Sign O' the Times

For about 40 minutes, 'Sign O' The Times' seemed like a cornucopia of Prince's creativity that I couldn't keep up with. A mess of tumultuous sounds blending together disorderly in what appeared to be Prince going delirious. I was wondering if I'd have to go against the old adage that surrounds it. That was until I realized there relies the allure of a project like this. Once again doing what no one else could, Prince conjured the apotheosis of his artistry and genius. It's a deep dive into his soulful sound, an exploration of his psychedelic flirtations, an homage to his funky roots, a development of his electro production and an exercise of his androgynous persona, all in the structure of a true pop craftsman. It first establishes the agony of the times in the opening title track to then take you into the diverse range of options of how to cope with it, slowly flourishing in its intrinsic greatness.