CLAY TRIBUNE / THE ARCHIVE

Tag: Prince

A purple silhouette of a musician in a hat under neon lights, evoking a retro-funk album cover.

Prince’s HITnRUN Phase One Opens Weak Before Snarling Back

Prince's 2015 album HITnRUN Phase One is a split record: a sluggish first half, then a strong finish. Uneven but with standout tracks like 'X's Face.'

By mitch·6 min readSeptember 10, 2026

An abstract, purple-toned image with musical elements and a moody atmosphere, reminiscent of a Prince album cover.

Album Reviews5/10

Prince’s ‘Xpectation’ Is a Guitarist’s Solo Show — Not a Pop Album

Prince's 2003 instrumental jazz-fusion album Xpectation is a technical detour, not a pop destination. We review the tracks and where it drags.

By mitch·4 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A dimly lit piano with a lone silhouette seated at the keys, evoking a private late-night performance.

Album Reviews7/10

Stripped Down to Piano and Voice, One Nite Alone… Still Deserves More Attention

Prince's 2002 piano-and-voice album One Nite Alone… strips back the spectacle for a raw, intimate listen. We rank every track and explain why it's a hidden gem.

By mitch·6 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A vintage recording studio bathed in purple and blue neon light, with a microphone and mixing console in the foreground.

Album Reviews9/10

Prince’s ‘Sign “☮︎” the Times’ Is Chaos That Actually Works

Prince's 1987 double album Sign o' the Times is a sprawling, messy masterpiece of funk, pop, and gospel — a creative flood that earns its length.

By mitch·8 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A surreal pop-art image of a naked figure reclining on a giant white lily against a vivid blue sky.

Album Reviews8/10

Prince’s Lovesexy Is a Divisive, Carnal, Spiritual Triumph — 8/10

Prince's 1988 album Lovesexy is a strange, joyful, and defiantly odd record. A divisive masterpiece of funk-gospel spirituality and carnal pop.

By mitch·8 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A purple-lit music studio with vintage synthesizers and a drum machine, evoking Prince's 1999 album.

Album Reviews3/10

Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic Review: Prince’s 1999 Solo Stint Suffers From Overproduction

Prince's 1999 comeback album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic is a stiff, overproduced affair that fails to recapture his magic. Our review explains why.

By mitch·6 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A silhouette of a man in a hat and coat stands in a neon-lit, futuristic space with geometric shapes and haze.

Album Reviews7/10

Twelve Years On, Art Official Age Still Sounds Like Prince Working Through a Concept

Prince's 2014 album Art Official Age is a dense, confident concept record about time and identity, with electro-funk highs and experimental lows. A 7/10.

By mitch·6 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A dimly lit recording studio with a microphone, guitar, and scattered cassettes, bathed in purple and blue light.

Album Reviews5/10

Prince’s Contract Exit Album Was Never Great — It Just Got Out of the Way

A 1996 Prince contract-filler album, Chaos and Disorder is minor but not worthless, with a few genuine gems buried in sketches.

By mitch·7 min readSeptember 10, 2026

A close-up of an acoustic guitar neck and strings in dim warm lighting, suggesting a stripped-down 1990s recording session.

Album Reviews7/10

Prince’s Acoustic Detour ‘The Truth’ Earns a 7 Out of 10

Prince's 1997 acoustic album The Truth is an intriguing but uneven set — raw, spare, and best in moments like '3rd Eye' and 'The Other Side of the Pillow.'

By mitch·2 min readSeptember 10, 2026