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PrintableJediMaster said: Of course, there are certain songs on the album that there is no helping them ("When U Love Somebody" will always suck ass, no matter how much remixing you do).
Actually I think the way he produced "When U Love Somebody" did in fact help such a poorly written track. I mean, with the exact same type of instrumentation as on many of the other ones it probably would have been far worse. But yeah, I think NPS had a lot of potential. Had he made it all by himself, it probably would have worked out just alright. | |
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SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said: This album would have been the bomb if the same energy were poured into it as "Exodus". Prince went from a kick ass band effort to fake, computerized lifeless funk. I mean he handed off programming to Kirky J. Although I'll never diss Wasted Kisses, Come On or Mad Sex.
Totally agree. The songs on Exodus aren't masterpieces, but they have energy. NPS is devoid of energy. 
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BinaryJustin said: Exactly - That's why I've always thought of Newpower Soul as "The Black Album" of the 90s. Remember that the "Black Album" was going to have zero promotion, only be credited to "Somebody" on the Warners release schedules and was never intended to be some huge life-changing experience? Well, that's how I see Newpower Soul. It's a Prince party album masqeurading as an NPG album. One big difference: the songs on The Black Album were slammin'. In the 80s he would have given the better songs like Mad Sex, Come On, Wasted Kisses to one of his protogee acts. He just did it himself this time around.
He would have kept Come On and Wasted Kisses for himself, and given the other songs to some crap act like Good Question. And yes, Newpower Soul has a higher ratio of good songs to bad songs than any other 90s release.
Totally disagree. I think it has the highest ratio of completely shit-sucking songs on ANY Prince album, period. Its Prince's lowest point creatively. You can try to justify it as a "side project" but I'm not buying it. Many of Prince's side projects have been terrific (and usually, the more involvement he had, the better they were: Madhouse, The Family, The Time, Jill Jones, etc). To say, "well, its okay that its lame because its a side project" is silly. I WILL give you this, the VERY FEW good moments on it are incredible. "Wasted Kisses", "Come On" and "The One" are the only reasons I ever drag out this glorified coaster. --- [Edited 3/10/05 6:49am]
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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DarkKnight1 said: JediMaster said: That's a really silly argument. Just because the majority of fans don't like it, doesn't mean that its about peer pressure. Hey, I've defended P's cover of "Everday Is A Winding Road", so its not because I wanna be like other fans. As for your assertion that it has more "keepers" than GB, TRC and Batman, again, I don't agree. TRC is WAY better, at least musically. GB is weak, but has "A Question OF U", "Joy In Repetition", "Thieves In The Temple", "Elephants & Flowers" and "Still Would Stand All Time", all of which are better than ANYTHING on NPS. As for Batman, its a pretty crappy album, but I still prefer it to the crap-fest that is NPS. Nothing on Batman reaches lows like "When U Love Somebody". I can appreciate your conviction about "Everyday" because it goes against the norm. Its pretty obvious though, that some folks are afraid to express their opinions due to the fear of getting pounced on. I think NPS has a good little collection of songs. The One, Come On, Wasted Kisses, and the overly sappy Until Ur in my arms again are all songs that I go back to now and again and always appreciate. Some of it is poor "Jughead" crap, but those good tracks outweigh the bad. Well, those folks are wimps!  I respect BinaryJustin because he has the balls to state an unpopular opinion, and moreover TO DEFEND IT!!! I don't agree with his opinion on this album at all, but at least he can back it up. I always enjoy debating him on this one, because he always comes up with such interesting arguments (and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around his passionate feeling towards it).
I feel the same way as he does about Chaos & Disorder. Plenty of folks rag on that album, but I think its great (and, if asked, I'll back-up the reasons that I think its great). I couldn't give a shit if its not popular to like that album. It gets my toe-tappin', and that's all that matters.
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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I like it too  | |
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JediMaster said: DarkKnight1 said: I can appreciate your conviction about "Everyday" because it goes against the norm. Its pretty obvious though, that some folks are afraid to express their opinions due to the fear of getting pounced on. I think NPS has a good little collection of songs. The One, Come On, Wasted Kisses, and the overly sappy Until Ur in my arms again are all songs that I go back to now and again and always appreciate. Some of it is poor "Jughead" crap, but those good tracks outweigh the bad. Well, those folks are wimps! I respect BinaryJustin because he has the balls to state an unpopular opinion, and moreover TO DEFEND IT!!! I don't agree with his opinion on this album at all, but at least he can back it up. I always enjoy debating him on this one, because he always comes up with such interesting arguments (and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around his passionate feeling towards it).
I feel the same way as he does about Chaos & Disorder. Plenty of folks rag on that album, but I think its great (and, if asked, I'll back-up the reasons that I think its great). I couldn't give a shit if its not popular to like that album. It gets my toe-tappin', and that's all that matters. I agree that Chaos is a great album... but I want U to back up your claim!  _________________________________________
"Dream, if U can, a courtyard... An ocean of violets in bloom... Animals strike curious poses... They feel the heat, the heat between me and U" |
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Nobody would say it's his best album, but it's not devoid of greatness.
Let me point out some of the good things about New Power Soul: New Power Soul--the horns. The arrangement of the song is like a mini symphony. Mad Sex--the lyrics. The piano part during the chorus reminds me of Rock Hard in a Funky Place. Until You're in My Arms Again--I never liked this until I learned it was about the baby, not just some generic love song. Gives the words, if not the music, a whole new meaning. When U Love Somebody--the end is very funky, and not just in comparison to the horrible beginning. Shoo Be Doo--Actually a perfectly composed song, though the chorus struck me as not as cool as the verses the first few times I heard it. Push it Up--Not much of a song, but a cool groove. I actually like his rapping in the middle, and I like the female voices. Freaks on This Side--I love the horns & how they seem to blend in with the synths. Purely personal reason--it reminds me of the concert where he was referring to my side, of course. Come On--just plain great jam. Classic Prince style. The One--Well composed, if not revolutionary. Nice ending. Funky Music--I have no defense for this song Wasted Kisses--I actually think this song is overrated by many here, but it's okay. All in all, not too bad. The songs are perhaps a bit under-written, but the arrangements and performances are excellent, as always. Certainly not the greatest, but some artists have never released albums this good and they get praised around here... [Edited 3/10/05 11:37am] Check this song out at:
http://www.soundclick.com...tmusic.htm | |
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JediMaster said: DarkKnight1 said: I can appreciate your conviction about "Everyday" because it goes against the norm. Its pretty obvious though, that some folks are afraid to express their opinions due to the fear of getting pounced on. I think NPS has a good little collection of songs. The One, Come On, Wasted Kisses, and the overly sappy Until Ur in my arms again are all songs that I go back to now and again and always appreciate. Some of it is poor "Jughead" crap, but those good tracks outweigh the bad. Well, those folks are wimps! I respect BinaryJustin because he has the balls to state an unpopular opinion, and moreover TO DEFEND IT!!! I don't agree with his opinion on this album at all, but at least he can back it up. I always enjoy debating him on this one, because he always comes up with such interesting arguments (and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around his passionate feeling towards it).
I feel the same way as he does about Chaos & Disorder. Plenty of folks rag on that album, but I think its great (and, if asked, I'll back-up the reasons that I think its great). I couldn't give a shit if its not popular to like that album. It gets my toe-tappin', and that's all that matters. Co-sign. I think Chaos and Disorder is another great Prince album too. Unlike NPS, C&D has a lot of passion in it. There's an overwhelming anger and bitterness in it that's fantastic. Plus, those two ballads Into the Light and I Will are just gorgeous. Had U? Haunting; perfect closer. And how can you go wrong with so many fun, well crafted guitar-heavy songs? It's also one of his few 90's albums that wasn't overproduced at all. [Edited 3/10/05 11:43am] The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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I thought Chaos might have become a hit because it's the first rock album since Purple Rain.
It has a great flow to it, too. It's more than just a collection of songs, it's a sequence of songs. Of course it has weak spots, but I like it too...better than New Power Soul! haha Check this song out at:
http://www.soundclick.com...tmusic.htm | |
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thisbediscream said: JediMaster said: Well, those folks are wimps! I respect BinaryJustin because he has the balls to state an unpopular opinion, and moreover TO DEFEND IT!!! I don't agree with his opinion on this album at all, but at least he can back it up. I always enjoy debating him on this one, because he always comes up with such interesting arguments (and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around his passionate feeling towards it).
I feel the same way as he does about Chaos & Disorder. Plenty of folks rag on that album, but I think its great (and, if asked, I'll back-up the reasons that I think its great). I couldn't give a shit if its not popular to like that album. It gets my toe-tappin', and that's all that matters. I agree that Chaos is a great album... but I want U to back up your claim! Oh, that's a whole 'nother thread! I'll get around to it!
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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andyman91 said: Nobody would say it's his best album, but it's not devoid of greatness.
Let me point out some of the good things about New Power Soul: New Power Soul--the horns. The arrangement of the song is like a mini symphony. This is the only song where the horns impress me. Otherwise, the track just lays there (plus, the recycle of the "Big Fun" refrain is lame) Mad Sex--the lyrics. The piano part during the chorus reminds me of Rock Hard in a Funky Place. This is a song that comes sooooo close to being good. It was KILLER live. I'll agree with you on the lyrics. They are rather Camille-era in nature. Until You're in My Arms Again--I never liked this until I learned it was about the baby, not just some generic love song. Gives the words, if not the music, a whole new meaning. Ugh. Still can't get into it. Surely he could have come up with a better tribute. Its sappy beyond belief. When U Love Somebody--the end is very funky, and not just in comparison to the horrible beginning.  The ending is so-so. The rest of the song is revoltingly bad.
Shoo Be Doo--Actually a perfectly composed song, though the chorus struck me as not as cool as the verses the first few times I heard it. Another song that makes me wanna hurl the disc out of a moving vehicle. Bad chorus, bas lyrics, stupid tune. Push it Up--Not much of a song, but a cool groove. I actually like his rapping in the middle, and I like the female voices. Just sounds horribly underdeveloped to me. It needed several more months of work on it. An increase in tempo and a harder base-line might have given it an edge. Doug-E's rap needs to have a fuller sound backing it. Freaks on This Side--I love the horns & how they seem to blend in with the synths. Purely personal reason--it reminds me of the concert where he was referring to my side, of course. Incredibly weak. Prince could do this type of tune in his sleep. This sounds like album filler for a lame Prince rip-off band. Come On--just plain great jam. Classic Prince style. Agreed. This tune is jammin'. Almost sounds like classic, SOTT era Prince(The Camille vocals help). Still think the remix is better though. The One--Well composed, if not revolutionary. Nice ending. Rhonda's bass-line saves this song from mediocrity. Its smooth and creamy like Jello Pudding. Funky Music--I have no defense for this song  well, as I said, its the best example of wasted potential. The lame drum programming ruins a song that COULD be so freakin' good. The guitar line is funky, but it has nothing backing it up. Its like a really cool bone with no meat on it.
Wasted Kisses--I actually think this song is overrated by many here, but it's okay. To me, this is the only moment of true art on the album. It has a dark edge to it, with mysterious lyrics that could be about a murder, a suicide, or just a relationship gone sour. It doesn't fit on NPS at all, and probably should have been saved for a stronger album. The song that gave me hope that P hadn't completely lost it. All in all, not too bad. The songs are perhaps a bit under-written, but the arrangements and performances are excellent, as always. Certainly not the greatest, but some artists have never released albums this good and they get praised around here... Under-written, over-produced and under-whelming. Sure, its better than a britney album, but that's faint praise. Prince is too talented to give us crap like this (especially when his vaults are brimming with cool tunes).
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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JediMaster said: DarkKnight1 said: I can appreciate your conviction about "Everyday" because it goes against the norm. Its pretty obvious though, that some folks are afraid to express their opinions due to the fear of getting pounced on. I think NPS has a good little collection of songs. The One, Come On, Wasted Kisses, and the overly sappy Until Ur in my arms again are all songs that I go back to now and again and always appreciate. Some of it is poor "Jughead" crap, but those good tracks outweigh the bad. Well, those folks are wimps! I respect BinaryJustin because he has the balls to state an unpopular opinion, and moreover TO DEFEND IT!!! I don't agree with his opinion on this album at all, but at least he can back it up. I always enjoy debating him on this one, because he always comes up with such interesting arguments (and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around his passionate feeling towards it).
I feel the same way as he does about Chaos & Disorder. Plenty of folks rag on that album, but I think its great (and, if asked, I'll back-up the reasons that I think its great). I couldn't give a shit if its not popular to like that album. It gets my toe-tappin', and that's all that matters. I just busted out some Chaos on the way home. The only tracks I skip are "Right the Wrong" and "I Rock, Therefore I am". I Like it There is incredible. (Insert something clever here) |
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Chaos and Disorder and New Power Soul are two of my favorite P cds. "this is where the PURPLE PARTY PEOPLE be" | |
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muirdo said: Pbg said: It's funny how there's a certain path you have to follow in order to be a 'real' fan; you have to like the right albums and hate the right albums, if you don't you're not considered a true fan.
But I don't care, I like this trashy album 'cause it makes me in a good mood and that's all I care, my favourites are the title track, "When You Love Somebody" and "Waisted Kisses". I'm not usually driven by the lyrics, unless they're really good, I don't care about them as much as the sounds, and I prefer melodies over hooks but each to his/her own. You are an individual. We are discussing NPS here and i dont think i have read anyone saying that if you like or hate NPS (or any other album come to think) then you are not a true fan. Its called a debate.. surely you didnt think everyone had to agree with each other.  In fact, I never said people in this thread said you have to dislike NPS. I was just expressing what was floating in my mind at that moment, it's the feeling I've got from reading these forums and this thread just happened to be where I said it. Nobody has ever said those words "if you like it or doesn't like it you're a bad fan", it's called reading between the lines. Nothing wrong with a good and healthy debate. PurpleKnight said: Had U? Haunting; perfect closer. I agree, I love the eerie feeling, I think it's a classy ending for C&D. | |
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NPS - Hard work, it's sometimes impossible to see the wood for the shit on this album. If you can get down to the tunes that are good and forget the others, then it's great. Mad sex and come on have an imense groove and the one is very very nice indeed.
There has been many many nastier moments - remember 'I rock therefore I am'? I nearly choked on my own vomit  | |
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Binary Justin was right. It's the Black Album of the 90's. It's fun, but no revolutionary effort here. I really like New Power Soul, Shoo-Beh-Doo, and Come On. Don't hurt me, I'm a newb. I'm supposed to be stupid. | |
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doctamario said: Binary Justin was right. It's the Black Album of the 90's. It's fun, but no revolutionary effort here. I really like New Power Soul, Shoo-Beh-Doo, and Come On.
Again, I don't see the correllation. The Black Album had an edge to it. There is an utter lack of edge on NPS.
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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if every single Track was a complete waste of shit then yes it was a waste of time, but infact, there are little creativity between the tracks, whether its good or bad, is an arguement,,
i dont think it was a waste of release at all, its just another Prince experimenting with commercial music era stage of a CD... anyone digging Emancipation will enjoy it anyway... | |
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ThaCat said: if every single Track was a complete waste of shit then yes it was a waste of time, but infact, there are little creativity between the tracks, whether its good or bad, is an arguement,,
i dont think it was a waste of release at all, its just another Prince experimenting with commercial music era stage of a CD... anyone digging Emancipation will enjoy it anyway... The good thing about Prince is that even when he puts out a lousy album, there are still some creative highlights. There's always at least one or two tracks that make you tap your foot. NPS is my least favorite album of his, but I'll never get rid of it. "Wasted Kisses" alone is worth the cost of the disc.
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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JediMaster said: "Wasted Kisses" alone is worth the cost of the disc.
funny i actually had typed that sentence into my post, but decided to delete it as i got the CD very very cheap, so it wasnt fair to say that about Wasted Kisses.. it is the highlight though, thats why i still pick it up!. | |
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ThaCat said: JediMaster said: "Wasted Kisses" alone is worth the cost of the disc.
funny i actually had typed that sentence into my post, but decided to delete it as i got the CD very very cheap, so it wasnt fair to say that about Wasted Kisses.. it is the highlight though, thats why i still pick it up!. Its the one piece of true brilliance on the disc.
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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JediMaster said: The good thing about Prince is that even when he puts out a lousy album, there are still some creative highlights. There's always at least one or two tracks that make you tap your foot. NPS is my least favorite album of his, but I'll never get rid of it. "Wasted Kisses" alone is worth the cost of the disc.
Agree! Highlights on NPS (imo): Title track, "Until you're...", "When you love somebody" (that will bring me hate...), "Come on", "The one", " Wasted kisses" (6 tracks - not that bad), with at least "The one" being an all-time Prince classic. Middle-class (imo): "Mad sex", "Shoo-be-dooh", "Push it up", maybe also "Funky music" (has great hornz) Complete bs: "Freaks on this side" (maybe great live, but doesn't work on the record) - a waste of disc space (and together with "Undisputed" from "Rave" ranking high on the all time Prince-wtf list) Maybe I'll change my mind tomorrow (P's music often surprises you when you listen to it again after some time) - then I'll start the "Freaks on this side" appreciation thread! 
Btw, what I don't understand: Everyone seems to love "Wasted kisses", but hates on the Kirky J drum programming on NPS. Doesn't "Wasted kisses" also have drum programming???   | |
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JediMaster said: andyman91 said: Nobody would say it's his best album, but it's not devoid of greatness.
Let me point out some of the good things about New Power Soul: New Power Soul--the horns. The arrangement of the song is like a mini symphony. This is the only song where the horns impress me. Otherwise, the track just lays there (plus, the recycle of the "Big Fun" refrain is lame) Mad Sex--the lyrics. The piano part during the chorus reminds me of Rock Hard in a Funky Place. This is a song that comes sooooo close to being good. It was KILLER live. I'll agree with you on the lyrics. They are rather Camille-era in nature. Until You're in My Arms Again--I never liked this until I learned it was about the baby, not just some generic love song. Gives the words, if not the music, a whole new meaning. Ugh. Still can't get into it. Surely he could have come up with a better tribute. Its sappy beyond belief. When U Love Somebody--the end is very funky, and not just in comparison to the horrible beginning. The ending is so-so. The rest of the song is revoltingly bad.
Shoo Be Doo--Actually a perfectly composed song, though the chorus struck me as not as cool as the verses the first few times I heard it. Another song that makes me wanna hurl the disc out of a moving vehicle. Bad chorus, bas lyrics, stupid tune. Push it Up--Not much of a song, but a cool groove. I actually like his rapping in the middle, and I like the female voices. Just sounds horribly underdeveloped to me. It needed several more months of work on it. An increase in tempo and a harder base-line might have given it an edge. Doug-E's rap needs to have a fuller sound backing it. Freaks on This Side--I love the horns & how they seem to blend in with the synths. Purely personal reason--it reminds me of the concert where he was referring to my side, of course. Incredibly weak. Prince could do this type of tune in his sleep. This sounds like album filler for a lame Prince rip-off band. Come On--just plain great jam. Classic Prince style. Agreed. This tune is jammin'. Almost sounds like classic, SOTT era Prince(The Camille vocals help). Still think the remix is better though. The One--Well composed, if not revolutionary. Nice ending. Rhonda's bass-line saves this song from mediocrity. Its smooth and creamy like Jello Pudding. Funky Music--I have no defense for this song well, as I said, its the best example of wasted potential. The lame drum programming ruins a song that COULD be so freakin' good. The guitar line is funky, but it has nothing backing it up. Its like a really cool bone with no meat on it.
Wasted Kisses--I actually think this song is overrated by many here, but it's okay. To me, this is the only moment of true art on the album. It has a dark edge to it, with mysterious lyrics that could be about a murder, a suicide, or just a relationship gone sour. It doesn't fit on NPS at all, and probably should have been saved for a stronger album. The song that gave me hope that P hadn't completely lost it. All in all, not too bad. The songs are perhaps a bit under-written, but the arrangements and performances are excellent, as always. Certainly not the greatest, but some artists have never released albums this good and they get praised around here... Under-written, over-produced and under-whelming. Sure, its better than a britney album, but that's faint praise. Prince is too talented to give us crap like this (especially when his vaults are brimming with cool tunes). ----- COME ON remix, does it for me, i like most of the album as well some good tracks, like others above id take it over, Rave or Musicology. whats with the sci fi avatar? \o/\o/ ° The Breakdown = Best Prince song for 20 years | |
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youngyosh said: whats with the sci fi avatar? Because I'm called Jedi Master, & because I'm a huge Star Wars fan.
Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) | |
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JediMaster said: youngyosh said: whats with the sci fi avatar? Because I'm called Jedi Master, & because I'm a huge Star Wars fan. --- not to worry, eh! \o/\o/ ° The Breakdown = Best Prince song for 20 years | |
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