Prince - Welcome 2 A merica 4/5
Like an updated remix of Gil Scott-Heron’s classic ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ Prince takes a nearly spoken-word walkthrough of 21st century America on the opening track ‘Welcome 2 America’.
A simmering funk swagger, with a permanent frown, glowering at humanity’s enslavement to Apple products and the need to be famous. Along the way, equal opportunities are dissected and the specter of sex tapes galloping onto the internet is commented on.
Even though this was eleven years ago, Prince very much had his finger on the pulse of what was making the USA rotten from within.
‘Running Game (Son of a Slave Master)’ continues the observations even though he takes a back seat for the first half of the song emerging from the shadows in the latter section. There’s a smooth laid vibe to the music, it's also concise there are no ten-minute funk workouts, it has a gentle flow.
Jazz and funk still feature throughout but it's one of the purple one’s warmer albums even if the observation can be cutting there’s still time for a bit of optimism like in the upbeat ‘1000 Light Years From Here’ which paints a rosier view of the future than we’re used to.
It isn’t just searing social commentary contained within this album. ‘Hot Summer’ is a cheerful bop to listen to whilst sipping a cool drink with friends whilst ‘When She Comes’ is a thrilling, teasing slice of soul that takes its time unwinding in the ears.
The album’s overall warmth may come from the fact that it was recorded live in the studio with bass and drums before adding in the superb backing vocals from the NPG’s Liv Warfield, Shelby Johnson, and Elisa Fiorillo and extra keyboard and horn sections. It's a tight-sounding band, which should be no surprise to Prince fans who will be used to his tight grip on his band.
It's difficult to see why Prince canned this album back in 2008, it is certainly as good as anything he produced in that period, if anything it stands out as such a complete work that any thoughts of this being anything but a highly polished and well-realised body of work are dispelled immediately.
Still an enigma even now, Prince is still releasing magnificent music that lesser musicians could only dream of making even all this time after he climbed that Paisley patterned ladder to the sky. Crucial, still think we want you.