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Jul 14, 2017 Web Exclusive By Ryan Meaney

In 1984, at perhaps the apex of his popularity, Prince was not simply a musician or a singer/songwriter. He was an enigma, a purple god with the uncanny ability to fill dance floors with songs of sexual liberation, apocalyptic imagery, and seductive rebellion. He not only defined the city of Minneapolis but also created a sound out of it, a pulsing funk rock with flares of synthpop that drove throngs of dancegoers to First Avenue in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Purple Rain, Prince’s magnum opus, marked a significant change in the ways dance music could be produced and written as well as solidified him as one of the greats. The deluxe and expanded edition, released just over a year after his tragic passing, displays the studio wizardry that made Prince one of the most gifted musicians of his or any generation.

The original nine tracks have all been remastered, sounding just as crisp and thumping as ever. “Let’s Go Crazy,” the stunning live-for-the-moment album opener, receives an extended dance mix that perfectly encapsulates just how particular Prince was at dissecting sound and building from the ground up. The guitar driven anthem still has all the grit of the original, but the breakdown in the at the halfway point sees the guitar and piano playing off one another and setting up a groove that seems to last until the instruments are ready to fall apart. Previously unreleased track “The Dance Electric” showcases Prince’s driving bass providing a soundtrack for the funkiest end of days imaginable. Rarity “Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden” is a more subdued Prince, where his vocal range goes from a spine tingling falsetto to a James Brown growl in a matter of seconds. Prince’s best music sounded like it was on the verge of collapse without ever quite making it there, thriving on the chaos.

Purple Rain was a statement on a growing underground society of club goers looking for an outlet. Touching on free love, sexual freedom, and the dark underbelly of society, Prince painted a picture of a life not many were privy too. Inner turmoil and angst filled his young life in South Minneapolis, and he used this turbulence to create some of the most important music of his or any other generation. While he is no longer here to share it with us personally, this extended release is a snapshot into the wealth of music The Artist has left for us to explore. (www.officialprincemusic.com)

Author rating: 10/10