- Pretenders Powerman- The Kinks Precision Auto- Superchunk Harmony In My Head- Buzzcocks Long Tall Sally- Barbara Greene Don't Burst My Bubble- Small Faces She's So Modern- Boomtown Rats Perfect Day- The Saints 4th Of July- X Monkey With A Gun- The Yayhoos Reach Out I'll Be There- The Jaded Hearts Club Devil With The Blue Dress- Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels Johnny B. Goode- Chuck Berry California Man- Cheap Trick
Jailbreak- Thin Lizzy Toys In The Attic- Aerosmith Kickin' My Heart Around- The Black Crowes Happy- The Rolling Stones Let It Rock- Bob Seger Lovers' Walk- Elvis Costello & The Attractions Anywhere's Better Than Here- The Replacements Seven & Seven Is- Love Jail Guitar Doors- The Clash Parole- Todd Rundgren Love Is The Law- The Seahorses Heaven & Hell- The Easybeats It Came Out Of The Sky- Creedence Clearwater Revival Open All Night- Bruce Springsteen T.V. Set- Spoon Red Hot- Robert Gordon Slow- The Reverend Horton Heat Ugly Truth Rock- Matthew Sweet Adam- Native Sun Sweet '69- Babes In Toyland Breadfan- Budgie Revolution- The Beatles
