Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
1. Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
2. Undisputed
3. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
4. Segue
5. Hot Wit U
6. Tangerine
7. So Far, So Pleased
8. The Sun, The Moon and Stars
9. Everyday is a Winding Road
10.Segue
11.Man O'War
12.Baby Knows
13.I Love U, But I Don't Trust U Anymore
14.Silly Game
15.Strange But True
16.Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do
17.1-800-Newfunk Ad
18.Prettyman
By the time Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic was released in 1999, it wasn’t just the industry or the fans that seemed a bit tired of Prince—it might’ve been Prince himself. There was no longer the buzz, the excitement, the mystique that used to surround each new release. His output had become so frequent and uneven that many listeners, understandably, stopped keeping track. And sadly, there’s not a lot here to convince them otherwise.
The album contains 15 tracks (not counting the brief segues and one odd promotional “ad” near the end), and maybe 3 or 4 of them are even remotely memorable. The best by far is the title track Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which recalls some of the same charm and minimal funk of Kiss from a much earlier, more golden era. The problem is that nothing else comes close. When the overall quality of the album is so average, even the decent material tends to get lost in the shuffle.
Trying to categorize this album by genre might seem like an easy way to describe it—“pop” seems like the best label—but Prince, of all people, never really stayed boxed into one sound. He could do it all, and usually did. That said, there’s little here that feels experimental, daring, or particularly bold. It just feels like Prince playing it safe.
Things pick up slightly near the end. Tracks like I Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore, Strange But True, and Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do are all mildly enjoyable, if not especially groundbreaking. There’s a bit more depth and variety to the arrangements, but they come too late in the album to make much of an impression. These songs might’ve stood out more on a stronger record, but here they barely register.
Word is that this album was originally conceived back in the mid-1980s and shelved multiple times before finally being dusted off for a late-decade release. If that’s true, it might’ve been a blessing in disguise. Had this come out during his imperial phase, it could have been a rare misfire in the middle of a near-perfect run. As it stands, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic is one of those late-period releases that even longtime fans may quietly shrug off.
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