20ten

Prince’s creative activity knows nothing of boundaries

Is there any norm for the frequency an artist is supposed to release albums in the world? It is no secret for anybody that it all depends on the activity and creative work of one person or that of the entire team, of the contract terms with the record label, in the end, of the life circumstances. Obviously everything is going fine in all these aspects with Prince. This artist’s creative activity really knows nothing of boundaries and recognizes no norms or rules. Releasing two of his albums at once last year, MplSound and LotusFlow3r, as well as playing the role of a producer for his girlfriend Bria Valente’s debut Elixir the artist returns with his new record 20ten already this summer. The album’s title stands for the current year which Prince considers very important both in the mankind’s history and his own life. It is interesting that the singer has preferred an original way to promote the album 20ten which reminds of the story with his 2007’s record Planet Earth. The disc 20ten could be got with the number of the British newspaper Daily Mirror, as the artist believes that the Internet is over.

20ten has every chance to repeat the success of Purple Rain

Although Prince has remained faithful to his own original traditions and keeps on making unexpected statements, it is clear from the very first sounds of the album 20ten that the second breath has finally opened in his music. The singer definitely remembers the success of Purple Rain and desperately wants to repeat it – well, his thirty-third studio album has every chance to do that! As before Prince has arranged and produced all the tracks himself, demonstrating his awareness of the popular music trends and preserving his trademark sound at the same time – one of the world’s best guitarists artfully combines guitar parts with a danceable beat. The album’s themes this time around are brotherly love and unity, relationships, entertainment and naturally romantic dating. On the cheerful and optimistic opener Compassion the artist invites everybody to love each other no matter the color of one’s skin, whereas Beginning Endlessly is the most philosophic number on the record – Prince is exploring the universe itself here. One of the album’s highlights Future Soul Song is a slower compositions closer to R&B, pleasing with sensual vocals, a text about love, a melodious guitar solo and a rich arrangement, whereas Sticky Like Glue takes us back again on the dance floor due to its contagious beat with clapping and an appropriate guitar riff. Another brilliant example of a fusion guitar meeting a pop tune is the song Lavaux, and a romantic compositions Walk In Sand and Sea Of Everything remind us that Prince loves conquering women’s hearts. The most easy-going number is the finale Everybody Loves Me, and а tougher and more complicated Bonus Track #77 stands by itself.

A perfect balance both in the lyrics and the instrumental background

Except for the contagious beats, memorable tunes and shiny arrangements the record 20ten also proves to be a brilliant example of Prince’s great songwriting skills. He is the only one able to be simultaneously a philosopher trying to fathom the endlessness of the universe, and an easy-going night club frequenter, glamorous and proud of oneself. It seems like he takes some ideas for his songs from clever books, priests’ propagations and lectures of the world’s wise men, and simply makes the others of magazine superficial slogans, scraps of conversations heard at receptions. All of it is always spiced up with a romantic flavor, the endless admiration for the opposite sex and the confidence of one’s own uniqueness. It seems like such an approach could make any Prince’s album successful but it is on 20ten where the artist has managed to find a perfect balance both in the lyrics and the instrumental background. Therefore this brilliant, sparkling and sensual pop album will surely return Prince’s fame of the 1990s, maybe not that sensational but definitely solid.