I don't mind his vocals, but I do think there is a distinct lack of character here: Morris Day actually had a good deal of character. A huge amount. Paul is technically a better singer-- he has a good voice for this R&B type stuff. And there is no way Morris DAy have pulled off "Nothing Compare's 2U". Can you imagine how terrible that would be? But Paul has less personality. Having said that, the singing is not a deal-killer for me; it's good enough. I think this is an enjoyable funk track, well produced and the sax and strings touches bring a different dimension to it -- it is definitely not The Time mark 2, but something different. Prince's R&B side is developing. "High Fashion" was never going to storm the pop charts, but if there had been more promotion and a live tour and the like I think this might have risen a little higher on the R&B chart. Good synth riff too. 3.4/5
Yeah, he was already moving on from the Purple Rain sound even before Purple Rain was released and after it became a massive hit for him.
This is better. It's still a 3 in my book, but it's a solid 3. Day was just playing a character invented by Prince tho, same as St. Paul.
But he pulled it off credibly. Hebhad good timing and he brought stuff to the performances that were his own. He took Prince's character and made it his own. He doesnt sound like “Jamie Starr.” What character is Paul playing? Just sounds like a generic R&B singer.
Honestly, it sounds like he's trying to play pretty much the same character Day played in that first track. Which is why it's so cringe.
High Fashion A standard Prince fonk toon of the time. I much prefer the P vocal version. The Family version - 3.5/5 Prince version - 4/5
I don't hear it. I think the lyrical character of the song is a similar character; i don't think Paul is playing any sort of character at all, though, he's not bringing anything to it -- he's just singing -- well enough, but that's it. Prince's vocal has loads more personality. I disagree that Paul is imitating it, there's a lot that Prince brings that Paul doesn't even attempt.
It's interesting lyrically: the rich man who knows that his woman is a shallow gold digger and sort of both enjoys the fact that his money can buy him this woman; and at the same time he has a kind of slight but not vicious despite for her, knowing exactly what she is, but enjoying it anyway . There's an obvious connection between the "stuck up little rich girl" and the woman in "The Glamorous Life", though there's something tragic about the woman in "The Glamorous Life" (brought by the superior melody, perhaps, and the fact that a woman sings it.) Clearly the trope of The Golddigger and the Rich Man was something that Prince was interested in.
There is also Feline and Paisley Park (Instrumental song, nothing to do with Paisley Park the song on Around The World In Day). Paisley Park was included on an early configuration of the album. If Feline had of been included it would be an album highlight. ST Paul didn't want to sing it is was rather rude. High Fashion. 4/5 Great start to a great album.
This seems a bit funk-by-numbers till the strings and sax kick in in the second half, and take it to another level. I think the vocals are fine. 4/5
This album is so dear to me. I love Clare Fischer's string arrangements and the fact that they're so prominent, and Eric Leeds is an absolute hero of mine. It boggles my mind that a player with such a distinct and recognizable tone and phrasing, such a mastery of timing and harmony, and such a feel for building up tension, is hardly known outside the Prince-universe. Just listen to how he starts in High Fashion with just a few very well placed notes, and builds from there. To me, he's on par with Wendy & Lisa in influencing Prince's music. And about St. Paul: he was very young, so he might have been intimidated while singing these songs in the studio. I think he was already better on their only live performance as the Family, and he was great when I saw them as FDeluxe a few years ago. Plus, keeping in mind that Prince was out for "some of that Duran Duran money", the way he sounds might have been intentional. He has about as much character in his voice here as Simon Le Bon, or the guy from Spandau Ballet for instance. To my ears at least... However, the first two songs I love the least of this album, so a 4/5 from me.
High Fashion The song is unremarkable, I like the funky guitar and everything Eric Leeds does on saxophone, that's it. 3/5
Sorry to be troublesome, but I would like to revise my 4 down to a 3. I find I was judging it to a different standard due to lower expectations, when I am trying to do all my scores on the same scale. But it's hard.
I know I'm not the first (or last) person to mention that 'High Fashion' suffers the one fatal flaw that dogs nearly all tracks on the album - St Paul's vocals. They're just not good. It's just the execution is lacking. All of these tracks, well the ones we have Prince versions of on bootlegs anyway, have be de-volved on The Family album proper. This isn't new. My criticism was the same for The Time's albums, but being spoiled by Prince, and knowing the highs that he could reach, it's a let down to not hear him singing these songs. All of this is a shame, because the bones of a great song are there. You can hear it in the Prince version at the top of the page. Give it time, a few more hours spent in the studio, and this could have been a great Prince track. Instead, we get St Paul. Oh well. 2.5/5 (I'll only give scores for The Family versions, not the Prince bootleg versions, which you can assume are an automatic 1 point higher).
it's kinda faceless till the sax comes around then i start to get into it. i think St Paul sounds alright. compared to the other Prince muses up to this point. he's in the upper echelon (although ive only heard one song so far) it's not bad. 2/5/5
rather than hit these tracks one-by-one, I will rate the album as a whole. The two instrumentals are tops, no problem there ... however, the vocal tracks are marred by the lead singer. He's simply awful trying to ape Prince's vocal stylizations. This element brings the album down to a 2/5. Now, having heard the tracks with Prince's vocals (with the exception of "River Run Dry"), I would have made this top-shelf Prince, for sure. The Family - 3/5
"High Fashion" is middling-level Prince. Of course, if he had sung the song, it would have been significantly better. The lyrics are a little dated with the references to Le Dome (once a 'see and be seen' spot on the Sunset Strip), and the music lacks a strong hook. The sax and the orchestrations, however, give the track quite a lift. With a good lead vocal, this would be a solid entry in the Prince catalog. Unfortunately, the vocals sink it. This will be a recurring theme as we go through The Family's self-titled (and only) album. 3.0/5
High Fashion Wow, what a clunker. The whole song is the same two bar passage repeated over and over which would be tolerable if the two bars were interesting to listen to, which they are not. Nice sax wasted on this song. 2/5
I love the sort nursery tune opening of High Fashion. There is an eeriness to it and it seems to fit with St. Paul's an elfin quality and that weird look he has on the album cover.
High Fashion: Prince Version 2/5. I like the funky guitar part, but this song goes nowhere. The Maceo-style sax solo (which Leeds seem to have carried through on his other Prince stuff) is decent, but it doesn't elevate the song.
High Fashion The Family is one of my favorite Prince side projects. Not only for the solid quality of the songs, but also because it is so much part of the transition to Parade. That alone makes it in effect essential. It is the first time that Prince uses a full orchestra (the great Clare Fischer), the first time Eric Leeds is on board (who would have a massive influence on Prince's sound for years to come and my favorite band member) and the birth of the whole Madhouse project. It's also an album where Prince was testing the waters to see if his new direction on music works. And it's, for most people, an unknown mystic band at the end of the Purple Rain era. The music is mainly Prince with Eric Leeds while St. Paul and Susannah copied his vocals word by word and emotion by emotion (by David Z. (Bobby Z's brother) as the vocal producer). St. Paul was 19 at the time with little real experience (Susannah was just 20), so it must have been hard for them to copy Prince's great vocals... and it turned out pretty good. Then again, it's not Prince himself (but it's not like Morris' early vocals (Girl, anyone...?)). But this was the time where Prince just continued to write great stuff, and this album is no exception. This is no Ice Cream Castles or Apollonia 6 where Prince just wanted to get an album out. This was high quality stuff... it's not perfect, but some of the songs are probably as good as it gets with a Prince side project. I kinda grew up with this album (way before Prince's ex-manager Steven Fargnoli made his new artist Sinead O'Conner record Nothing Compares 2 U that made people aware of the album). It's in my DNA and very much part of Prince's evolution. (rant over...) That being said, on with High Fashion... This is a great opening track for the album. It's funky, probably close to new romantic, but it's also sophisticated with the added orchestra and sax. There's no real bass on it (unlike Prince's demo), making it a bit cold and clean. But the guitar is funky! It starts with a nursery-like tune before the real drums kick in. Paul and Susannah are great on vocals and the orchestra swells and disappears again... and finally there we have Eric on sax! What's not to love! Clap your hand on the 2 and 4 The second part of the song continues without any reason, making the 7" my favorite version (and probably close to a 5/5). For me, this is a big 4 out of 5!
