Publication: Green Guide [US]
Date: December 5, 1996
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Title: Green Guide Review
Reviewed By: Shaun Carney

To celebrate his release from his former record company, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (henceforth to be referred to as The Artist), has released a three-CD set, with each CD containing 12 songs and lasting an hour.

'Emancipation' is the fourth work issued by The Artist since September last year, making it six CDs in less than 15 months. His prolific ways are, of course, a blessing and a curse: his good bits are outstanding, the weak stuff regrettable.

'Emancipation' is more even than just about anything else he has done. Characteristically self-assured, it is relentlessly upbeat and optimistic, while being melodically and instrumentality subdued. As much as celebrating his new corporate relationship, the 36 songs here also reflect his settled domestic life. The dirty sex talk could well be a thing of the past.

The covers he has chosen are at times baffling. He does a crunchy version of Joan Osborne's hit, 'One Of Us', but his performance of 'Betcha By Golly Wow!' is merely a note-for-note retelling of the Stylistics' original. Did the world need it?

As always, the work is marred by the occasionally slipshod, hurried lyrics that have featured in his output for years, such as those at the end of 'Damned If I Do' (Tell me what's up/Are gonna go to heaven?/I'll fill your cup/I won't do it like Kevin). Typically, stupid lyrics and all, the song is one of those frothy, uplifting pop pieces he does to perfection -- arrow-like horn lines, galloping keyboards, multi-tracked harmonies. Even at his sloppiest, he can be at his best.

And that's really what 'Emancipation' is: The Artist, one of the most intriguing and enduring performers the rock era has produced, at his best. It's long. It's an endurance test. Some of it sounds like elevator music. I wish there were more guitar on it. But it's powerful, melodic, soulful, funky and, in the final analysis, well worth the effort.