Product Description

The Artist Formerly Known As Prince releases albums a bit like Stephen King writes books; with mind-boggling speed and an equal measure of royal success and passionate failure. Onthe groove- savvy DIAMONDS AND PEARLS, the diminutive one made an impressive rebound after the less-than-stellar GRAFFITI BRIDGE, with his most consistent and vibrant album since 1987's brilliant SIGN O' THE TIMES. Apparently aware of the powerful influence of groups like NWA, Public Enemy and Tribe Called Quest, Prince tried his hand at the harder genre, unleashing vocalist Tonio M. for cocky raps on songs like "Daddy Pop" and "Willing and Able".
As always, Prince indulges happily in his erotic wanderings, with the guttural grooves and propositions of "Cream" and "Gett Off" leaving little to the imagination. However, it is the laid-back groove ofthe insightful and simply sung "Money Don't Matter" which is the quiet highlight of DIAMONDS AND PEARLS. A thoughtful reflection on disillusionment in love, business and politics,"Money Don't Matter" is perhaps Prince's most overlooked four-minute masterpiece.

Track Listing

1. Thunder
2. Daddy Pop
3. Diamonds And Pearls
4. Cream
5. Strollin'
6. Willing And Able
7. Gett Off
8. Walk Don't Walk
9. Jughead
10. Money Don't Matter 2 Night
11. Push
12. Insatiable
13. Live 4 Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15358 in Music
• Released on: 1991-09-30
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
At its best, Prince's biggest seller of the 1990s is an archetype of seemingly casual inspiration, thanks mainly to the ease tracks such as "Cream", "Money Don't Matter 2 Night", and "Willing and Able" exude. Of course, he's working as hard as ever, whether in a mellow groove or an aggressively funky one ("Gett Off"). Compared with the masterpiece Sign o' the Times, Diamonds and Pearls is a minor creation, but it's one for the long haul. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

One of his most enduring...
This is probably Prince's most commercially accessible album since 'Purple Rain'. Though I could never give a Prince album 5 stars as there are usually 1 or 2 tracks I find myself skipping over, I could not tell anyone this is not a 5 star talent at work. An album like this outlasts its peers by being distinctive in its style and inventive in its output. Prince's experiments with rap and hip-hop don't always work, but when they do the effect is staggeringly good. Take 'Gett Off' - a grinding, thumping track with some of the most tongue-in-cheek lyrics I've ever heard. One of my favourites is 'Tonight you're a star.. and I'm a Big Dipper'. Pure genius. 'Cream' is another standout track with a striking guitar sound and a compulsively toe-tappable rhythm. 'Diamonds and Pearls' was probably the major hit - no matter how experimental he gets, he never loses an ear for a good tune - grandly helped along by by mighty voice of Rosie Gaines. 'Money Don't Matter 2Night' is a rather touching commentary on the state of the world, as is 'Live 4 Love'. Whether Prince is your 'thing' or not, you cannot deny he is a prodigious talent. As a body of work 'Diamonds and Pearls' stands up today and still satisfies the ear - as a part of Prince's rather voluminous back catalogue it is indispensable.

Sonic Pearls!
Here the Prince-patented blend of rock, funk and soul is harnessed for a more funky sound which includes tender gospel ballads. Some rap is added by Toni M to tracks like Jughead, Daddy Pop and Push. The two most soulful cuts are Stollin' and Willing and Able, and they're both excellent. Thunder is Prince at his best, while Creamed and Get Off are hook-filled pure pop delight. Get Off, especially, is loaded with those suggestive innuendos. Lyrically and melodically, this ranks amongst Prince's Top Ten albums.

Prince reclaimed the charts...
Prince came with a credibly commercial sound and consistently featured a rapper (Tony M) for first time here. He wanted to reclaim the chart position his stature deserved after relative years in the wilderness. "Batman" and Prince's fourth #1 "Batdance" were mainly successful on the back of the mainstream audience of the movie let us not forget.

The organ led pop-perfect "Cream" would give Prince his fifth US #1. Other hits included the dramatic multi-layered opener "Thunder", the funk-dance classic "Gett Off" and the supreme, Stevie Wonder style ballad "Money Don't Matter tonite" with it's social commentary format and a "Do Me Baby/Scandalous" type ballad in "Instatiable". "Jughead" and "Push" conversely gave Tony M. a chance to spotlight as frontman much to many fans chagrin.

My favourite song on this album however would have to be the title track with its pretty swaying melody and catchy hook.

Overall this album performed it's function and hooked me into becoming a Prince fan ten years ago so i can testify for it's catchiness personally! While perhaps not one of his deepest album concepts he sold albums while staying credible which was the aim. Can't argue with that right? :)