http://www.rollingstone.c...n-the-way/

Los Angeles’ rock radio station Indie 103 was “summoned” to go up to Prince’s home this past week to preview his new album. According to the station’s “Mr. Shovel,” Prince doesn’t have a record label and “wants nothing to do with record labels, so he’s meeting with people to figure out how to operate at his level without a record label.” Following a long conversation with the Purple Rain star, the radio reps were played the new album in Prince’s home entertainment theatre. “It’s heavy, rockin’, and our enthusiasm was immediate,” Mr. Shovel said. Prince then said the station could preview a few of the new songs on Indie 103, so that’s where we were today at 3 p.m.

The album kicks off with an explosive, four-minute instrumental before launching into the first song that was played on the radio… Prince covering Tommy James & the Shondells’ “Crimson & Clover,” with the Purple One altering the lyrics as he’s been known to do during his cover performances. Keeping with the original, the vocals sound like Prince is submerged under water. Things deviate at the chorus, however, as Prince belts out the “ooh baby, I think I love you” part of Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady.”

“Colonized Mind” was the second song played. Another laid-back guitar joint, it seems like Prince’s intention on this album is to make people stop dancing and just chill. More aquatic layering on Prince’s voice as he sings politicized lyrics with lyrics along the lines of “Did you know your record deal was another way for ‘The Man’ to steal.” Yeah, we don’t think Prince wants anything to do with record labels. The guitar solo is killer, out-guitaring the entirety of Planet Earth’s “Guitar,” before the chorus returns.

“Wall of Berlin” was the third song played. Again, more guitar virtuosity by Prince. If he’s aiming to make an album similar to Side C of Electric Ladyland, he’s off to a good start. The songs also sound more intimate, like the Artist recorded these songs without any Revolution and New Power Generation behind him. “4ever” is the ballad, with Prince busting out the piano before being joined by backup singers. It’s not “Free,” “Ballad of Dorothy Parker” or “Sometimes It Snows In April,” but it’s still a solid, latter-day Prince slow dance as he ruminates about marriage and being with someone, well, 4ever.

And that’s all we get. For now, at least. Again, according to the DJs, Prince’s new album is finished and he’s just looking for a non-record label vessel in which to release it. We’ll keep you posted in what promises to be a busy year for Prince.

Daniel Kreps

Yes!!! I cannot wait!
I cannot wait!!!!!

yea ... i cant stop playing these songs ...

i want
more !!


I would love it to be a box set with goodies ... videos ect ect ...

bring back the NPGMC !!!




[Edited 12/19/08 8:43am]

What about via Guitar Hero? I think he should release it this way and add his collection along with it. That would work well!

COLONIZED MIND ROCKS MY WORLD

Lovesymbol2 said:

Hey lovesymbol...
Is there a place now online to still listen to the songs? I am at work and have limited access, but I cannot seem to find the new songs anywhere to listen to. Even that MPLS site is not working...
Is there a certain place I need to go?
Thanks

stoked!

I don't understand why it's so difficult for Prince to figure out an alternative to a major record label to get this thing released. I mean, everyone seems to be figuring out a new way of self-releasing music, and it's worked with varying degrees of success for Wendy & Lisa, David Byrne & Brian Eno, Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, among others. The solution is out there, and for the love of Benji, Prince was one of the early architects of this method. Where's the problem?

Ok... while he's figuring out where/how to release it...how about showin' up on Jay Lenno's set and jammin it out there!! He like's Jay...he's done it so many times b4... Why not?

Lovesymbol2 said:

Mine too! I just finished playing it. I had it on repeat for a quadrillion times!

Anxiety said:

Prince just plays with the media and us...he already knows how he is gonna release it!

This is the guy who as one of the first released his music via the internet, who
sold records together with his tickets for his musicology tour ( musicology was for like 6 months in the us top ten !) and who sold 3 million cds ( planet earth)
with a paper un the u.k.
He was more innovative concerning the distribution than musically

linus4000 said:

yeah, it figures he wouldn't share this much new music unless he had a plan underway...

Anxiety said:

Promotion

Dude writes for Rolling Stone? I guess these lyrics are from Hendrix, then Prince drops into the lyrics of "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc while riffing on a melody from the Troggs.

Let see what dumb label head give Prince a ridiculous advance to distribute this. Its hard to criticize the system while at the same time exploiting it.

Hey how about $0 advance and just post it on Itunes.

Anxiety said:

And totally agree with you on this...P was the original one doing this back in the 90's so what is the problem indeed...he probably does have some hopefully very innovative ways to distribute this planned and I canhardly wait to see what he's got up his sleeve

npggirl77 said:

Well its legal on http://www.indie1031.com/....php?id=14 Go on that under category pick december, than on the right give in prince and once the search is finished go to the bottom right the last box. Press it and u got all 4 songs

linus4000 said:

Somebody understands the game.....

Lovesymbol2 said:

Thanks for the link. I'm listening to it right now and I'm so excited!!!

I love this man! No matter how long it takes for Prince to release new music, I welcome it with open arms.

2009 will be a great year.

2009 could be another big year. After a relatively quiet 2008, a new record in the mix and, don't forget it will be the 25th anniversary of Purple Rain. Not that it means much to many of us, but it is a good promotional and marketing idea for a tour and a new record.

I'm new here... is there somewhere I can hear the new songs 2day?

Purpracer2 said:

Halfway through the show and I'm bored...

takes liberties with a classic and then whines about all the millions he's made from the record industry..snooze.

I welcome the return of the guitars but must all his solos everything sound like they are samples from TGE???

Purpracer2 said:

I just heard the songs... no need 2 B silly...

All the songs were great that I heard... excited that he's kickin' guitar again

Where am I? indeed.

Sorry, just ain't feelin' it, Prince.

Maybe I'm still to pissed at you over your little bible-thumping comments about same-sex marriage, and won't fully be able to enjoy any of your music again until we hear some sort of apology/clarification out of you. In the form of a song would be acceptable, since that's your preferred method of communication.

Until then, I certainly won't be feigning any enthusiasm for your latest musical offerings. I hope the alt-rock crowd embraces your "new" sound. Good luck with that.

Ok, here comes the old Prince fan comment from me.

If it's anything like 3121 or Planet Earth I am not buying it.

I didn't think Guitar was a good song, also this new Guitar forward approach has been talked about before and usually he ends up overdubbing a keyboard ala Tommy Barbarella line, and boom it now sounds less raw.

I don't want or need Prince to copy his old sound, rather I just want him to move past his formulamatic approach to recent albums. Rainbow children was the last album I felt he moved forward.

There were times maybe 10 yrs ago that I would have lost sleep waiting and thinking about a new Prince release, now not so much.

LondonStyle said:

Really? Jimi made an album whining about SHIT NOBODY GIVES A DAMN ABOUT?

It's been more than FIFTEEN YEARS and Prince is still bitching about the record deal he signed AGAINST THE ADVICE OF HIS LAWYER ETC?

Pathetic.