Prince: Lotus Flow3r / MPLSound Vinyl 2LP+2CD

Late careerdouble album from The Purple Onerepressed!Never one to settle for meager productions, this 2009 release contains twoalbums-Lotus Flow3rand MPLSound– totalling in21 tracks of Prince goodness onheavy double vinyl. Thesewereactually released as a 3CD set with a third full length called Elixir, the debut album by his then-protoge Bria Valente, but these two are the two pure Prince joints that you need. Thewide range of sound is testament to Prince’s genius – from super soulful R&B on “4Ever,” the Bob Dylan-esque swagger on “Colonized Mind,” the uberfunky vibes on “Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful,” fusionsounds on “Love Like Jazz,” the newjack bump on “(There’ll Never B) Another Like Me,” the futuristic pop of “Chocolate Box,” 80’s funk on “Dance 4 Me” and the P-Funk / Erykah Badu hybrid “Ol Skool Company.” Just like the track says, there’ll never be another like Prince! Comes with CD versions of both albums, housed in gatefold sleeve. Recommended.

• double vinyl
• CD versions included
• gatefold sleeve
• music label: Because Music 2016

reviewed Cmish07/2016