Which was the official release date over there?

I'm quite certain some music shops are already selling it here in Belgium as well. I'm going on my little adventure later today.

I had a look in JBHiFi in Sydney today, no sign of either of them: no CDs, no promo material, same in Sydney's indie wrecka stow 'Red Eye Records'.

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I'm glad to hear they're both going on shelves as promised. Got a 20% off coupon so I'll drop in tomorrow and pick them both up.

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NZ is getting a low price! Amazon dropped AOA to USD9.99 too, I see.

OK, everyone!

I just called FNAC Antwerpen (in Belgium), and they have both CDs readily available in their shop!

Gotta go put m' shoes on now!

I'll get back with a review!

have 'em in my swe... sweaty palms!

DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL

got them both in adelaide at JB

I've just found them on a famous direct download leaks site (don't ask!) and before downloading u need to type a captcha, obviously a randomly selected one.

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I've just started downloading PlecEl and the captcha, I swear to God it's true, was "TIME IS AN ILLUSION"

I laughed out loud at first, then realized I now have a definitive proof that God exists, because honestly what were the odds?

stesa said:

Bought this morning, plenty of both on the shelves, but no other promo stuff going on.

No CD drive on my work laptop though, so can't listening until later.

I'm loving the new joints............Go Prince.

lust said:

stesa said:

Which was the official release date over there?

I'm quite certain some music shops are already selling it here in Belgium as well. I'm going on my little adventure later today.

26 Sep is the official release date (we're a say ahead of the U.S so the 25th U.S time).

What wrekka stow. JB's or something else?

Soon as I saw this, went out and got them. Just got them home now, photos coming!!!

Here's what the albums released in New Zealand look like

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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This is before I took the two layers of shrink rap off. Prince loves this cardboard sleeve stuff a lot now, every album since Rainbow children gets the same treatment. The cardboard underneath is quite flimsy, so be careful as you open them.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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Starting with Plectrum electrum, we have this beautiful colour fold out cover on the back. The title appears to be a sticker top left.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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Inside we have a generous shot of the 3 women and Princey. The booklet is a nice surprise with lyrics and some interesting art. The CD is on right and shows the 3rd eye girl shhsh! female from early last year and on the drum kit originally. Cool photos and on the back page, they thank all the fans and say "We R 3rd eye girl and so R U". A symbol on back shows photos of numbers on them.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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Example of the interesting artwork.

Art Official Age has a much plainer design, there is no booklet, merely a bizarre but great infrared shot of Prince beafroed and trifocalled on the left and song tracks on the right.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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The photo did not come out well sorry! The CD is also very plain with just the AOA logo on it, but if you look at the surface, you can see the 010101010 type code all over it. Both of my discs are manufactured and distributed by Warner Music Australia, so I assume that European and American copies will be slightly differently marked.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

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Cover folded out has promotional sticker and the back shows Prince in the tower part of Paisley Park I suspect. Judging by the sky blue paint, I assume that the Emancipation era art in the lobby of Paisley Park is now gone. Special guests include 3rd eye girl and Andy Allo amongst others.

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Now to listen to them, but it is refreshing to see Warners Logos on these albums and it evokes the good old days up to 1996, where every new Prince album had that Warners Logo.

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Kiwi's and Aussies, go to JB as I am sure they have them, my store even had a sign saying "New Release Prince and 3rd Eye Girl Sept 26". Mine cost $16.99 each, but they had a special, both albums for $30 ($25 USD)

^^^ a bit plain, but cool i want em!

Adorecream said:

Adorecream said:

Art Official Age has a much plainer design, there is no booklet, merely a bizarre but great infrared shot of Prince beafroed and trifocalled on the left and song tracks on the right.

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[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

.

The photo did not come out well sorry! The CD is also very plain with just the AOA logo on it, but if you look at the surface, you can see the 010101010 type code all over it. Both of my discs are manufactured and distributed by Warner Music Australia, so I assume that European and American copies will be slightly differently marked.

.

[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

.

Cover folded out has promotional sticker and the back shows Prince in the tower part of Paisley Park I suspect. Judging by the sky blue paint, I assume that the Emancipation era art in the lobby of Paisley Park is now gone. Special guests include 3rd eye girl and Andy Allo amongst others.

.

Now to listen to them, but it is refreshing to see Warners Logos on these albums and it evokes the good old days up to 1996, where every new Prince album had that Warners Logo.

.

Kiwi's and Aussies, go to JB as I am sure they have them, my store even had a sign saying "New Release Prince and 3rd Eye Girl Sept 26". Mine cost $16.99 each, but they had a special, both albums for $30 ($25 USD)

more pics!!!

My track by track review of "Art Official Age"

1. Art Official Cage - An interesting start to the album, this track has a very funky disco vibe to it, and has a very "Tony M" sounding rap in the middle of it, with Prince's vocals largely manipulated with autotune/vocoder effects.

2. Clouds - One of the tracks released for digital download some weeks ago, Clouds is a mid tempo funky soul jam, easily one of the best tracks on the album. Prince preaches the philosophy that "you should never underestimate the power of a kiss on the neck she doesn't expect". The track contains a dreamy vocal monologue in the middle by Lianne La Havas. Definitely elements of classic Prince in this track.

3. The Breakdown - One thing Prince has always excelled at aside from funky jams, is a good soulful ballad. The Breakdown is no exception. Some of the lyrics seem to suggest Prince looks back on some parts of his younger days with regret and finds him satisfied now with a much simpler and more fulfilling life and love of it. Backed by delicate sounding string arrangements, Prince sours with his vocals midway through the song, showing us that he can still hit those high notes with ease. This is a standout track on the album.

4. The Gold Standard - Another standout track on this album. A funky workout which is what Prince is famous for. Put this in the same vain as tracks like DMSR, Erotic City and perhaps Let's Work. Prince sings "The Gold Standard, Crazy Amazing, Let Your Body Move". Some more raps in the middle of the track reminicsent of the Tony M days, this is probably the funkiest track on the album and a definite highlight.

5. U Know - Sampling the Mila J track "Jahlil Beats, this is a futuristic slow jam which may not have been entirely out of place on Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds album. Mila J can be heard on the track with her grunts appearing throughout the track, while Prince jumps between his lower register and falsetto vocals. This is a reasonable inclusion on this album and fits nicely amongst the other tracks.

6. Breakfast Can Wait - Prince pays tribute to early morning lovemaking. Most of you will be familiar with this track given it was released as a single some months ago, it fits in with the general vibe of the album, and its inclusion here will hopefully expose this song to a wider audience, not just the fans who downloaded the single from the 3rd Eye Girl website.

7. This Could Be Us - Apparently this track was inspired by an internet meme that was doing the rounds online, featuring Prince and Apollonia. Another decent quality slow jam, Prince sings "this could be us, but you been playing, this could be us, but you been fooling around, you are the cage to my dove"

8. What It Feels Like - Following on from the last track, this mid tempo electro-funk jam seems to carry on with the theme of love lost. One of the catchier tracks on the album, there are slight hints of older works such as Future Baby Mama.

9. Affirmation I & II - "Before you have any interactions with the opposite sex, we are going to have to thoroughly debrief you over the next few sessions" the female voice proclaims. After a short interlude declaring what the Affirmations are ( there is no such thing as I or Mine) this interlude leads into the next track Way Back Home.

10. Way Back Home - "I Never Wanted A Typical Life" Prince sings. I think the message in this song is something along the lines of being yourself, following your destiny and your dreams or something to that effect. This is a short but sweet slow track.

11. FunkNRoll - A track which has been the focus of much debate amongst the Prince fan community. This is one of two versions of this song. (The other appearing on the PlectrumElectrum album) This version is a minimalist electro-funk jam featuring a driving electronic beat, synths and some guitar. The track then jumps into a fact paced synth heavy outro. A divisive track, you are probably either going to absolutely love this or hate it with intensity. This track has certainly divided the fan community.

12. Time - A dreamy synth laden duet with a female vocalist who I think is Paloma Ayana. "I think its about time, that I got time alone with you" Prince and his female partner sing to each other. Midway through the track, a funky bass line enters into the mix along with a heavier percussion/drum pattern. The track finishes with some horns entering into the mix aswell, making it a slow building track from start to finish. This track has a very hypnotic quality to it. This track is not going to get radio airplay anywhere soon, however it is certainly an interesting track in its own right.

13. Affirmation III - Following on from where Affirmation I & II left off, this closing track on the album features more dreamy hypnotic spoken word, this time over a reprise of "Way Back Home". Time and Affirmation III seem like a nice way to close out the album, you almost want to sit back in your comfortable chair, close your eyes and just take in the sonic landscape being gently delivered to you.

My Rating Overall: It is probably a big call to put Art Official Age up there amongst the likes of the all time Prince classic albums like 1999, Purple Rain or Sign 'O' The Times, but it is still testement to the fact that Prince in 2014 is still as interesting and as relevent as he has ever been as an artist. After a lengthy break following on from 20TEN, an album I found to be quite disappointing, I have to say Art Official Age is a much better and a much more coherent effort overall. This album is certainly up there with his better pieces of work. I feel it is worth of at least an 8/10 if we were to give it a score.

I will soon post my track by track views on PlectrumElectrum.

[Edited 9/25/14 22:14pm]

[Edited 9/25/14 22:15pm]

lust said:

Adorecream said:

Art Official Age has a much plainer design, there is no booklet, merely a bizarre but great infrared shot of Prince beafroed and trifocalled on the left and song tracks on the right.

.

[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

.

The photo did not come out well sorry! The CD is also very plain with just the AOA logo on it, but if you look at the surface, you can see the 010101010 type code all over it. Both of my discs are manufactured and distributed by Warner Music Australia, so I assume that European and American copies will be slightly differently marked.

.

[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

.

Cover folded out has promotional sticker and the back shows Prince in the tower part of Paisley Park I suspect. Judging by the sky blue paint, I assume that the Emancipation era art in the lobby of Paisley Park is now gone. Special guests include 3rd eye girl and Andy Allo amongst others.

.

Now to listen to them, but it is refreshing to see Warners Logos on these albums and it evokes the good old days up to 1996, where every new Prince album had that Warners Logo.

.

Kiwi's and Aussies, go to JB as I am sure they have them, my store even had a sign saying "New Release Prince and 3rd Eye Girl Sept 26". Mine cost $16.99 each, but they had a special, both albums for $30 ($25 USD)

How times have changed. 20 years ago, one album was nzd$35.

Agree totally, in the 90s, New CD's cost between anything of $32 and $36.95 at some shops. Thank God those days are over.

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Still smarting from paying the full whack price of $63.99 for Emancipation in December 1996, when by 2000, it was in the $10 bargain bin.

After 1st preliminary listen through, Plectrum Electrum is very MEH! all average cookie cutter, Whitecaps is nice though and some of the rhythms and guitars are good. May be I need to listen to it more? - 5.5/10

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Artofficialage is on the other hand great. A lot of very strong tracks, love the Kiss like feel of The Gold Standard, Breakdown is perfect as usual (Has to be a Track 3 ballad, but what a stunner, even better than 20Ten's future soul song, and now my favourite 2010s Prince track. The rest I like too. This is a 3121/ Lotusflow3r quality release so far!!!! - 8/10

[Edited 9/25/14 23:03pm]

My track by track review of PlectrumElectrum.

1. WOW - The rockier Prince album of the two releases today, gets off to a flying start with this bluesy rock number. Prince sings "You can call it the unexpected, you can all it WOW" backed by loud guitar riffs. The track finishes off with some classic Prince style guitar solo. This is a great opening track for this album.Prince is on lead vocals with the girls on background vocals.

2. PRETZELBODYLOGIC - One of the singles already released some time ago, this is a stomping guitar driven rock number. As with the first track, Prince is on lead vocals with the girls on backing vocals. While not my favourite track on the album, it is right at home with many of the other tracks on this album.

3. AINTTURNINROUND - Im sure many will disagree with me, but this track is the weakest link on PlectrumElectrum. Hannah Ford takes lead vocal duties on this one with Prince in the background, and for some reason her vocals seem flat here. Then once the track gets going, it somehow resembles the theme music off a Japanese Anime Cartoon. Personally, I'm not feeling this track at all.

4. PLECTRUMELECTRUM - The album title track is a scorching guitar heavy instrumental track. As drummer Hannah Ford and Bassist Ida Nielsen keep the pace going, Prince and Donna Grantis share lead guitar duties. A nice little jam session that gets the album back on song again.

5. WHITECAPS - Slowing down the pace a fraction, Whitecaps is second track on the album to feature Hannah Ford on lead vocals, and she sounds much better in this song in my opinion. Prince takes background vocals in this midtempo bluesy number, with perhaps a slight hint of a Fleetwood Mac influence. Another strong point point on this album.

6. FIXURLIFEUP - Like Pretzelbodylogic, this tune has been released as a single some months ago. However Fixurlifeup rates in my opinion as one of the best songs Prince has done in his career. A straight forward guitar driven track, it is snappy, catchy and one of the albums highlights. If you were a fan of the guitar heavy material on albums like Chaos And Disorder, you will find satisfaction in this song. Prince reclaims lead vocal duties for this one.

7. BOYTROUBLE - Hannah Ford takes on lead vocals again on this very funky track. Reminiscent of some of the funkier Lenny Kravitz moments, perhaps even with a slight nod to some of Prince's rawest funk moments such as Irrestible Bitch, this song definitely has an infectious groove to it.

8. STOPTHISTRAIN - This is an interesting inclusion on the PlectrumElectrum album. Not that it is a bad track, but it takes things back slightly to the R&B end of the spectrum, and its hard not to think that this track could have just as easily fitted into the Art Official Age tracklisting. Prince and Hannah Ford share lead vocals on this track over a mid tempo soulful groove. A pleasant enough track, if not misplaced.

9. ANOTHERLOVE - Without a doubt, the album highlight in my opinion. Another blues rock number with Prince on lead vocals, this is Prince at his finest. There is nothing much else to say other than this is one really cool track and my highlight from this album.

10. TICTACTOE - A classic Prince sounding ballad that could possibly have fitted well into numerous Prince albums over the years. Prince and Hannah share vocal duties again, this is quite a soulful ballad.

11. MARZ - A short snappy guitar heavy rocker. Prince is on lead vocals and opens first verse "Lost my job at Maccy D's, given away too much food for free, but I couldnt watch another black child go to school with nothing to eat". If there is one thing I dont think any Prince fan could ever imagine, Prince flipping burger pattees at McDonalds is certainly one of them." That said this is a really cool track with nods to other short and snappy Prince tracks such as Ronnie Talk To Russia or similar.

12. FUNKNROLL - The masses will be divided as to which of the two version of FUNKNROLL across the two albums is better, but for me it is this one. This version is not disimilar to the version performed on the Arsenio Hall Show. While the "AOA" version has its strenths aswell, I simply prefer this version because it seems funkier and rockier. Nonetheless this is a strong finish to the PlectrumElectrum album.

Overall Rating: Both PlectrumElectrum and Art Official Age are strong pieces of work, and perhaps the strongest releases Prince has given us in several years. It really is hard to pick a favourite but I have to say, for me, PlectrumElectrum takes the prize by a nose. It seems slightly more upbeat and I think the influence across the album of 3rd Eye Girl provides something of a fresh vibe for Prince. 8.5/10

I have posted my reviews on the main threads. It seems they had been shut down and rearranged by the moderators, after a troll (Who I believe has been banned) posted several images of sexually explicit pornographic movie scenes and started cursing at several orgers.

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Its all kosher now and seems the discussion is healthy as America greets Friday and their wrekka stows.