(music notes) – purple rain

revisiting one of my favorite albums from the 80’s i am still stunned by its brilliance. mired in smutty sultriness that is not so velveteen that it does not collect grime, prince indulges himself by playing a version of his own past, complete with freudian allusions and hot women in underwear. the songs are electrifying- ‘lets go crazy’ with its scorching guitar and with prince as priest (what kind of church is this?), ‘when doves cry’ which has to be one of the best choruses written, ‘purple rain’ and its epic ambitions; and my favorite couple of songs ‘ the beautiful ones’ (“will hurt you every time") in which he takes the beauty of sadness and tears it opens with the terror and anxiety inside; and ‘darling nikki’ – a one night stand featuring a hotel lobby, aphone number on the stairs and some serious grinding. even what can be seen as filler is great - ‘baby i’m a star’, ‘i would die 4 u’, ‘computer blue’ and ‘take me with you’- are funky and fabulous. and what’s the music without the presence of prince himself- his royal sexiness himself.