I felt like I got my fingers burned getting hold of a copy of NPS - I think the album is universally, and rightly, regarded as Prince's nadir -
am i going to feel the same way about Exodus? Or does it have more of the cool Gold era feel about it?

Exodus is utterly different from Newpower Soul. Sonny T. does most of the singing, though Prince's voice is clearly high in the mix, in harmony, or in a disguised form throughout. The songs are funky and gritty - they have been likened more to a P-Funk sound. There are segues/comedy skits throughout following a vague storyline which may amuse you the first few listens but which you'll likely skip on future listens. And it's full of swearing, being from that time pre-JW.

Personally, I love all of the songs on this, well worth getting, it's an experience rather than just an album of songs.

i prefer exodus, its better, but not by much, i mean this album wont ignite any feelings of amazement or anything but its worth gettin. Cant really compare it to newpower soul but its definitely better than that piece of crap.

Get Wild
Count the Days
Return of the Bump Squad are my faves!

All 3 NPG albums don't really have much continuity in terms of sound and personnel - Don't let NPS's plastic-y 'Emancipation-era' sound put you off from the other 2 NPG records.

Exodus is a great record - A lot of fans find the amount of segues off-putting (I think there are more segues than music tracks!) - But it's a fun record.

IMO, the albums standout tracks are the lengthy and powerful 'The Exodus Has Begun' and the Funkadelic-esque 'Hallucination Rain' (even better the 11 min. out-take version).

Backed up by a core of solid pop-funk songs like Return Of The Bumpsquad, Get Wild, Big Fun, The Good Life -- It's a must have.

I've always had a soft-spot for 'Cherry, Cherry' too
[Edited 4/6/06 4:51am]

I love Exodus. Funky as hell. One of my favorites.

Some cool, top tracks, no THE ONE, but a far better album overall (burn it without the shite segues and THEN it's a way better album)
And the classic Cherry Cherry, beautiful, 'nuff said...

I thought Exodus was serious crap.

Prince is hardly singing at all....so who cares about hearing the NPG sing?

"New Power Soul", on the other hand, is a very nice little side album for Prince. He sings over most of the songs, and there are some funky, even great Prince songs on there....The album really caught me by surprise, because I expected it to be as bad as Exodus. But Prince is all over it.. It's funky, soulful, nasty, with tight production. "Mad Sex", "Until U're In My Arms" is one of his most underrated, beautiful ballads...."The One", "Come On"....

it's a little gem.

pjcath said:

Exodus this the BOMB!

'Exodus' is much better than 'Newpower Soul' The first time I listened to it, I thought the segues were funny as hell. It's also cool to hear Prince as part of a band and not the lead singer all the time.

The tally so far:

Exodus - 7 votes
Newpower Soul - 1 vote

switters said:

Well, it's not a Prince album, it's an NPG album. Do you have the same sweeping distain for say, The Time or Sheila E records?

Exodus is better than NPS... The only thing I don´t like is the segue parts on the album.

Exodus is better than NPS.



Ofcourse Mariah Carey's movie "Glitter" was better than New Power Soul.

switters said:

I feel the opposite way. I bought the NPG album Newpower Soul - and some guy named Prince was singing all over it! Sonny T or Tony M were hardly singing at all - so who cares about hearing Prince sing?

i prefer exodus by a wide margin

Exodus is great. i prefer it to quite a few proper 'Prince' albums and definately more than NPS.

Only one track i'd skip. 'Hallucination Rain', the rest is the bomb, or was. i lost the CD some time ago, the case just sits on my shelf, taunting me.

Marrk said:

This goes to show good different taste in Prince music goes. Rain is my fav track on the cd.

I have to say after posting this thread I actually went back and listened to NPS twice in a row (ouch!) and it wasn't too bad. There are some horrendous tracks on it (the One, for example) but, as ever, there are some corkers too. I like the title track and the first half of the album.

pjcath said:

I thought "The One" was the best song on the album.

"Come On" and "Wasted Kisses" are good too. The rest =

Exodus is a masterpiece.

Newpower Soul is really a Prince album, with what I think he imagined would be an NPG (party funk) flavor... but I, for one, don't listen to "Come On" or "Wasted Kisses" and think "Wow, that New Power Generation can play" or anything.

Exodus, while also being written by Prince, feels much more like a full-band affair, and the sound is definitely not your usual Prince. Overall, it's much heavier and funkier than NPS, and there are no crappy "hands in the air" chant-alongs or Casio beats. The NPG plays on this album.

The three words "New Power Generation" have got to be the most abused and contorted in all Prince history.

I'm by no means a critic but if I were on a long road trip and I only had NPS & EXODUS to choose from, EXODUS hands down. Hallucination Rain is the jam! Plus I dig the skits.

Exodus like many Prince projects should have been released in the states. Exodus has more character and spirit than NPS. Its a fun listen. The skits are off the chain and the music is funky. Exodus hands down.

The only reason why Sonny sings on "Exodus" is contractual. Prince just wanted some more music out and that was the only way at the time. However, "Exodus" is one of the strongest albums he put out in the 90s - would Prince's lead vocals have been on it, it would be a fan-favourite.

Exodus uses NPS as a feminine pad

If only NPS had gotten the Exodus treatment. Imagine the NPG band jamming on freaks on this side or Come on

pjcath said:

Exodus is the better album musically. My problem with it is the segues, Sonny T. singing lead on the majaority of the songs and the senseless cursing. Mind you I can curse like a sailor but on this album it's just overdone for no reason.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

see I thought the cursing added an Eddie Murphy Raw street humor vibe, there was style to it.

pjcath said:

...The triple-disk that could have been - Exodus-TGE-(Funky Versions)Come.

Man, there was some great stuff going on there!

Imagine coming off the momentum of D&P & 0)+> then BAM - that stuff. Wow.

Oh well, we still have most of the music.

I think that era's sound (somewhat) is the reason I got chills when I heard the song 3121...

Anyway, NPS is not in my playlist much.

Spend lots of time with Exodus, buy NPS and just have it around.


Peace and B Wild Y'all!

Exodus is glorious. Big Fun, Return of the Bump Squad, The Exodus Has Begun are just the cream of a magnificent crop.... Plus, for some twisted reason, I love the skits and stuff. They make me laugh.