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N.E.W.S. Again... I know this has probably been talked about a hundred times already, but is it me or do Rhonda Smith and Eric Leeds truely 'show their ass'! on the album. Renato, John and Prince, have some undeniable beautiful moments on the record. Yet it's like it's an album for Eric & Rhonda featuring Prince & The NPG. No discredit, I like it that way.
I've been comparing Rhonda with some other bassist I know and I'm familiar with. Based upon that, she is an incredible player, and she FINE AS HELL! LAWD, LAWD! Blue  Blue  | |
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yeah i just watched the Vegas DVD (again) and she is hot! | |
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It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one. Blackwell is the one that took a hold of my attention on this album first, and even now. Leeds' tone is reminiscent of Stan Getz. And Rhonda's standout playing seems to be "West." I swear her phrasing is Bernard Edwards-ish after the rain sound effects come down on that track. This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes. | |
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Supernova said: It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one.
this is precisely why i think this album stands head and shoulders above "xpectation"... i think the band is too restrained on "xpectation"... it's almost as if they're trying too hard to keep themselves confined in this small box as jazz or this "new musical direction" that it doesn't really go in any direction... it just kinda stays where it's at... "news" seems to have so many more different layers... and despite the fact that it's instrumental, it doesn't sound like it's trying to be a jazz album... it's just being what it is and what it should be - prince instrumental... and what makes it so wonderful is that while there are some new musical directions on "news," it still sounds like a prince album, and contains all of the wonderful things that make prince prince... there are extremely funky moments... at times, it recalls smooth 70s style soul... it rocks out in parts... there is some very bluesy guitar playing... and to me, there isn't enough of prince's personality in "xpectation"... it's not bad, but it's just kinda there... and it almost sounds like it could have been recorded by anybody in certain spots... but "news" is obviously prince... if prince continues in the instrumental vein, i would love to see more albums like this one... and if he does go back to lyrics, i would like to see him writing more music as interesting as the music on "news"...  Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo 
Candy Dulfer is my boo...  | |
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EllisDee said: Supernova said: It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one.
this is precisely why i think this album stands head and shoulders above "xpectation"... i think the band is too restrained on "xpectation"... it's almost as if they're trying too hard to keep themselves confined in this small box as jazz or this "new musical direction" that it doesn't really go in any direction... it just kinda stays where it's at... "news" seems to have so many more different layers... and despite the fact that it's instrumental, it doesn't sound like it's trying to be a jazz album... it's just being what it is and what it should be - prince instrumental... and what makes it so wonderful is that while there are some new musical directions on "news," it still sounds like a prince album, and contains all of the wonderful things that make prince prince... there are extremely funky moments... at times, it recalls smooth 70s style soul... it rocks out in parts... there is some very bluesy guitar playing... and to me, there isn't enough of prince's personality in "xpectation"... it's not bad, but it's just kinda there... and it almost sounds like it could have been recorded by anybody in certain spots... but "news" is obviously prince... if prince continues in the instrumental vein, i would love to see more albums like this one... and if he does go back to lyrics, i would like to see him writing more music as interesting as the music on "news"... excellent! "I'm a pig..so,magic elixir I swill" | |
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love it...but lets not leave mr blackwell outta this... his playing is superb (i said superb  ) on this album...
i love the direction prince's music has taken on this and trc... the production, sound,everything... it's kinda like i've been waiting for this for a long time | |
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EllisDee said: Supernova said: It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one.
this is precisely why i think this album stands head and shoulders above "xpectation"... i think the band is too restrained on "xpectation"... it's almost as if they're trying too hard to keep themselves confined in this small box as jazz or this "new musical direction" that it doesn't really go in any direction... it just kinda stays where it's at... "news" seems to have so many more different layers... and despite the fact that it's instrumental, it doesn't sound like it's trying to be a jazz album... it's just being what it is and what it should be - prince instrumental... and what makes it so wonderful is that while there are some new musical directions on "news," it still sounds like a prince album, and contains all of the wonderful things that make prince prince... there are extremely funky moments... at times, it recalls smooth 70s style soul... it rocks out in parts... there is some very bluesy guitar playing... and to me, there isn't enough of prince's personality in "xpectation"... it's not bad, but it's just kinda there... and it almost sounds like it could have been recorded by anybody in certain spots... but "news" is obviously prince... if prince continues in the instrumental vein, i would love to see more albums like this one... and if he does go back to lyrics, i would like to see him writing more music as interesting as the music on "news"... I agree totally. Ive always maintained that N.E.W.S is a far superior record 2 Xpectation. A far more focused and interesting work. | |
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MrBliss said: love it...but lets not leave mr blackwell outta this... his playing is superb (i said superb
) on this album...
i love the direction prince's music has taken on this and trc... the production, sound,everything... it's kinda like i've been waiting for this for a long time This coulda been my post!
I've been banging on, saying the same thing all over this here org for the last week or so. | |
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TheBluePrince said: I know this has probably been talked about a hundred times already, but is it me or do Rhonda Smith and Eric Leeds truely 'show their ass'! on the album. Renato, John and Prince, have some undeniable beautiful moments on the record. Yet it's like it's an album for Eric & Rhonda featuring Prince & The NPG. No discredit, I like it that way.
I've been comparing Rhonda with some other bassist I know and I'm familiar with. Based upon that, she is an incredible player, and she FINE AS HELL! LAWD, LAWD! Blue Yeah Blue, don't you just love the 'drum and bass' pasrt of 1+1+1 is 3 where she is looking straight into the camera and seduces you with that funky grin! The babe is hot! 555-4444 you're on coffee talk. | |
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MrBliss said: i love the direction prince's music has taken on this and trc... the production, sound,everything... it's kinda like i've been waiting for this for a long time
so true... it sounds timeless... there is nothing dating the music... there is nothing cheesy... it all sounds very organic... i'd like to see prince stick with this style for a while... Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo
Candy Dulfer is my boo... | |
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EllisDee said: Supernova said: It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one.
this is precisely why i think this album stands head and shoulders above "xpectation"... i think the band is too restrained on "xpectation"... it's almost as if they're trying too hard to keep themselves confined in this small box as jazz or this "new musical direction" that it doesn't really go in any direction... it just kinda stays where it's at... "news" seems to have so many more different layers... and despite the fact that it's instrumental, it doesn't sound like it's trying to be a jazz album... it's just being what it is and what it should be - prince instrumental... and what makes it so wonderful is that while there are some new musical directions on "news," it still sounds like a prince album, and contains all of the wonderful things that make prince prince... there are extremely funky moments... at times, it recalls smooth 70s style soul... it rocks out in parts... there is some very bluesy guitar playing... and to me, there isn't enough of prince's personality in "xpectation"... it's not bad, but it's just kinda there... and it almost sounds like it could have been recorded by anybody in certain spots... but "news" is obviously prince... if prince continues in the instrumental vein, i would love to see more albums like this one... and if he does go back to lyrics, i would like to see him writing more music as interesting as the music on "news"... Sometimes I wish that I had the ears of other people, just to know what they're hearing that I'm not. It's amazing to me, EllisDee, because what you wrote about N.E.W.S. is what I love about Xpectation (many different layers, instrumental without trying to be jazzy), while what you wrote about Xpectation is what I hate about N.E.W.S. (it's just kinda there, the band is too restrained). I even went back and listened to them back to back again after reading this, to see if I could hear what you hear, and alas still can't. In fact, I heard even more intricate harmonics on Xpectation that blew me away, confirming to my ears that Xpectation is maybe his best album in years (on par with TRC), while N.E.W.S. is a blubbering bore. I'm glad you like N.E.W.S., maybe someday I will too. And I hope you find a way to enjoy Xpectation the way fans of it do. Peace! | |
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papabeat said: EllisDee said: Supernova said: It always seemed to me that Prince wanted to feature his band more on this one.
this is precisely why i think this album stands head and shoulders above "xpectation"... i think the band is too restrained on "xpectation"... it's almost as if they're trying too hard to keep themselves confined in this small box as jazz or this "new musical direction" that it doesn't really go in any direction... it just kinda stays where it's at... "news" seems to have so many more different layers... and despite the fact that it's instrumental, it doesn't sound like it's trying to be a jazz album... it's just being what it is and what it should be - prince instrumental... and what makes it so wonderful is that while there are some new musical directions on "news," it still sounds like a prince album, and contains all of the wonderful things that make prince prince... there are extremely funky moments... at times, it recalls smooth 70s style soul... it rocks out in parts... there is some very bluesy guitar playing... and to me, there isn't enough of prince's personality in "xpectation"... it's not bad, but it's just kinda there... and it almost sounds like it could have been recorded by anybody in certain spots... but "news" is obviously prince... if prince continues in the instrumental vein, i would love to see more albums like this one... and if he does go back to lyrics, i would like to see him writing more music as interesting as the music on "news"... Sometimes I wish that I had the ears of other people, just to know what they're hearing that I'm not. It's amazing to me, EllisDee, because what you wrote about N.E.W.S. is what I love about Xpectation (many different layers, instrumental without trying to be jazzy), while what you wrote about Xpectation is what I hate about N.E.W.S. (it's just kinda there, the band is too restrained). I even went back and listened to them back to back again after reading this, to see if I could hear what you hear, and alas still can't. In fact, I heard even more intricate harmonics on Xpectation that blew me away, confirming to my ears that Xpectation is maybe his best album in years (on par with TRC), while N.E.W.S. is a blubbering bore. I'm glad you like N.E.W.S., maybe someday I will too. And I hope you find a way to enjoy Xpectation the way fans of it do. Peace! strange indeed... because while i don't hate "xpectation," it sure as hell doesn't get a lot of playing time in my house... while i've listened to "news" 3 times since yesterday...  Mr. Ellis Dee-licious, the Official NPGigolo
Candy Dulfer is my boo... | |
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Just had a thought...not so sure about his reasons for Rhonda...apart from the fact that she is one hell of a bass player...but maybe Prince thought he owed Eric Leeds for the way in which their relationship got a bit shewed at the time of, I think it was, Emancipation? Wasn't there some rift about payment and stuff? Also, Eric is a stupendously good sax-man, maybe Prin ce just liked to hear his noise. | |
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MrBliss said: love it...but lets not leave mr blackwell outta this... his playing is superb (i said superb
) on this album...
i love the direction prince's music has taken on this and trc... the production, sound,everything... it's kinda like i've been waiting for this for a long time Yeah, I feel u Mr. Bliss Blue | |
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N.E.W.S. is what brought me to this site. Brilliant! I'm a longtime fan but what I've been hearing the past two years has been incredible. The Rainbow Children is a masterpiece. Now I've just got to get the ONA boxset. | |
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Xpectation and N.E.W.S. to me are equal...  and just normal fun functional standard jazz instrumentals... 
Now, The Rainbow Children... is truly brilliant. I think that exists in a whole new exciting different realm...  | |
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july said: Xpectation and N.E.W.S. to me are equal...
and just normal fun functional standard jazz instrumentals...
Now, The Rainbow Children... is truly brilliant. I think that exists in a whole new exciting different realm... Yeah, I understand your point. TRC touched on something we've never heard from any other artist ever. Blue | |
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North just puts me in a vibe that I cant fully explain, just a beautiful track.. | |
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North is my favorite track of NEWS too, plain beautiful!
I much prefer NEWS over Xpectation, I think the latter is quite boring to be honest. NEWS sounds much more like "scuba diving" to me and I love scuba diving. The man can't go deep enough for me! RIP Prince: thank U 4 a funky Time... |
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