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LotusFlow3r

NPG Records

Prince wants nothing to do with record labels.

The album was recorded both at Paisley Park Studios and 77 Beverley Park, Hollywood, of which one of the songs takes its name. Four of its tracks were previewed on 18 December 2008 on radio station Indie 103 (Crimson And Clover, Colonized Mind, Wall of Berlin and 4ever). Prince was at the time looking for ways to promote LotusFlow3r and looking for a non-conventional method to release it. When LotusFlow3r was ultimately released it was the lead album to a triple CD set that contained another Prince album MPLSound as well as Bria Valentie’s Elixer and released exclusively through the US store chain Target for $11.98. Despite its limited circulation LotusFlow3r sold 168,000 units in its first week and reached number 2 on Billboard’s album charts – just 3,000 copies short of the number 1 holder.

The three albums were also available digitally from 24 March 2009 as downloads from a specially dedicated subscription website lotusflow3r.com. The physical CD format of LotusFlow3r and its two companion albums followed on 29 March and only available inside the USA and went on to sell 543,700 copies in total. The CD version of LotusFlow3r contains the cover Crimson And Clover¹ by Tommy James and the Shondells, which was excluded from the download version of the album – replaced by The Morning After (2:06).

Performers

Vocals/Guitar: Prince
Drums: Michael Bland; Cora C. Dunham ^{Boom, The Morning Afterm 4ever and Dreamer}
Keyboards: Morris Hayes
Bass Guitar: Sonny Thompson; Joshua Dunham ^{Boom, The Morning Afterm 4ever and Dreamer}
Trombone: Greg Boyer
Saxophone: Mike Phillips
Trumpet: Lee Hogans
Vocals: Shelby Johnson; Marva King

Data

Producer: Prince
Label: NPG Records
Distributor: NPG Records
Cover Art: Anthony Malzone
Released: 10 years ago, on 24 March 2009
Running Time: 48:40
US Chart Peak: 2 (with MPLSound)
UK Chart Peak: No Release
Prince Album: #33

Tracklist

From The Lotus... (2:46)
Boom (3:19)
Crimson And Clover (3:52) ¹
4ever (3:47)
Colonized Mind (4:48)
Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful (3:52)
Love Like Jazz (3:49)
77 Beverly Park (3:04)
Wall Of Berlin (4:16)
$ (3:57)
Dreamer (5:30)
...Back 2 The Lotus (5:34)

¹ Written by Tommy James and Peter Lucia Jr. Track available only in CD version of album; omitted from lotusflow3r.com download version.

Singles from LotusFlow3r

LotusFlow3r produced no singles.

LotusFlow3r – review

Kicking off with a dreamy instrumental LotusFlow3r really does start with a bang with the sonic Boom, laden with guitar it sets the stage for the remainder of the album. Accomplished and slightly on the good side of heavy, this is as close to Prince’s Jimi Hendrix tribute album as you’re going to get. There are many radio-friendly tunes here, short too: 4ever, Wall of Berlin and The Morning After to name but a few. Crimson And Clover and Colonized Mind leave the usual mark of supreme quality, yet the songs that stand out from the rest is the funky $ and the fantastic Dreamer (where has this one been all our lives?) the track is colossal and just begs to be played live. LotusFlow3r does not disappoint and Prince gives us his usual, head-bopping fair. Sharp lyrics and a much awaited return to self-indulgent guitar, truly excellent, utterly original. Prince is still reigning supreme.

LotusFlow3r is reviewed by Goldies Parade.