For those of you not in the know, The Time are a band formed in the 80s, in Minneapolis, by Prince who used the group as a vehicle to make more of his music available. He had various relationships with the individual members and they have all gone on to have careers beyond the Prince influence. Some more successful than others.
Still, you can't hold Prince fully responsible for the success of The Time. Sure he wrote some great tunes for them and they still play his stuff today. But It's the characters played by the band members that make the group truly memorable.
Morris Day struts around the stage like a peacock preening for a mate. He flashes his feathers, well in his case it's expensive jewelry, fancy clothes and his Stacy Adams... His onstage antics with Jerome and the cool demeanor of the zoot suit dressed band all culminate into a tight, satisfying live act.
As for this album... Two songs appear in the Motion Picture, "Purple Rain". The other tracks are musical numbers written to further the mythology and reputation of the band and its girl chasing leader. Unlike previous Time records based heavily in funk, this disc starts off with 'Ice Cream Castles' a number you can hardly call an old school funk effort. It's got an incredible beat, a nice melody and is catchy as all hell, but it doesn't have that funk/bass bottom to drop into. Everything happens on the surface of the song, much like icing on a cake. I've heard rehearsals of the tune where the band really work the crap out of it, but here it kinda meanders along. That's not a bad thing. It's enjoyable and satisfying. But it's not exactly what you've come to expect from The Time.
It's followed by 'My Drawers'. This number is more traditional funk. It's infectious and hard not to move too. The Minneapolis sound is all over this number as well as a nod to R&B Godfather, James Brown.
"U better find a brand new bag,
Cause this is my drawers"
'Chili Sauce' is a feature length segue. The song, or should I say seduction piece, features a dinner date between Morris and young woman he attempts to seduce. The conversation is quite humorous and features Prince disguising his voice as the waiter. The track also features Jerome Benton as Morris' sidekick and comedic foil.
If this were a vinyl record or cassette tape, those three songs would encompass the first side, while the second side contains the music most people are familiar with. Starting with 'Jungle Love', borrowing a chant from "The Wizard Of Oz", the 2nd side kicks in with a funky fever. There's very little I can say about the two tracks on this side appearing in the "Purple Rain" movie. They've been discussed to death. Needless to say, they are classic funk tracks and will go down in history as two of the biggest hits of the 80s. 'Jungle Love' fared better than 'The Bird' on the charts, but the tunes are equally funky and oh so much fun. The middle track, a slow paced song called, 'If The Kid Can't Make You Come' is an odd piece. First of all, I never understood why it was in the record. In the movie, Prince plays the part of Morris' arch rival. He is called, The Kid. And in the song, Morris sings,
"If the kid can't make you come
Nobody can"
Suggesting the kid is the ultimate. But how can that be if they're enemies? It closes with a woman in the throes of orgasm pledging her allegiance to The Time like they were an American Flag. It's funny and quirky, but what really makes this track worth hearing are the surprising musical changes that happen throughout. The background music acts effectively as a collage of sound creating a picture of the moment. You can see it all happening in your mind. Successful composers are fortunate to create a mindscape like this when they score for a film. Prince and The Time do it here without the company of a film.
Ultimately, The Time will always be an 80s favorite. I even like the stuff they're doing now. If you haven't treated yourself to this offshoot group, you should check it out. I know it's worth it. While listening in the truck the other day, I jammed it loud. It's holding up quite well for an almost thirty year old piece of music. My final word: PERFECT COMPANION PIECE TO PURPLE RAIN AND GREAT ON ITS OWN AS WELL!
THE TIME - ICE CREAM CASTLE
01. Ice Cream Castles
02. My Drawers
03. Chili Sauce
04. Jungle Love
05. If The Kid Can't Make You Come
06. The Bird
