"Don't U miss the feeling music gave ya back in tha day?" asks Prince on the title cut of his latest CD. Happily, His Purple Majesty does -- and better still, he's decided to address the situation.

Musicology, his umpteenth album and first major-label effort since 2001's Rainbow Children, is the comeback disc we've all been waiting years to hear. Concise, clear and confident, these dozen cuts are a welcome return to the old-school R&B, sensual soul, funk-rock and paisley-pop of Prince's glory days.

Hooks and choruses come fast and furious on tracks like Life 'O' the Party, Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance and Cinnamon Girl (no, not that Cinnamon Girl), with the self-indulgent noodling restricted to a few numbers that allow Prince to showcase his versatility and virtuosity without diluting the disc's impact.

No, it's not gonna replace 1999 or Purple Rain. But one spin of Musicology is all it takes to know that Prince is back. And it's about freaking time.

Track Listing
1. Musicology
2. Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance
3. A Million Days
4. Life 'O' The Party
5. Call My Name
6. Cinnamon Girl
7. What Do U Want Me 2 Do?
8. The Marrying Kind
9. If Eye Was The Man In Ur Life
10. On The Couch
11. Dear Mr. Man
12. Reflection