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This isn't your father's Prince...

Adam R. Boyd | Lexington, KY United States | 09/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a long time Prince afficionado, I am used to abrupt changes in direction from the artist and his stable of hyper-talented musicians who make up the ever-evolving cast of his backing band, "NPG." This direction, however, kind of caught me off guard. This seems to be the culmination of the sound that started on "The Rainbow Children," which continued to mutate through the NPG Music Club-only releases of "One Nite Alone" and "Xpectation" - a move to fairly indescribable fusion, covering the gamut of ambient to crunchy butt-rock.



Prince and company tear up four 14 minute tracks in nigh-live form (if you've been to one of his shows, you know what I mean), with a wonderful lead by the under-appreciated multi-woodwind instrumentalist Eric Leeds. This package realizes the directions hinted at as far back as the eighties "Madhouse" offshoots - it takes the pieces introduced in "Xpectation" and expands on them, and comes together with what could arguably be Prince's most "adult" album to date.



The overall album is *not* something one can just casually listen to in the car - its a "sit down in front of the stereo with some hi-fi headphones on with a cup of joe" affair, that virtually demands do nothing but sit still and listen to the music for nearly and hour. If you don't, you'll miss half of the little touches, such as the ambient bits that lead each composition into silence (in Prince's world, silence is as important a musical tool as the notes actually played). This one is definitely not for the school of folks still expecting a "Purple Rain" or a "1999" to be re-hashed - but, for those willing to go along for the ride, it is a treasure trove that demands tribute from the listener in the form of repeated plays.



You won't be humming the compositions here - they are far to complex and shifting within the confines of each track and in the package as a whole, but parts will stand out, stuck in your brain on "loop" until you sit down to listen to the thing again.



If you like your music challenging, this is the album for you. A welcome oasis in the stagnant sea of soundalike rock, rap and pop country."

Breaking "News."

The Groove | Boston, MA | 04/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These days, it's easy to dismiss Prince as a fading pop star who's all but alienated his fans since he left Warner Brothers in the 1990s. As far as chart singles go, he's been hitless for about a decade, and his last few albums haven't fared too well saleswise. But you can't help but respect an artist who follows his own musical vision instead of chasing after what's "hot" or "in." As if Prince couldn't surprise us any more, he releases "News," an odd album of 4 tracks clocking at 14 minutes each. No lyrics. No vocals. They're instrumentals featuring a laid-back fusion of funk and jazz that's a far cry from "Let's Go Crazy." Some will call this a project of self-absorption, while others will listen with an open mind and accept "News" for what it is. These aren't jams you can listen to with a casual ear, nor are they composed for those with short attention spans. The CD requires you to listen with some degree of patience, something many people these days don't really have. Still, "News" is not for everyone, and even some Prince fans (the ones whose collection begins and ends with the "Purple Rain" soundtrack) will turn their nose at it. But for those who desire a challenge, "News" is an interesting choice."

'Real music by real music lovers!'

Funkyjurist | Italy | 07/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone out there who still doubts Prince's musical genius should check out this CD. Any musician able to effortlessly shift from writing one-chord songs like 'The Everlasting now' (a stunning funk number built around a two-note bass line, on his previous album 'The rainbow children') to writing an instrumental album like N.E.W.S. -wich blends jazz, funk, even ethnic and new age textures- in the wink of an eye like Prince does, deserves all your attention. This disc starts with 'North', a cool mix of classy jazz solos on a funky bass line. However, nothing can prepare you to 'East'! It starts with digital keyboards providing a violin-like tone playing an eerie line that sets the ethnic mood for the tune, wich evolves into a violin-drums duet playing a bizarre groove. When the rhythm cools down, a synth phrase with a sitar-like tone makes its way in a crescendo boosted by guitar power chords to a tremendous effect: this will give you goose bumps. 'West' starts with a beautiful melodic line played by Prince's guitar over a cool keyboards and bass accompaniment, but the piece eventually evolves into a darker mood stressed by Renato Neto's final solo on piano: clouds over the Western world? 'South' is an hot jazz-funk tune with an outstanding bass-driven groove that will put many of Hancock's funk records to shame -no disrespect to Herbie, of course. Even 'South' benefits from various rhythm and key changes.
This disc shows a superb musicianship and demonstrates that Prince can easily master any music style he wants to. Also, don't miss the rest of the personnel: Rhonda Smith on bass, John Blackwell on drums, and the great sax phrases by Eric Leeds. Prince plays guitar, fender rhodes piano and digital keyboards. Listening to Prince's passionate solos on this disc you'll understand why Carlos Santana, asked once to pick the most underrated guitarist he'd ever played with, picked Prince. People who remember the Purple One only for 'Purple Rain' will have difficulty in recognizing him while listening to this disc. But this is the best compliment that one could pay to Prince's musical variety. Recommended to any Prince fan and to any music lover as well."