Ultimate

The third Prince compilation includes a second disc devoted to 12" mixes and extended dance mixes issued on CD maxi-singles. There is certainly a market for these mixes -- they have not been compiled on CD, so hardcore fans have been awaiting their reissue, not just for the sake of completism, but because the mixes were often very good. Included here are "Let's Go Crazy," "Little Red Corvette," "Pop Life," "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," "U Got the Look," "Thieves in the Temple," and "Cream" all in different mixes. As for the first disc, most of the 17 songs here are single edits, but there are a few exceptions to the rule, as "Controversy," "Purple Rain," "Alphabet St," "7," and "Gett Off" are all presented in their original full-length album incarnations -- and even if "Controversy" and "Purple Rain" benefit from the unedited treatment (which is not necessarily the case with "Alphabet St.," which is one time Prince's song got better on a single edit), it's hard to see why those were included uncut when "1999" and "When Doves Cry" fade out rather abruptly. The remastered sound is very good, however, better than the original CDs in nearly every case. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine