„The Rainbow Children“
At the end of the 70's a man called Prince Rogers Nelson bursts into public with a to date not known mix of black funk and white pop…and since those days he is a steady institution. The little man from Minneapolis, naming himself just Prince, wears extravagant clothes (if anything!) and shoots one song after another into the charts (Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Cream). His voice is capable of several octaves and he has the ability to play almost every instrument on his own - Prince’s musical spectrum ranges from basic disco beats to lusciously produced rock songs and jazzy, moody soul. Because of problems with his record company fans would temporarily find Prince’s records sorted under TAFKAP (The Artist Formerly Known As Prince) or Symbol. Meanwhile his name is Prince again – fortunately not much more has changed!
The man is faithful! His current album (just as an import for a immoral price!) proves this in exactly 70 minutes. The Rainbow Children consist of 14 connected songs (chapters). Prince tells the story of the wise one and his fight against the wicked. A lot of quotes from the bible…Prince tries one more time to baptize his listeners. His exaggeratedly declaimed message fortunately does not harm the music.
Back to the roots seems to be the motto of the musical side of The Rainbow Children. Soul ballads, funk orgies and rockers – John Blackwell on the drums and saxophone player Najee support Prince, who again plays the other instruments by himself.
A computer trimmed voice opens the album with a few wise words and gives space for the swinging opener Rainbow Children. Afterwards the voice leads through sweetish ballads (Muse 2 The Pharaoh, Mellow, She Loves Me 4 Me), driving funk (The Work pt.1, Family Name, 1+1+1 is 3), little curiosities (Digital Garden, The Sensual Everafter, Wedding Feast) and more or less heavy guitar rock (The everlasting Now, Last December).
Prince always had feebleness for pathos but seldom as convincingly as on The Rainbow Children. If you don’t get baptized by the lyrics or you don’t want to – his music will!
Sebastian von Haugwitz