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Prince

Musicology

By Jim Fester

Fort Wayne Reader

2004-05-03

Don’t call it a comeback: Prince has been releasing albums at a downright prolific rate for years. But over the last decade, his experimental tendencies got the best of him, resulting in albums that only the most die-hard fan could love. That all changes on Musicology, the most accessible and fun collection Prince has released since Diamonds and Pearls. Musically and lyrically, Prince references his many influences like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and the great R & B bands that faded out sometime in the early 80s, especially in the title track. Yet Musicology isn’t a nostalgia trip; he uses those influences as a launching pad to craft his own distinct yet instantly recognizable sound. Who knows what lead to this change? Maybe he missed the time when music lovers looked to Prince to be both popular and innovative. Maybe he just wants to show Outkast a thing or two about genre-bending. Maybe he was just afraid of becoming a synonym for weird. Whatever the case, Musicology is a blast to listen to.