it has no guitar track on it. there's no rock song on it or anything resembling a pop/rock groove.

that's my two cents.

Milty said:

How dare you?



NPS is fantastic!

I have a really dirty secret to confess...NPS has been growing on me over the past few months...I think when it's bad, it's really, really AWFUL - but when it's good, it's really damn good. I used to harsh on this album bigtime and eventually I was all like, "this album sucks except for a couple songs"....and later still, I looked at the track list to count exactly how many songs on NPS I liked, and it turned out to be half the dang album!

So okay, no more NPS-bashing from me.

I was actually listening to NPS at work yesterday, and I thought to myself that it really isn't so bad if I were to eliminate "Freaks on This Side", "I Like Funky Music", and "Push It Up" from the playlist. For myself, they just spoil it for the rest of the album, in my opinion.

NPS is largely a throwaway, and what kills me is that he would choose to release something like this w/ all the great stuff in the vault he could have put out as CB #2.

That being said, even a throwaway Prince album has good qualities. There are some fun pop songs on there.

Of course, The One is amazing.

There's a decent 4-song streak at the start of NPS. The drumming really ruins the album, to me. Prince playing would've been better than those uninspired drum tracks (except for Mad Sex -- its bass & drum pattern is classic).

Still, NPS isn't a bad CD to spin while driving.

How old is NPS now? And how is the quality of its music still an issue? Could it be that it is one of those albums that doesnt sound like what people want right off the bat but actually does have some good material that gets overlooked with bandwagon hate?

Daddypop7779311 said:

Naw. It's just really hard to look past the stinkers on that album, not to mention the art design on that album sucks the sulfur out of a rotten egg.

newpowersoul has some really great tracks. the problem is the tracks that aren't great are just really bad. its also very repetitive...i mean, the loops are boring and each song sounds very similar. i think the only cuts i like are the one, come on, funky music and on a good day, shoo-be-doo. the rest is just bad. i've always thought the album comes off as someone trying to be funky and trying to be cool. and if you've gotta try...

Milty said:

I disagree. The album just sux! It lacks direction. If u listen 2 any of the other NPG albums (Gold Nigga, Exodus, etc) they have direction. NPS starts out with direction, but loses it around track 4. I despise the album, but enjoy "The One", "Mad Sex", and "Come On". The rest could have stayed in the vault 4ever.

The audio equivalent to a colonoscopy.

brianr54 said:

but, hey, colonoscopies can be beneficial...

I LOVE this album....it's fun, funky, and danceable...just what some
of the ORG is asking for. R U trying to look for a deeper meaning
behind the songs? 'cause it ain't there...
Play it LOUD, play it in the dark, play it by yourself, just PLAY it.

Revolution said:

Tru!

Well, I just feel that NPS is his most consistent record since, well Batman! It doesn't bounce around in all kinds of different directions and the instrumentation stays rather similiar throughout.

Unfortunately I also feel it's also his worst record. And that the consistent direction and the instrumentation he chose for the album suck goat's ass.

01. Although its billed as being an N.P.G. album, its obviously a Prince album. Its more of a Prince album than Graffiti Bridge is. Every lead vocal is sung by Prince. Its a Prince album!!!!

02. Why do people shorten the album title to N.P.S.? Its Newpower Soul - not New Power Soul. The acronym should be N.S.!!!

03. Its a party album - its not supposed to be deep and meaningful although 'Wasted Kisses' is possibly autobiographical.

04. As an album, its better than many others. Its better than:

Graffiti Bridge;
Diamonds And Pearls;
;
The Gold Experience;
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic;
The Rainbow Children;
S.N.O.O.Z.E.

Its not trying to be cryptic or mystical. There's no embarrassing concept or theme to the album. There's adequate rapping instead of Tony M or T.C. Ellis' awkward rhymes. There's no rock-opera guitar histrionics. There's no trite metaphors about being reincarnated as a dolphin. There's no terrible cover versions. There's no Darth Vader voice-overs or preaching. There's no quarter of an hour jazz-funk "workouts".

Its a party album. Play it all in one go, really loud and you'll learn to love it too.

Oh - it has a "Camille" vocal on 'Come On' which automatically makes it better than most of his 90s output.

BinaryJustin said:

I like the album somewhat for what it is, but wow.... better than D&P, Symol, TGE and Rave? I don't think so. But hey, that's just me

BinaryJustin said:

And here I thought we were on the same wavelength better, than SNOOZE, without a doubt, better than Rave or D&P, possiby, better than any of those other ones?? No WAY. It's a cute PFunk tribute, but that's all.

MendesCity said:

But that isn't all! There are some great "pop" songs on the album - much better than the more commercial fare on R.U.T.J.F.

'Until U're In My Arms Again' is a great song. 'When U Love Somebody' is maybe a little too candy coated, but would you realy rather listen to 'Wedding Feast'? 'Come On' is THE funkiest song he's ever recorded. 'The One' is as good as all the other great ballads - the production on this track is amazing. 'Wasted Kisses' should have been a single. 'Madsex' is fun.

The other tracks ('Newpower Soul', 'Shoo-Bed-Ooh', 'Push It Up', 'Freaks On This Side', Eye Like Funky Music') are all adequate party songs.

I like the horn arrangements on this record - listen to 'Freaks On This Side' again and keep one ear on the horns. Its funky as hell.

Newpower Soul is the shit and it pisses on every 90's album & TRC.
It's his best work as a producer since way back when...

Bite me

Martinelli said:

I also think that newpower soul is a decent album.
My brother rates it as his favourite prince album and my mother also thinks its ace. Hell, even my ex who hated prince enjoyed several tracks from this album.
I'm not suggesting that it is genius, but at the right volume it's cracking!