If Art Official Age is a juicy reaffirmation of Prince pop basics, Plectrumelectrum, his collaborative album with 3rdEyeGirl, represents a more intriguing departure, even if it too reaches back into the past, making a bold connection with a time when Jimi Hendrix was the last great black American rock star, before funk really left rock 'n' roll to the white man.
Hardcore Prince guitar-freaks--those who yearn for an entire album of six-string slash-and-burn in the mold of Jimi Hendrix, Ernie Isley, Eddie Hazel and Prince himself on "Purple Rain" and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"--will find much to love on PlectrumElectrum.... Though the 3rdEyeGirl rhythm section of Donna Grantis, Hannah Ford Welton and Ida Nielsen provides a solid foundation, and shares some lead vocals, the songs feel slight, a touch predictable.
If the songs on PlectrumElectrum don't stick the way those on Art Official Age do, it's nevertheless a quiet thrill to hear Prince spar with worthy partners, as he does throughout this record.
The formidable 3rdEye ladies want badly to be a raw, stripped-down rock band, but despite their chops and the analog production, the performances are slightly anodyne, scrubbed of menace.
Saw many of these compositions live when Prince & 3rdeyegirl visited Portland, OR in 2013. Longtime Prince fan have always dreamed of himSaw many of these compositions live when Prince & 3rdeyegirl visited Portland, OR in 2013. Longtime Prince fan have always dreamed of him putting out a unfiltered rock album......here it is and its lovely. The ladies of 3rdeyegirl are much more present in these songs than the ladies in the Revolution were back in the day. Straight up rockers "Another Love", "Ain't Turning Around", "Fixurlifeup", "Marz", and the incredible "Plectrumelectrum" carry this album. The latter song absolutely lit up the crowd at the Prince concert in Portland last year.....I mean the room was electric! "Whitecaps" is a timeless ballad and "Boytrouble" is a funky and very nice rap and "tictactoe" is song that could have been on "ArtOfficialAge." Excellent work, I'm so glad he did this one...its one for the ages! Once people get past their little snarky "Prince" issues and really listen to this album and "ArtOfficialAge" they will come around. Superb work!…Expand
I feel as though the beats the band lay out with the musical legend are good enough to qualify as a good album, although it may not have theI feel as though the beats the band lay out with the musical legend are good enough to qualify as a good album, although it may not have the most meaning set in some songs in the list.…Expand
Though the band is tight and rocks, the songs are not up to the standard the band sets. Its ironic, but its true -- they are certainly capableThough the band is tight and rocks, the songs are not up to the standard the band sets. Its ironic, but its true -- they are certainly capable of better and you can hear it here. The songs mostly groove along in a sort of bland way, and then there are highlights that happen and just recede into the background again. Unfortunately, the tracks where one of the band members take lead just don't work, but the ones with Prince at the mic make up for that. I do love their sound, but the songs needed more than this group can deliver. Highlights are 'Wow', 'Fixurlifeup', 'Stopthistrain', 'Anotherlove' and 'Funknroll'. The rest are fine background songs, but that's about it. I bet they kick ass in concert, though!…Expand
Definitely the weaker of the two new Prince albums. When its good ("AnotherLove" "Wow" "Fixurlifeup") its very, very good- good enough for meDefinitely the weaker of the two new Prince albums. When its good ("AnotherLove" "Wow" "Fixurlifeup") its very, very good- good enough for me to give it a considerably higher score than I would have otherwise. Unfortunately outside of those 3 songs this is mostly a very throwaway album. "Stop this train" and "pretzelbodylogic" are decent enough, there are several tracks that have no real Prince element to them, such as the consecutive trio of "ainturninround" the instrumental title track and "Whitecaps" ...not intolerable songs by any means but it feels like the star of the show is missing and you're instead listening to a generic girl rock group. Then theres the absolute lowlights of the album "Boytrouble" probably takes the cake, again lacking an obvious Prince presence and containing some truly painful rapping. "Marz" has potential but feels underproduced and half finished (it clocks in at under 2 mins) while album closer "funknroll" is essentially a rubbish version of the song of the same name on Princes new solo release.
All in all, if "Wow", "FixUrLifeUp" and "AnotherLove" had been plucked from this album and put on Art Official Age instead, PlectrumElectrumt would have literally no reason to exist.…Expand
