Prince

If you're expecting Sign 'O The Times, or even '92's "Symbol" album, you might want to adjust your expectations. "Mr. Goodnight," "Future Baby Mama" and the jazzy "Somewhere Here on Earth" approximate the slow jams of Prince's youth, while "Guitar" and "Chelsea Rodgers" reach for the rock-infused funk of his best known hits. Prince can still find the groove, and his voice remains distinctive and sharp, but his batting average has dipped to about .500 on Planet. It's considerably lower than in his prime, but still better than most.

"I love you, baby, but not like I love my guitar," Prince leers in "Guitar," between blasts of
heroically pointless Edge-style soloing. It's his most slamming summer jam since "P Control"
in the summer of '94, or "Alphabet St." in the summer of '88, or maybe "Delirious" in the
summer of '83. What did people do for fun in the summer before Prince? Planet Earth is one
of those albums he makes when he's trying a little harder than usual, if not hard... More >