Reviews
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Roger McGuinn @ the Huntington IMAC, Long Island, NY - April 4, 2008
Emily Saxe @ the Allen Room/Jazz at Lincoln Center - April 5, 2008
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Tift Merritt
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Get Awkward
Paul McCartney – The McCartney Years (DVD)
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Various Artists
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Day and Night Driving
Seven Mary Three
InterMedia Arts Center 2/2/08
Huntington, NY
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Ummm, am I missing something? If my memory serves me correctly, the album “Diamonds and Pearls” came out in 1991, so why is the accompanying video released for the first time in 2006? No matter. Back in the’90s, it was easy to get lost in the myriad releases that Prince offered, not to mention the whole name-changing thing. Prince simply released too much material for anyone to keep track, especially casual fans, which is why this DVD is such a welcome surprise. Despite the passage of time, the material on “Diamonds and Pearls” has aged quite well – much better than the haircuts worn by his bandmembers. Few artists have been as obsessed with fashion as Prince, and the state-of-the-art ‘90s outfits worn here can be quite entertaining all by themselves.
Nothing, though, can distract from Prince. Without saying much, Prince once again provides plenty of evidence that he may well be the single most talented performer alive today. He sings with raw power and sly innuendo. He plays guitar incredibly well. He writes. He produces. He oversees every last nuance of his band’s appearance and performance. And, he dances. My God, how he dances. “Diamonds ands Pearls” is worth seeing (even this much after the fact) because it provides a much-needed visual element to some of Prince’s best songs. He is simply a wonder to behold, channeling the spirits of Sly Stone, James Brown, Little Richard and vintage-Michael Jackson with ease. “Gett Off” is so good that you laugh out loud in amazement. People overlook it, but “Cream” might well be the best pop song of the ‘90s. It is certainly one of the best-produced songs of that decade and the video here gives it new life.
What made “Diamonds and Pearls” different from a lot of Prince’s previous work was in the latitude that he allowed his bandmembers. Prince is so talented that he could (and often does) do everything by himself. While impressive, this sometimes makes his music feel airtight and claustrophobic. The presence of other musicians pumps new life in to this material, and gives the songs added depth. The only real weakness comes when the focus shifts away from Prince and onto rapper Tony M, who channels MC Hammer and forgets the fundamental rule of rap; don’t just talk, tell me something. Otherwise, “Diamonds and Pearls” is a belated surprise that warrants attention, especially if you lost track of Prince in the past few years.
DVD Grade: A-
Tom Ryan
 
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