Yeah, I've always liked it. Sure, when I first heard it, it was more of the same Emancipation sound, done it all before. But it's a good-time album, just a party record really, coming off the back of the JOTY tour.

Mad Sex is brilliant

I can listen to it all the way through and really enjoy it, just for what it is, a simple fun record - Can't say that about Emancipation or Rave, so it gets a from me.

I personally loved this album. It is classic Prince and not at all consisting of boring "lite funk" derivative cast-offs that the man can do in his sleep and probably did. I consider this in the pantheon of great albums with Chaos and Disorder, The Rainbow Children, and, of course, N.E.W.S. In no way does it sound like the product of a bad Prince impersonator who had studied everything about the man's style and then, right before recording, forgets everything he has learned and just wings the mother. If Prince could produce 10 more albums exactly like this album, I would be a happy man.

GottaLetitgo said:

You are using the word 'pantheon' too much.

Number23 said:

The sad thing is I don't even know what it means. Isn't it a jungle cat of some sort?

GottaLetitgo said:

It's one of the best!

well, at least the album sounds the same all the way through. i suppose in that way it at least sounds like an album.

really though, after come on, wasted kisses and the one, you're left with a bag of stale poop.

It is one of my least favorite cd's from him (when I say that I don't mean I don't like it, in fact I do, just compaired 2 his others work). Would of been better if there was a rock song on there. pretty funky cd though.

Number23 said:

dude, help me out - what the fuck does 'haver' mean?

ever since i heard that song i haven't had a clue.

* secretly hopes it's Scottish slang for hoover *

TheFrog said:

Haver mean to jive, to talk shite, usually when innebriated. ie 'I'm quitting this fucking job' 'I'm going to ask her out' or, the classic, ' I love you'.

Number23 said:

Wow, I've been wondering about that for more than a decade now. Thanks! Why would non-American acts use non-American slang in their songs? How are we supposed to understand!?!?! I swear, nobody outside of the US considers our thoughts and feelings at all.....

No, I "get" this album,Andykeen!


I love the last minute of "Newpower Soul" with the horns and the "Get Freaky/Let Yo Head Bob" chant. Prince's vocal layers are good here.

"Until Ure in My Arms Again" has a nice subtle melody carried by, again, Prince's excellent and wide-ranging vocal.Nice little keyboard moment, and Clare Ficher accents.

" When U Love Somebody" is my least favorite, but has catchy guitar work.

"Shoo-Be-Do" is dark,cool sound effects, and well placed in the cd.

"Push it Up"/"Freaks on This Side" play well off each other; "Freaks" has interesting horns.

"Come On" is plain cool; "The One": again- good vocals

"Funky Music" has a very cute early 80's Michael Jackson-like bridge.

I like the messy/ugly booklet art- for some reason it fits the album. I like the font of the album title, and I like the cover photo.

This album works for me. It entertains me and that is all it strives to do.I prefer it to patchwork attempts like "Musicology" or "Rave" although they contain stronger INDIVIDUAL tracks. NPS works as a whole piece, and doesn't deserve all the critisism it got on it's release. It's aged better than some of Prince's other albums.

Thanks for the post, friend!

Number23 said:

that's an awesome word, in that case.

much obliged.

PurpleKnight said:

Y is it problematic if the music is hip-hop nfluenced?
Surely there is no problem with that, musically speaking.

love

"New Power Soul" is good clean fun. A nice instrumental cut without too much ambition getting in the way. "Newpower Soul", however, is one of the worst pieces of music I have in my CD collection.

andykeen said:

Have you picked up the remixes of Come On?
They are super kool.

I love Mad Sex, Until UR In My Arms Again, Funky Music & The One.

And Chaos & Disorder is a more interesting Cd