Ultimate

On one hand, this 28-track collection takes a pretty straightforward approach to anthologizing Prince\'s biggest hits. All the heaviest hitters are here, from the frothy, funky \"1999\" and the giddy synth-pop sunburst \"Delirious\" to the *sui generis* minimalist/modernist masterpiece \"When Doves Cry\" and the gospel–goes–New Jack \"7.\" At the same time, some of Prince\'s highest-charting tunes are represented by extended mixes that were previously available only as 12-inch singles, and some of them lend a whole different spin to what would otherwise have been familiar songs. \"Let\'s Go Crazy,\" for instance, does indeed get pretty unhinged-sounding, shifting into several wildly divergent directions. The extra synth on \"Kiss\" adds an almost jazz fusion feel, while \"Raspberry Beret\" has some appropriately psych-popppy interplay between the string section and finger cymbals. Overall, *Ultimate: Prince* balances between encompassing what\'s expected and uncovering what isn\'t.