Music Review: Prince - Planet Earth
Published July 24, 2007
Prince needs to tap back into his dirty mind. His previous album, 3121, offered some hope that the man could still deliver the erogenous goods, with songs like “Black Sweat” and “Lolita.” However, his latest release, Planet Earth, regresses into safe and average R & B territory. If this album were released by anyone other than Prince, few people would even take notice.
One crucial factor to Prince’s appeal has long since been his gift for writing intriguing and innovative songs that, usually through adept use of metaphor, addressed sex (in its myriad facets and emotions) without sounding gratuitous. For clarity’s sake, if you’re still thinking that “Little Red Corvette” is a cute song about a car, well, it’s not.
Unfortunately, most of the songs on Planet Earth come across as pale derivatives of Prince’s libidinous past works. “Somewhere Here On Earth,” for instance, which is perhaps the most sensual song on the album, sounds like a clichéd and timid remix of an assortment of previous Prince slowjams. On “I’m The One U Wanna See,” he blandly says to a prospective catch, “So if you ain’t busy later/And you want some company/I ain’t trying to be a hater/But I’m the one U wanna see.” This is now the pick-up line for the man who once proposed, ”Excuse me but I need a mouth like yours/To help me forget the girl who just walked through that door”? How come Prince won’t do that anymore?
Most likely, Prince has curbed his carnal expression due to the influence of his faith, as he is a converted Jehovah’s Witness. In the 1980s, though, Prince openly practiced Christianity and he skillfully reconciled his sexual and sacred callings to create some of the most visionary music of the decade. Yet, his faith, at least on this album, appears to have hindered his natural creative drive. “Lion Of Judah,” a song with religious imagery that, for all intents and purposes should feel inspired, sounds downright dull.
The closest Prince comes to flirting with his own past brilliance is on the title track. In this one instance, he offers direct and relevant commentary on the current sociopolitical climate in the world to the sound of a guitar-driven fury.
That being said, little else on this album lends credence to Prince’s stature as the uninhibited musical genius he has proven himself to be time and again. Ultimately, Planet Earth is a disappointment, not only because Prince is more than capable of producing invigorating and innovative music, but also because, for once, the artist sounds restrained.
A graduate of the University of South Florida with a B.A. in English, Donald Gibson writes about music as well as on film, books, and various pop culture topics.He is a regular contributor to Blogcritics Magazine and he publishes his own website.
- Music Review: Prince - Planet Earth
- Published: July 24, 2007
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: R&B, Music: Funk
- Writer: Donald Gibson
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Comments on this articleComments
Now I'm so confused! Is it good? Is it bad? Augh!
I just got the CD last night and plan to listen to it asap; I sure hope it's better than this reviewer makes out.
Amongst the best gigs I've seen would be The Drifters, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Clash, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Fall, Butthole Surfers and Caravan.
I have been Prince fan since his first album, but bow not so much. While Prince still has a great musical groove, the loss of his "dirty mind has taken a certain edge off his music.
"Planet Earth" and the "3121" are good albums, their just missing that extra something that made Prince unique.
Agree with the way he once was able to reconcile the issues of the flesh and the spirit. The album "Sign O The times" had the beautiful song "The Cross" sit right alongside "Hot Thang" and "If I was Your Girlfriend" to name just a few.
I kinda miss that Dirty ol' Prince too.
-Glen
I Think some critics are expecting way to much, here we have a great album, Prince just grew up, If he was still writing music like that the critics would be saying enough alredy, Knowing Prince he probably didnt put much work into the album and just put it together real quick because he has that talent. After giving the album away in the u.k. all shows sold out so whos the real critic. I think the cd is alot of fun and have been listenimg to Prince since 1983, and honestly his later work I find more creative and free.
Compared to "3121," "Musicology," and "Rainbow Children" - THIS is a good album. I'd say it's his best since "Rave," possibly since "The Truth."
Good Album. I'm a serious Prince fan and I can listen to the album for what it is.
It's not Prince from 80s or early 90s. That is for sure. Why? Because he is a different and evolving artist now.
The issue is that people won't let go of the younger and hungrier Prince from the past and that is a hard artist to compare with anyone.
Compare Prince now with current artist now and that is more fair to judge the music by.
In that case, it is a really good album.
from the past greatness was other peoples lyrics that he stole. you can tell he can't write. wake up
This is a great disc,
Prince kind of goes the other way instead of focusing on funk he's playing more guitar and we have missed his shredding guitar.
I love how he sticks to organic instrumentation and has pushed the electronics to the back whether he's playing most of the instruments or not this release sounds like a band.
The songs get better as you listen to them and you have to understand to listen to Prince is to tune into his radio station.
This album is really lean at 45mins, thank God someone is making all killer no filler albums.
Overall his best record since the Classic Rainbow Children if any issues with the record the Jazz song is out of place on this set!
Y'all are missing something. Big. The old Prince is gone. If you're great, and stagnant, you're not great anymore. The new Prince has taken it to a whole new level. Open your minds. Stop trying to use the old mold. Please!
LIKE MOST OF PRINCE'S ALBUMS THIS ONE IS FLOPPING. GUY IS RESTING ON OLD HITS TO MAKE HIMSELF RELEVENT. HE MAY BE A MUSICAL GENIUS BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED HIM FROM CREATING NOTHING BUT CRAP OVER THE LAST TEN YEAR.S
As a long standing Prince fan I am always excited when i know a new album is on its way, Planet Earth was no exception. I love it, the more i listen to it the more i like it. Give it a chance. Ok the old Sexy Prince has moved on but he's still an amazing talent no one makes music like him. Don't forget we still have the older music to listen to if we need a fix of his more "Dirty Mind". Carn't wait to go see him live in a couple of weeks. Give the Guy a break.
I am a music lover first and also a Prince fan. Donald Gibson should flatout stop doing album reviews because he is approaching the subject from a personality stance more than a review of a piece o Art, which is what this is. As most of the other reviewers noted, this album first and foremost is listener friendly most importantly because, unlike most of the stuff out there, you
can actually put this on and listen to it in its entirety. the music is good and the lyrics are simple. Also Prince seems to have decided to just make a record this time instead of reaching. Funning thing is that Mr. Gibson fails to get it. On this CD I actually get the feeling that this is the one on which the Old and the New Prince finally seem to compliment each other. Prince the artist is also more and more comfortable with Prince the individual. Remember that this one of the few artists in our time that has really tried to live his life as one of us while dealing with the pressures of being a superstar. We've all seen how all the others have caved in to those pressures. Prince grows and matures and at the same time delivers, all the while using his experieces as inspiration to give us good music and relivent music. To totally miss the beautiful statements from the piano and horn interludes on "somewhere here on earth" simply proves mr. Gibson does not know what he is talking about. Oh, and the other song I would suggest is less a rap song and more of a device for Prince to convey the sense of a guy trying to throw down some lines to a dame. Next time let someone less narrow mineded do the review. As a matter of fact-Let me. I love the freedom on "Revelation", the last song.
I forgot to add that Prince socially conscious songs are right on target and should appease those who used to complain that his music was just sex, sex,sex.
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Come one man! What CD are you listening too?
This is classic Prince with no atempt to try to sound modern as he did with 3121. Instead this is exactly what his CDs should sound like. Pure pop, soulful R&B, and straight up funk!
I think you need to listen again as this CD is a grower and is brilliant!