Sign O' The Times
Prince's Sign O' The Times (1987)
5 stars out of 5 by David B. Wilson
This double-album release silenced people like me who were wondering whether superstardom had made Prince lose his touch. He fired the Revolution and hit the studio by himself, putting together four sides that acknowledge all his musical influences while remaining uniquely his. Heavy funk ("Hot Thing"), gender bending ("If I Was Your Girlfriend"), a religious rock anthem to die for ("The Cross"), a lovely, complex ballad ("Adore," with perhaps his finest vocal performance). For good measure, he has plenty of music that's uncategorizable and absolutely irresistable ("The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker," "Forever In My Life," "Play In The Sunshine"). The funky but slight live recording "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" contains his first flirtation with rap. This record is rich in all the things that Prince is good at. (DBW)
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