Guys, how would you feel if an album (like this) with the live instrumental warmth and musicianship akin to N.E.W.S. was suddenly released on 3rdEyeGirl.com? RJB on drums, Ida N. on Bass, Prince on Vocals and Guitar, Cassandra W. on Keys, as well as the NPG Horns (11-piece) and selected musicians, as follows...

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SIDE 1

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01. Footprints

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02. Funk N Roll

03. Chapters and Verse

04. Days of Wild

05. Big City

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06. Midnight Blues

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07. Moon Drop

08. Hidden Colours

09. Menstrual Cycle

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SIDE 2

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10. Octopus Heart

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11. Plectrum Electrum (featuring 3rdEyeGirl)

12. Even Flow (featuring Pearl Jam)

13. Creep (featuring Radiohead)

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14. Liathach

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15. Shades of Umber

16. Xpectation

17. Second Line

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18. Lost and Found (co-lead vocals with E. Spalding)

19. U Will B (With Me) (co-lead vocals with A. Allo)

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77. HIDDEN BONUS TRACK: Moonbeam Levels (featuring Tony M., Steppa Ranks, Doug E Fresh and ... T.C. Ellis)

to be honest, that tracklist is terrible.

I'd say that setlist would bore the fuck out of me.

Comedy gold at the end though

77. HIDDEN BONUS TRACK: Moonbeam Levels (featuring Tony M., Steppa Ranks, Doug E Fresh and ... T.C. Ellis)

I've been waiting for Prince to record another "live sounding" album since his Rainbow Children album and I dug the hell out of N.E.W.S. I love Prince's music that incorporates drum programming and synthetic sound textures, but an album of complete live musicianship AND great songwriting is what I'm still holding out for. 3RD EYE GIRL seems to be the best stimulus to inspire said wishes. I've softened on the backup vocalists.

Why feature the original artists on the covers? I don't understand the point of that...

Down with the hidden track though!

djThunderfunk said:

Why feature the original artists on the covers? I don't understand the point of that...

Down with the hidden track though!

Sums up Prince perfectly!

bashraka said:

I've been waiting for Prince to record another "live sounding" album since his Rainbow Children album and I dug the hell out of N.E.W.S. I love Prince's music that incorporates drum programming and synthetic sound textures, but an album of complete live musicianship AND great songwriting is what I'm still holding out for. 3RD EYE GIRL seems to be the best stimulus to inspire said wishes. I've softened on the backup vocalists.

Agreed in BOLD, though I'm not convinced that 3rdEyeGirl is the best stimulus (even if it is inspiring some strong-to-very strong guitar driven performances). I say, let him him hang with afficionado, older, musicians, or even his former artistically influential bandmates, and I think he might find inspiration IF he worked WITH them (rather than as musicians for hire).

Not sure about the last part.

Put your hands up!

TheEnglishGent said:

I'd say that setlist would bore the fuck out of me.

Comedy gold at the end though

77. HIDDEN BONUS TRACK: Moonbeam Levels (featuring Tony M., Steppa Ranks, Doug E Fresh and ... T.C. Ellis)

The real treat, though, on Moonbeam Levels comes from a guest performance (uncredited) by none other than...

SCRAP D.

.

[Edited 8/10/13 16:27pm]

SpiritOtter said:

For my tastes he definately needs to add a vocal sample from poet 99 saying "Crooked Letter I" or something.

SpiritOtter said:

bashraka said:

I've been waiting for Prince to record another "live sounding" album since his Rainbow Children album and I dug the hell out of N.E.W.S. I love Prince's music that incorporates drum programming and synthetic sound textures, but an album of complete live musicianship AND great songwriting is what I'm still holding out for. 3RD EYE GIRL seems to be the best stimulus to inspire said wishes. I've softened on the backup vocalists.

Agreed in BOLD, though I'm not convinced that 3rdEyeGirl is the best stimulus (even if it is inspiring some strong-to-very strong guitar driven performances). I say, let him him hang with afficionado, older, musicians, or even his former artistically influential bandmates, and I think he might find inspiration IF he worked WITH them (rather than as musicians for hire).

Not sure about the last part.

Put your hands up!

I feel you. I had to qualify my statements on the backup vocalists as "softened". In a live setting with this configuration of the NPG, they look out of place while the players are putting in work by playing music. I doubt he'll reach out to former influential bandmates like The Revolution but if he reached out to John Blackwell, Rhonda Smith and Renato Neto, he may produce some powerful songs. So much of Prince's recent songs have grooves but ONLY grooves. What about harmony and soulfulness.

TheEnglishGent said:

SpiritOtter said:

The real treat, though, on Moonbeam Levels comes from a guest performance (uncredited) by none other than...

SCRAP D.

.

[Edited 8/10/13 16:27pm]

All it needs now is a 7 minute put your hands up interlude featuring Shelby J.

Followed by 3 minutes of Greg Brooks and Wally Safford playing the Cowbell and Triangle "live" to the melody of Moonbeam Levels. I can see this all being released as a single EP, Moonbeam Levels the New Master.

bashraka said:

SpiritOtter said:

Agreed in BOLD, though I'm not convinced that 3rdEyeGirl is the best stimulus (even if it is inspiring some strong-to-very strong guitar driven performances). I say, let him him hang with afficionado, older, musicians, or even his former artistically influential bandmates, and I think he might find inspiration IF he worked WITH them (rather than as musicians for hire).

Not sure about the last part.

Put your hands up!

I feel you. I had to qualify my statements on the backup vocalists as "softened". In a live setting with this configuration of the NPG, they look out of place while the players are putting in work by playing music. I doubt he'll reach out to former influential bandmates like The Revolution but if he reached out to John Blackwell, Rhonda Smith and Renato Neto, he may produce some powerful songs. So much of Prince's recent songs have grooves but ONLY grooves. What about harmony and soulfulness.

Yes, I agree with that completely, bashraka: he has become a groove maker, with less fluidity in the harmonies and soulfulness coming through, whereas previously it was the seamless mixing between the black and white elements which created that uniquely identifiable Prince "sound". Someone recently made an interesting point about Prince stating from Musicology, he was interested in crafting songs and that they thought he had become a master craftsmen of sorts, rather than a great song writer. Often times, something feels missing. It's difficult to put a finger on it, but it's there (or rather it's just not 'there' anymore). Even with TRC, I felt the musicianship and grooves on 1 + 1 + 1 and Everlasting Now were apparent, but there was something fluid and soulful missing, compared to say Erotic City or Baby I'm A Star.