Mad Sex, When U Love Somebody, Shoo-Bed-Doo, Freaks on this Side, Come On, The One , Wasted Kisses (classic)

Ok, I agree you have the customary Prince filler cuts but there’s some merit in those. (Kinda off point but worth pointing out, the Dougie is all the rage now and Prince was pushing that Dougie Fresh vibe 11 years ago. And what about the lyric in ‘Come On’, which reads, “20 days in London and U don’t gimme no love, Could it be another brotha that you’re thinking of?” This 9 years before Michael announced his “This is It” Tour in London and 10 years before Prince sold out the 02 Arena for 21 nights;much love shown). But hey, I digress; where some feel this album is trying to be funky I feel it succeeds! The bass and horn lines are ridiculous and the production is spot on.

So tell me, why is there so hate for this album among Prince fans?

I don't hate it

Neither do I!! In fact I bought it on cd to replace the cassette i had of it, the cassette was starting to play distorted!!

I don’t hate it. I just can’t actually think of a memorable song on it.

While I don't like to put down albums, I'll give my thoughts since you specifically asked as to why it's not a highly regarded album. Not trying to be negative. For me, I like the last five tracks (or six, including hidden) and can not stand the first five...though, that's actually what tracks are-or-are-not good is an opinion, and not most people's over all problem with NPS; basically, it just sounds like a bad imitation of Prince, more than Prince. It sounds flat, pedestrian, even tired. Practically every single idea on this album has been done by him before, and done better. Much better. However, to be fair, that's more of an artistic statement than whether or not it's ever 'fun' to listen to -- and for me, the second half is. To each their own. For me, The preceding Gold Exp., Exodus, and Crystal Ball all had MUCH stronger, funkier work. The highs were just so much higher.

Xtraordinary said:

[...] and the production is spot on.

So tell me, why is there so hate for this album among Prince fans?

Because the production is far from being "spot on":

Inane drum sounds that do not help giving much of a sense of groove to the tracks, sampled audience chants that sound entirely detached from the music, Prince singing not too well on many songs, the lyrics being mostly about how good he is or how good the NPG is, the choruses not being up to much and there's just a general sense of awkwardness throughout the record. There's some nice "quirkiness" on it, but too often it just interrupts the flow of the tracks.

It could have been a good album with some of these aspects corrected. For example, "(I Like) Funky Music" has all the makings of a Prince party classic, but the production style just makes it sound dull and tacky in the end. Unfortunately, a lot of the same shit got carried onto "Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic", although thankfully some of the tracks on that one also pointed a way out. He really redeemed himself with TRC by reconsidering the production values he was employing.

[Edited 2/24/11 22:55pm]

I'll come back to you later tonight on this one. In fact, I 'll listen to the cd again because I should do, I've only listened once & it was not enjoyable so I hid it in my cupboard. Beware, though, my review will not be pretty. Maybe hate is a strong word. If it's not your style of music you can dislike it.

I hate it. I know it has its fans. But when someone uses "Freaks On This Side" as a case FOR the album, I know that we are from two completely different planets. Possibly the worst song, especially lyrically, that he's ever put out. I like Come On. Wasted Kisses is interesting. Mad Sex is tolerable. The One is alright, but not at great (on the album) as everyone makes it out to be. The rest is so completely generic or downright bad that I can't believe he wasted his time putting out, under pseudonym or not.

I will give it this though: as an album, it works better than the one that followed it. The songs actually sound like they go together. No matter how boring and lifeless they are.

Not only did I listen to this a fucking lot when it came out in 98 but also I think it's MILLIONS of times better than what he's been putting out since Crapology onwards.

It has it's moments, but really, it's a bit of a stunted cock. Those awful fake crowd chants, the "a 5yr old could do better" artwork, the lack of melodies and so on, did i mention the shit artwork?

NewPowerSoul sounds like Emancipation leftovers to me, like he was cleaning out the last of the outtakes.

"New Power Soul" uses "Big Fun" as its base

"When U Love Somebody" recycles the guitar from "In This Bed I Scream"

"Shoo-bed-ooh" is a ripoff of "White Mansion"

"Push It Up" is a remix of "Jam of the Year"

"The One" and "Come On" are definitely classics; I find as I get older I like The One a lot more than I originally did.

"Wasted Kisses" is a "coulda-been" classic - just when you think it might get interesting, it stops.

To this day, I have never listened to the entirety of "(I Like) Funky Music".

The artwork is classic out-of-touch Prince - dude, you're 40 years old, nobody wants to see your fake tattoo and holding a cartoon gun.

Sorry for the long post... I think much of the hate comes from what could have been. We stood by Prince through his Warner Bros battles, and the sound of freedom turned out to be plastic drums and leftover sound effects. If you pick it up for the first time today, you kinda lose the context of what was going on in Prince-land at the time.

I don't have a problem with the drawings in the booklet. Parke's pencil doodlings were always far more tolerable to me than his digital designs. Besides, the artwork on "1999" wasn't that different from it. The cover photo is really bad though. I'm not sure if I want to say anything about the font either.

billymeade said:

"New Power Soul" uses "Big Fun" as its base

"When U Love Somebody" recycles the guitar from "In This Bed I Scream"

"Shoo-bed-ooh" is a ripoff of "White Mansion"

"Push It Up" is a remix of "Jam of the Year"

Not really.

It's not universally hated, in fact as hated albums go, it get's a pretty fair treatment. Few people would argue the singles weren't better than most from the post-WB, pre-Millenium era.

It's very light on fresh ideas or surprises, he repeats himself, the production hasn't really moved on since Emancipation.

There's a lot of hate held over from the time of release because it was a big deflated let down after Prince broke with WB, and the result was - Emancipation - Then the mess that was Crystal Ball, and Prince was starting to spout JW crap about this time IIRC, and internet clampdowns and idiotic cryptic messages. So there was a lot of things to be peeved about when he released something that was just treading water.

IMO, the album isn't too dissimilar to 20Ten in terms of outlook, style and production - But I much prefer NPS as a whole, even if 20Ten has one or two stronger individual tracks - some of that may be simply nostalgia since I had a blast on at the shows he played in support of the album.

I think the only song I do not care for on the cd is Mad Sex... the rest I can listen to and stay in a good vibe. The entire album, in my opinion, just sounds like something Prince did in one afternoon... perhaps having a quick inspiration or creative moment. The album, on the whole, could have been so much better if more time were spent on it. That's just me, though... it sounds like it was all cut on one warm, sunny afternoon in Spain.... or wherever he was when he recorded it... . My fav track on the album has to be Wasted Kisses only because it came at a time when I had just found out my woman was cheating on me... bitch!

vitriol said:

Not only did I listen to this a fucking lot when it came out in 98 but also I think it's MILLIONS of times better than what he's been putting out since Crapology onwards.

no wonder you're always so angry. if I liked NPS better than the material from 2004-2010, I'd be beside myself.

NPS.. is not the worst Prince album.

But very close to the worst, imo:

My top 38 Prince albums,

from best album to worst:

01. Purple Rain (10)
02. Sign "O" The Times (10)
03. 1999 (10)
04. Lovesexy (10)
05. Parade (10)
06. Around The World In A Day (10)
07. The Gold Experience (10)
08. Dirty Mind (10)
09. Controversy (9)
10. Diamonds & Pearls (9)
11. Love Symbol Album (9)
12. Come (9)
13. Black Album (9)
14. The Rainbow Children (9)
15. Graffiti Bridge (8)
16. Prince (8)
17. For You (8)
18. Batman (8)
19. Crystal Ball (8)
20. Emancipation (8)
21. LotusFlower / MPLSound (8)
22. 20Ten (8)

23. Musicology (7)
24. Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic (7)
25. The Truth (7)
26. Chaos & Disorder (7)
27. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (6)
28. The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale (6)
29. The Chocolate Invasion (6)
30. Slaughterhouse (6)
31. 3121 (5)
32. Planet Earth (5)
33. Newpower Soul (4)
34. One Nite Alone... Piano (3)
35. N.E.W.S. (2)
36. One Nite Alone... Live (2)
37. Indigo Nights (2)
38. Kamasutra (0)

I loved this cd... What's wrong with u people?

To the OP: I don’t know Dougie but this is why I dislike it.

NPS – the moment the chorus starts I don’t want to listen anymore. Verse is nice. But the song as a whole is boring. The horns are nice but the vocals ruin it.

Mad Sex – Sounds like whining – slow bland beat; Lyrics.. “c u at another party” …it’s like a conversation gossip not a song.

Until u’r in my arms again – I can’t grasp the melody it’s too complex. It’s a nice song otherwise, but it seems to float by me, without me actually hearing it. Nice though to see a pic of Prince, lying on the couch relaxing.

When u love s.b. – I don’t like the way he says “party.” The beat & melody sound monotonous to me. The vocals predictable, soulless and the lyrics seem to lack cohesion. The soft rap from 4.44 on is not bad, & the end is interesting. But it doesn’t make any difference, the song lacks substance to me.

Shoo-be-doo – I don’t like the chorus. Verse is nice. But again it’s repetitive. No surprises and it ends with “so you thought you might just lose your mind today.” It feels as if the song never really starts.

Push it up – the beat throughout this cd is so consistent it’s annoying. Like head bangers but in slow motion. I do think LG’s voice suits the song better than Princes’ (if it is LG) in this one. But nope the beat is so predictable throughout I’m bored stiff. While the beat in electronic dance music can be consistent, there are still highs and lows of rhythm tempo. Instead this song has weird vocals coming in to …..do….what…I don’t know.

Freaks on this side – there’s that beat again. I walk faster than the beat. No sorry, don’t want to listen to this one any further.

Come on – So far the best. I like the vocals, lyrics chorus and little extras here and there. I might be able to listen to it on it’s own in a playlist but I’d probably flick after 3 minutes.

One – I never knew this one was from NPS. It’s a beautiful song. Nice lyrics, a few classical instrumental sounds and nice slow percussive sound in the background. But I think it’s weird he wants to buy her everything. “Half the town, all her bills” those parts bother me a little. It seems a beautiful song but also sad.

I like funky music – Listened to this a lot when I first got the cd. Then I took it off my ipod because thereafter, I often skipped it. It’s a fun song but the rap spoilt it after a while. On a side note, to me, talking is not soulful behaviour it’s intellectual. Music that touches me must leave me speechless and engaged in the experience or, it should cause me to spontaneously physically move, gearing up my mood. Rap does neither to me. I experience it as listening to a long non-stop message where I have to concentrate, and therefore cannot fully engage in any soulful or physical behaviour which gets my emotions flowing.

Wasted kisses – Perfect song, which I’d love to listen to more but the high pitched sound in the beginning and later almost hurts my ears. The siren and the dead heart machine also give me a horrible feeling. But the vocals, lyrics and music in this song are beautiful.

On a final note, the cd cover. The chain around his neck, a tattoo type symbol on his arm and a gun microphone are like Prince in fight mode. That’s not how I take my coffee. I like it strong, faintly sweet and a little creamy. This cd tastes like a weak coffee with nothing in it.

Angelic1302 said:

I loved this cd... What's wrong with u people?

Same 4 me here

I Love It No hateration here

This cd was released when I first started using the internet (late) and went to Prince websites and amp. Because of the hate spewed about it on the sites and in mailing lists, it has a baaaaad taste in my mouth and was and is rarely ever played.

Push It Up and Freaks On This Side, I Like Funky Music are awful to me.

So much dramna and ill regarding this release to me. Maybe I can rerogram myself by relistening.

I played it a bit just because it was the new Prince album at the time..after that..I havent really went back and bothered too many of the songs other than Come On, When U Love Somebody & The One.

It's lows were just..really low.

Push It Up...the drum programming was BAAAAD...Come on....the chorus was off and did not sound right at all. Sound like somebody out of touch with a jam.

New Power Soul got laughed at by one of my freinds in school. When it came on he said, "really is Prince trying really hard or not at all?" It was kind of embarassing...I like the song a bit, but would be much better without the drum progtramming again..or just as a live song. "Get freaky let the head bob..."...no..i'd rather...no....

Until U're In My Arms was coo...just a bit sappy..loved the climax falcetto..but like Man O War and Incense And Candles..sounds too sappy and 'commercial' like.

Wasted Kisses was good..the lyrics were haunting, and a co-worker actually liked that cut too when it came on my ipod. (I 4get about that jam)

Freaks On This Side....the chants were bad. That's about it..the drum programming again...is nil. i hope he never pick those sounds up again..please.

Eye Like Funky Music ...sounds like a G.C. jammer. I really loved the Feel U Up horns and the vocal arrangement. The RAP RUINED IT however, so I went about on Creative Wave and cut it out.

It is really a ho hum album....Im glad I heard some songs....the others...could have been replaced by...better material....I dont understand why he included such...mess when he knew he was capable of so much more funk and credibility; but oh well.

Its not his best but I like it ok. It is one of my least favorites. I like The One way better live. The only tracks that are truely weak to me are When You Love Somebody, and Until Youre In My Arms Again.

The rest just sounds like a funk celebration. I love the horns and Mad Sex is a classic as far as I am concerned. 96 to 2000 is my least favorite period of his work. It was still pretty impressive. Thats why I still follow his music. He has never truely dissapointed me.

It is what it is, which is basically just everything he wanted to touch on during Emancipation, but didn't for whatever reason.

Highlights: Mad Sex, When U Love Somebody, The One, Come On

Misses: Freaks on This Side, Push It Up, I Like Funky Music

The rest can be taken or left. People nut all over Wasted Kisses, but it's only half a song and, like someone else said, it ends before it really begins.

People were pretty pissed at Prince at the time, though, for reasons illustrated above. In typical Prince fashion, though, he didn't take the hint and continued to release material that was completely antithetical to what his audience wanted. That's a big missing piece of his career's puzzle to this day.

Spinlight said:

People were pretty pissed at Prince at the time, though, for reasons illustrated above. In typical Prince fashion, though, he didn't take the hint and continued to release material that was completely antithetical to what his audience wanted. That's a big missing piece of his career's puzzle to this day.

This could be said about every album that he's released after Purple Rain.

Others have touched on this already but I think part of the problem is that the fans had high expectations after he left WB and Newpower Soul was fairly mediocre.

For me I had become a fan of Prince in the summer of 1996 with Chaos and Disorder. I quickly picked up some of his recent albums (Come and The Gold Experience) and loved them. Then came Emancipation and I really loved it, it's still one of my top five favourites. Crystal Ball was a bit of a letdown and The Truth was good, but a bit lowkey, not like a "real" album. My expectations for Newpower Soul were sky high and the album just did not deliver. I loved the performance of "Come On" on The Tonight Show but I was a little disappointed by the album version, it was a bit too sedate. I love "Wasted Kisses" but otherwise nothing on the album really grabs me. The next year we got Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic and I really started to worry. It wasn't until Musicology that I really started to enjoy Prince's music again and I've quite liked every album since (even Planet Earth).

I think that Prince kind of led us to believe that once he was "free" he would be making much better music but that was not really the way that things worked out and the stuff he made as a "slave" was much more enjoyable.

billymeade said:

"Shoo-bed-ooh" is a ripoff of "White Mansion"

Yea, but I love that track, I played it so much when I found out my wife was cheating on me!!!

I like NPS. Didn't know the album was coming. I went 2 the the record store and saw it on the shelf and was surprized. Its not great but I'm glad that I have it. I think the production of it isn't warm enough if anything. What I do like about it is the lyrical content is consistently over the top. I think it makes the album fun and light. Nothing 2 heavy.

Back when I use to drink and get drunk, I loved that CD. Now that I don't drink anymore I don't pick it up too often. I still love The One and a few others though.