Amazon.co.jp
“かつてプリンスと呼ばれたアーティスト”が1999年に発表した、20世紀最後のオリジナル・アルバム。あの“プリンス”によるプロデュース、そしてヒップ・ホップや現代R&Bに色目を使っていた90年代の“あのアーティスト”の作品群とは一線を画す、開き直ったかのような全盛期80年代プリンス的楽曲群にファンは大喜び。すでに腐るほど時代の先端を行く名作を届けてくれた人なのだから、「アーティストとして後ろ向きだ!」とかそういうことを言わずに、ただその良質な音楽を楽しめばいいじゃないの、と思わせる傑作だ。(麻路 稔)
From Amazon.co.uk
Leave it to Prince to put the best music of
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, his return to major-label status, on a hidden track. That would be No. 18, a.k.a. "Pretty Man". A deep-fried groove and sax by guest Maceo Parker underpin a hilarious mock self-celebration ("I write a check and the bank bounce") that proves the Artist can flow at full power any time he wants to. And whether
Rave will prove as durable as 1995's vastly underrated
Gold Experience, it's a fine Prince (or whatever his name is) album. Here, he employs the likes of Sheryl Crow, Ani DiFranco and Eve to season his own blend, not to run off with the whole steaming pot. (Just to show who's boss, he includes a funky re-creation of Crow's hit "Everyday Is a Winding Road" that renders the song nearly unrecognisable.) The sounds here, from the parade-style balladry of "[Eye] Love U, But [Eye] Don't Trust U Anymore" to the frenetic title track, won't surprise longtime followers, but they won't find a lot of reasons to complain, either.
--Rickey Wright