"Some of the reactions I’ve read on this album are clearly based in nothing more than a simple lack of experience. And I don’t mean that in a mean spirited or condescending way. We are all inexperienced (read: ignorant) on countless topics. You only know what you know at the time you have the experience. Whether someone likes something or not is of course based in the subjective. I’m cool with anyone’s opinion.

But we can be a lot more objective about musical classification, and “N*E*W*S” is definitely not light jazz, instrumental pop, background music or, LOL, “elevator music”. Thankfully there are some quiet moments, but I wouldn’t personally classify them as mellow. Some of them are bittersweet, some are downright depressing, some are cautiously optimistic.

But to some, “soft” is anything that’s not constantly in your face. Too bad. For the patient listener there are beautifully arousing moments within the understated sections that act as foreplay for the climatic parts. And until you’ve learned to love the more subtle portions, you cannot climax the same way.

Some reactions to this remind me of some of the reactions I’ve witnessed of people of my parent’s generation or older hearing rock or funk. They immediately get this ugly look on their face and then go on to show their complete lack of understanding of what they are encountering. It’s simply such a different experience for them that they reject it outright, like that of a 2-year-old’s first foray into peas. Scrunch goes the face and out comes the peas back onto the bib or highchair.

But it’s all good. We’ve all been there. It’s just those who don’t push themselves into new areas will never grow much beyond whatever narrow sensibilities they have been wired and cultured with from birth."

some people just don't like it, geesh.

much better! lol

in semi-seriousness, i think that is one of several reasons why some people don't dig it. but i think the majority of people that don't like NEWS or expectation just don't like that style he was playing. some people are purists. they like their jazz to be jazz, their funk to be funk, etc. this news stuff is just all over the place and can be seen as unfocused. whether it is or isn't really lies on the ear of the listener.

Being a musical purist belies the fact that anyone would be a Prince fan in the first place.

Supernova said:

you've got a point...

lovebizzare said:

I can't believe you said that!

Actually I think Anji has somewhat of a point with this post. I was quite a fan of how he formed your case, relating the music to peas that a baby spits out.

But, it still boils down to a matter of opinion. Our love or hate of the music is based on personal tastes, musical backgrounds, and hell, even the quality of our stereo systems.

This doesn't suggest to me that people who don't like N.E.W.S. are less able to appreciate music. It only tells me that we are all unique individuals, and our musical preferences go beyond past experiences. Many factors influence what we do and do not like.

Plain and simple.

FYI, my NEWS still hasn't arrived, though I ordered it from amazon.ca in July. It's current expected release date is now in October!!! What a joke! As a result, I have no opinion about the music that I have yet to hear.

Look at it as Romantic Vampire Jazz Goth and you'll like it. It's really Cool if you can catch the right vibe jib he's grooving to. You gotta feel Prince and where he is coming from gotta feel it in your veins. Sip some wine and sit back and Inhale the News. You'll be glad you did. Very Peaceful and Serene. Dig where I am coming from and you will Enjoy It as only the Master can make us Come.

savoirfaire said:

I have been quite dismayed by some of my friends' reactions to news. My older friends instantly hear similarites with NEWS and styles by previous greats, and try to categorize it. Of course when they try to do that NEWS will fail them because it isn't the best or 'up there' in any particular genre. It is instead a drawing together of different influences with Prince's own styles of composition. In the process of judging that NEWS 'has been done a hundred times before', my friends who are so-called 'well-versed' in music are sadly closed minded to this music that Prince is now making. They don't even take the time to hear how the songs pan out. IMO, these people are limited by their past experiences and perhaps musical snobbery

I'm not suggesting this idea holds to many of us who don't like News, and understaned that people just don't like it as a matter of taste, but it's something I've noticed amongst my friends.

Anji, well done on re-launching this topic!

lovebizzare said:

Exactly.

For me, N.E.W.S. required patience. I know why people are bored with it...it's instrumental, which for Prince means something is missing. But When Doves Cry is missing a baseline, so.

I had to force myself to listen to it, knowing that it would eventually cut a brain-groove where I could see it more clearly. Why so difficult? I don't like Jazz much. N.E.W.S. may not even be Jazz at times, but it sounds made up on the spot, impromptu, one of the main qualities of Jazz. On the one hand, this makes it sound genuine, but on the other hand, it sounds kind of under-produced and unplanned, and I prefer a good over-produced Prince track.

Currently, I enjoy Xpectation more. But I'm still forcing myself to listen to N.E.W.S. because I'm still bonding with it, liking it more each time. And as long as that process continues, I'll keep playing it. I really do enjoy the fuck out of "South," and find that I skip to it often.

I also forced myself to listen to country music. And I discovered that there was protein in there, too. And now I don't have to force myself.

You cannot acquire tastes by not tasting.

This is a very touchy subject and the root is not gonna be gotten at easily,if at all.Part of why a person digs or not digs a piece of music can have a million and one reasons and variables.Things like experience,knowledge,desire,etc. can all play a major part.

I've liked some music because it reminds me of a time or a person I was hanging with or what we were doing.Some others are based on pure enjoyment or a desire to try something new.My music collection is ridiculous and makes no sense to anyone ,but myself because I "experiment".

I feel that a love and a willingness to expose yourself to a lot of things helps you grow and get wiser.Now,you may decide that you don';t like something,after you've given it a chance and that's ok.I do that all the time.But that happens to me very rarely because I am so open.I am a damn sponge for music and ideas.This is why it will take me ,like,30 years to find out who I really am.However,I digress.

There is a point where you learn how to listen.I learned it ,and patience,from my dad's jazz collection ,as a kid,my digging rock and funk immediately,and hanging out with musicians.The jazz muscians taught me a lot.

Anyway,it's all good.People like what they like.I happen to LOVE the NEWS.

I like/love every type of music, as long as it good. I love prince cause he does not play just one style.
Now this news cd...first its not new music, its done before...looong time ago. I am sorry 2 say so, its just not a good album. He is a great musician. We all know that, but this new cd is really not good. Its boring at times. I love relaxed jazz. But i cant listent 2 NEWS. The cd has his moments. But 2 few moments.
I loved prince cause he had great lyrics, great music, great voice. These instrumental cd just give 1/3 of what he can do. And i am sorry 2 say that that is just not enough for me.
Believe me, my taste is very broad in music. I have lots of diffirent music. I make music myself. Thats y i can say that NEWS is not special or great. But of course there are always ppl who love it...enjoy it.

Suffice to say that I ate peas from the get-go

I love me some peas.

Romance1600 said:

I was wondering why.

savoirfaire said:

Great answer, savoir! I disagree that is was plain and simple though LOL. Hope you enjoy N.E.W.S. when you do get it.

Muffy said:

Anji said:

My reasons for not being too fond of SNOOZE:

- It's bland
- I've heard it all before (and executed better)
- The track order makes it a chore to listen to all the way through since the first track is like watching paint dry.

I like jazz, I like Miles, Charlie Parker, Dizzy, Coltraine, I love the Madhouse records, I love Xpectation.

I don't dig NEWS, it's boring IMO.

I don't defy anyone else to like it - go nuts, but some people just don't dig it - it doesn't mean we don't "get" it, or haven't evolved enough musically to "appreciate" it - we just don't dig it that much.

Same topic new title eh Anji?

"And just because you choose to use a particular style in your music, doesn’t mean you have to be innovative. No one is saying Prince is Public Enemy when he uses rap or Duke Ellington when he calls upon jazz. To me these are just unrealistic expectations put on by fans who want to only hear genius. Well genius is never that clean and neat and you don’t grow as a musician by just continuing to play that which you are best at. Not everything Miles Davis tried was successful, but he kept trying to reach beyond his comfort zone. Without “The Family” album and Madhouse projects we don’t have “Xpectation” and perhaps at some point down the road with continued growth and evolution I’ll be able to say without “Xpectation” we don’t have his latest creation which is on par with “Bitches Brew.”

Thankfully Prince continues to use all the colors in the box, despite the many people who continue to want to put him in a limiting space, a space that not coincidentally usually shares the same volume as its listener. The important thing is that as an artist Prince seems to be very much back on track and inspired again. And that has absolutely nothing to do with his current or future choices in musical style. Oh yeah, the subject was rockabilly. Just another flavor to “Jack U Off”. But he's not as great as Elvis was at rockabilly, so perhaps I should dismiss it and diss it and call him a joke for even trying. After all, what does he know about rockabilly? Stay in your box, Prince. Stay in your box. I know what's best for you."

Dear Anji:
I see the quotation marks around what you are saying - Is this from a book you are quoting from? A work in progress?
I just don't get the quotation marks. Please explain.

Hope to hear from you soon,
TheDoorkeeper

I know we all have our own opinions, but I just can't grasp when people call News boring. I hear so many sounds, so many twists, so many nuances and I hum these tunes and sing my own melodies to it. Sorry, I just can't accept it being called boring. It's bloody well not. Perhaps it's the listener who is boring? IMO=In My Opinion; i don't have to explain or excuse it. Ian, snip away.

Haven't heard it.

Anji said:

I think, and this is in all seriousness, that if the general public heard this without any knowledge of it being from Prince, it would be well accepted. I've seen this quite a few times, playing it in my car with friends, at work, etc. I haven't heard one bad word about it amongst non-fans, and when I say it's Prince, they're floored. They may not be music afficianados, but the fact that they wre grooving to it shows that it can be enjoyed by many without all of the musical teechnical knowledge some use to break the music down. Among Prince fans, I have noticed that when people call it "elevator music" or whatever, without any critical analysis as to why they think this or that, clearly indicated that they are simply close-minded, especially when it comes to Prince not being the Prince of old, and nothing short of his pulling out another PR or Erotic City will appease them. I read quite a few "reviews" from fans, and 90% gave no particular reason as to why they didn't like the cd. So, coupled with the fact that my non-Prince fan friends can get with NEWS, I mean really get with it, and Prince Fans cannot, says alot, in my opinion.

teller said:

How does Prince make a meticulously composed piece of music, which N.E.W.S. probably is, appear abstract or improvised? If you wish, Telly, listen to the recording of the recent LA gig. Therein lie your answers...

Moonbeam said:

Why not, Moonie?

Anji said:

I couldn't afford to buy it. That is, until today.

Moonbeam said: