HITNRUN Phase One - Prince

This is the newest album by Prince. It follows his two simultaneous albums release of last year by 3 weeks short of a year to the day, or so. Now both of those were ok/nothing special (AOA) and kinda shit/ok/boring/nothing new/shit (PE). This album, based off the art work, looked like it could be a sequel to the two, and when I saw the track listing I was indifferent. One of the best song of his I've heard of his since the 90's, Fallinlove2nite, was on this. But at the same time it pissed me off a little it was here. Not only that but 3 tracks here were released as singles, one being released prior to his last two records. Long story short based off the track listing it looks like this is a compilation put together in the style of Circle In The Rounds and Directions but in a more condensed 2 years period. Actually a better comparison might be Water Babies. Yeah I'm going with Water Babies. Well except the tracks aren't released on someone who plays on the tracks album, and they weren't written by someone other than the main artist. All though they do first appear on the artist who wrote them, their album. Whatever, I'm just passing the time. So while I type this, waiting to listen to this album, I don't have High Hopes. Also I feel I should finish the reviews for those two albums, but one is just..... I'll do this first.

1. Million $ Show: This track features Judith Hill. This song opens with something that I'm pretty sure is taken from Darlin Nikki, the back-masked part. Then it pays a clip from 1999 (the intro) before playing a clip from Let's Go Crazy and then the song starts. This sonically would be snug on Art Official Age. The best part is probably the strings, which I'm sure is sampled from Purple Rain. Though I did watch a video of them recording strings for the album, which did sound neat. They could have just rerecorded the string part. 
2. Shut This Down: While this song sounds like a hip-hop song from the 2000's, I have to give it to him. I loved that segue. It reminds me of the segue on Sign O The Times from the title track to Playing In The Sunshine. This also sounds like Lap Dance, or TC's Cherry Bomb. This isn't really that good, but it's not terrible. I do like the electro sounds here, just. This is probably best described as a new updated version/sequel to Housequake. The ending isn't anything spectacular. It's a voice transition. Sorry the segue I was thinking of is Playin In The Sunshine into Housequake.
3. Ain't About To Stop: Feat. Rita Ora. Now I don't care for Rita and the only reason I anticipated listening to her second album was for the Prince collab. Seriously, and I guess this is the track. I previewed the track and upon first browse the thing that stuck out like a store thumb was the vocal contribution for the Purple One. Serious, he didn't sound that good in his co-lead with Ora. Now this sounds like it'd be better fit here, because Rita barley is audible on the copy I am listening to. I like the whole eastern sounds, but at the same times I'm not huge on the whole ETF self titled electronic stuff. Or the sounds that would fit better on a Disturbed album than on a Prince album. Now I give him props, and remember hearing a preview in the "Album Release Party" from last September, but you know. I didn't even really retain anything form that. Now the best part is something that sounds like it's playing a variation of Lady Cab Driver or maybe.... I'll go with LCD.
4. Like A Mack: This track features Curly Fryz. This has more of a hip-hop feeling, but I don't.... I kinda feel like Nicki Minaj would be good on this track. Yeah I just said that, Nicki would sound "good" on a Prince track. The best part is another part that sounds like it is sampled from something else. It's pissing me off that the highlight of tracks are the parts that almost don't fit the rest of the atmosphere. When The Purple One is sing/raping it reminds me of Flight of the Conchords. And even Curly's second rap reminded me, the music, of Prince of Parties. This seriously could be a remix of Sugar Lumps and Prince of Parties in one. Plus saxophones, because everyone know the 80's is hot now.
5. This Could B Us: This is also, like what they did for FunknRoll, a remix of the track off AOA. I really don't even think I should count this towards the score. Really, I'm being serious. It was cool on the two albums at once, two different version of the same track. Kinda like a Japanese Bonus track, or remix exclusive. But it's with every copy of the album. This on the other hand, I didn't even remember caring for this song in the first place. The remix, I care even less about.
6. Fallinlove2nite: I can't hate this song. It appeals to my weakness of 90's pop. I don't know why but if done right, and 90's.... I love it. The cheesier the better, but this.. this isn't cheesy. I kinda feel like this is what this whole album is supposed to be sonic ally, just different experiments. And this is the best song he's done since at least The Rainbow Children. I love the atmosphere, the feeling, the only difference here is I don't here Zoey on this track vs the single. Which I prefer her on the track. The single edit is one of my favorite songs of all time, sadly the lack of Zoe surprisingly hurts the track. 
7. X's Face: Another chopped and screwed feeling song. Which I haven't heard him do this that good. I like it on some A$AP Rocky track but usually I don't like it. I really, there's a rap, then monkey sounds. I would feel better if I just left this as this. No more to be said here. Also it sounds like Left Brain produced this on the older OF stuff.
8. HardRockLover: A single I never heard, not wanted to. But the intro to this, it got my attention. While not the best track, this reminds me a lot of FunknRoll when it picks up. There are also parts that remind me of When Doves Cry in his delivery.
9. Mr. Nelson: This technically could be a left over from AOA. This features Lianna La Havas. From the beginning of this track is sounds like a remix of Clouds. This isn't that bad of a remix if it is, and I loved that whole eastern scale. But I mean, I'd prefer this released as a stand alone single, or on a remix album.
10. 1000 X's & 0's: Recordings of this exist, with Rosie Gaines from 1992 and then with Nona Gaye (Marvin's daughter) from 1993. While neither were released, it still is a left over form the 90's. Honestly, again another song that'd be a snug fit on the last album. Almost sounds like it's a leftover.
11. June: A decent closer. But again, it really amounts to nothing special.

Overall I have to give this album a 6/10. I get the call backs to previous music, but The Resident's 2008 album Bunny Boy had the music much better integrated into it than this. And he literally samples the tracks. The Next Day also, recalling old songs and styles, is a better example of what he should have done vs remixing and sampling past material. I know its not a huge part of the album, just pisses me off. I know im dwelling on that, but I feel... Ill explain why later. In reality I'm not buying this on CD the 15th, not until it's like 5 dollars. And it'd just be to have it for my collection of Prince album's not because I like it. Did I enjoy it more than PlectrumElectrum, yes, did I enjoy it more than Art Official Age..... No, but its only short behind in terms of decimal point percentages. I guess the best part (and also worst part) is it's only 37 minutes, and as fast as it goes by I forget even hearing it. If this truley is "Phase One", I'm not looking forward to "Phase Two". To get a review done correctly I need to hear the album a few times. But to be honest, I'm only waiting to hear the CD version. To see if my copy is inferior. But then again, "Tidal is CD quality music" so here's the review.