The Three O'Clock - Vermillion (1988)

It's said that Prince signed the Three O'Clock to his Paisley Park label after they were dropped by IRS having never heard a note of their music but knowing that they were friends of the Bangles, for whom he had previously written "Manic Monday." It seems like the Three O'Clock's paisley underground pop would have been a perfect fit for Prince's suitably-named label, especially since Around the World in a Day had shown that the two camps shared several influences, but for some reason, 1988's Vermillion completely drops the group's previous association with psychedelia, leaving them a mediocre, slightly bubblegummy pop band. There are a couple of good songs here, especially Michael Quercio's gentle ballad "Through the Sleepy Town" and Jason Falkner's "Love Has No Heart," but they're overshadowed by inoffensive at best, painful at worst trifles like "Love Explosion" and "World on Fire." Ian Ritchie's production is horrible, over-synthesized, and sequenced to within an inch of its life, but the nadir is Prince's contribution, the gimmicky "Neon Telephone," which sounds like it took less time to write than it does to listen to. Vermillion was the Three O'Clock's final album, and it's a shame that they had to go out on such a bum note. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi

Vermillion 1988 THE THREE O'CLOCK John Blazing, Michael Quercio Track listing 1. "Vermillion" 2. "Love Explosion" 3. "To Be Where You Are" 4. "When She Becomes My Girl" 5. "World on Fire" 6. "Neon Telephone" 7. "On Paper" 8. "Ways of Magic" 9. "Time's Going Slower" 10. "Love Has No Heart" 11. "Through the Sleepy Town" nWu Bonus 12. "On Paper" (McDoc Evo XR Mix)

ON PAPER so many questions have a reason so many reasons for what we should do but longer than the wordsabout to answer a contract of love is nothing new to you around you baby im on fire, everywhere that we go around you baby i desire, all the things that we know it'll only goes to show, that we don't have to know Till its on paper (till its on paper), till its on paper now is the time for a decision now is the time decide it one or two but longer than the mouth well end up breaking a contract of love is nothing new to you so simplify by calling to your eyes right now and tell me that ourlove is something new hoo-who-ho, ahahaha till on its paper.... it'll only goes to show, that we will never know Till its on paper (till its on paper), till its on paper