April 26, 2016 Playlist

Prince Rogers Nelson
Prince Rogers Nelson
1958-2016

"Sign 'O' The Times" by Prince (1987)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Prince "Sign 'O' The Times"  1987 (USA)
Sadly, we have to pay tribute to yet another fallen rock star this week. The golden age of "Rock" music peaked around the late 1960's and early 1970's, yet its roots go back to the 40's and 50's and extend well into the 80's and 90's. Prince began his recording career around the dawn of punk, disco and new wave, though he never really fit into any of the popular trends of his own era. His string of classic albums beginning with Dirty Mind (1980) are full of catchy pop melodies, elaborate productions full of hi-tech synth sounds, grooving funk, and scorching guitar. It is easy to hear echoes of  many earlier greats synthesized in his music: in particular Hendrix, Sly, James Brown, The Beatles, Kraftwerk and even Joni Mitchell. It only just occurred to me this week that before I was listening to any of those artists, I was listening to Prince. I was fortunate to be a kid from the Twin Cities just starting to explore the wonderful new world of Top 40 FM radio when his songs took over the airwaves. Even after my more mature youthful tastes turned to punk, rap and metal, I was still faithfully buying every new Prince album as they were released. Among his most universally acclaimed albums was this week's CAOTW from 1987: a double album of 16 songs in diverse styles, which was accompanied by a concert film of the same name.
(N) = New Release
 
Artist Song Album Year Country
Prince & The RevolutionPaisley ParkAround The World In A Day1985USA
Iggy Pop American Valhalla
Post Pop Depression (N)2016 (Loma Vista)USA
Charles Bradley Ain't Gonna Give It Up
Changes (N)2016 (Dunham)USA
TroyBoi Force
Star Wars Headspace (N - various artists)2016 (Hollywood)UK
Death By Unga Bunga Ooh, I'm A Bad Bad Man
Pineapple Pizza (N)2016 (Jensen Plateproduksjon)Norway
 
 
Black Mountain Cemetary Breeding
IV (N)2016 (Jagjaguwar)Canada
The Besnard LakesAnd This Is What We Call ProgressThe Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night2010Canada
Boogarins Avalanche
Manual (N)2015 (Other Music)Brazil
DungenTa Det LugntTa Det Lugnt2004Sweden
   
 
Prince & The RevolutionLet's Go CrazyPurple Rain1984USA
Prince & The Revolution199919991982USA
   
 
PrinceThe CrossSign 'O' The Times
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1987
USA
PrinceControversyControversy1981USA
PrinceIf I Was Your GirlfriendSign 'O' The Times
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1987
USA
Tom Jones with The Art of NoiseKiss (The Art of Noise Mix) (Prince)12" single 1988
UK (Wales)
The TimeThe Bird (produced, arranged, co-written by Prince)Ice Cream Castles 1985
USA
   
 
Heron Oblivion Sudden LamentHeron Oblivion (N)2016 (Sub Pop)USA
Electric Eye Never Fade Away Different Sun (N)2016 (Jensen Plateproduksjon)Norway
Yoko Ono & Blow Up Approximately Infinite UniverseYes, I Am A Witch Too (N)2016 (Manimal)Japan/USA
Parquet Courts Pathos PrairieHuman Performance (N)2016 (Rough Trade)USA
Freakwater Down Will Come BabyScheherazade (N)2016 (Bloodshot)USA
 
  
Mike & The Melvins A Friend In Need Is A Friend You Don't Need
Three Men And A Baby (N)rec. 1999 (2016 Subpop)USA
Octagrape Cameras
Aura Obelisk (N)2015 (Sounds Familyre)USA
Holy Wave Our PigsFreaks Of Nature (N)2016 (Reverberation Appreciation)USA
Ought Sun's Coming DownSun Coming Down (N)2015 (Constellation)Canada (Quebec)
 
  
Woods I See In The Dark
City Sun Eater In The River Of Light (N)2016 (Woodsist)USA
Minotaurs Weird WavesWeird Waves (N)2016 (Static Clang)Canada
The Luck Of Eden Hall The Acceleration Of Time
The Acceleration Of Time (N)2016 (self release)USA
Eleanor Friedberger Does Turquiose Work?
   / A Long Walk
New View (N)2016 (French Kiss)USA
PrinceStarfish & CoffeeSign 'O' The Times
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1987
USA
 
  
Bitchin Bajas & Bonnie "Prince" Billy Nature Makes Us For OurselvesEpic Jammers And Fortunate Little Ditties (N)2016 (Drag City)USA
      
   
   
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