With the Song 1999 (very interesting division of vocals, Prince comes only in third place) there to hear at the very beginning its biggest party hit, followed by Little Red Corvette with the incredible brilliant opening line of text I guess I should have known by the way you parked your car sideways did it would not last. "On something you have to come first.
Delirious is a short quietschiger funky pop song.
With Let's Pretend We're Married, DMSR (Dance Music Sex Romance, Prince explained here in the title practically his music) and Automatic then get 3 danceable funky songs.
From 7 song album will be a bit strange for me. Something In The Water is a very minimalist song with programmed rhythm, but I like it anyway.
Free is a ballad with an almost political text, which is a bit cheesy, but somehow beautiful.
The last third of the board, I can but very little start (similar in Sign 'O The Times). Lady Cab Driver and All The Critics Love U In New York are minimalist funk and get way too long and especially boring monotone.
There is a typical bedroom ballad (International Lover) by Prince, with whom I never was able to do something at the end.
With 11 songs and a playing time of over 70 minutes but fall a few songs on the album too long. Above all, Let's Pretend We're Married, DMSR, Lady Cab Driver and Automatic, all between 7-9 minutes.
Thematically, the album pretty much back only about one thing. How Prince here by some texts durchstöhnt (the end of Let's Pretend We're Married or International Lover) is very funny. That the album in this regard has no warning is hard to explain.
Overall, my album is a bit too long. The first 8 songs I like but. At that time there were vinyl album as a single record on the Automatic, DMSR, All The Critics Love U In New York and International Lover were deleted. The CD edition had only 10 tracks, there lacked the highlight DMSR.
Sonically, the CD is not so special, not the SHM-CD from Japan, especially in the second half no better sound than the normal CD. But the old double LP still sounds good. A remaster the CD is slow overdue, perhaps because doing what in the future, after Prince agreed with his old company Warner.
Conclusion:
After Dirty Mind in 1999 for me the second recommended early Prince album. Like most double albums already applies in 1999 that not everything has succeeded, but two-thirds. On Purple Rain it was then something more rock, more pop and even commercial with The Revoltion. 1999 is still a bit minimalist, since Prince grossed also the majority itself. The highest rating from me there is not, because I think his next 4 albums better.
