I was expecting something mediocre, like the last free-with-a-newspaper Prince album. But this is not bad at all. There is nothing as great as <insert name of your favourite Prince song here>, but it’s not crap either.
Sound-wise, there’s a lot of the old prince in the robofunk grooves and computer drums, and he can still write a tune – which has not always been so obvious in recent years. The songs aren’t as naughty as they used to be, but religion can do that.
20Ten is not a great prince album, but it’s a decent one.
His distribution is unusual – this CD is being given away with magazines and newspapers all over Europe, and that’s it: no internet, no shops, no record label. I rather like this idea, but I think you have to be as big as Prince to make this work, though.
What? Why Bother? 