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More copies of this ISBN:Prince: Sign o' the Times (33 1/3 Series)by Michaelangelo Matos
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:The most immediately striking thing about Sign 'O' the Times is the jazzy sensibility running through it. Prince's father was a jazz musician, his mother a vocalist; he'd been a fan of chops-heavy jazz-fusion as well as rock and R&B growing up. But when Prince began recording for Warner Bros, he abjured the brass sections that dominated groups like Earth, Wind & Fire and Parliament-Funkadelic, opting instead for stacked synthesizer patterns and a spare, cold feel that markedly contrasted with lush, overarranged disco and the wild, thick underbrush of the era's giant funk ensembles; author Rickey Vincent dubbed it "naked funk." Getting away from traditional R&B instrumentation is an underappreciated aspect of Prince's crossover success; Prince is also said to have actively disliked the sound of horns early in his career. One of the greatest double albums of the vinyl era, Sign 'O' the Times shows Prince at his peak. Here, Michaelangelo Matos tells the story of how it emerged from an extraordinary period of creativity to become one of the landmark recordings of the 1980s. He also illustrates beautifully how — if a record is great enough and lucky enough to hit you at the right time — it can change your way of looking at the world. Review:"If Matos admits to being somewhat nonplussed at Prince's shift in musical direction with Sign 'o' the Times, his reminiscence of the milieu that midwifed this classic if not definitive Prince album is entirely welcome." Booklist Review:"It was only a matter of time before a clever publisher realized that there is an audience for whom Exile on Main Street or Electric Ladyland are as significant and worthy of study as The Catcher in the Rye or Middlemarch. The series... is freewheeling and eclectic, ranging from minute rock-geek analysis to idiosyncratic personal celebration." The New York Times Book Review Review:"Ideal for the rock geek who thinks liner notes just aren't enough." Rolling Stone Review:"One of the coolest publishing imprints on the planet." Bookslut Review:"These are for the insane collectors out there who appreciate fantastic design, well-executed thinking, and things that make your house look cool. Each volume in this series takes a seminal album and breaks it down in startling minutiae. We love these. We are huge nerds." Vice Review:"A brilliant series... each one a word of real love." NME Review:"Passionate, obsessive, and smart." Nylon Review:"Religious tracts for the rock 'n' roll faithful." Uncut Review:"We... aren't naive enough to think that we're your only source for reading about music (but if we had our way... watch out). For those of you who really like to know everything there is to know about an album, you'd do well to check out Continuum's 33 1/3 series of books." Pitchfork Synopsis:"Thirty Three and a Third" is a new series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years. The authors provide fresh, original perspectives — often through their access to and relationships with the key figures involved in the recording of these albums. By turns obsessive, passionate, creative, and informed, the books in this series demonstrate many different ways of writing about music. What binds the series together, and what brings it to life, is that all of the authors — musicians, broadcasters, scholars, and writers — are huge fans of the album they have chosen. Synopsis:33 1/3 is a series of short books about a wide variety of albums, by artists ranging from James Brown to the Beastie Boys. Launched in September 2003, the series now contains over 50 titles and is acclaimed and loved by fans, musicians and scholars alike. Synopsis:Michaelangelo Matos takes a personal look at Prince's magnum opus of 1987, the greatest and most idiosyncratic double album of its era. About the AuthorMichaelangelo Matos is Music Editor at Seattle Weekly. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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