New Power Soul!
It's Black Music month, let's start with Prince!
It’s Black Music Month and when I think of Prince I think he not only embodies, but epitomizes what black music is. Did you know this man has 42 albums? 42!! I’m not sure I can get through my Dads CD collection and his in this lifetime. If you were to ask me though, what my favorite Prince album is, I’d def say New Power Soul. It’s sexy and funky, effortlessly.
I discovered this album through DJ Lindsey Black Is Black show and specifically in this post, I was able to get a preview of what I would soon come to discover is a hidden track on New Power Soul.
“Manifest itself into a rendezvous” what a bar!
There’s definitely something chilling about the song with the heart monitor and the ambulance sirens in the background, but the lyrics are ouugggh (I’d never want a man to say this to me!) Apparently this was written about Mayte his wife and band member at the time. Which is so odd, because My other favorite Track, “The One” is the total opposite of this song. I’m currently reading her book, “The Most Beautiful” where she goes into detail about their love story. Somewhat problematic, but that’s a story for another day.
Wasted Kisses is track #49 on the album. #11-47 there’s 5 sec of silence #48 is 44 sec of silence. I wonder if he chose these numbers for any particular reason? You can see a hint of the hidden track in the scan above. “Wasted Kisses” is written on the waistband of the woman with the fast forward symbol next to it. I also really enjoy the artwork by Steven Parke! He combined photographs and illustrations. I put all the scans on my IG so you can take another look.
New Power Soul is the third and final album by New Power Generation. New Power Generation, NPG for short was a band put together by Prince in late 1990 to back him up during performances. NPG and would go on and play musical chairs with the members disbanding and adding new members from 1990-2015 with 9 iterations. NPG was first mentioned as a term in “eye no” off his Lovesexy album. The abbreviation NPG would also be featured on the back of at least one of the band members jackets during the 1988 Lovesexy Tour. Prince is the only artist featured on all three of the NPG albums.
“New Power Soul” the the title track-“Get freaky, let your head bop”-call and response to “Big Fun” from NPG’s Exodus album, its a reminder—horns make the song! very interesting first track.
“Gemini rising on the 7th day” another lyric that I love.— Its Gemini season so I think its perfect my first album deep dive is my gemini brother Prince. (I AM NOT A GEMINI, BUT MY RISING IS!!)
“Mad Sex” with Kurt Jones Is one of those songs you just randomly know of Prince, but you don’t know why. When finding “Wasted Kisses” I went through a deep dive without actually purchasing the album and this was definitely a fave as well. Sexy and funky is definitely the overall theme for this album.
“Come On” This shit right here? I’m not sure if it has crack in it, but I’ve been playing this joint in every set for the past month or two. It’s so groovy and sexy! It also reminds me of TLC- This Is How It Works off the Waiting To Exhale album. Come On was the only single from the album. It hit #22 on Billboard and #8 on Billboard R&B charts. The video is Prince at his best, being silly dressing in a disguise out in London. I assume he filmed this while on tour for the album because it looks self produced and most of the footage is from the live performance of this song. He used this album to tour and do press for Chaka Khan’s Album, “Come to My House” and Larry Graham’s “Graham Central Station”. He was focused on pushing both albums who were both released on Paisley Park records. He was going by the love symbol at this time. and this album was about having fun! People may have not necessary liked it. but it was his emancipation record from Warner Bros. Hence why everything was budget friendly and he was using New Power Soul Tour and Festival Tour to help back his artist.
“The one” is probably the best love song Prince has ever written, instead of him begging he’s telling what kind of man he isn’t/is going to be. The musical elements in this track create a beautiful tapestry. You can literally feel the love. And it sounds so good played on a huge stack of speakers like these:
at the end he is saying, “Mayte Myyy taye” so you can hear the woman he is singing to. Which we all know who this song it about!
Ms. Mayte Garcia.
I’ll leave you here on this beautiful track.
And my Special Instruction for you is; either buy the album and listen in physical form or do a deep dive on youtube as it’s not on any streaming platforms. New Power Soul ranges from sex, love, and religion so seamlessly. Between the production and overall theme and message of this album I think that’s why it’s such a standout for me. I root for the underdog always, but this album has a range of hits on it that’s definitely mandatory listening.
-Ella H.
P.S.
I’ll be DJing at Eavesdrop this Saturday 12-4pm come stop by and say hi!!!
Love a deep dive!!