Prince & The Revolution Around the World in a Day (Vinyl LP) * * *

In the mid-1980s Prince was moving at an unbelievably fast pace; recording sessions for the follow-up to Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, were already underway before the film had even opened in theaters, and the completed album was released just two weeks after Prince and his band completed their six-month Purple Rain Tour. "I think the smartest thing I did was record Around the World in a Day right after I finished Purple Rain," he noted. "I didn't wait to see what would happen with Purple Rain. That's why the two albums sound completely different." Few albums showcase Prince's fiercely independent taste quite like Around the World in a Day, which joyfully whisks his new fans in a dizzying array of sonic directions. Pulling in Middle Eastern instruments like the darbuka drum, finger cymbals and the lute-type guitar the oud, Prince and the Revolution weave a decidedly paisley tapestry of psychedelic, dreamy sounds. With Prince-mania in full effect, Around the World in a Day generated two more Top 10 hits with the equally cool and captivating cuts "Raspberry Beret" (No. 2) and "Pop Life" (No. 7).