Your Thoughts: Prince’s ’20Ten’ Album

Published: Sunday 11th Jul 2010 by Sam

The legendary Prince released his hotly anticipated ’20Ten’ LP here in the UK yesterday. A landmark release, in that the Purple one shunned iTunes and store stocking of the album in favour of giving it away for free with The Mirror newspaper, the LP is being hailed by some as his best work in 20 years.

Never ones to follow hearsay, we here at That Grape Juice are keen to hear what YOU think of ’20Ten’. Is it any good? Does it live up to the 52 year old’s efforts of yesteryear? Or is it simply yet another Prince album by the numbers…

Your thoughts?

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  1. Gary July 11, 2010

    Well i haven’t listened to it yet , but my mom told me it wasn’t good at all :S

  2. D le brie July 11, 2010

    it’s well good. Return to the old funk that we love. I’d love to meet him, so talented and my partner said at the 21 nights in London at the O2, ‘god this is like a party, not a concert’!

  3. Oggie July 11, 2010

    I think it’s BRILLIANT, Prince never released bad work anyway but more so on 20TEN there are songs that could fit into todays market without having to embrace todays crappy sound, his still a clever writer with witty lyrics found in Sticky Like Glue and the 10/10 track Future Soul Sound is just an instant classic, this album is up there with some of Princes best and most classic work, you can’t beat the old skool cats, they bring it everytime! Refreshing, heaven sent and so glad that REAL music has found away to reach the masses again

  4. Ren July 11, 2010

    I am really enjoying 20Ten. I am highly disappointed that it wasn’t offered in the United States at the same time. That leaves us to get it how we can until it’s officially released. The music is wonderful. Of course I adore Prince and love anything he does, but I love 20Ten more than anything he has done in awhile. Very funky and I love the lyrics. He’s shines best LIVE and I really hope that he will bring a tour to the United States very soon!!!!! Peace and B Wild!!!

  5. UGh July 11, 2010

    i thought you had snippets. oh well

  6. Justin July 11, 2010

    It was VERY good. Just the kind of music you’d expect from Prince. Up to date, but still “prince”.

  7. AlexanderTG July 11, 2010

    Got my copy yesterday and have been listening to it since – first one of his albums I’ve ever listened to, the only other song of his I’ve heard is the Party in 1999 one. Thought that the album was really good – loved his voice and the music – best freebie I’ve ever got. OK I know everyone now is going to be like ‘has she been living on Mars or something’, but I need help – what’s the best album of his I should buy first.

  8. Lilly July 11, 2010

    Inspired work, 20Ten is a classic. As a music lover, you always look forward to those moments when you listen to a CD from beginning to end and it all hangs together in a magical, soul stirring, foot stomping, intellectually and emotionally engaging way. This is it. One of the best albums ever from the genius that is Prince.

  9. EXPOSED July 11, 2010

    THE ENTIRE HIGH QUALITY ALBUM IS AVAIL. FOR DOWNLOAD AT BITORRENT. ON MY IPOD. DEF. 80’S PRINCE, NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. VOCALS ARE VERY CLOSE TO HIS PRIME. SOUND LIKE FILLER TRACKS FROM HIS OTHER ALBUMS. ONLY 3 TRACKS WORTH LISTENING TOO. I’D DUMP THE REST BUT SINCE IT’S FREE, KEPT ALL 10 TRACKS ON THE POD. WOULDNT HAVE SOLD WELL IN THE STORES AND ITUNES ANYWAY. PRINCE GOT A HUGE ADVANCE FROM DAILYMIRROR. HE GOT HIS COST BACK AT MINIMUM.

    LAYDOWN – HIDDEN TRACK, BONUS. LIKE THE FUNKY, RETRO, YET MODERN GUITAR RIFFING.

    FUTURE SOUL SONG – LYRICS ARE NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT, BUT MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT IS CLASSIC PRINCE. VOCALS GO FROM BARITONE OPENING TO HARMONIZING WITH HIMSELF IN REGULAR VOICE. LIKED THAT.

    STICKY LIKE GLUE – 80’S VIBE ALL THE WAY THRU. GOOD RETRO TRACK.

    EVERYBODY LOVES ME – TOTALLY GAY! TOTALLY DO WELL ON GLEE.

  10. Kelly July 11, 2010

    I wouldn’t know, I don’t buy albums without being able to preview the songs for free, and I don’t have access to The Mirror, so… that’s one dollar Prince won’t be getting, I guess.

  11. Ali July 11, 2010

    LOVE LOVE LOVE! Been on replay since I picked it up yesterday! He’s my hero!

  12. Dean Marroni July 11, 2010

    As expected… Far from being a classic like the bulk of his 80’s work. But in comparison to most mainstream RnB these days, Prince kicks a*** as usual… Sticky Like Glue is the stand out track for me so far. Funky as hell, that bass line has been responsible for some seriously questionable facial expressions round my house this weekend! ‘Beginning Endlessly’ and ‘Lavoux’ are also pretty special… You just gotta take it for what it is. It’s a groove. If you stop searching – you shall find 🙂

  13. Luanne July 11, 2010

    @AlexanderTG

    Purple Rain

  14. AlexanderTG July 11, 2010

    @LUANNE
    Thanks a million million times 😀 – went straight and got it off Amazon – only £3.98 – listening to it still now and all I can say is…
    WWWWWWWOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Dominic July 11, 2010

    I think it’s rubbish. None of the songs are memorable at all.

  16. RUSSELL July 11, 2010

    It was good. About as good as his recent albums but not classic like his 80’s stuff. Still for 65p you cant complain! Has some nice tracks likeFuture soul song ans Sticky like glue.

  17. Fat Roland July 11, 2010

    As a responsible blogger, I have ranted about Prince without actually bothering to listen to the album (http://www.tiny.cc/PaisleyBerk). Still, I suspect that if I bothered to download it, my reaction would be a great big purrple ‘meh’. LIsten to Jamie Lidell instead, people!

  18. TheYoungLion July 11, 2010

    Shitting on Invincible and This Is It by far

  19. shania July 12, 2010

    future soul song is my song right now, its an amazing album, but really early 90’s sound and you would rather go to listen to 90’s song, if you wanted songs from that time, so i think its forgettable but i love at this time. TheYoungLion stop hating on invincible. i still listen to it now butterflies and unbreakable are timeless.

  20. True Blue July 12, 2010

    @ AlexanderTG:

    Diamonds & Pearls.

  21. Calvin July 12, 2010

    First I wanted to suggest to AlexanderTG
    that she buy 1999, purple rain, sign o’ the times and emancipation. Those are great albums to get the most out of his different sounds. Be aware though, if you are offended by “explicit lyrics” . He’s a lot more low-key in that respect. But the music is awesome….
    By the way I wanted to add that Prince “by the numbers” is lightyears ahead of what passes for biggest hits of today. A “bad” Prince album is so much better than the best of mainstream. People just tend to have higher expectations for Prince even though he is the one who raised the bar in the first place. But comparting old prince with new prince is simply futile. the 80s were classic, I agree, but music is all about evolution. I don’t compare old with new i simply enjoy the groove. This album is still new to me, but I do love it. there are maybe one or two that seem weaker than the rest, but that’s cool. Prince music usually gets even better with repeat listenings. This album seems to be a nod to old prince styles but updated. and I would not say that “everybody loves me” is gay, more hippie to my ears, seems like a song that would be on around the world in a day if that album were released today. I’d highly reccomend this album. I have bought the mirror version of tis cd and will also buy the u.s. release. Both will go great in my collection.

  22. DJ MOOKIE July 12, 2010

    IVE HEARD THE ALBUM…20TEN (WHICH HAS NO RELEASE DATE IN THE US)…IS DA S***!! PRINCE REACHED BACK & GRABBED HOLD OF ALL HIS STYLES OF MUSIC FROM HIS PREVIOUS ALBUMS. THIS ALBUM WILL BE A CLASSIC!!

  23. яəCONSTʁUCT THA ⓘNdUSTRYy;; July 12, 2010

    VOTED The Top 30 BEST Touring Artists in the World right now
    30. Maroon 5
    29. Lady Gaga
    28. Rod Stewart
    27. Pink
    26. Enrique Iglesias
    25. Shakira
    24. Poison
    23. Usher
    22. Rascal Flatts
    21. Green Day
    20. KISS
    19. Kenny Rogers
    18. Gloria Estefan
    17. Taylor Swift
    16. Fleetwood Mac
    15. Carrie Underwood
    14. Elton John
    13. Britney Spears
    12. Bruce Springsteen
    11. Eagles
    10. The Rolling Stones
    9. Beyonce
    8. Madonna
    7. Aerosmith
    6. Sir Paul McCartney
    5. Bon Jovi
    4. Janet Jackson
    3. Celine Dion
    2. U2
    1. Tina Turner

  24. DeeLuckz July 12, 2010

    Eye got it!!!

    Dnt care if itz a hit or not!!!

    I cant stop listen n 2it..

    Da whole album has multiple target audiences on it…

  25. Fin July 12, 2010

    I’m a massive fan of prince and have been for many years. This is why i’m so disappointed with 20ten, it is a collection of very poor boring and uninspiring junk. prince is so much better than this. He need to get the guitar and piano back out and put the drum machine away…..20ten is his worst for 10 years, no wonder it was free

  26. Yan July 12, 2010

    Great Album.

  27. Anne July 12, 2010

    Haven’t heard the whole album yet. Looking forward to it though, since I thought the snippets were great. If they are any indication, it should be a solid album.

  28. CowInSpace July 12, 2010

    Like several others here I listened to this begining to end in one go. Nothing below good and most of it is very good to great. For those outside the UK I’m sure there will be the usual sources to get the alum from and I would suggest you do it. Catchyness and funk begining to end on all 10 tracks, Standouts for myself being the first (compassion) and last (unamed ‘secret’ track).

  29. Jamboree Sundown July 14, 2010

    There is a hidden Track at #77 — ‘Lay it Down’. More reminiscent of his older funkier proud works, than his new found religion of Jehovah’s Witness influenced sound. Yes! Track #77.

  30. The AlexanderTG July 15, 2010

    OK – first a thanks from sunny Spain to all those who recommended Prince albums to me – been listening to him in the car all the way from London and on my pod while setting up gear here – all I can say is that this guy is just so…. impossible to put it into words. Plus just wait till I get back to the UK – I am going to want some serious explanations from my friends as to why this guy was kept a secret from me – like when I started to get into all this urban music they all said – yeah you got to get this person or that, but no one mentioned Prince. OK – know I’ll get shot for this – but to me this guy is up on the MJ level (ducks and hopes no one can hit me when i’m this far away).

  31. PurpleLove July 17, 2010

    Ive been a prince fan since I wanna be your Lover came out, I loved the early work, Liked some of the newer stuff , as far as the 20ten, I like some of it, cant really say I found a song that I complete love on it..what I am loving now is this artist Ijust found on youtube while looking for prince music, he kinda sound like prince, hendrix, beatles and then some (at least to me)
    I think its a matter of time before hes all over the place!!!!
    If anyone one is interested in hearing some great stuff his name is Nicolas Strawberry (lol) let me know if you love his music as much as I do 🙂

    http://www.youtube.com/user/NicolasStrawberry

  32. WingWalker July 17, 2010

    I have the CD a week now and I think it is Incredible. What is different about 20ten to more recent Prince CD’s is it’s very radio friendly and like all prince music it is Beautiful

  33. Holly July 19, 2010

    Hi The AlexanderTG,

    Keep listening to all kinds of music, and you’ll eventually figure how radically different Prince and MJ really are. Prince is first and foremost a musician, icon second.

    “July 15, 2010 at 6:27 pm

    OK – first a thanks from sunny Spain to all those who recommended Prince albums to me – been listening to him in the car all the way from London and on my pod while setting up gear here – all I can say is that this guy is just so…. impossible to put it into words. Plus just wait till I get back to the UK – I am going to want some serious explanations from my friends as to why this guy was kept a secret from me – like when I started to get into all this urban music they all said – yeah you got to get this person or that, but no one mentioned Prince. OK – know I’ll get shot for this – but to me this guy is up on the MJ level (ducks and hopes no one can hit me when i’m this far away).”

  34. Letha July 22, 2010

    I love Prince’s new CD. I keep listening to “Compassion”, “Sticky Like Glue” and “Laydown” over and over. I really hope he does a U.S. tour or releases a DVD of his tour in Europe. I’ve been listening to Prince’s music since 1978 and I still get excited when he releases a new album or song. Just like now…I’m smiling.

  35. candychool July 22, 2010

    Its Ok, alright songs. Some even nice. BUT i don’t like it.
    To me Prince is the greatest musician ever lived on this planet, but Emancipation and The Vault were the last albums that measure up to this mans genius. I don’t understand why he is not putting out music that sounds new, something no one has heard before. He used to master all genres. Im sure He could still put out an album that would blow peoples minds away, if he wanted to.. At-least I would like to think that he still got it in him.
    Plus I dont get his image anymore. He always had an edgy look . But now he just he looks like Karl Lagerfeld… I also can’t understand those Prince fans who just love everything he does. People, be honest for a change, and admit that you would die to get something from him on the level of the things he recorded while with Warner Bros. It would be nice to get into his mind and figure out what happened to that passionate dude we all learned to love..

  36. Dean August 3, 2010

    Best Prince albums are:

    Sign O the Times
    The Rainbow Children

  37. oldskool joint August 28, 2010

    album is off tha hook! i’m diggin’ it. more tracks to add to prince’s diverse collection of music. need to understand that prince albums r just another ‘box of chocolates’; with misc. tracks that don’t necessarily form a cohesive, ‘concept’ album. just take what u like and appreciate the tracks for what they r. funk at its best! prince, in my opinion, gets ‘better with time’. classic slow jams, oldskool funk, new-age millennium joints, modern rock n roll. his unreleased tracks alone beat any of today’s artists’ music. the perfect blend of oldskool and new school. and how many so-called artists today produce, arrange, compose, and perform their own music? prince is a musical genius. ain’t nothin’ wrong with injecting today’s society with some spirituality, faith and food-for-thought, either. do yo’ thang, prince!! everyone will catch up eventually………..O(+>

  38. alessandro October 23, 2010

    20ten is a great album guys! I can’t stop 2 listen it.
    My favourite songs are, of this CD, Compassion, Act of God and Lavaux, and also Sticky like glue, I’m waiting 4 the 3 November, I will listen him 2 the concert in Milan, I’m so happy cuz will be wonderful. I’m Prince’s fan since 1987, and from that time he never loose me!
    I love everythings he does, and now that he went a Johova witness much more than before.
    Hi 2 everybody!

  39. Tom Bolt March 15, 2011

    Of course Prince is going to say “the internet is dead.” His online album sales have slumped right along with his popularity. It’s nothing more than hype. His deal with the London Daily Mirror and other European rags is where his target demo is. Plus the tiny handful of change he’s getting from the newspaper giant isn’t something he could afford to turn his back on. I can’t blame Columbia records for refusing to distribute the album in the UK after he pulled that stunt. That was just a bad business move on his part. He turned his back on his record company and he’s done the same thing to his fans in the U.S. This isn’t about the music in as much it’s about the money. Boooo.

    The album 20ten sounds very retro, which was the intent. But I wonder if it wasn’t too much of a trip back. It’s missing a lot of the funk that his actual releases from those days. It honestly sounds forced.

    In a time when the opportunities to have a brand new fan base re-discover a great talent such as Prince WAS it seems foolish to turn his back on them at this juncture in his career.

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