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

Late career double album from The Purple One repressed! Never one to settle for meager productions, this 2009 release contains two albums - Lotus Flow3r and MPLSound - totalling in 21 tracks of Prince goodness on heavy double vinyl. These were actually 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. The wide 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 uber funky vibes on "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful," fusion sounds 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 Cmish 07/2016