“Diamonds and Pearls”, a successful princely album, reissued in a beautiful setting

2023-10-27 06:00:27
Damon Dickson, Tony Mosley and Kirk Johnson of The New Power Generation and Prince at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota, July 1991. RANDEE ST. NICHOLAS

After the box sets dedicated to albums 1999, in 2019, and Sign o’ the Timesin 2020, another famous album by Prince (1958-2016), Diamonds and Pearls, receives commemorative treatment. Released on October 1, 1991, it was the singer, guitarist, keyboardist, bassist and songwriter’s second commercial success – to date, worldwide sales are said to approach 6 million copies – after Purple Rain (1984). And followed the disappointment of 1990, Graffiti Bridge. Both a film recycling the scenario of Purple Rain with love affairs and artistic rivalries, and a soundtrack album with songs from various periods reworked for this project and an abundance of guests, including Morris Day of The Time, George Clinton (Funkadelic, Parliament), Mavis Staples, Tevin Campbell, the vocal group The Steeles…

Read the review (in 2020): Article reserved for our subscribers “Sign o’ the Times”, princely reissue

Diamonds and Pearlscarried by the title song, Gett Off, Cream et Money Don’t Matter Tonight, will put Prince back in the forefront. And if fans sing the tune of nostalgia for the princely “golden age” between Dirty Mind (1980) et Lovesexy (1988), a wider audience is amply satisfied. On the cover of the record, after “Prince” is indicated “& The New Power Generation”. First the title of a song, this name will remain that of Prince’s group for records and tours, with numerous changes of musicians.

Here, it is mainly the formidable rhythm alliance formed by bassist Sonny Thompson and drummer Michael Bland, keyboardist Tommy Barbarella – the three will be with Prince until 1996 –, singer and keyboardist Rosie Gaines, singer Tony Mosley for rap interventions (Jughead, Push…). There is in Diamonds and Pearls funk, pop, soul and gospel elements, jazz (Strollin’), rap therefore, hooks which make Cream or Gett Off (and its introductory cry) immediate classics like ballads Diamonds and Pearls et Money Don’t Matter Tonightbaroque assemblages (Thunder, Live 4 Love).

Productivity

In this reissue known as a “super deluxe” version, the album is presented in a thick cardboard case, in square 33-rpm format, with a copious book of photographs, reproductions of documents and information. Remastered, without exaggerating in the increase in volume, Diamonds and Pearls is accompanied by a selection of titles in their shortened versions for singles, remixes and others, not appearing on the album, published in addition to singles and maxis.

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