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Chaos And Disorder
Date: July 1996

Publication: Q
Title: "FLUCTUATING; gives Warner Bros. the kiss-off."
Summary: Understood to be the last album will make for Warner Bros, Chaos & Disorder takes the endorphins-and-dolphons beatitude of the contractually disputed The Gold Experience, and stuffs it.
Date: July/August 1996

Publication: Machina
Title: Machina Review
Summary: [Translated By: Agnieszka Rzepecka] What a craziness with this name: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. There is all around the information about the huge output of Prince’s creations, three obligatory albums 4 Warners R ready just in order 2 fulfill the contract and 2 move 2 another company, 4 which the fourth album is also ready.
Date: July 5, 1996

Publication: St. Paul Pioneer Press
Title: "Ex-Innovator Ex-Prince Serves Leftovers"
Summary: A similar thing could be said about the artist formerly known as Prince’s new album, "Chaos & Disorder," which hits stores Tuesday. Unlike the bulk of the Prince/TAFKAP catalog, "Chaos & Disorder" appears to be an uninspired collection of warmed-over jams, sketches, snatches and leftovers.
Date: July 6, 1996

Publication: The Saturday Star
Title: The Saturday Star Review
Summary: In other words, Prince doesn't want you to blame him if the album sucks. Pretty thin excuse for a record (out Tuesday) and God knows there's no shortage of Prince product, but the Purple One does kick out the jams for one of his most rocking recent sets.
Date: July 6, 1996

Publication: Melody Maker
Title: "Ho-Hum, More Sex"
Summary: IT'S so hard to get excited by a O{+> record these days. Personally, that makes me feel a bit guilty

Publication: I mean, let's face it, it's not as if he hasn't done everything in his power to avoid the onset of ennui. It's not as if he isn't trying.
Date: July 8, 1996

Publication: Los Angeles Times
Title: "'Chaos' Was Just What His Majesty Needed"
Summary: With a title like "Chaos & Disorder," you might assume that Prince's 20th album would reflect a kingdom in disarray.
Date: July 15, 1996

Publication: Scotland On Sunday
Title: Scotland On Sunday Review
Summary: A note on the sleeve speaks volumes: 'This sevres as the last original material recorded by 4 Warner Brothers Records.' That'll be the contract satisfied then.
Date: July 15-21, 1996

Publication: MusicWeek
Title: MusicWeek Review
Summary: Chaos and Disorder is Prince's last album for Warner music-he's already working on his next album Emancipation-and, while it includes some acidic observations on his long running dispute with his label, it is one of his less-inspired albums musically.
Date: July 16, 1996

Publication: Daily News
Title: "Sour Deal Finally Ends In 'Chaos'"
Summary: The self

Publication: destructive tendencies of The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (TAFKAP) just reached a dizzying new plateau. Not content simply to erase his name , undermine his record company and release scads of substandard songs , he's now letting the world know he never even intended his latest albu for release.
Date: July 17, 1996

Publication: Minneapolis Star Tribune
Title: Minneapolis Star Tribune Review
Summary: This recording carries the following announcement

Publication: or disclaimer

Publication: on the back: "Originally intended 4 private use only, this compilation serves as the last original material recorded by Prince 4 Warner Bros. Records."
Date: July 20, 1996

Publication: Billboard
Title: Billboard Review
Summary: Originally intended for "private use," as the self-deposed O(+> states in the CD booklet, this album is a new recording by the enigmatic artist and his longtime band, the New Power Generation.
Date: July 21, 1996

Publication: Chicago Sun Times
Title: "Last Effort More Princely Than Most Label Swan Songs"
Summary: When most artists sign off from a record label, they turn in a live album, some outtakes or a greatest-hits collection. Of course, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince is not like most artists.
Date: July 21, 1996

Publication: Indianapolis Star
Title: Chaos and Disorder Review
Summary: Eat this, Warner Brothers. Here's the last contractually obligated album that Prince needs to turn in and it's a messy, unfinished 39 minutes that bears a clear warning: "Originally intended for private use only."
Date: July 22-28, 1996

Publication: MusicWeek
Title: "'Prince' Cranks Out Disappointing Filler Tunes"
Summary: The artist formally known as Prince seems to be in a hurry to get out of his six-album contract with Warner Bros. Records. In less than a year he has put out three albums, the latest of which, "Chaos And Disorder", concludes his relationship with the label.
Date: July 22-28, 1996

Publication: Entertainment Weekly
Title: "'Chaos' Theory: A Symbolic Finale From The Erratic"
Summary: Each new release by only makes you anticipate the compilation that will rescue its two or three stunners from the dross. CHAOS AND DISORDER (Warner Bros.) repeats that scenario for the fifth or sixth (I've lost count) consecutive time.
Date: July 25, 1996

Publication: SF Bay Guardian
Title: SF Bay Guardian Review
Summary: About the only notes you'll find lining "Chaos and Disorder" is a disclaimer from Whatchamacallit saying that the enclosed was released to fulfill his contract with Warner Brothers.
Date: July 27, 1996

Publication: Q-Notes
Title: "Disorderly Conduct"
Summary: "Chaos and Disorder" (Warner Brothers), the new album by The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, packs all the power of an alien death-ray from _Independence Day._ Rocking like never before, he closes out his stormy 18-year relationship with his label on a high that would constitute a career peak for many artists.
Date: July 29, 1996

Publication: New Jersey Online
Title: New Jersey Online Review
Summary: What makes it good? It rocks. Prince has picked up his guitar again and, thankfully, remembered how much fun he can have with it. Songs like "I Like It There" and "I Rock, Therefore I Am" are among the heaviest things he's ever done.
Date: August 22, 1996

Publication: Rolling Stone
Title: "Chaos And Disorder"
Summary: On the back of the CD booklet is a disclaimer by the Artist Formerly Known as Prince: "Originally intended 4 private use only, this compilation serves as the last original material recorded by O(+> 4 Warner Brothers Records."
Date: September 1996

Publication: VOX
Title: "Party Like It’s £ 1.99"
Summary: Wharever you want to call him, and no matter what else he does to obfuscate the golden age of his Prince era, O(+> is unlikely to ever lose his status as The Most Wilful Rocker of Them All .
Date: October 1996

Publication: Stereophile
Title: Stereophile Review
Summary: As the Wizard of Oz said, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." Likewise, ignore what Prince Rogers Nelson (TAFKAP, Symbol Man, whatever) says on the back of this CD booklet (ie, "Originally intended 4 private use only, this compilation serves as the last original material recorded by Prince 4 Warner Bros. Records.").
Date: October 1996

Publication: Musician
Title: Chaos And Disorder Review
Summary: Just when you thought it was safe to file away TAFKAP as a formerly viable artist comes Chaos & Disorder, his final album of original material for Warner Bros., and his best in nearly a decade.
Date: January 1, 1997

Publication: Spin
Title: "The 10 Best Albums You Didn't Hear In '96"
Summary: Screw the glyph name: He's become the Little Man Who Wasn't There. His curt farewell to Warner Bros. is the finest ex-Prince album you never heard.