2 keepers
keeper avg .250
Although Prince's fourth album resembles its outstanding predecessor "Dirty Mind" (1980) in approach, instrumentation, and lyrical content, the results are considerably less consistent. Title track "Controversy" resembles the previous album's title track but with less-satisfying hooks, in this case just the chanted song title, and at over 7-minutes it feels padded. The most memorable part of the similar "Sexuality" is Prince's ecstatic squeal as hook (though "Let's Pretend We're Married" (1982) would sound very similar).
But overall the biggest noteworthy change from the previous album is the hurried tempo of most of the songs. While a good half of Dirty Mind was in the range of typical "disco," several of Controversy's tracks, including "Sexuality" the bouncy, 60's bubblegum pop "Private Joy", the 50's rock "Ronnie, Talk to Russia", and the peppy but shrill album-closer "Jack U Off," are all at 160-200+ BPM, a whole different kind of dance. Unfortunately what these rave-ups have in energy and deliciously fiery guitar they otherwise lack musically, all being un-memorable or at least at least structurally overly-conventional except for the tuneful "Private Joy." And while Annie Christian" juxtaposes some interesting historical references in the manner of "Sympathy For The Devil," the production of the frantic backing tracks is a mess.
The album's high points are "Let's Work"****, returning to the funky disco of "Head" (1980), and epic R&B power ballad "Do Me, Baby"; Prince covers his entire impressive vocal range, with slap-bass giving each phrase some extra punch (it would undoubtedly be the template for the Grammy-winning "International Lover" (1982)). Though these two tracks don't break as much new ground, they play best to what are, at least at this time, Prince's strengths.
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