Prince (October 27, 2023) – “Diamonds And Pearls Remastered Reissue Is A Gem Of An Album” Review - Springfield News-Leader
This Springfield News-Leader review by Ron Harris assesses the newly remastered Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition, presenting the expanded release as an impressive exploration of Prince and the New Power Generation's 1991 period. The review highlights the wealth of previously unreleased music, alternate versions and live material while reconsidering the original album's polished pop direction and increasing hip-hop influence.
Publication: Springfield News-Leader
Date: October 27, 2023
Country: United States
THE STORY
Published under the headline “Prince & the New Power Generation’s ‘Diamonds and Pearls’ remastered reissue is a gem of an album”, the Associated Press review by Ron Harris examines the extensive Super Deluxe treatment given to Prince's 1991 album.
Harris begins by acknowledging the considerable amount of music Prince left behind and describes the expanded Diamonds And Pearls collection as another opportunity to explore that archive.
The review states that the Super Deluxe Edition contains 47 previously unreleased tracks together with more than two hours of live-performance footage.
The original Diamonds And Pearls album is presented within the context of Prince's work with the New Power Generation, with Harris noting that the group had become an important part of Prince's music by this stage.
DIAMONDS AND PEARLS
The title track receives particular attention.
Harris highlights the new Dolby Atmos mix of “Diamonds And Pearls”, drawing attention to the arrangement and Prince's vocal performance.
The expanded collection also contains several other versions of the song, including an extended version together with audio taken from live performances.
The review therefore presents the Super Deluxe Edition not merely as a remaster of the familiar album but as an opportunity to compare alternate approaches to the material.
CREAM
“Cream” is another familiar recording singled out by Harris.
The reviewer notes the return of the original song but gives particular attention to “Cream (N.P.G. Mix)”, describing the alternate version as adding further percussion and a deep melodic synthesiser layer.
For Harris, these variations provide some of the most interesting material within the expanded collection.
THE VAULT MATERIAL
The previously unreleased recordings receive considerable attention.
Harris describes the material as varying in quality, mentioning alternative versions of “Daddy Pop” and “Gett Off” before singling out “I Pledge Allegiance To Your Love” much more enthusiastically.
The latter is characterised as a slow blues performance featuring Prince prominently on guitar.
The contrast illustrates one of the attractions of the expanded edition: rather than presenting every unreleased recording as a forgotten masterpiece, the review acknowledges an uneven but revealing body of work around the original album.
THE NEW POWER GENERATION
Harris also reassesses the musical changes represented by the New Power Generation.
For listeners who preferred the grittier sound associated with The Revolution, the reviewer suggests that the original 1991 album could sometimes feel overly polished.
At the same time, Harris argues that Prince's New Power Generation period continued to demonstrate Prince's evolving musical vision.
Hip-hop influence is specifically singled out, with Tony M. noted as appearing throughout the material.
SUPER DELUXE EDITION
The review emphasises the considerable scale of the complete collection.
According to the clipping, the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition includes:
75 audio tracks
Seven CDs
12 vinyl records
47 previously unreleased tracks
More than two hours of live-performance footage
120-page hardback book
The book is described as containing previously unseen photographs and essays.
These archival elements make the release considerably broader than a straightforward remastered edition of the original album.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The review appeared on October 27, 2023, as the expanded Diamonds And Pearls edition was being released.
Rather than simply assessing the original 1991 album again, Harris uses the newly available material to reconsider the period surrounding Prince and the New Power Generation.
The review is particularly useful in acknowledging both sides of the collection. The original album's comparatively polished production is identified as a potential weakness for some listeners, while the unreleased recordings, alternative mixes, live material and archival presentation reveal considerably more of Prince's creative activity around the project.
The accompanying product photograph shows the Diamonds And Pearls artwork used for the Prince & The New Power Generation release.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Review of the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition
Publication Date: October 27, 2023
Era: 2023 Prince archival reissue period
Reviewer: Ron Harris
Tone: Positive but critical
Photography: Product image of the Diamonds And Pearls release
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Review of Prince and the New Power Generation's Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition
• 47 previously unreleased tracks highlighted
• 75 audio tracks across the complete Super Deluxe collection
• Seven-CD and 12-vinyl-record configurations mentioned
• More than two hours of live-performance footage
• A 120-page hardback book containing unseen photographs and essays
• Discussion of the Dolby Atmos presentation of “Diamonds And Pearls”
• “Cream (N.P.G. Mix)” singled out from the alternate material
• “I Pledge Allegiance To Your Love” highlighted among the previously unreleased recordings
• Discussion of Tony M. and the increased hip-hop influence of the New Power Generation period
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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