There are lots of you out there who like N.E.W.S., and I can’t figure out why. The compositional structures feel weak to the point of being absent, the groove is locked in tighter than any Linn program, until it’s stifling, and I can’t hear anything in the pieces that suggest that he’s trying to discover anything about the music. Sure it might not fall into any particular genre, but that isn’t an advantage – it’s formless, purposeless. You can’t use the 15 minutes per track rule as a guide, because I don’t think that changing the time frame would have changed how he structured the compositions (to make East shorter, for instance, he would have just hacked off the last three minutes, as each ‘song’ is a series of pieces).

This isn’t meant to be an anti-instrumental bias, as I love Xpectation, appreciate Kamasutra, and think both Venus de Milo and Alexa de Paris are highlights of the Parade era. And recent purchases include Frank Zappa (a genre unto itself), Cecil Taylor, Glenn Branca, Ernst Mielck and Eno/Fripp, so I’d like to think I’m well versed in different types of instrumental music.

So help a brother out – why do you like N.E.W.S.? And none of that geopolitical-translating-the-state-of-the-world psychobabble like in Anji’s review. What are the moments in the music that made you realize this was a great work of art?

It's more effective than sleeping pills.

i just see it as four instrumental studio jams ('jam' as applies to prince's work ethic, that is), edited down to four 14 minute tracks and passed off as an album. i don't think it was one of his most ambitious albums ever, but to me it was something a bit different, and i appreciated that, and i have to say i really don't mind the music at all.

4 papabeat 2 xperience:

"N*E*W*S" in Review

What follows is a hybrid of sorts; part review, part listing of my
favorite musical moments, part general observations, part thinking out
loud as to the possible story locked inside this musical work. And it
seems somewhat logical to do it this way, as this album sounds like a
hybrid of live improvisational jamming on loosely sketched-out
blueprints and after-the-event studio wizardry that brought it all into
a cohesive, deliberate, mostly premeditated whole.

"North" Highlights and Musings:

1) I like its overall unforced, serious-but-laid-back, organic charm.
2) So smooth and chilled out that it makes for the perfect antithetical
complement to the album's feverish closer.
3) It feels spot on at nearly 14 minutes. Not like a 4-minute track
stretched out beyond purpose, or even 3 or 4 pieces molded together like
we'll hear later.
4) The near flawless nature of the composition that seamlessly melds the
worlds of jazz, ambient, funk and rock. This is a very original piece
that beautifully preps the vibe for what's to follow. There are
certainly traces of "North" in past Prince music, but he's never been
this successful or natural in pulling it all off.
5) The little quirks that are added here and there, like being able to
hear the clacking of Eric Leeds' sax keys at one point.
6) The train-whistle synths at 1:00 that signal the oncoming sax.
7) The way the conflictive sounds of the mystical strings and the
gravel-throated guitar intertwine at 3:10.
8) The anguished guitar that peeks and pokes about before becoming
"North's" stunning centerpiece at 6:19.
9) The calming piano at 8:58 that caresses us back to health after the
onslaught of melancholy.
10) Leeds' sweetly coaxed butterfly sax notes at 11:38 that appear to
give rise to the north wind.
11) The barren north winds that blow us out of the experience. A cry
from a whale or a wolf can be heard in the distance at 12:43 and again
at 13:14. It feels cold and lonely here. Snow blowing, causing a
whiteout. Waves crashing against the icy shore. We long for some
warmth, energy, neighbors, kinship.

"East" Highlights and Musings:

1) The musical changes and transitions, the challenge, the complexity
and the experimental vibe of the entire piece. Nothing Prince had done
previously -- outside of perhaps the avant-garde "Cutz" from
"Kamasutra" -- could have prepared you properly for this.
2) The "steel-drum" sound that eventually persuades the snake-charming
flute out of its comfort zone. Are the natives being seduced out of
their homeland?
3) The drum breakdown that foretells of building strife.
4) The angered metal guitar thrusts like that of a powerful army surging
forward to stomp out rebellion, matched by oriental key figures that
build in fervency and incite anxious, circling, hornet's-nest guitar,
and a sax that answers in kind. The pieces most troubling, most
hostile, most intense moment. Colonialism pushing eastward? Communism
forcing its hand in China and southeast Asia? Perhaps just the general
and constant unrest in the region?
5) The nice transition from the powerful entangled sounds of
west-meets-east-without-an-invite through the use of funk guitar that
leads us straight into a wall of modern jazz, and later fusion with
intensified sax that's matched by gurgling organ and more funky guitar.
6) The irresistible combination of chicken-scratch guitar at 10:03 and
the deeply funky baritone sax that it conjures.
7) Perhaps the sounds of the last gasps of a once great army's influence
slowly being deflated at 11:07. Listen in particular to the sounds at
12:02, that's the same aggressive rock surges heard earlier. But this
time they come across as weakened and in retreat. Is this the
resistance giving out or the occupying force?
8) The standup electric double bass solo that stirs memories of the
middle-marker breakdown in John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". The
aftermath of war? Digging out from under foreign rule?
9) Bringing the piece to a sober place of mourning with only the sad,
lonely strings of the sitar. Perhaps grieving the current war-torn
nations of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel/Palestine, to name but a few?

"West" Highlights and Musings:

1) The opening 3:30 that nearly packs the aching, bittersweet beauty of
"Purple Rain" or "Just My Imagination". I wouldn't be the least bit
surprised to hear this turn up on a future project as a fully structured
gospel/blues/rock/soul anthem.
2) After the harsh complexity of "East", starting the "West" off in a
more soulful and accessible direction seems just what the doctor
ordered.
3) At 3:58 is that Columbus and his boys that can be heard sailing west
in search of riches or the slave ships bringing over the human riches
that will build much of the west?
4) The striding and soulful neo-Madhouse groove that is the "West's"
mid-section, delivering a strong sense of purposeful adventure. It
feels as if we're on a journey into the unknown, yet still confident and
hopeful of what lies ahead.
5) Eric stepping proudly forward at 7:36 and delivering a statement
funky enough to inspire a hip-hopper who has never even cracked a jazz
album.
6) The way in which at 8:31 the groove immediately turns deadly serious
with the introduction of Prince's shrieking guitar that later gets
squeezed out urgently in energetic licks of stinging pain until the
whole piece slows down and settles in a dark place of utter depravity.
Is this the slavery era in America and some of its aftermath? This
section just shreds the soul. It's like you're being chained and
whipped. One of the most starkly poignant passages in Prince history.
7) You almost get lost in each piece but there is always something at
the end to snap you back to reality. On "West" it's the drum rolls and
sitar strings that signify the passing of another time and space. It
feels as though we've mined everything we can out of this experience and
so we knowingly shift our attitudes towards one of parting. But you can
't help but feel a great weight and regret for that which has passed as
we roll onward to the pieces final movement.

"South" Highlights and Musings:

1) Is that the Mothership landing on the "South" (or perhaps Prince's
version of Parliament's Mothership, a whale with it's soothing,
discerning, cognitively omnipotent sounding cries, howls, whistles and
songs), sent to deliver the enslaved from pain through the healing and
understanding power of music? This could perhaps signify the staggering
contribution to 20th century music of Black Americans that came directly
out of the pain of hundreds of years of slavery. Music that has been
and will be helping people of all races, cultures and creeds in good
times and in bad for hundreds of years to come. Perhaps there'll never
be another artistic period so astonishing as the one which saw the
creation of jazz, blues, R&B, soul, funk, disco/dance and rap, with huge
contributions in gospel, rock & roll and eventually a majority holding
on that which becomes pop.
2) It's almost as if the Mothership is sending a perceptive beam of
inspirational energy directly to Rhonda's bass, moving her fingers to
the fore with a bass line that sets the tone for perhaps the funkiest
moment of our entire journey.
3) The section of long lament that is encouraged by the still fluttering
Mothership. Could this signify the brutally prolonged struggle from
2/3rds human status to equality? And this too shall pass.
4) About 8:44 when the piano enters and the slow, mournful dirge starts
to deliberately build into modern jazz ecstasy, eventually made
climactic with the inclusion of dueling other-worldly guitar and sax
exhalations at 10:00 that reach Charlie Parker-like spirituality. This
just might be the album's watermark. Upon first listen I was
disappointed that Prince did not go completely interstellar on guitar.
But upon further reflection of the piece as a whole, the explosion is
perhaps tempered properly at just beneath boil until complete freedom
and equality is a reality for all (North, East, West, and South).
5) The moody and bittersweet strings encountered at 12:00 that softly
move us toward closure on waves of breathtaking emotion.
6) The piano that offers a solemn serenade to the purring Mothership
poised for liftoff (or decent back into the hidden depths of the ocean).
We've come a long way. We have a long way to go. Can we all come
together or will we continue to fight and hate? Is this the end or
merely the beginning of a whole new era?

General Highlights and Musings:

1) The most amazing overall impression I get from listening to this
album is that Prince has finally found his natural instrumental voice.
And the result is a wonderful fusion of all that he was and all that was
before him. It's no longer like, "Oh, listen to the amazing ability of
the rock/pop/soul man trying his hand at new things. Isn't that nice
and different and good for a rock/pop/soul man?" Now it's like, "Oh,
this makes complete sense."
2) Perhaps this project was inspired in part by Prince jamming with his
band on his last tour (see: "Tokyo", "Copenhagen", "Nagoya" and "Osaka")
3) There are many wonderfully toned keyboard synths scattered throughout
this work. Think 70's soul with a 21st century freshness.
4) The production is so right on that even the sound effects come across
as purposeful. None of that plastic quality that has at times tainted
Prince's sound.
5) I like the silence at the end of each track that acts as a palette
cleanser before each new taste.
6) A couple of the transitions - especially the first one out "West" --
are not as wonderfully inspired as the pieces they connect. But that
flaw diminishes somewhat with familiarity.
7) A very visual/cinematic work. I can see a interpretive dance piece
being produced for this music. And of course it would include Prince,
his band and a string section laying low and playing live in the
orchestra pit.
8) Defies categorization. To call "N*E*W*S" jazz is no more accurate
than calling "SOTT" funk. There is truth in both labels. But there is
also great disservice.
9) No doubt a terrifically talented quintet of world-class musicians.
Everyone of the five players gets their time to stretch and shine. But
Prince and Eric are most definitely the show. If Eric's part was mostly
his own voice -- and I suspect that it was -- this is a strong candidate
for the greatest contribution/collaboration to a Prince project ever.
10) There are many small details scattered throughout that keep the
experience richly rewarding. And the journey is a diverse one, allowing
for plenty of time to think, plenty of time to relax, plenty of time to
fret, plenty of time to groove, plenty of time to regret, plenty of time
to expect, plenty of time to feel, plenty of time to hurt, and plenty of
time to heal. And as is true almost always with Prince, no matter how
angered, troubled, depressed or stressed the music gets, he always finds
a way to end it with some level of hope and resolution.

Summation:

"N*E*W*S." is a mature, nuanced, progressive, exhilarating work of art.
Many years from now it perhaps gets viewed as the stunning achievement
that it is relative to Prince's oeuvre; or at the very least, the path
that led Prince into territory that kept him an important voice in music
well into his seventies.
Brendan

Anxiety said:

The same description could be used for some of Miles' work.
For Prince, it was just something different, just adding to the repertoire.

OdysseyMiles said:

By saying this, you don't really mean that N.E.W.S. is on the same level as On The Corner, or Jack Johnson, are you? Miles was expanding boundaries of musical acceptability with his pieces. Is there anything truly challenging in N.E.W.S.?

Really it is a case of different stokes for different folks. Everyone is not going to like N.E.W.S (or for that matter any particular prince release). So many people come to Prince's music from different perspectives that for a every release there are people who love the work and people who do not.

N.E.W.S is an experiment. Prince pushing himself to do something he had not done before. I can understand it not being your cup-of-tea but the out right dismissal of it as crap or sh*t bothers me. Not any ole body could produce it. There is so much Prince in that 56 minutes of music. Anyone who has followed and studied Prince surely hear's the echo of everything he has musically accomplished somewhere within that work. It doesn't pander to anyone notion of what a song/album should be. It's structure doesn't not fit within the limitations that people have been lead to believe exist. It doesn't fit comfortably within any genre. Is it Ambient? Is it jazz? is it easy-listening? Is it avant-garde? is it funk? Of course the answer is Yes to all these questions. That in itself makes it the most Princely of compositions. It is not "owned" by our expectations.

papabeat said:

I'm saying that Miles would often jam, and then edit those jams into a record. Whether or not the music is challenging or not depends on who you are.

if N.E.W.S. were released as a madhouse project, i wonder how people would react to it?

not sure what my point is - just throwing it out there.

Anxiety said:

you big show-off

Different strokes rule the world

MI personally liked NEWS
My Grandfather, (who has NEVVVVVER Liked Prince) loved NEWS
My GrandDad use to hang out at the clubs that all the Big Jazz Players use to hit back in the twilight of NEw Yorks Jazz CLubs
when he first listen to NEWS, he thought it was an updated Dizzie G. Album
when i told him it was a PRince C.D. he flipped his lid. and wanted me to get him a Copy.

NEWS put another notch under P's Belt, and gained him a broader fan base
its the same reason traditional P fans hate The Rainbow Children and Musicology
Its what your into...
Some People can't get into News Like how i can't get into Musicology!

IstenSzek said:

shut up!

I think some Prince fans like it cuz their obsession forces them to.

EvilWhiteMale said:

You're probably right, but some also like it simply because they dig the music.

OdysseyMiles said:

there are a bunch of prince CDs i don't like...Rave and Exodus come to mind...but N.E.W.S. is one i happen to like. go figure.

I think if prince sang on it people would of liked it alot better.

I love it cuz it's real different from other stuff that anyone else does and you gotta admire that

Get off of N.E.W.S Atleast it was better than that Kamasutra Crap. What a load of elevator music. SOunded like it was produced by Junior high music teachers!!!

Well, if he and Eric are capable of putting together the Madhouse albums, then what's up with NEWS? Xpectation is a far better album. And that other instrumental album isn't even worthy of mentioning.

Whenever I look into the back seat of my car, I see NEWS resting comfortably on the floorboard. Maybe one day I'll give it another listen.

tricky99 said:

Beautifully Said!

NEWS

I like it because it's just a fun, accessible retro-ish fusion/funk album. I play it during diner or in the car.
As for the Miles comparisons: I know that Jack Johnson and On The Corner are now considered holy by many. But. Personally (and speaking as a big Miles fan but also a big funk fan AND a jazz-funk musician) I've never thought his mix of jazz and funk/rock was as succesful as his earlier bop/cool/modal stuff. The guy and his band members were jazz geniuses, but they were too sophisticated and inventive to play dumb, simple, effective funk grooves. I think Herbie Hancock's non-Miles efforts with the Headhunters and Wah Wah Watson produced a much funkier and more enjoyable jazz/funk hybrid. And yes, I also like the mix of funk, jazz and rock on N.E.W.S better than the one on On the Corner.

Anji said:

Yeah, what he said.

Anji said:

That was a pleasure to read. A truly fantastic post. I'm off to listen to East just so that I can experience it the way you describe. Thanks.

papabeat said:

Ha! But, On The Corner really sucked. Jack Johnson was cool.

tricky99 said:

Precisely. But some fans can't accept that.

Anxiety said:

You don't like Exodus. May the wrath of all that is funky come crashing down upon you.

If Prince can released the NEWS album, then why not release the Madhouse project?