Yup!! Sorry I didn't inform the masses but I just recently started writing for Blogcritics.org so it is kind of a new venture for me. I posted some reviews of some fav Prince albums on my blog as well and I'm getting traffic
from the other sites I write reviews for as well (Honeysoul.com and Soultracks.com). Oh, and yeah the wonders of the internet blessed me with that Purple Music file ;-) <Moderator: Yes, we all know about the Wonders -Derek> -------------------------------------------------- From: "B.J. "Bunneh3000" Brown" <lyrikal...@hotmail.com> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 6:25 AM To: "undisclosed-recipients:" Subject: Re: NPNY: An Accessible Prince Playlist of Obscure and Forgotten > Gems > Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 23:00:00 -0500 > Sender: owner-n...@lists.panix.com > Precedence: bulk > Reply-To: npny@lists.panix.com > > Woo hoo!! I wrote that!! I hope you guys like the article!! Thanks for the > post D! > > BJ > www.myspace.com/Bunneh3000 > > <Moderator: Small world! Why didn't you tell us? I like your choices. You > actually have an audible version of Purple Music?! LOL -Derek> > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Derek" <visio...@panix.com> > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 9:16 PM > To: <npny@lists.panix.com> > Subject: NPNY: An Accessible Prince Playlist of Obscure and Forgotten Gems > >> http://blogcritics.org/archives/2009/01/30/1156244.php >> >> An Accessible Prince Playlist of Obscure and Forgotten Gems >> Written by Bunneh3000 >> Published January 30, 2009 >> >> This year should be an epic one for all of the 'Funk Soldiers', >> 'NPG'ers', >> and 'Purple Disciples' in the world. The Purple One (Prince) has >> announced >> that he plans to release 3 cds worth of new material this year. Setting >> up > >> a >> new website to promote and preview these works and the resultant tour, >> Prince has his fans in a frenzy once again. >> Despite dropping 2 albums worth of mediocre material (well, by Prince >> standards anyways), this rock legend stills seems as if artistically he >> can >> do no wrong. Still, it is interesting how a number of 'old school Purple >> Reign' fans have totally isolated themselves from his work since the late >> 80's. >> So, I've tried to compile a quick playlist of songs to re-introduce those >> fans to some of his work that should be checked out before the new music >> drops. >> Here goes the Playlist: >> >> 1. "17 Days" - The Hits (Disc 3) - This is a song that Prince did in the >> 80s >> with The Revolution that just has a timeless rock sound to it. The guitar >> and bass guitar riffs are layered on top of each other in a funky way, >> yet >> the song itself holds a semi-new wave rock feel as Lisa adds synth keys >> all >> about the track. Here Prince sings normally without the high falsetto >> (did > >> I >> say that right) that so many people do not like. The lyrics are a bluesy >> and >> melancholy which make this one of my all time favs. >> >> 2. "Purple Music" - (BOOTLEG SONG...hard to find) This is one of Prince's >> early early songs that shows his exploration in funk. On this song he >> plays >> a funky guitar and keys as well as the percussion all himself for a ten >> minute funk session that I simply love. >> Lyrics are simplistic but he simply says that he doesn't do drugs because >> music gets him high enough. Search for this song! >> >> 3. "The Question Of U" - Graffiti Bridge - This song has one of the most >> memorable blues guitar solos that Prince has ever done. He plays this >> song >> often in concerts because the song itself is melancholy and fairly deep. >> It >> has a soft sex appeal to it but is no where near vulgar. It is Prince >> doing >> storytelling in the most classic of ways and the song is addictive to me. >> Definitely a fav. During concerts he usually melds the guitar solo in >> this >> song with "The One" which is actually later on in this playlist. >> >> 4. "The Ride" - Crystal Ball - This is a live recording of a blues song >> that >> shows his guitar ability so very well. Sexy, confident, and loud, this >> song >> shows a bit of his diversity. Though the recording was done in '95, it is >> said that Prince penned the song much earlier and it was usually >> performed >> without the guitar solo. Thankfully, this version has the solo because it >> is >> definitely great. >> >> 5. "She Spoke To Me[Extended Version]"- The Vault:Old Friends For Sale >> This >> is an extended jazzy version of a sound that was featured on the Girl 6 >> Soundtrack. I did a review of this album on my blog so check it out >> because >> that album has a lot of great songs that flex Prince's jazzy blues side. >> Clocking in at just over 8 minutes long, Prince blazes a jazzy guitar >> solo >> and allows the bassist, sax, and drummer to add in their own solos as >> well >> before restoring order and gently ending the song. >> >> 6. "North", "East", "West"- N.E.W.S. - This amazing instrumental album >> (which was also Grammy nominated) features Rhonda Smith, Eric Leeds, John >> Blackman, and Renato Neto as the rest of the band. While "North" is a >> strickly smooth jazz cut that was frequently played during the Musicology >> tour before the concert began, "East" and "West" are a meld of jazz, >> funk, >> and blues that leave each of the songs somewhat segmented based on which >> genre the songs focus on. Still, the songs as a whole manage to >> transition >> very well despite segmented feeling in each. These are all great >> additions >> to the Prince catalogue. >> >> 7. "The One" - NEW POWER SOUL (also under the artist name NEW POWER >> GENERATION) - This song is further proof that Prince can write some >> outstanding love ballads. It is in the same tradition as "Insatiable" and >> "Scandalous". In most concerts he blends this song with "The Question of >> U" >> and it sounds excellent! >> >> 8. "Shhh" - This is a rock love ballad that sends Prince back into his >> rock >> days. The drum and guitar solos in this song are great. This was when >> Prince >> played with an extremely talented crew called NPG (New Power Generation) >> in >> the 90s. The entire album was a supposed return to rock for Prince and >> the >> result was definitely worth it. A totally slept on album by Prince fans, >> this song and many others on the album should be in your personal stores. >> >> 9. "1+1+1 is 3" - The Rainbow Children - Despite this album being an odd >> experiment in Prince preaching about the Jehova's Witness faith, it is a >> very funky album. This song was meant to be a party song (even features >> his >> alter-ego Camille) and is very funky (throwback Parliament style). Be >> forewarned of early releases of this album though. It was originally >> released as one entire program or track (meaning you'd have to hold FF in >> order to get to a particular song). Later versions of the album were >> thankfully segmented into separate tracks. >> >> 10. "Electric Chair"- Batman - I'll admit it was strange to see a >> superhero >> movie set to the sounds of Prince but oddly enough it worked. This song >> was >> decidedly rock amidst the funk and slow jam efforts throughout the album. >> It >> was a return to Prince writing, producing, and performing all aspects of >> the >> song without the help of the NPG or the Revolution and the result was >> once >> again amazing. I mean, how could you deny the album that gave us the >> quiet >> storm classic "Scandalous"?! >> >> 11. "Crystal Ball" - Crystal Ball - Ok... when you listen to this song, >> it >> is one of those experimental styled, "IS HE HIGH??" kind of things. The >> song >> is very long but it changes tempo, style, and everything very often. Give >> it >> a listen. It is definitely "Bjork" kind of odd. Still, the song is >> strangely >> appealing during some parts. >> >> 12. "Don't Play Me" - Crystal Ball/The Truth - Prince on acoustic >> guitar... >> nuff said. I just love this song. The fourth CD on this album was >> intended >> to be a separate acoustic album that was bundled together with the >> Crystal >> Ball official bootleg album release. The concept of Prince doing an >> acoustic >> album is very tempting but somehow lives in the 'obscure' category of his >> massive catalogue. If more of the songs were like this one, it would have >> been an instant classic. Still, the album delivers a wide variety of >> sounds >> and styles from Prince that are definitely worth a listen. >> >> 13. "Willing And Able" - Diamonds And Pearls - Prince was in a creative >> storm around the time of this album because of the New Power Generation's >> ability to transition from rock to gospel to soul effortlessly. This song >> has a bit of a gospel-soul jazzy upbeat feel to it. >> >> 14. "Joy In Repetition" - Graffiti Bridge - This haunting song has a >> classic >> Prince sound to it that no one can replicate. With a storytelling method >> very similar to his Sign O' The Times classic "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", >> this song is a great companion to any Prince compilation. >> >> 15. "The Dance" - 3121 Now this song is another example of how Prince >> LOVES >> to do alternate takes on songs to change things up. He released this song >> first as a track on the digital album (it's hard to find now since he >> only >> released it on his online music club) The Chocolate Invasion. On that >> album, >> the sound of the song was kind of light-hearted and care free. >> The lyrics, however, are quite sad and are filled with frustration. So, >> on >> 3121, he added a samba feel to it and made the sound of the track match >> the >> lyrics. At the end of the song he adds a passionate ad lib the shows the >> frustration in the song that the original take did not have. Check the >> NPG >> website store to see if The Chocolate Invasion is still available for >> purchase. >> >> 16. "Xogenous" - Xpectation - Around the same time that Prince was >> cranking >> out a lot of new music on his NPG Music Club site, he dropped this jazz >> album. With the NPG backing him, he was able to experiment with a lot of >> different sounds that could transition from funk to rock to jazz with >> ease. >> Though this album tends to stay on the jazzy side (unlike the N.E.W.S. >> album) it is a great addition to the Purple archives. This song is >> particularly smooth and features excellent guitar and sax solos that will >> stick with you. The album featured Candy Dulfer on sax, Rhonda Smith on >> bass, John Blackwell on drums, and Vanessa Mae on violin. >> >> 17. "The Morning Papers" - Love Symbol Album - I love so many songs on >> this >> album and it is one of my favs. This song was just a great love song that >> has a few good guitar solos (since his guitar work is what he's known >> for). >> "7" and "Love 2 the 9's" are good ones too. >> >> 18. "I Love U In Me" - The Hits 3 - Though explicit in a way, this is a >> smooth, chill love song that few but Prince could do. With an almost >> acoustic feel to it, Prince croons to lighthearted and angelic keys and >> no >> percussion. This is a fantastic slow jam that is very sexy. >> >> 19. "Letitgo" - Come - This was actually a funky single off an album that >> came around the time when Prince was continuing his Warner Brothers >> battle. >> They were upset that Prince was attempting to 'flood the market with too >> much material'. Claiming that the album was the death of Prince, he had a >> lot of soul/funk tracks that are definitely forgotten gems. >> >> 20. "Pretty Man" - Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic - This is Prince with >> Maceo >> Parker just doing an ode to James Brown which he frequently does (also >> see >> "Housequake" from Sign O' The Times). This album also has a lot of duets >> (which people didn't think he could do) with Eve, Gwen Stefani, Chuck D, >> Sheryl Crow, and a few others I think. If you are really ambitious, >> search >> around for the remix album. It has extended versions and an amazing remix >> of >> the song "Beautiful Strange". Another Prince must have whether you >> enjoyed >> this album or not. >> >> Also go to my weblog and you'll find a number of reviews of some of these >> Prince albums as well, including Emancipation and others. >> Enjoy! And Love4oneanother! > [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/x-pkcs7-signature which had a name of smime.p7s] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NewPowerNewYork Mailing List website: Www.NPNY.Org ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe? Email: majord...@*remove*lists.panix.com, in body place npny ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions/Help?: visio...@*remove*panix.com
