Prince- 'Planet Earth'
(Sony , 2007)
Rating: 7

There is something inherently ironic in Prince’s choice when it comes to the title of his latest album, Planet Earth. For nearly three decades now, it’s clear that the Purple One has inhabited his own plane of existence, a dimension where he is exempt from the normal rules of physics as they apply to the bending of musical genres and cultural juxtapositions. The man is a chameleonic marvel who nonetheless has always been supremely comfortable in his own skin. Part James Brown, part Ziggy Stardust, 100% voodoo child, Prince has occupied a place in the cultural stratosphere as a postmodern Puck and rare bonafide musical genius. For some time now, though, it has seemed as if he was more interested in subverting whatever restrictions have been imposed upon him by boards of directors and his own faithful legions of fans who discovered his brilliance at a time in which the year 1999 seemed impossibly far away. While his live shows have continued to escalate in ambition and execution, his phonographic output has seemed a bit, uh, limp, in recent years. Planet Earth puts a welcome end to this trend, however, and allows Prince to evoke flashes of his former brilliance while choking back on out and out semblances of nostalgia.

The title track and album opener finds Prince giving an overt nod to John Lennon, as he sings of “imagining” a planet more evolved and less inclined to self-destruction over a sparse piano line that gradually builds into a multi-instrumental crescendo. His voice begins softly in mirroring the piano keys before becoming more impassioned in displaying the gospel tinge that has underscored much of his work. He goes on to bookend the record with another socially conscious track and nod to the great Thereafter in Revelation. Both tracks feature Prince at his most plaintive, and the fact that they’re as far apart sequentially as possible undoubtedly will satisfy Prince’s most ardent listeners. While it’s nice to see that the legendarily egotistical artist can contemplate matters that extend beyond even his immediate realm, the fact remains that the concept of navel-gazing has always had a decidedly different connotation for Prince. Luckily for all involved, this “connotation” still emanates from Prince and drives the rest of the album.

Prince, like Mick Jagger before him, has always been a master when it comes to letting his libido inform seemingly every aspect of his being in a way that ultimately proves inclusive. Let’s face it: This guy has seen and done things most of us couldn’t accomplish with a stunt double and an instruction manual, and his music allows us the chance as voyeurs of sorts to vicariously taste the intoxication that comes with unshakeable self-confidence and relentless charisma. On tracks like The One U Wanna C and Mr. Goodnight Prince revels in the kind of self-assuredness that would be seriously off-putting if it wasn’t from someone with the requisite chops to use himself as a musical character reference. Prince doesn’t cannibalize himself so much as canonize his previous self (or selves) on several libidinal tracks that utilize his considerable talents on an array of instruments as well as a solid backing band replete with a couple of well-placed appearances from former Revolutionaries Wendy and Lisa. Having used his guitar for some good old fashioned phallic shadowboxing during last February’s Super Bowl halftime show, it’s no surprise that he’s apparently been very cuddly with his six string, and his devotion to his foremost musical instrument is apparent throughout Planet Earth. Were he not such a charismatic showman, Prince could have easily been one of the greatest lead guitarists of his generation, as he plays in a way that suggests a crossroads deal with the Devil sanctioned by Jimi Hendrix and B.B. King that not even God Himself could disapprove of given the results.

Prince has made a career out of taking some of our most basic urges and giving them depth via his sheer abundance of talent. Both musically and thematically, he has always shown the ability to put a spin on familiarity minus the contempt, and Planet Earth finds him poised to expand upon an appetite that once again seems as voracious and vital as ever. As with his ability to strike precarious sonic balances, Prince is entering this stage of his career and life neither quietly nor kicking and screaming. His talent has long since been multidimensional, and Planet Earth suggests that Prince may just have many regions left to explore.

- Brant Miles