Click above to hear an audio version of this review, with musical selections. Audio produced by Derrick Stevens.

In October of 1992, Prince debuted an unpronounceable symbol that he would later take as his name. That symbol appeared on an untitled album, now referred to as the Love Symbol Album.

It was a turning point in Prince's music career and his personal life. The second album backed by he New Power Generation was conceived as a fantasy rock opera. Though Prince ditched the concept, the album was used to accompany his 1994 film 3 Chains o' Gold. The song with the same title, along with his U.S. hit "7," were used to help narrate a story about an Egyptian princess who calls upon Prince for protection from seven assassins.

Leaving the concept aside, the Love Symbol Album contains some of Prince's most ambitious work. It uses sounds of funk, R&B, synth-pop, and hip hop, making it one of the most musically diverse albums of his career.

The album also marks a point in Prince's personal life. He captures the debut performance of Mayte Garcia, who would later become his first wife, and the album symbol would become iconic, as Prince adopted it as his new identity for the remainder of the 20th century. Ironically, on the album's lead track, Prince reminds us that he will always be Prince.