There's nothing I can say about it that hasn't been said
before [and better] by others. Still, I think everyone
should hear this album at least once in their life. It is
such an amazing piece of work.

I listened to it again last night, after several months
of abstinance. I only listen to it after large intervals
becuz this is one of those sparse records that I want to
never ever overkill by playing it days on end. I want to
savour it and keep it as a record I can put in my player
now and then to knock my socks off, slap me in the face
with a large, cold wet hand and then towell me off with
it's magic tapestry of interwoven sounds.

If the mood is right [phones off the hook, after sundown,
countless cigarettes and many cups of strong black coffee,
french windows opened onto the moonlid garden] this album
really drives me across some kind of border and makes my
mind swirl. It's like some metaphysical whirlwind howling
through your bones.

NEWS is a nice enough album, but after an album like this,
one fails to take it seriously. I'd grind my teeth when I
saw people call NEWS 'elevator' music on here, but after a
deeply intoxicating re-acquaintance with Bitches Brew last
night, I think I have to agree.

NEWS displays some amazing craftmanship and nice melodies
along with some nifty arrangements. But it fails to create
any real emotions [except for a portion of East] like the
ones conjured by Bitches Brew.

In some ways, TRC was musically much closer to this organic
voodoo-esque vibe than NEWS. Still, listening to the albums
you can def hear where Prince got his inspiration and thats
cool. He just does his own take on it. I like NEWS and it's
a cool album that I'll still be playing many years from now
I'm sure.

I also noticed once again how Tokyo/Osaka have some elements
from Bitches Brew in them. One of them in particular, though
I can't recall which one right now. It's in those weird and
spaced out sounds of one of them.

I'm sorry, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about here
to be honest. I'm not an expert on jazz by far but I just
felt like writing some lines about Bitches Brew. That's all.

Bitches Brew :
N.E.W.S.: i just received it yesterday and listened to it once...well, i think this album needs time to be effective

I totally agree with you!

"Tokyo", that's the one I meant. Incidentaly, this is also
one of the most exquisit Prince songs of the past two or 3
years. Just a mellow breeze, not to Princely or squared in
just flowing. The birds and the monsoon are nice touches.

Absolutely: I stated something along these lines in another thread; when it comes to real funk experimentation; you can put news asside and put on bitches brew.

I only got the know BB recently through a dance performace which was quite good...

www.rosas.be - bitches brew/tacoma narrows

News is indeed nice but it doesn't really kick balls does it? You can put NEWS on as background music while BB wouldn't even allow you to do that. BB is raw, gutsy and funky, NEWS is a balanced funkisch soundscape.

its almost insulting to even compare the two! bitches brew is musical history. it changed jazz and its perception. NEWS is some kind of "experimental" project that prince felt a connection to. nothing more, nothing less. it is an enjoyable 56 minutes of music and it already has its place in my mood swing of a music collection. but other than the fact that there are no lyrics, i don't see the slightest comparable quality.

Yes, and again, how is it fair at all to compare these two albums? Bitches Brew is one of Miles' best, and News is both a departure and a thrown together experiment for Prince... People always looking for ways to express their theories that Prince lost it should try harder.

If there are any comparisons it should be to Herbie's Headhunters LP.

Rumpofsteelskin said:

I was thinking about that album too! But Bitches Brew and Headhunters both are better albums than NEWS in my opinion. Like someone else already said before: NEWS is a pleasant listen but lacks some "newness"...

You on drugs!

2freaky4church1 said:

I was, actually. Distilled endorphins. So sorry for the rant

BITCHES BREW- SO FUCKING GOOD. It really is a soul shaker

Similarities:
-Both recorded at similar ages (Prince 44, Miles 43)
-Both instrumentals (although 99% of Miles is instrumental)
-Both contain long improvised jams, using Jazz and rock tonalities/sounds as well as other more experimental/exotic sounds
-Both recorded with a new(ish) bands, at a time when their popularity was in somewhat of a decline
-Both were deliberatly radical departures from what they had been doing, and were famous for

Differences:
-BB was accepted by young musicians, and generally overlooked by the older generation, while NEWS will probably be more accepted by the older generation, while the youngens won't even hear it!
-BB was Miles's first platinum album and created a whole new fan base for him. I can't see NEWS really selling that much to others who arn't already fans (but who knows, it might suprise us!)
-BB is more "evil" sounding (in a good way), but NEWS is more funky and "nice" (in a good way also)

I can't say which I like better, but they both sure are great albums! I love Prince's direction at the moment. And like someone else has said here at the org: If NEWS is elevator music, and I was in an elevator and East came on, then that would be one funky trip to the top floor!

Bitches News--

---

This dude came up to me with wearin this fake pimp hat.
Had him a squirtgun, instead of a real gatt.

Leered at my girl, jivin, she didn't like that a bit.

Capped on him, said his line was as tired as aunt Esthers shit.

i have yet to hear any return to forever comparisons...that's what i hear especially on south