Well, this is what Prince was the best at - making music, playing it and showing his awesome talents on stage. This is what he and his excellent band are doing here. The film is a large live promotion of the then new album, Sing O The Times. Not all best tracks have found their way to this release, but several great cuts are here and they shine, despite some overindulgence on longer solos and too twirly dances. Prince is great in front of the mike, and his pink guitar is his baby, weeping, screaming and singing at his will. The band is very competent, though there is a weaker spot when we are treated to a very nervous, rigid, wooden and terribly unfunky drum solo by usually excellent Sheila E. Well, not this time. The show is very nice, and the band works like a giant precise watch mechanism, displaying traces of true genius here and there. The absolute peak is reached at the very end when Prince starts The Cross - probably, his all-time greatest song with powerful text and mesmerizing melody. The full arrangement is a shiny triumph. 8 out of 10 Why so - there are some great songs being omitted (like, It), and then the film sometimes drags and dangles at places.
Review of Sign 'o' the Times
