I had NewPower Soul on repeat all night whilst I slept soundly and I've woken up not only wanting to play the record loud but I am actually bobbin around and really diggin this funky shit! Have even been in the shower this morning, where I couldn't quite make out the real record even though it was cranked up high, and found myself getting into what I was 'hearing'...a hellafied rock guitar-heavy version of When U Love Somebody!

Miracles happen all the Time.

The same has happened to me recently!

On the 'Dedicate a song' thread a few NPS tracks were dedicated to me which made me want to listen to the album again. and I realised that I liked the following tracks alot mor ethan I remembered.

Newpower Soul

Until U're In My Arms Again

When U Love Somebody

Freaks On This Side

Come On

The One

(Eye Like) Funky Music

Wasted Kisses



This album is well worth re-visiting people!

I might as well throw it on today...My radio stations here are crazy...they come in and out all day...And it doesn't matter if it's cloudy, or bright...

So I listen to a cd or two almost everyday.

It's actually a good album, and it's one of most underrated Prince albums.

The vocals (including background vox), horn arrangements, and rhythm programming were tight.

"NewPowersoul"
"Madd Sex"
"Freaks on This Side"
"When U Love Somebody"
"Push It Up"
and
"Funky Music"

They're all slammin'.

I made myself listen to New Power Soul recently and I almost listened to the whole thing. I discovered that it's not the most God-awful album in history. But once it got to "Push it Up", I had to press skip on my iPod. There's a major problem when I find myself cringing 5 times 1-2 minutes in a song. With that said, I discovered that "When U Love Somebody" is not a bad song. It's actually alright. A bit too long but not bad. My view of NPS might be beginning to change, but "Push It Up" makes it hard for me.

^Give it another shot, it's worth it.

I had a similar experience with this album/song. Although I never really 'hated' it per say, I always used to think it was just OK. Then this one night I was up late listening to the album trying to get some sleep when "Push It Up" came on. And suddenly I began hearing things I hadn't heard in it before, like this weird 'starting-a-car-engine-in-slow-motion' kind of thing, and all those freaky ghost-like chants during the Prince/Doug E's rap. Super cool. It's definately a 'headphone' song.

Now I 'hear' the album in a whole new light... It's great, and (dare I say it), one of my favs.

Come On, The One and Wasted Kisses sounded great then and still do now. The rest is not for me.

yeah at first i didnt like it but it has grown on me.

Milty said:

same

now i sometimes really find myself wanting to listen to the album!

I know I'm in the minority here....but I this album
[Edited 6/20/08 8:26am]

purplecam said:

Same here. The album really isn´t that bad, and I really enjoyed it when it came out in 1998 and I couldn´t understand why people hated it so passionately.It´s not great but there are some true gems on it, like Wasted Kisses, The One, Come On ,Freaks On This Side etc. but Push It Up and I Like Funky Music are embarrassingly bad. So bad that I get a strange feeling inside and can´t really believe that he wrote those songs but then again, he deserves respect for even coming up with so much music during such a tragic and painful time. Hats off to Prince. Most other people would have chosen other paths to go but he kept on touring and making music. It´s a decent album when you think about those factors.

tiadalma said:

Maybe you were one day, but it seems that everyone's starting to catch on!!!

Good thing!

Two other things I should've mentioned...

One, is that it was the first time I heard a Go-Go influence on Prince's drumming, in "Freaks On This Side".

2: When this came out, I was still in D.C., and I was on Prince's guest list during the whole Emancipation/NPS era. This was before there was an NPGMC concert guestlist/will call thang.

WELL... One aftershow in D.C. was at the former Capitol Ballroom in SW D.C.

It started with Prince on the drum kit, and he was FUNKY.

Doug E Fresh was there, and the whole place just had the roof torn off.

I hung with Rhonda and Morris that night, and they were so cool. I had already known Rhonda, and she was always super cool.

the album takes more flak than it deserves. i still think it's a deeply flawed album with some painful songs, but i can't dismiss an album that gave us "the one", "wasted kisses" and one of my favorite prince songs ever, "come on".

Off all the albums he released, i never really felt the need to obtain both New Power Soul and Rave unto the Joy Fantastic.

Am i really missing something there?

I´ve. always wondered how the fans would rate it if it were only available as a bootleg.

Giovanni777 said:

I found a review of that Capitol Ballroom show:

* APRIL 20, 1998
* THE Capitol Ballroom, Washington D.C.

Say what you wish about The Artist Formerly Known As Prince (The Artist), but their is no denying that he is a musical genius. I have seen him several times, and he and his band have always give 110 percent to the audience. His passion for recording runs as deep as his passion for performing. When he is onstage, he seems to feed from the electricity given to him by the audience, and in return, the purple one takes it and storms the crowd with a show that they will never forget. And this show at the Capitol Ballroom was definately no exception. The show was billed as "The Jam Session of Life", and that is what the show felt like... a great jam session. In the opening of the show, the crowd was treated to a funky drum and bass jam while overhead, beams of lasers grooved to the music while the keyboardist, and guitarist took their place onstage, and found their way into the groove. After five minutes, The Artist slowly struts his way to center stage. He gets a look at the crowd, trying to get a feel for them. The he walks toward the back of the stage and grabs his instrument of choice, a bass. Before you know it, he has fallen into the groove, and has the whole place jammin along with him. He announces his FIRST special guest of the evening, Larry Graham, bassist of Graham Central Station, and Sly and the Family Stone. Now, three bass players are going full throttle on stage (including Rhonda, of the New Power Generation), and we've just started! For the next 35 minutes, we are treated to improvised jams, and Larry and The Artist singing old Sly hits, "I Want To Take You Higher", and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)". Also, two new songs from Larry which will be released on his upcoming CD on The Artist's label, NPG Records. As Larry leaves the stage, The Artist has already started the opening notes to his former anthem, "Purple Rain". Through out the evening, we were treated to lots of improvised jams, and well as some classics like, "Baby, Im a Star", "Lets Go Crazy", "Kiss", and "Alphabet Street". Rapper from the 80s', Doug E. Fresh, was introduced half way thru the show, and treated the crowed with some new rhymes, and fresh beats, while The Artist took a small break. But, he wasnt gone long enough to notice... it was a while before everyone noticed he had taken a seat behind the drum kit and started changing the beat around as fast as Fresh could rap. The Artist can do no wrong. Always count on him to have the best band, if its The Revolution, New Power Generation, or a few people off the street. And the closer he is to the crowd, the more powerful his shows will be. And this small club tour he is doing (Capitol Ballroom cant hold more than 3000 people) is giving him all the power in the world. If you think he is coming to your area, be prepared to buy fast. He doesnt announce the shows until, at the most, two weeks before the date of the show. Price of this show... $60, but for two and a half hours of The Artist ... I should have given more.

I DID IT! I FINALLY LISTENED TO PUSH IT UP!!!!!

It wasn't so terrible. They say Push It Up enough on the song that before I knew it I started singing it. Then I went and stopped like that! It's still not my cup of tea but it's not a craptastic affair either. I should get a T-Shirt that says "I survived "Push It Up"!

What vortex, alter dimension did I just fall into?

NPS is not as bad as some think. I actually think it is better than Planet Earth. I still play NPS its listenable.

...all i can say > NPS is the Album i hate the most (Except 4 the beautifull Wasted kisses ) from Prince...a very boring Album ...no melodies...no originality!

I bought this CD some time ago after I went to a Prince concert but never opened it,
then when I first came to this site, all the dislike for this album made me feel I made a mistake buying this CD.
Then, someone recommended "Until You're In My Arms Again", to which I finally opened and listened to it,
it touched me so much, it made me cry.

All three NPG CDs are tight. Prince, give us Peace!

I got into this CD at least 2 or 3 years after it was released. Never really gave it a chance when it came out. But while I was running one day New Power Soul came up on my shuffle, and I kept hitting repeat. I DIG that song on earphones. So I get back home play the whole CD and realized its pretty good. Its not a fave...but its not near as bad as people here say.

i like come on and wasted kisses, until ur in my arms again, and mad sex. overall it is adequate.

I've always loved this CD...always

Get on Down With the One and Only...Party Ambassador!

mellow1 said:

that's not saying a whole lot in my opinion, but i agree with you.