Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
Leave it to Prince to put the best music ofRave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, his return to major-label status, on a hidden track. That would be No. 18, a.k.a. "Pretty Man." A deep-fried groove and sax by guestMaceo Parkerunderpin a hilarious mock self-celebration ("I write a check and the bank bounce") that proves the Artist can flow at full power any time he wants to. And whetherRavewill prove as durable as 1995's vastly underratedGold Experience, it's a fine Prince album. Despite his current affiliation with Clive Davis, who returnedCarlos SantanatoBillboard's No. 1 slot by pairing him prominently with a number of guest stars, Prince employs the likes ofSheryl Crow,Ani DiFranco, andEveto season his own blend, not to run off with the whole steaming pot. (Just to show who's boss, he includes a funky re-creation of Crow's hit "Everyday Is a Winding Road" that renders the song nearly unrecognizable.) The sounds here, from theParade-style balladry of "[Eye] Love U, But [Eye] Don't Trust U Anymore" to the frenetic title track, won't surprise longtime followers, but they won't find a lot of reasons to complain, either.--Rickey Wright