Piano & a Microphone (2018)
1. 17 Days
2. Purple Rain
3. A Case of You
4. Mary Don't You Weep
5. Strange Relationship
6. International Lover
7. Wednesday
8. Cold Coffee & Cocaine
9. Why the Butterflies
At first glance, this might seem like a souvenir from Prince’s final tour – the title is identical, after all, and the cover image suggests an artist pausing backstage, perhaps moments before stepping into the spotlight. But anyone expecting a live concert recording will find themselves quickly disabused of that notion. This isn’t a show. It’s a sketchbook.
What we’re presented with is a raw, unfiltered tape – Prince at the piano, working through song fragments, ideas, and what sound like early-stage demos. The tape dates back to the mid-1980s, a period when he was arguably at his creative peak, but the recording itself is rough, intimate, and unpolished. Fascinating, yes – but undeniably incomplete. The appearance of Purple Rain may raise eyebrows, but don’t expect the iconic anthem. What’s here is a brief, skeletal outline – more gesture than song.
There’s something undeniably compelling about hearing the artist in this setting – no production, no polish, no audience. Just Prince, a piano, and the sound of ideas forming. But whether that compels repeated listening is another matter entirely. These aren’t finished songs. They’re moments. And moments, by nature, tend to pass quickly.
One suspects that Prince, ever the perfectionist, wouldn’t have sanctioned this release. It feels more like something discovered in a vault and issued out of curiosity rather than necessity. As such, it might have made more sense as a bonus disc alongside a deluxe package, or simply uploaded for archival interest. Still, for the devoted, it offers a rare glimpse into the workshop of a genius – even if the doors were never meant to be opened.
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