Song: The Sensual Everafter
Album: The Rainbow Children
Year: 2001
I was prepared to hate this. A track from Prince's most absurd concept album chronicling his brainwashing into an oppressive cult. I will say it again . . . the musicianship is perfect. However, the composition is all over the place, combining Joe Satriani-style lead guitar with electronic bass guitar licks with breathy mini-choruses with tiny bells with the dumbest low-pitched intro voice Prince could possibly muster. It's a wreck that works marginally. Reviews from the internet indicate that this is one of the better tracks on the album, so . . .
Verdict: 1.5/5 stars
Would I sing it at karaoke? n/a
Song: Warszawa - Live
Album: Stage
Year: 1978
What a coincidence that both of today's songs are primarily instrumentals, both with very minimal vocals. In sharp contrast to the absurd mess by Prince, Bowie opens this live performance with the brooding lament that is Warszawa (from his 1977 album Low). It's an effective way to open a concert. A minimalist composition by Brian Eno to both hush the crowd and to station them on the precipice of the impressive live show to follow. Bowies vocals, inspired by a Balkan boy's choir, are superb and, in this context, serve as a teaser to the show to follow - a show that will transport his fans through Bowie's Berlin era, the Ziggy Stardust years, the Thin White Duke and even a sampling of Blue-Eyed Soul. It's a piece I never fully appreciated until this project.
Verdict: 3/5 stars
Would I sing it at karaoke? Only if I could segue into Heroes next, as he does on the album.
Winner: Warszawa - Live
Running Score: Bowie 13, Prince 6
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