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Newpower Soul

BMG

0{+>! Some people take names that are hard to pronounce.

Released under the credit of The New Power Generation, Newpower Soul is therefore not officially a ‘Prince‘ album. His involvement with this album is credited under the name “The Artist Formally Known As Prince ( Prince love symbol) – all musical instruments and tantrums” plus he is prominently and solely featured on the cover. Newpower Soul is a de facto Prince album and must be regarded as such.

cdnewpowerpak
New Power Pak

Newpower Soul was released as a stand-alone CD through BMG, due to Prince’s friendship with the label’s then owner Clive Davis. It was also available for purchase through his merchandise website 1800newfunk.com as a 3-disk slipcase set under the name New Power Pak, which included Chaka Khan’s Come 2 My House and Larry Graham’s GCS2000.

The song Wasted Kisses is notable in that it contains a sample of a heart monitor flat-lining and is therefore believed to reference Prince and Mayte’s son Amir, who tragically died from complications days after his birth. Prince promoted Newpower Soul on tour and despite it being credited solely to the New Power Generation, fared well in the charts – peaking at number 22 in Billboard’s top 200 and 8 in its R&B chart.

The New Power Generation

Vocals/Guitar
The Artist Formally Known As Prince
Programming
Kirk Johnson
Rhythm Guitar
Mike Scott
Keyboards
Morris Hayes
Bass Guitar
Rhonda Smith
Vocals
Marva King
Horns
The Hornheadz

Data

Producer
The Artist Formally Known As Prince
Label
NPG Records
Distribution
BMG
Cover Art
Steven Parke
Released
21 years ago, 30 June 1998
Running Time
59:54
US Chart Peak
22
UK Chart Peak
38

Track list

  1. Newpower Soul (5:01)
  2. Mad Sex (5:13)
  3. Until U're In My Arms Again (4:47)
  4. When U Love Somebody (5:56)
  5. Shoo-Bed-Ooh (3:24)
  6. Push It Up [feat. Doug E. Fresh and Larry Graham] (5:28)
  7. Freaks On This Side (5:42)
  8. Come On [feat. Chaka Khan] (5:59) 1
  9. The One (7:05)
  10. (Eye Like) Funky Music [feat. Doug E. Fresh] (4:32)
  11. Silent (0:44)
  12. Wasted Kisses (3:07) 2

1 Released as a single.
2 Hidden track (#49).

Singles from Newpower Soul

Come On single from Newpower Soul

Come On

NPG Records

Released
16 October 1998
US Chart Peak
Ineligible
UK Chart Peak
65
  1. Come On [Doug E. Fresh Mix] (4:57)
  2. Come On [Remix] (8:14)
  3. Come On [Album Edit] (4:30)
  4. Come On [Hypermix] (7:58)
  5. Come On [Latenitemix] (4:10)
  6. Come On [Acapella] (3:27)

Supporting tour

Jam of the Year Tour

Jam of the Year Tour

1997/8

Related releases

GCS 2000

GCS 2000

NPG Records (1998)

About this release

Come 2 My House

Come 2 My House

NPG Records (1999)

About this release

Newpower Soul – review

Prince had not been this funky since Dirty Mind, and why did it have to take so long! With Mad Sex and Push It Up, it’s business as usual for his Purple Badness’s favourite subject again, although from this point forward swearing would be off bounds for Prince. Technically Newpower Soul is an NPG, not a ‘Prince/ Prince love symbol‘ album, but with his photo on the cover and the Prince sound throughout every track it’s no secret whose album Newpower Soul is. In subsequent years Prince became more blues brother than funk soul brother and it’s easy to forget just how funky Prince can be at the drop of a hat, and thankfully proof of that comes back with a vengeance on this collection. Newpower Soul is a woefully overlooked album which punches well above its weight. The best tracks are When U Love Somebody, the moody Shoo-Bed-Ooh, playful Mad Sex and the rousing Push It Up, only slowing down the proceedings for Until U’re In My Arms Again and the classy The One. Freaks On This Side takes a couple of listens but when you let it in it becomes the song on the album you’ll play the loudest. It is Rhonda’s bass that elevates Newpower Soul with Come On and will be your most played track on the album (the remixes pack even greater punch). Be sure not to miss the bonus track Wasted Kisses, which rounds off a much unappreciated but extremely solid album. Prince may have sworn off swearing but he is still able to muster plenty of attitude.

Newpower Soul

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