I am actually quite enjoying it and have been doing so now for some time. And I'm not just talking about Come On, The One and Wasted Kisses. I think I'm gonna use this thread to thoroughly rave about Newpower Soul.

Something can't be right. Help me before it's too late...

I actually quite like half the songs on NPS.

And if you think of it in context with
Goldnigga & Exodus, it ain't that bad.

Come On
The One
Wasted Kisses
Push It Up
Mad Sex

First to get it's due and probably still a hidden gem to most...

If life remains a mystery, then there's no reason to the rhyme
And you'll never know what you mean to me, till your mine

Until You're In My Arms Again. The final scratched out beat and shout out to Mad Sex gives way to a glorious synth play. A click and your away, with some beautiful melody behind the vocals. Surprisingly pretty but easily taken for granted. I think Prince really longs for a lost love on this one. Who was the song written about?

Come on back babe, come on back

You do need help! Go seek out Mothership Connection or One Nation Under A Groove and see how a funk album should be done!

Next up is a great stretch on the record, Freaks On This Side. It's got one of those moments that gets me everytime. The way he says the word 'congratulations,' just before 'you're in the New Power Generation.' His voice is sickly affected, it's almost 1999 worthy. The synth line is eerily spooky and the horns are brilliantly arranged, especially the final wind down. The lyrics are very ol' skool Prince...

When everybody calls the truth by a different name,
And the indifference between us still remains,
God is love, love is God, simple and plain,
Partyin' this way, there's so much more to gain!

Anji said:

You're gone.

One of my favorite Prince CDs from the 90s...I give it a spin every so often...

Anji said:

It goes to what I have said saince its release. Critics got down on it and uninformed fans followed suit. THere are clearly 3 hit singles on the record which makes it a good effort for NPG but if you get into it, there is no filler. It is a solid NPG album; not a Prince album.

FACEOPHOBIA said:

Yea...but it is still his nasty high-lighted mug on the cover. And what exactly is the difference between an NPG album and a Prince album?

( like) Funky Music. Something of a D.M.S.R. influence, lyrically?

If U ain't got no partner U can use your hair
Shake it like a hooker, baby, I don't care

The groove's also got a delicious slice into Camille territory on the turnaround...

This beat I got is specially designed
2 make U loose your phone numba 2 somebody fine
The nastier U get, the funkier we got
My claim 2 fame is scandal, baby
And I ain't here 2 stop

Even Doug E. Fresh slaps his mouth something funky in this one. Say what?!

It's okay, but it's no Black Album

EverlastingNow said:

That should go without saying.

BorisFishpaw said:

Exodus was an NPG trip in every sense, Newpower Soul is Prince.

i don't really understand why this is an NPG album... i mean, all the lead vocals are by Prince. There doesn't seem to be much of an obvious NPG presence, less than even D&P. I wonder why it came out as NPG. I always assumed it was for contractual / WB sorta reasons, but who knows.

I am not ashamed to admit that I really, really like:

Mad Sex
The One
Wasted Kisses
Come On
When You Love Somebody

Come On, Mad Sex, Push It Up, Freaks On The Side

&

(I like)Funky Music...

ALL FUNK 4 THE



FISH

Come On, Wasted Kisses and The One are great songs.

Mad and Newpower Soul are ok.

The rest are...ahem...not my favorites!

Anji said:

ive always liked it..(except for a few songs i think you know which ones)...

When U Love Somebody. The groove is certainly funky and in parts, reminds me of a more upbeat dance partner to 17 Days. The melody is infectious and buoyant in spite of the distant attitude he's getting from a loved one, a familar theme thoughout the record.

I was the one waitin' by the phone when U were with somebody

This track has got some sublime moments. The Little Red Corvette style dance is back with those gorgeous horn lines. And the funk of Prince's 'calling out' is almost as dark and comical as Superfunkycalifragisexy.

Duality's now a groupie with a backstage pass and they ain't gonna leave 'till they get some...
From grace we fall referring 2 the objects on the wall
My hat, my coat, my balls r round and round
Don't stop the pounds, 'cuz a brutha's gettin' down here lately!

Then that guitar just hard rocking the jam at the end before breaking free.

I actually like it and enjoy it immensely. I prefer it to 'Rave'.

It is a fun, funky album with some great moments on it.

'The One' I think is one of his best ballads. The deep, passionate vocals, alternating with the high, angelic screams, coupled with that great 'flute sounding' solo at the end. It is pure Prince.

'Freaks On This Side' is also fantastic. I love the growling bass and the horn arrangements and the lyrics (particularly that little spoken aside near the end 'This is the jam of the year, you think it ain't but it is, and you could drown, glug, glug like a mug!').

'Come On' and 'I like Funky Music' are also favourites of mine. And 'Wasted Kisses' still sends shivers down my spine.

Ultimately it is a fun, enjoyable album which is vastly underrated. Unfortunately it suffered because critics compare all of his releases to 'Sign O Times', 'Lovesexy'and similar works.

The reason he released it under the NPG title was because it was just a funk album and not a Prince solo record with a definite artistic statement.

As Prince says on the title track 'keeping the crowd mivin' y'all is my one and only duty'. It's just a pity more people just didn't free their minds a bit and enjoy it for what it was.

I started playing it a couple of weeks ago in my car, and
it's still in the CD player!

I used to think I hated this record but there are actually
some pretty good songs on it.

Anji said:

If you look at the lyrics and listen to the way he sings
them, I'd say it's a mix between a song for his son and
a usual lament for a lost "love". Pretty clever. Nice song
although a little bit too sweet for my taste.

JonSnow said:

I've always wondered about that too.The previous NPG albums---'Goldnigga' and 'Exodus'---can truly be called "NPG albums" because the bandmembers are singing and playing on it,but 'New Power Soul' is a Prince album all the way.He sings all the lead vocals and he is on the cover.

DavidEye said:

for me NPG albums were for Prince of the 90's what the Time albums were in the 80's... just an outlet for more R&B/hip-hop oriented music that did not fit too well into the more complex and the more diverse cross-over of Prince's solo efforts. With "Exodus" it was also obvious that the "WB factor" added to Prince's disguise on this album - come on - let's be serious - Sonny is NO singer.

With New Power Soul no WB factor was present, also no need to play hip-hop and rap (as in the case of "Goldnigga") so we're left with a funky album, in my humble opinion, greatly influenced with Prince's fascination with old school funk (re-lived in the Prince's world thanks to the one and only Larry).

Regardless, it was the first Prince (ok, Prince related) album that I listened to and didn't like. I love "The One", I get shivers from "Wasted Kisses", I like to nod my head to "Come On" and "Mad Sex", but otherwise it's simply boring.

I had this playing in my car when i met my wife.

It's the only album she likes from Prince.

Go figure!

"Sonny is NO singer"


Agreed! In fact,his vocals on 'Exodus' are sometimes embarassing to listen to.Wouldn't it be great to hear that CD with Sonny's vocals removed entirely and replaced by Prince's?

New Powersoul is without a shadow of doubt Prince's weakest, most unispired album ever. The Cd cover tells it all.

WildheartXXX said:

u like that crap???

my gawd, next thing u know you'll come in sayin how much of a joy chaos & disorder is! turn off that cd before it's 2 late!!!

Anji said:

To these ears this song is a joy. The opening synth is scrumptious.