Sign O' the Times [Deluxe Edition]
by Prince
User Score
6.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 55
  3. Negative: 18 out of 55
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  1. bramble1214
    Jun 20, 2023
    10
    Basically a perfect album. The 45 vault tracks are a treasure but my personal highlight is the phenomenal Netherlands concert. Words cannot describe how amazing this package is.
  2. BHADD
    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 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 soThis 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:)    … Expand
  3. All_ButTrU4
    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 incomparable discography. The addition of demos or outtakes add to the experience .
  4. Themachine
    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 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    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.    … Expand
  5. Calebbrwwn7
    Nov 18, 2020
    10
    Probably the greatest thing to happen in the music industry in many years. The legendary Masterpiece "Sign O'the Times" was already one of the greatest albums of all time. But now, not only has it been remastered, but an additional 70+ new tracks have been added? Take my money. In this massive project, the genius of Prince is almost fully realize, as we waltz through a series ofProbably the greatest thing to happen in the music industry in many years. The legendary Masterpiece "Sign O'the Times" was already one of the greatest albums of all time. But now, not only has it been remastered, but an additional 70+ new tracks have been added? Take my money. In this massive project, the genius of Prince is almost fully realize, as we waltz through a series of masterfully crafted tracks that seem more like a workof pure art, expressing the quintessence of who Prince was.

    Musically, it is above any critique I could dare to give it. For I have none. The experimentation in the album is ground breaking, with Influences of Jazz, Rock, RnB, Soul, Pop, Blues, Gospel-practically any genre you can think of. Not only that, but Prince seems to create entirely new genres of music never heard before. All-in-all, this is a treasure vault of some the greatest music ever made. A pinnacle of excellence that came from One of the greatest artists of all time. A crowning achievement, and a work of art that one can only describe as the work of a master. I give this album a 10/10    … Expand
  6. Cnsydm
    Nov 6, 2020
    1
    yes it's a good album, it is prince after all but GOD the deluxe tracks make the album reissue so long it is almost undigestable...
  7. Max_Vito
    Nov 1, 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.
  8. rafa_lindo
    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.
  9. Heturnal
    Oct 6, 2020
    10
    Perfect album..... not only his best ever work , but quiet possibly the best album ever made..timeless....
  10. Alex_Nevermind
    Oct 5, 2020
    10
    What can I say about this Prince MASTERPIECE double album that hasn't already been said over the last 33 years? The late Prince (may he rest in eternal peace and power) was one of the greatest musical multi-talents that EVER lived and did it! That's abundantly clear and showcased on this HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED super deluxe edition. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT AND FLAWLESS. :-)
  11. FatihOyverici
    Oct 2, 2020
    10
    cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
  12. anita_bathe
    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 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", WeDeluxe 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".    … Expand
  13. Jessie98
    Sep 30, 2020
    0
    Old classic, new coat. The game have all atributes which make the original famous. Great story with lot of fun https://www.kisa.link/NYg3
  14. Trebborq
    Sep 28, 2020
    8
    The remasters are a blasfemie, more base all te essence is gone. Puke. Everything out of the vault makes me happy. To be honest, me listening to him eating a sandwich would make me happy.
    So thanks for cd 45678, the b sides where not new. btw I live in the Netherlands, i was in Utrecht , 17 years young. Btw Adore is okay in the remasters.
  15. ashowka
    Sep 28, 2020
    10
    The greatest album of all time - reissued with 92 amazing songs - many of the bootlegged songs have small variants on this release and all sound far superior than ever before so much to be excited about. The live concerts are clean and crisp and amazing to hear. The book is a work of art, the package is generally very well presented. Music does not get any better than this.
  16. Cooperdale
    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 of unreleased music. They took great care in compiling this, and it shows.
  17. Neposcope
    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 80s and Sign of the times is ageless.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
99

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. 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]
  2. Pitchfork
    Oct 2, 2020
    100
    It’s an overwhelming amount of material. ... The Dream Factory songs unearthed from the vault are staggering.
    Read full review
  3. American Songwriter
    Sep 29, 2020
    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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »