Prince’s Sign O’ the Times (2004)

I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting with Michaelangelo Matos’s treatment of Prince’s big album of the ‘80s—you never do with these 33-1/3 projects, I’ve learned—but I was impressed on many levels. Matos hails from north Minneapolis and grew up in a family that was aware of Prince Rogers Nelson from the start. I’m from Minneapolis and environs too, and lived there until 1985, but I had a lot to learn about my hometown, including the racism that made it hard for Prince and company to make headway in making music. A lot of the nightclubs Matos talks about I’d never even heard of, and those were my times. I’m embarrassed, to say the least. I knew most (not all) of the Prince biography given here. But what impressed me most was Matos’s breakdown of the album, which I’ve always respected but somehow never felt I could get close to. The title song, for one thing, a protest number, has always struck me as lame and forced. I was happy to see Matos largely agrees, though he points out its virtues too. A lot of the early part of the book involves Matos’s personal experiences with Prince and Minneapolis. It’s interesting and done well. I appreciated the landmarks and specific events, such as an arena show in 1983. I’m also learning these personal takes are often part of these projects and don’t always work that well, but Matos had more than usual going for him. On the other hand, with a publication date of 2004, it is an early book in the series, with some aspects that seem dated and unnecessary now, such as a discussion of “rockism.” I would count this among the better books in the series simply because it is so good on an album that has long been so enigmatic for me—and an artist too, I must admit. Matos’s personal revelations are harder to judge. They seemed in line with lots of others in the series. But the details on Prince and especially on Minneapolis (or the Twin Cities) offered countless ways for me to connect with this one—and they were practically on every page. If you know Minneapolis in the ‘80s you won’t want to miss this one. It’s also basically essential for anyone with any interest in Prince or the album. Recommended.

In case the library is closed due to pandemic, which is over.