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Sign O' the Times [Deluxe Edition] Image
Metascore
99

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 55 Ratings

  • Summary: The re-release of the pop legend's 1987 double album features a remaster by Bernie Grundman and a disc of single mixes/edits. A super deluxe box set adds three discs of previously unreleased music from the vault, a recording from a 1987 concert in Utrecht's Stadium Galgenwaard, a DVD of 1987The re-release of the pop legend's 1987 double album features a remaster by Bernie Grundman and a disc of single mixes/edits. A super deluxe box set adds three discs of previously unreleased music from the vault, a recording from a 1987 concert in Utrecht's Stadium Galgenwaard, a DVD of 1987 New Year's Eve concert at Paisley Park, and a 120-page hardcover book with previously unseen handwritten lyrics. Expand
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Sep 25, 2020
    100
    What remains is a tightly-focused snapshot of an intensely creative period in Prince’s career: perhaps the most generous single-album box set of all time, for an album that itself just keeps giving.
  2. 100
    At nearly 10 hours of music, the “super deluxe” bundle is too much for any but the most committed. But the edited editions include some of the best stuff, leaving the rest for the Prince faithful. And if anyone was unsure of just how talented, creative and prolific Prince was at his inspired peak, this fully loaded box solidifies his legacy as a true American icon.
  3. Oct 2, 2020
    100
    It’s an overwhelming amount of material. ... The Dream Factory songs unearthed from the vault are staggering.
  4. Sep 25, 2020
    98
    In short, it’s a die-hard fan’s fantasy come to life — and like the deluxe edition of “1999” released last year, goes a long way toward satiating appetites only made stronger by decades of bootlegs. (And, remarkably, the compilers left out a lot.)
  5. The Wire
    Jan 6, 2021
    90
    Prince didn’t put a foot wrong in his golden era, right down to what was left in the vault. [Jan 2021, p.94]
  6. Sep 25, 2020
    90
    Sign ‘O’ the Times was an eclectic funk-pop-rock-R&B-gospel-novelty hodgepodge of songs about love, sex, and Jesus that sounds awful on paper — what great record this side of Little Richard could include the phrase “green eggs and ham,” as Prince deadpanned on “Housequake,” and still work? — yet it was a masterpiece. Its very lack of focus was its greatest strength. ... It’s impossible to trace his thought process, which makes it all the more exciting to find the diamonds he left in the vault.
  7. Classic Rock Magazine
    Sep 25, 2020
    60
    Sign O' The Times might be Prince's apex. .. The extras on this eight-CD/13-LP set, however, include a lot of dry-humping, second-rate material that hints at the decline he would go into in the 90s and beyond. [Oct 2020, p.91]

See all 10 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 5 out of 17
  1. Sep 28, 2020
    10
    Not much to say, it's one of the greatest albums of all time, with an excellent remastering of the original tracks and a treasure trove ofNot much to say, it's one of the greatest albums of all time, with an excellent remastering of the original tracks and a treasure trove of unreleased music. They took great care in compiling this, and it shows. Expand
  2. Jun 27, 2022
    10
    This new 8 CD set blows away even rabid Prince fans. There is so much amazing vault material that you forget about the remaster of theThis new 8 CD set blows away even rabid Prince fans. There is so much amazing vault material that you forget about the remaster of the original album. This remaster is INCREDIBLE. They really did a super job. The original album was thin and dull. I knew that improving bass was going to be low hanging fruit for whoever was in charge. However, I just did not think they could squeeze so much detail out of the master tapes. For those who care, the detail on this remaster is breathtaking at times. As for the Vault tracks, all are interesting as you would expect from a bonafide musical genius but there are a startling number that are absolutely top shelf. All My Dreams, Walk in Glory, Promise To Be True, Large Room, Big Tall Wall, and Crucial to name a few are top tier. Amazing he could put this quality on the shelf. However, there are many other interesting cuts like There's Something About Being Your Fool, the first take on Power Fantastic, an alternative Forever In My Life, and so many others. This set is huge ...but not inflated. There is also the live show from Holland that just blows away anyone that loves live music. There is a technical issue with tape speed on some cuts but I still love it. ..... incredible set...

    ..and I didn't even mention the Miles Davis parts:)
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  3. Oct 1, 2020
    10
    Deluxe Edition is missing Dream Factory, Last Heart, Movie Star, Joy in Repetition, Good Love, Crystal Ball [Full], Rockhard in a Funky PlaceDeluxe Edition is missing Dream Factory, Last Heart, Movie Star, Joy in Repetition, Good Love, Crystal Ball [Full], Rockhard in a Funky Place and Feel U Up. This needed to include the Crystal Ball and Dream Factory albums in their entirety with all songs in order as intended. I can't express how extremely frustrating and insulting this is. Also missing "Scarlett P*ssy", "Wonderful Ass", We Can Funk, Crucial, Data Bank, plus other non album songs and alternate versions. They could have put The Black Album too might as well. 1999 Deluxe was missing Extraloveable and Chocolate. Sign O The Times, Crystal Ball and Dream Factory, to me, are the greatest albums of recorded music ever made.

    It does include 8 out of the 15 Crystal Ball and Dream Factory songs: Rebirth of The Flesh, Crystal Ball [edited], The Ball, Shockadelica, Train, A Place In Heaven, Witness 4 The Prosecution, and All My Dreams. In A Large Room With No Light and Adonis And Bathsheba in high quality are included which is great. Having the randomly chosen, out of order Crystal Ball and Dream Factory songs is baffling to listen to. The interludes Visions, Colors and Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A are included out of context? This is a mess. For the bonus discs they chose many comparatively inferior or mediocre songs.
    Find a torrent download of "Prince - Homemade Deluxe Editions" and Crystal Ball (not the compilation, the real one from 1986) and "Work It 2.0_Updated".
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  4. Sep 26, 2020
    10
    This is one of my all time favorites. I really love it. The variety of musical styles and the charisma of the purple one. Purple Rain is 80sThis is one of my all time favorites. I really love it. The variety of musical styles and the charisma of the purple one. Purple Rain is 80s and Sign of the times is ageless. Expand
  5. May 21, 2022
    9
    Lush funky and demanding surmise the effect of this glorious double album. This classic remains unmatched in the top of his incomparableLush funky and demanding surmise the effect of this glorious double album. This classic remains unmatched in the top of his incomparable discography. The addition of demos or outtakes add to the experience . Expand
  6. Jan 26, 2021
    1
    I am big prince fan and this is my favorite album but I not happy about this product for the following reasons;
    - First of all I tested the
    I am big prince fan and this is my favorite album but I not happy about this product for the following reasons;
    - First of all I tested the sound quality I of the original album to the remastered and there is almost no difference. If you play the original 12”singles next to it the old 12” vinyls will blow this remastered version away. I tested it by running the original vinyl simultaniously on a second identical Technics SL1200 turntable and switched between the records on a high end analog dj mixer over a high end soundsystem. - Second of all the vault tracks only a couple stand out and those are not as good as the selection from the original record. Prince kept them hidden away for a reason and to release them after his dead feels not right and obviously the was no reason to.
    - The added dvd video bonus is very poor grainy quality (almost like vhs). I do not understand why the did not include the original sign o the times film that was recently restored for blu ray. This was an award winning concert film registration and an important part of the experience of this Prince release.
    - The download card included only gives acces to MP3 files of the release. If you spend this much money on getting the best available quality why did they not include .WAV of lossless files?
    - I find it very strange that there is no negative review to be found on the internet related to this super deluxe release. The few pages I found after some serious searches have been removed.
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  7. Oct 15, 2020
    0
    It's Prince, why r y'all worshipping this? He has many wonderful other albums and songs, this is not even near to be his best work. This is crap.

See all 17 User Reviews