Why I Love Crystal Ball (1986)
"KICK DRUM POUNDS ON THE 2 AND 4. ALL THE PARTY PEOPLE GET ON THE FLOOR. WE GOT THE BEAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. REBIRTH OF THE FLESH, IS THAT YOUR DOOR?" Crystal Ball was recorded in 1986 following the completion of Camille, an entire album worth of Prince's alter-ego, AKA the skinny motherfucker with the high voice. Crystal Ball was intended to be a triple LP made up of all but one of the tracks from Camille, as well as a smattering from the final, unreleased Revolution album Dream Factory, and a wealth of new material that would go on to make up most of Sign 'O' The Times. Warner Bros., seemingly forever in conflict with Prince over his artistic direction and the financial viability of this vision, rejected the notion of a triple album and forced him to cut it down to a double LP. Sign 'O' The Times, arguably his greatest released work, would go on to make some serious musical waves, but when you hear what was originally intended, it is hard not...