A Work of Self-Liberation and Devotion Fit for a Prince

**** THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE

“Emancipation”

NPG/EMI

The Artist Formerly Known as Prince has been whining a lot over the past few years, as guys trapped in unsatisfying relationships--in this case, a record contract that he felt stifled his productivity--are prone to do. For those who have tolerated his antics, here’s the payoff: a three-CD tribute to spiritual freedom and romantic commitment that features his best work since, well, since he was Prince.

Given the sheer breadth of this effort, perfection is not to be expected. But whatever flaws emerge--a cheesy sax solo here, a seemingly throwaway melody there--are redeemed by the sublime force that is generated as a brilliant musician engages in his craft with a renewed sense of empowerment and joy.

Typically, he defies all boundaries, fusing genres and sensibilities into a distinctive hybrid that crosses formats ranging from hard rock to light jazz. He is reverent, however, in declaring his love and faith, whether celebrating carnal pleasures on the crisply funky “Mr. Happy” or waxing tender on the spare, piano-laden ballad “Let’s Make a Baby,” one of numerous songs evoking the impact of his recent marriage and new fatherhood.

The sexy and the sacred have of course always been inextricably intertwined for the singer, but on “Emancipation” he reconciles those aspects with more authority than ever, even reinventing the maudlin Joan Osborne hit “One of Us” as a radiant, post-psychedelic epiphany about God’s presence in the physical world. Here and elsewhere, “Emancipation” demonstrates not only the continuing evolution of a great (if sometimes frustrating) artist, but also the personal growth of a human being.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).