Now It's On

Favorite Albums of 2015: #3 - Prince - HITnRUN Phase Two

Prince released two HITnRUN albums in 2015. Unfortunately Phase One turned out to be my least favorite album he has ever released but that was quickly rectified when he surprised everyone by releasing Phase Two in mid-December via the TIDAL music service. Phase Two was everything Phase One wasn't. It was a return to Prince's 'real music by real musicians' mantra and is my favorite album of his since 2004's Musicology. 

Half of the songs on Phase Two had been previously released, which led to some unwarranted criticism that this was just a collection of songs thrown together. I strongly disagree, even at the height of Prince's 80's greatness, albums were built around long vaulted songs and resurrecting old material. Prince will often let a song sit for years until it fits into an album sonically or concept wise. So yes, it may seem to some that Phase Two was a place to collect a bunch of one-off singles from the last few years, but I find it to be amazingly cohesive. Most of the songs that had been previously released have been re-worked for this album as well. Tracks like "SCREWDRIVER", "XTRALOVEABLE", "ROCKNROLL LOVEAFFAIR" and "BALTIMORE" have all either been remixed or had instrumentation and production added and all benefit from the new touches.

Prince's mastery of different musical styles is on full display here. You want funk? There's "GROOVY POTENTIAL", "STARE" and "XTRALOVEABLE". Pop and rock? Try "ROCKNROLL LOVEAFFAIR", "2 Y. 2 D." and "SCREWDRIVER". Soulful ballads? "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT U" and "REVELATION" are among the best he has done in years. In fact, "REVELATION" is a new addition to the classic Prince ballad list, a gorgeous masterpiece with his falsetto still flawless. Prince channels his inner Stevie Wonder on "BLACK MUSE", yet another highlight. And the horn work that runs throughout this entire album is extraordinary, it truly helps tie everything together into one cohesive sounding piece of work. There are also plenty of musical and vocal contributions from the likes of Michael Bland, John Blackwell, Liv Warfield, Andy Allo and many more members of Prince's ever evolving NPG, check the full band sound on album closer "BIG CITY".

Art Official Age was one of my favorite albums of 2014 and Prince has done it again with HITnRUN Phase Two placing as my #3 Album of 2015.  

Favorite tracks: "REVELATION", "GROOVY POTENTIAL", "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT U", "ROCKNROLL LOVEAFFAIR"

HITnRUN Phase Two was released as a digital download exclusively on TIDAL December 12th, 2015 via NPG Records. A physical release is expected in 2016.

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Album Review: Prince - HITNRUN Phase One

HITNRUN Phase One is being touted as the new Prince album, currently available exclusively via the Tidal streaming service. All it takes is one listen, and a review of the recent press interviews given in the lead up to the album, to conclude what this really is. The new Joshua Welton mixtape featuring guest vocals, and occasional bass or guitar, by Prince.

Yes, Prince and Josh have touted in every article how 3rdEyeGirl drummer Hannah's husband is Prince's producer of choice and how much of a hand he had in this release. The issue is, it's such a heavy hand it leaves Prince sounding like a guest on an album bearing his name. And my joke about this being a mixtape aside, let's call HITNRUN Phase One for what it is. A lazy, uninspired collection of remixes, songs that have been sitting around for awhile or already released online and some of the most embarrassing material Prince has ever put out. 

Now before the Purple Apologists rush to label me a hater, look no further than my review of last year's excellent Art Official Age. Joshua Welton also played a big part in that album's production. The difference is, AOA still sounds like a Prince album. It retained enough of Prince's signature sounds to come across as an updated version of the legend, but still true to the essence of Prince's musical history. I know there was a lot of hand wringing from some of the fan base over Welton's involvement, but other than the ill placed remix of "FUNKNROLL" that would have fit this new album much better than sticking out like a sore thumb on Art Official Age, Josh and Prince got it right.

But with HITNRUN Phase One, Welton has worn out his welcome with a grab bag of tired, generic electronic tricks and outdated beats and effects that only the truly out of touch can think will earn Prince club play. No self respecting club or DJ is going anywhere near any of the material on this album, from the repetitive clapping beats to the chopped and slowed down vocal effect Welton is obviously in love with since it's used on at least half the songs here. What Welton has amazingly done is eliminated almost any semblance of what makes Prince great from this album with an over-produced mess.

Things start off pleasantly enough with "MILLION $ SHOW" featuring the fantastic Judith Hill on vocals. Prince used a version of this track to open his recent HITNRUN Tour shows so it makes sense it opens the album and as an intro it does the job. What it doesn't prepare you for are the next three tracks, a run of awfulness I never thought would take place on a Prince album. In fact, I dare you to find a sequence in Prince's long, storied career of three songs in a row on an album worse than the trio of dreck that is "SHUT THIS DOWN", "AIN'T ABOUT TO STOP" featuring Rita Ora and "LIKE A MACK" featuring something called Curly Fryz. This stuff makes "Jughead" sound like a masterpiece. Truly, utterly embarrassing and the signs of a 57 year old man trying too hard to appeal to what he thinks the kids are listening to these days. Again, I dare you to find a worse sequence on a Prince album. You can't.

After a completely unnecessary and inferior remix of the Art Official Age track "This Could B Us", things get slightly better in the album's second half. "X'S FACE" is about the closest Welton comes to pulling off what he is attempting here with these club sounds and I liked "HARDROCKLOVER" from the get go, it's by far the best track on HITNRUN Phase One, in no small part thanks to Prince's guitar work. Then we have a pointless, brief instrumental remix of "Clouds" titled "MR. NELSON" before the album closes on a slight uptick with an update of the long vaulted track "A 1,000 Hugs And Kisses", now titled "1000 X'S & O'S" and "JUNE" which at least has a semi-interesting lyric. Sadly, neither of these final two tracks really go anywhere musically but even the generic production can't ruin "1000 X'S & O'S" completely. Originally recorded with both Rosie Gaines and later Nona Gaye, it's nice to see the song released after all these years in some form. 

When you've been around as long as Prince has, you're bound to make some mistakes. In a career that includes an ill-advised rock opera adaptation of Homer's Odyssey (Glam Slam Ulysses), a musically sound but lyrically mind-boggling album about Jehovah's Witnesses (The Rainbow Children), a film so bad it sunk his once promising movie career with a giant thud (Graffiti Bridge), and infamously changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol, this is the worst thing Prince has ever done.           

Favorite tracks: "HARDROCKLOVER", "X'S FACE", "1000 X'S & O'S"

HITNRUN Phase One was released September 7, 2015 exclusively via the Tidal streaming music service. A physical CD release is supposed to follow.

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The Now It's On Interview: Andy Allo

Singer. Musician. Songwriter. Actress. Model. TV host. It's hard to keep track of everything Andy Allo is up to at any given time. The multi-talented, Cameroonian-born Allo has made her mark in a number of different ways since moving to the U.S. at the age of eleven. Chances are you've seen her in a number of different national advertising campaigns she has been featured in and she has appeared on a few television programs including Attack Of The Show. But Allo is best known as a musician. She self released her 2009 debut album UnFresh then caught the attention of music legend Prince who added her to his touring band New Power Generation in 2011. 

Allo toured with Prince, providing vocals and guitar, during both his Welcome 2 America Euro Tour and Welcome 2 Canada Tour during 2011. Her time in Prince's circle also produced her second full length album, 2012's fantastic Superconductor. Essentially a collaboration with the music icon, don't get Superconductor confused with many of Prince's associated projects of the past where he performed and wrote practically everything, then handed over the finished album to the artist to add vocals to. Allo wrote six of the album's nine tracks, and co-wrote the other three with Prince. As is to be expected with Prince, the two worked on other material during Allo's time with the NPG, some of which remains unreleased, while a couple tracks wound up on Prince's 2014 album Art Official Age.        

This year Allo returned with her first new music since exiting the Prince universe and going back to the independent route, the PledgeMusic funded EP Hello. The five tracks on Hello mark an unsurprising change in direction from some of the funkier leanings of Superconductor. Single "Tongue Tied" is pure, catchy pop music, "Into The Wild" is a convincing rocker, while "Fighter" is an empowering anthem. "Don't Ever Say" is also not to be missed, an acoustic based ballad that is the closest fit here to some of the more stripped down material on Superconductor. 

Despite her always busy schedule, Andy graciously took the time to answer some questions for Now It's On about the new EP, her future plans, where the music industry is heading and, yes, there is a Prince related question or two.

Now It's On: First I'd like to ask about your new EP, Hello. What made you decide to put out an EP instead of another full-length at this time?
    
Andy Allo: I would have loved to put out a full-length album this year, but I wanted to get these new songs and this new sound out to my fans as soon as I could. I love the idea of putting together five great songs rather than trying to throw together ten with some that maybe aren’t as strong.

NIO: Do you anticipate your next music release to be your third full length album?

AA: I hope so! I’ve already started working on it, but I’ve been thinking of doing another EP which would allow me release something sooner.

NIO: There is a pretty obvious progression in your sound on this EP from your last release Superconductor. Hello is much more pop oriented, is this just an extension of the various styles of music you like and are influenced by? Or is this a conscious effort to separate yourself from some of the funk leanings of that last album? I've seen clips of recent live performances as well where you've re-arranged some of the funkier Superconductor tracks into more of a rock sound. Is this more of the sound that you're most comfortable with?

AA: It’s definitely the former. I love all sorts of music and wanted to convey that with Hello. I’ve always loved pop and rock, and this was a chance for me to challenge myself, express a different side and also put to use everything I had learned from working with Prince. It’s been so much fun rearranging the songs from Superconductor and I love how they have translated so well to more of a rock sound. It’s exciting for me to experiment with a song you’re used to hearing one way and even more exciting to then share it with the audience.  

NIO: One song I saw you perform on one of your StageIt appearances was "Time Heals All Wounds". I know a number of people who really dug that song as well, any reason why that didn't make it onto the new EP and are there any plans to release it on a future project?  

AA: Ahh, I love that song. It might make it on the next project. Because the song is so special to me, I want to make sure when I do release it, that it’s perfect. There’s a number of songs I have, “Time Heals All Wounds” being one of them, that when the time is right, they will officially be released.

NIO: I'm always interested in getting the perspective of musicians and artists on the current state of the music industry, especially those who are out here doing things independently of the major label system. So a couple questions on that subject. First, what are your thoughts on streaming services like Spotify, Tidal and the new Apple Music? I know they expose music to a lot of people, but the artist seems to gain very little financial reward for their music. Do you feel these types of services are necessary or do you think there has to be a better way that puts more money in the artist's pockets?

AA: Recently, Taylor Swift wrote an open letter to Apple about their Apple Music streaming service being unfair to artists and they responded positively. I was so happy to have someone like Taylor Swift stand up to them. However, the unfortunate thing is if I or any independent artists did the same thing, it would be like a tree falling in the jungle. The truth is when you’re independent, any avenue to get your music to more people is good. You can’t afford to be picky because you’re just limiting your own exposure and reach. Do I wish streaming services paid more to the artist? Of course! But so many have discovered me from playlists on Spotify who have then come to my concerts and ended up becoming loyal fans. So maybe I don’t make a lot of money from streaming sites, but I continue to gain new fans everyday. So to me, it’s worth it.

NIO: Then there are the sites like Bandcamp, Noisetrade and PledgeMusic which I know you used for Hello. Those sites seem to be not only more artist friendly, but offer the artist a much closer interaction with their fans. Do you think going forward, those types of services represent a more fair arrangement for independent musicians?

AA: I think we’ll see a lot more independent and signed musicians turning to PledgeMusic and similar services for releases. It’s a much more involved experience for both musicians and fans and I think that it really captures the indie DIY spirit.

NIO: Now that Hello is out in the world, how was your experience with PledgeMusic? Is it something you would consider using again when releasing your next project? Any downsides or did it go smoothly? I know I have heard from a number of fans that loved the personal touch of things like hand made bracelets and the exclusive mugs that were offered, was that as much fun for you to be a part of as it was for the fans who were able to purchase such unique items directly from you?

AA: I might use it again! It was a really good experience, and I think the PledgeMusic system allows you to be exposed to more people who might not have heard of you. It’s a lot different than just putting a Kickstarter on your Facebook and sharing it with the same fans over and over. I had a blast coming up with fun updates and rewards and I thought of what would make me excited if a musician I loved did their own campaign. It involved a lot of work and planning but in the end made the experience that much more personal.

NIO: You were featured rather prominently on Prince's Art Official Age album that came out last year. As is often the case with Prince projects, the credits are a little sketchy. I'm assuming you were involved with the writing of tracks like "Time" and "This Is What It Feels Like". Any insight you can provide into your input on those songs? Both carry over themes from your track "When Stars Collide" on Superconductor. Were they ever considered for a different project initially? It almost seems like they would have made a nice little remix EP of songs based around "This Is What It Feels Like".

AA: Prince and I wrote those songs around the same time as Superconductor. The way we wrote was seamless. If there was a line or verse needed, one of us would write it or chime in to add something different. “Time” and “This Is What It Feels Like” were always meant for a separate project even though “What Is Feels Like” is a continuation of “When Stars Collide”. It was a very inspiring time and there were a lot of great songs written and music recorded. I’m happy these songs got to be released and heard by the fans.

NIO: Speaking of Superconductor and being an independent musician, it is no secret there have been many Prince associated albums over the years that for one reason or another never saw the light of day. Tamar, Rosie Gaines, Margie Cox and Bonnie Raitt are just a few of the female artists that either recorded material or had complete albums ready that were never released. I remember at the time, Superconductor went through a couple delays in release dates and seemed headed for another when you took control of the project and self released it. This doesn't often happen in the Prince world. I'm curious, do you own the album? Say you wanted to re-release it as a "special edition" with bonus tracks or remixes, do you own the rights to the album that would allow you to do such a thing?    

AA: We worked on it as two artists coming together so we both share it equally. Eventually, I’d like to release the rearranged versions of some of the songs and something I would like to do in the future is release Superconductor on vinyl. Hello is my first album available on vinyl so I can’t wait to do that with my other records.

NIO: Your career obviously involves more than music, with acting also in your repertoire. Which is your favorite or is it too hard to choose?

AA: It’s definitely too hard to choose.  Music is very personal, but with acting I love embodying a character. Both acting and music allow me to tell a story, and it’s a dream come true to be able to do both.

NIO: Speaking of acting, you were cast in the new NBC pilot 'Warrior'. Any insight on your role and when we might see this air?

AA: Working on ‘Warrior’ was such an incredible experience. My character was a martial arts fighter and just an overall cool bad chick. I learned how to fight and did some stunts. Unfortunately, ‘Warrior’ didn’t get picked up, but I had a great time working on it! I’m looking forward to being a part of some more television and film projects.

NIO: With such a positive attitude and outlook, more projects will surely come your way. Thanks again Andy for taking the time to respond. All the best with Hello and everything else you have going on!

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Bootleg Review: Prince And 3rdEyeGirl - Fox Theatre Detroit: From The Soundboard

I complete my look at the three new soundboard releases from Prince's recent HITnRUN Tour with a very special set for me, capturing his triumphant return to Detroit after a near eleven year hiatus. There have been many Detroit shows I've attended over the years that have never surfaced on bootleg, so to get this show and in crystal clear soundboard as well? Incredible. 

And much like the two Louisville shows that help make-up this essential trio from Free Boot Generation, this recording could easily be sold as is directly from Prince it sounds so pristine. Getting these shows so close to when they happened is another treasure. Soundboards from the 80's continue to appear to this day, thankfully we did not have to wait that long for these to make it to the fans.

For a more in depth recap of this show at the Fox Theatre from April 9th, 2015, see my recap here. This recording does not include Judith Hill's opening set, but does capture Prince's entire, nearly two and a half hour marathon of funk and roll. Unlike the Louisville shows, Prince and 3rdEyeGirl were joined by a horn section and keyboardist Cassandra O'Neal, meaning they were able to switch back and forth at will between the leaner rock sound of 3rdEyeGirl and the funk of the NPG. Classics like "Housequake" and "Cool" definitely benefit from the addition of the live horns.

Don't miss the performance of "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" here either, as Prince proves his falsetto hasn't lost a thing. The cover of Laura Mvula's "Green Garden" is a live rarity and another highlight. And the night ends with a beautiful version of "The Love We Make" that is a must hear.

This recording also captures the pure joy Prince was feeling and exhibiting on the stage. Numerous times he calls out to the fans and shows love to one of the first major cities to embrace him. You can tell in his voice that love and appreciation for Detroit and what it meant to his early career is still there. In fact, the only downside to this recording is a couple of Prince's speeches from the stage have been edited down or cut out for time. But this is still an amazing release, one I am especially grateful to have for those times I want to recapture the magic of that night. Prince was back in Detroit and all seemed right in the world.

Bootleg Review: Prince And 3rdEyeGirl - The Louisville Palace: From The Soundboard 2nd Night, 1st Show

 

So here we have the second recent soundboard release from Prince's current HITnRUN Tour, the second from the Louisville, Kentucky shows that opened what has been a sporadic series of shows more than a full fledged tour. You can find my review of the first release here. This recording features the first show of the second night in Louisville, March 15th, 2015.

There isn't much more to say about the quality on this release that I already said in my review of the first night's show. It is again fantastic soundboard, official release worthy. As for the show itself, one look at the setlist will tell you this is a show that will appeal the most to diehard collectors and long time fans. Sure there are plenty of hits still played, and as I mentioned in my prior review, I dig the way most of these are being performed on this tour, but for this set Prince and 3rdEyeGirl started the show with four newer songs and a cover.

Things kick off with "Wow", Prince's version of the song "The Unexpected" he wrote for Liv Warfield. "Funknroll" is next before he does the rarely performed on this tour "The Breakdown" from last year's Art Official Age. It becomes apparent during this song that Prince is battling a cold as his falsetto is a little rough, he obviously realizes it and you can tell during the rest of the show he tries to avoid using it as much as possible. It doesn't distract from the listening experience, if anything it gives you appreciation for how he battles through it like a true pro.

"Pretzelbodylogic" is next before a cover of Billy Cobham's "Stratus" which I never get tired of hearing Prince do live. After this, the set goes back into the usual run of hits starting with "Let's Go Crazy", but there are still a few more surprises to come, most worthwhile an absolutely scintillating, over eight minute long version of "Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)". If only this song were a regular in the setlist, but its rarity makes it all the more special here. After the first verse is performed with just Prince and piano, the band joins in and there is some powerhouse guitar work to follow.

After the main set, Prince and the band return for the first ever live performance of their cover of the Nichole Nordeman song "What If". A studio version of this song was also released as a download only during Prince's stay in Kentucky. I have to confess this song does not do much for me, and this performance sounds a little disjointed, but it's obviously a rare performance collectors of Prince's live shows will be eager to add to their archives.

After "Purple Rain", the show goes into the sampler based segment of his show. Things then end on a pair of covers as they do "Play That Funky Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" back to back. That is where this particular show ends. but this release closes with four bonus tracks from the second show of this evening, including "Guitar" and "Plectrumelectrum". 

Prince's voice being a little rough actually gives this show a bit of a memorable quality. He shouts a lot, you can hear a scratchiness in his voice and it almost gives his vocal performance a sense of urgency and emotion you wouldn't expect. And once again, the beautiful soundboard quality makes this an essential release to own. Again, a huge thanks to Free Boot Generation for this series.

Bootleg Review: Prince And 3rdEyeGirl - The Louisville Palace: From The Soundboard 1st Night, 1st Show

For reasons I'd rather not dredge up, things have been rather quiet on the Prince bootleg scene. It's not that they've gone away, certain pressed labels continue to sell their wares. But the free releases have been few and far between. Thankfully the last few weeks has seen that change in a glorious way with a number of fantastic releases courtesy of the always excellent quality Free Boot Generation. As Prince himself said, and the artwork on this release states, "I have some bootlegs but I wouldn't sell them. But fans sharing music with each other, that's cool." And that is exactly what is happening here with three incredible new soundboard releases from Prince's current HITnRUN Tour.

Yes, you heard me correctly. Soundboard releases. The 2015 HITnRUN Tour kicked off in Louisville, Kentucky with four shows over two nights in March. Chosen since it is the hometown of 3rdEyeGirl drummer Hannah Ford-Welton, Louisville quickly sold the shows out, with help from fans always willing to travel great distances for a Prince show. Captured on this release is the first show from the first night, March 14th. 

Before I get into some of the show details, the quality of the recording itself is spectacular. Beautiful, crisp soundboard, worthy of an official release. And that brings me to the question and issue I always have when things like this get out. Why isn't Prince, with such a rabid fan base of collectors, willing to release this type of material himself? This should be a no-brainer. Fans and collectors would GLADLY hand over their cash directly to the man himself for the privilege of downloading full length soundboard recordings. With this being an unofficial release, all credit to Free Boot Generation for sharing these releases for free when it would have been so easy for someone to try to make money off of them. But Prince continues to miss the boat on his incredible legacy of live shows. I refuse to believe a download site of live recordings could not be a profitable venture for him. Yes, it is his music, to do with it what he wants, but the goodwill and recognition he would get for that type of venture is being wasted. Oh, and don't overlook the artwork either. That too is official release worthy.

As for the show itself, it is hits heavy as this tour has been. Prince announces, "Let me tell you how this is gonna go. Have you ever heard nine hits in a row? At any show, have you ever heard nine hits in a row? That's the way it's gonna go, you ready?" before he and 3rdEyeGirl kick into "Let's Go Crazy". Oddly enough, "Funknroll" is included in that run of "nine hits in a row", although the only place I have ever seen that declared a hit is on the sticker that came on the shrink wrap of my Art Official Age CD. 

Unquestionably, an early highlight of the set is a nearly seven minute version of "Controversy" and no current Prince show would be complete without him sound checking from the stage as he does at the start of this song. "Turn this mic up in the front wedge" he calls out before turning it into a mini-chant of, "Up up, up in the front wedge." These calls from the stage that are prevalent in every show to some extent have become a bit of a running joke at this point. Still, it can't detract from the funkiness of the performance on this one.

Another standout is the performance of "Nothing Compares 2 U". Yes, I've heard him perform this hundreds of times, but I especially like the way the song is being performed on this tour, arranged much like the original version on The Family album at the start while also calling to mind how it was performed on the Nude Tour. Prince gives an especially impassioned vocal performance on this night, taking a song you've heard to death to a higher level.

The majority of the second half of the show is based around the sampler that Prince uses, although at least he has started to incorporate the band into songs like "Housequake" and "Sign o' The Times". Even though it is to pre-recorded backing music, the performance of "The X's Face" is of interest as Prince sings the whole song. Still, I know if most long time fans had their way, Prince would retire this sampler based segment of his shows. It stands in complete contrast to his boasts of "real music by real musicians." Having seen it live a few times though, I can tell you casual fans usually go crazy with every start of a recognizable song. Surely most people would rather hear songs from Prince's deep catalog performed live?

The recording of this show ends with another high point, "Pretzelbodylogic" which also incorporates "The Sailor's Hornpipe" before going into a cover of "Stratus" which I always enjoy. Here Hannah Ford-Welton is given the chance to show off for her home town at the end with a drum solo segment. Sadly, the closing song of this set "Purple Rain" was not recorded, so this was replaced on this release with "Purple Rain" from one of the next night's shows. As a completist collector, I've never been a big fan of mixing shows like that, but viewed as a bonus track here it's fine.

Even though the long time fan in me would love to hear deeper cuts and rarer material over hits shows, the quality of the recording here can't be denied and I've warmed to the way a lot of these songs are being performed on this tour. It's hard to complain when you're getting soundboard releases of shows that took place barely a month ago. A must have for any Prince collector.

Concert Review: Prince & 3rdEyeGirl with Judith Hill - Fox Theatre - Detroit, Michigan, 4/9/15

From early in his career, Detroit has been a hotbed of Prince support. It was one of the first cities to embrace the musical genius, with legendary DJ The Electrifying Mojo playing a big part in that from the early days through Prince's ascent into super stardom. There is a reason Prince opened the Purple Rain Tour here and the city responded by selling out seven straight shows. There is a reason he celebrated his birthday here in 1986 with two shows no less. At the height of his popularity he referred to the city as his "second home" thanks to all the love he received from this area.

That mutual love continued throughout the ups and downs of his career, as he continued to play here regularly, even selling out four arena shows on his hugely successful Musicology Tour of 2004. But then something strange happened. Years passed and Prince never returned. In fact, the years piled up to nearly eleven without a Prince show in Detroit. His last show here was on July 31, 2004, with a show on the West side of the state in Grand Rapids a day later. It just seemed odd. Something wasn't right in the universe. Then it happened. After two nights, and four shows in Louisville, Kentucky in March, Prince fans were wondering what the next lucky city to be graced with Prince's new Hit 'N' Run 2015 Tour would be. On Good Friday, word started spreading via social media that Prince was returning to Detroit with his band 3rdEyeGirl, for a show at an unspecified venue on April 9th and Live Nation promptly confirmed it.

Live Nation's involvement led to a lot of speculation the show would take place at The Fillmore in Detroit since they run that facility. That was certainly my guess, given its similarity to the venue Prince played in Louisville. But literally minutes before tickets went on sale at Noon on Monday, April 6th, the venue was revealed and it was instead the Fox Theatre. My stress over getting tickets was slightly lessened as the Fox has about twice the capacity of The Fillmore. But given this area's thirst for a Prince show, I knew this was still going to sell out nearly instantly and that it did, making it the hottest concert ticket we'll likely see in Detroit in 2015.

Since his 1988 Lovesexy Tour, I have only missed two Prince shows in Detroit. Given the length of time since his last show here, I knew this was bound to be a special night, a "reunion" if you will, and desperately wanted to be there to see it. I was prepared for a stressful experience trying to nab tickets as soon as they went on sale, but instead as soon as the online on-sale started, two main floor seats appeared in my cart and within minutes, I had two of the most in demand concert tickets in the city. It couldn't have gone easier and I spent the rest of the week leading up to the show grateful at how lucky I was to have scored these tickets. It seriously felt like winning the lottery, especially when I saw so many local fans online lamenting how they were shut out.

Even better, there wasn't long to wait and Thursday came quickly. With doors scheduled to open at 7 and opening act Judith Hill slated to start at 8, we got downtown around 6:30 and the line around the Fox was already incredibly long. Prince has adopted a ticket policy where you have to have the credit card you purchased tickets with swiped at the venue to gain admission. It's a great way to reduce scalping and make sure real fans get the tickets, but the downside is it can cause quite a wait to get into the venue. Things certainly didn't go smoothly on this night as the Fox's computers went down for about 25 minutes. Combine that with a late soundcheck and the 7PM door time was out the window. 

When we finally got inside, more chaos ensued. At the table we were sent to for my card to be swiped, the two older women in charge of said swiping seemed to have less than a solid grasp of how to work the machines. Many people were being turned away and told they had to leave the building and go back outside to the box office to resolve their issue as their cards either weren't scanning or were not the cards they had on file for the ticket purchase. I was told the same thing, but was not about to leave and luckily there was a younger gentleman right by us that took my card, swiped it once and we were in. Crisis averted.

As we got to our seats and waited for opener Judith Hill to take the stage, it became apparent how serious staffers at the Fox were taking Prince's no photos/videos allowed policy. They were hunting down anyone with a phone out, giving them one warning that they had to be put away, and this was before the opening act even started! I even caught their wrath while texting a friend, told no phones were allowed and to put it away. I was not about to risk getting tossed out of a $150 seat and the phone stayed in my pocket the rest of the night.

Things finally got underway when the three women who make up 3rdEyeGirl came to the stage to let the crowd know they were in for an amazing night of music and also to reiterate the no taking pictures or videos policy. With that out of the way Judith Hill's set started with her band walking down the middle aisle of the Fox while singing the chorus to "As Trains Go By", the first song on Hill's Prince produced debut album Back In Time. Once they hit the stage, they were joined by Hill and kicked into the full song. After a couple rehearsal performances at Paisley Park, this was Hill's first official live set since teaming up with Prince and she served as a perfect opening act. Eight songs from her album were played, in the same order they appear on record, with a cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" in the middle of the set sung by keyboardist, and former Prince band member, Chance Howard. 

Howard isn't the only former Prince band member in Hill's band. Kirk Johnson was on drums and Kip Blackshire was on keyboards as well. And the four NPG Horn members who played with Hill, also performed during Prince's set. The set was heavy on the funkier material on Back In Time, with "My People", "Turn Up" and "Wild Tonight" personal favorites. Of the slower material, "Angel In The Dark" was taken to a whole different level live, much more organic than the heavily electronic version on the album. Hill was in fantastic voice, and with a highly funky band behind her, here is hoping she embarks on a tour of some smaller venues as a headliner. I'd definitely be in the house if she returns to Detroit on her own. As I said, she was a perfect fit to open for Prince and her nearly 42 minute set was well received by the appreciative Detroit audience. 

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Now the anticipation for Prince was palpable. As jazzy music looped continuously over the PA the long wait to see Prince in Detroit again finally started around 9:45 as a brand new pre-recorded intro started once the lights went down. This reminded me of the introduction to his Nude Tour shows in 1990 as it opened with the beginning of "For You", which quickly slowed to a crawl into the beginning of "1999", which segued into the intro to "Let's Go Crazy". But then instead of false starts into a few more hits, a new track is played, as best as I can tell called "Million Dollar Show". This is a duet with a female singer who starts with "Welcome 2 the million, million dollar show. This is something that U've never seen B4. Welcome 2 the million, million dollar show. This the kind of music make U lose control", before Prince takes over on vocals. Obviously I am not sure if this was specially recorded for the show intro or a full length song in itself, but time will tell.

Hannah Ford-Welton started beating the intro to the 3rdEyeGirl "reloaded" version of "Let's Go Crazy" and it was on. Prince shouted out to the Detroit faithful, "Detroit! It seems like only yesterday. They tell me it's been eleven years. Well...if that's the case, we're gonna play 17 hits in a row! Until I see tears." And hits he did play, one after the other they came with an early show run of "Take Me With U, "Raspberry Beret" and "U Got The Look" whipping the crowd into a frenzy. 

It was apparent from the start Prince was in a great mood. All night long he was leading the fans in chants and claps, asking for the house lights to be brought up so he could see everyone and showing love for the city and its support. And the love being thrown back at him from the Detroit crowd helped take the show to a higher level. One of my favorite segments of the show was next, starting with "Musicology" as the four NPG Horns, Marcus Anderson, Keith Anderson, Joey Rayfield and Lynn Grissett joined the stage. These four added so much whenever they were on stage, a force of funk. Also worth nothing, the three female backing singers led by the powerhouse that is Liv Warfield. Saeeda Wright and Ashley Jayy completed the trio and as "Musicology" segued into a cover of "Mama Feelgood", Wright took center stage.   

This segment continued when Prince went to his keyboard/sampler for a run that included hits like "When Doves Cry", "Sign o The Times" and "I Would Die 4 U" as well as fan favorites "Hot Thing" and "Housequake". The band and horns joined in during most of these songs and this was by far the funkiest portion of the show. By the time they went into "Cool", written by Prince for The Time, I had danced myself into a sweaty mess. It also would not be a Prince show without numerous call-outs to the sound men to fix something he wasn't happy with, from turning up vocals and his guitar to his shouting, "Turn up the horns, what's wrong with you???" during "Cool". After this song ended Prince declared what we already knew, boasting, "We're the best! And so are you Detroit!" 

After a brief break the show was back on with covers of "Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" and "Play That Funky Music", with Prince giving examples of funk from the 70's and 80's that led into his own "Controversy". This brought about a particularly humorous part of the night. During "Controversy", Prince requested, "Take your cell phones out Detroit. Take your cell phones out, turn 'em on. When I give the cue Detroit, I want you to wave 'em from side to side. Light this place up!" So of course people did but then used this as an excuse, despite the strict no pictures/videos policy, to light the place up with phones snapping pictures and taking video all through the next ten minutes or so until security had restored order. Someone who is so protective of his image may want to rethink this request next time.  

The hit parade didn't let up with "1999" and the crowd favorite "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore", which especially had the ladies in attendance screaming and Prince showed his falsetto is still top notch. A slowed down "Little Red Corvette" was followed by a beautifully arranged "Nothing Compares 2 U". Prince then took the opportunity for his most heartfelt sentiment of the night and the hope for another show in the near future in a larger venue. "Detroit! Detroit! You've always been so good to me Detroit. Turn me up in the house now! Detroit, that's what I'm talking about. You've got a beautiful city and beautiful people. Please take care of it for me so I can come back. Will you do that for me? Next time I'll go to The Palace. When that other Prince get outta there, you know what I'm talking about. Tayshaun and them."

Prince then displayed his sly sense of humor declaring, "I wish we could stay a little longer but we've run out of hits. Nope, I think that's it. We're up to.. who was counting, we at twenty? Say what? Are you talking to me? No, no, no, no we ain't got no..." and then came the unmistakable guitar intro to "Kiss" which closed out the main set, with the Purple Yoda dancing so much, it was easy to think we were back in 1986 for a minute.

Since we hadn't heard "Purple Rain" it was obvious the show was not over but the start of the first encore was a pleasant surprise as "Clouds" was played, very similar to how it was performed on Saturday Night Live last year. This was the only song from the two new albums released last year played on this night and it was pretty obvious most in the crowd sadly didn't know it. Another segment of funky covers followed with Sly's "Thankful N' Thoughtful" leading into the first live performance of Laura Mvula's "Green Garden" which brought Judith Hill back to the stage. Prince's guitar playing during this song was especially on point, a very cool addition to the set which had him saying afterwards, "I had to get that out of my system." Things then closed with the always welcome "She's Always In My Hair" and of course, "Purple Rain" which had Prince asking at the end, "Did we do this? Did we really do this? Thank you Detroit, we love you."

At this point I wasn't sure what to expect. "Purple Rain" would be an obvious closer for a normal 90 minute set, but with no late show the hope was Prince and the band were returning. There was a near nine minute wait while the crowd clapped, chanted and screamed for more and return they finally did. Prince asked, "Can't you see I put my pajamas on? I thought y'all were gone!" before kicking into a second encore of funk starting with "Act of God" that ran through covers like "What Have You Done For Me Lately?", "Dancing Machine" and "It's Alright" as well as touching on Prince's own "Partyman" and the NPG's "Northside". 

So was that it? There were about 20 minutes left until midnight when the show had to presumably end but after much clapping, chanting and shouting from the Detroit crazies, out they came again for a third encore, starting with a brief piano set of "Diamonds & Pearls" and "The Beautiful Ones" before Prince went into his notorious Sampler Set. He started by teasing "Darling Nikki" before asking the crowd, "Detroit, are you CRAZY??!!??" This is my least favorite portion of Prince's current show but it is funny to watch people in the audience go nuts when he starts songs like "A Love Bizarre" or "Pop Life" only to move on quickly to something else. I thought things were finally coming to an end around midnight when during "A Love Bizarre" Prince said, "Detroit they say we gotta get outta here. I wanna see your face one more time. Detroit we love you!" but he then proceeded to blow off any potential midnight curfew.

The highlight of this set however came during the final sampled song, The Time's "777-9311" when Prince grabbed the bass and started throwing down on the song's famous bass line. To get to witness this live was worth the price of admission alone. The full band then returned to close the night out with a gorgeous version of "The Love We Make". I can't think of a more fitting way to close out this show than with Prince singing, "The only love there is, is the love we make" as the whole night was a celebration of Detroit's love for this legendary artist, his amazing career of hits and innovative music and Prince returning that love with a two and a half hour marathon of showmanship. 

"Thank you Detroit. From The New Power Generation, 3rdEyeGirl and Judith Hill, we love you. My name is Prince. Good night." Those were the final words spoken from the stage this night. We still hung around, not quite sure after what had just been witnessed if he might sneak back out one more time, but this was truly the end. I have been very critical of Prince doing these "greatest hits" shows for awhile now. Yes, the diehard fan in me would love to see a set filled with more rarities and I have been lucky to see a number of such shows during the course of Prince's career. But for his first show in Detroit in nearly eleven years, Prince played it perfectly. He had to deliver the hits and in doing so in the fashion he did, he kicked the asses of everyone in attendance. I have to imagine it gets tiresome for even him to play some of these songs so often, but with the energy and exuberance he brought to the stage you'd never know it. There is still nothing like a Prince show and this one served as a substantial reminder of why he is the greatest musician I'll witness in my lifetime.

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Favorite Albums of 2014: #8 - Prince - Art Official Age

With no U.S. released album since 2009, I wasn't sure when to expect another Prince album. He surprised us with not one but two new releases in 2014, PLECTRUMELECTRUM, a collaboration with his all female band 3rdEyeGirl, and his own album Art Official Age. Although it has its strong moments, PLECTRUMELECTRUM is dragged down by weak material like "AINTTURNINAROUND" and "TICTACTOE", but Art Official Age is my favorite Prince album since 2004's Musicology.

It's so tough to give an honest appraisal of new work from Prince, the guy has truly done it all and it is completely unfair to compare anything he does now to his brilliance in the 80's and much of the 90's. Do I wish he would explore a more mature musical and lyrical direction at this stage in his life, of course. It's the same issue I have with another legend that rose to prominence around the same time Prince did, Madonna. But while I hold out hope Prince will reach that place, Art Official Age is a fine way to pass the time until he does. It's a cohesive, vibrant, well produced modern R&B album. The fretting over the extent of the involvement of Joshua Welton in the production of this album from some fans is silly. When it comes down to it, this is still Prince's show and if Welton helped Prince sound better than he has in a long time, more power to him. 

There is a wealth of strong material here starting with "Clouds", the first track released to preview the album. I have a hard time understanding how anyone who has been a fan of Prince's since the 80's could not dig this song. It's funky, quirky in a good way, the bass line and groove is insanely good and it ends with a searing guitar solo like only Prince can do. "Way Back Home" is another high point, musically different from anything I've heard Prince do before and with a much more inward looking lyric than we have seen from the man in a long time. Andy Allo shines on vocals on three tracks here with the highlight being the near seven minute, entrancing "Time". There are solid ballads in "Breakdown" and "This Could Be Us" and the Princely funk of "The Gold Standard" and "U Know".

The only misstep on Art Official Age is the inclusion of a remix of "Funknroll" that really would have been better served as a bonus track instead of its placement near the end of the album. It disrupts the flow a bit, but it is one minor issue with an otherwise excellent album. It's nice to have a Prince album in my year end favorites again.

Favorite tracks: "Clouds", "Way Back Home", "Time", "Breakfast Can Wait"

Art Official Age was released September 30, 2014 via Warner Bros./NPG Records.

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Album Spotlight: Liv Warfield - The Unexpected

EXPECT…………The Unexpected

Now It's On contributor MB reviews Liv Warfield's new album.

This album begins with a simple spoken intro, “you are now entering the world of Liv Warfield.” And what a world it is! The introduction gives way to “Coat Of Arms,” a beautiful horn segue heralding the arrival of music’s next big thing! Liv is not new to the music scene, however she started her career singing in clubs in and around Portland before releasing her debut album Embrace Me in 2006. In 2009 she was asked to join Prince’s touring band The New Power Generation where she quickly became a featured performer both live and on record. As she tells it, in addition to executive producing The Unexpected, Prince was a true source of inspiration and motivation.

Things kick into full gear with a rocking vocal explosion that also happens to be the title track. “The Unexpected,” written by Prince, is a slinky, flirty, guitar driven masterpiece. Guitar and voice front and center with a hook that says it all. “You can call it the Unexpected or you can call it...WOW!” This track is your first clue that it is time to surrender your expectations and enjoy the world of Liv Warfield.  Without giving the listener a moments rest, “Why Do You Lie?” booms from the speakers and grabs you by both ears.  Featuring The NPG Hornz, this song made its network television debut on the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon and shines just as bright here.

Aside from her amazing voice, another thing that stands out on The Unexpected is the live sound. Anyone who has seen Prince and the New Power Generation in concert will be very familiar with the catch phrase, “real music by real musicians.” Using those words like a blueprint and mission statement, this album sets itself apart from the heaps of plastic, overproduced cookie cutter songs that pass for music these days. If the music wasn’t enough to grab your attention, how about the line, “Paul McCartney got it wrong." That’s right, she calls out a Beatle! Making reference to the McCartney song by the same name, “Blackbird,” written by guitarist extraordinaire Ryan Waters, screams with defiance. She takes the somewhat patronizing tone of Paul’s track and turns it upside down letting us know that “these broken wings can learn to fly.” The song ends abruptly at just over two minutes. Leave them wanting more, the first rule of show business.

Slowing things down, “Stay – (Soul Lifted)” is like a slice of R&B heaven. Delicious horn lines and thick organ give way to silky smooth vocals that bring the listener back to the golden age of music. Ashley Seamster and Saeeda Wright provide background vocals that blend perfectly with Liv and the mood of the track. Keith Anderson of NPG Hornz delivers a beautiful saxophone solo that puts this one over the top. If there isn’t room on radio for a song like this then maybe we should just turn the radio off. “Stay – (Soul Lifted)” is followed by “Catch Me If You Can,” a frantic number that sounds like a cross between Janelle Monae and Estelle. NPG Hornz and an aggressive guitar line serve as the glue to a song that is so live it sounds like the band is in the room with you. Cleverly crafted and infectious, it is no wonder this song was used to preview the album a few months back.

Co-producer Ryan Waters came up with the idea to play certain sections of “Don’t Say Much” soft and quiet so when the chorus kicks in, it kicks twice as hard. That is just one of many things that work on this amazing track. Bending genres from pop to rock to R&B, “Don’t Say Much” holds your attention from start to finish with the simple idea that one should not wait for love but instead just go for it. Without a doubt this is one of the strongest songs on the album and it deserves to be released as a single. “Lena Blue” is based on Liv’s real life Aunt Lena, but the song is here to remind us, “Everybody’s got a Lena Blue. One Soul you can’t deny." This funky, gritty, jam-based number uses hand-claps and a slinky bass line to make it impossible to sit still. Sounding like something from a 70’s soul record or even a movie musical, “Freedom” is an anthemic song about empowerment. This song transcends time by simultaneously sounding like Diana Ross and Jill Scott. The vocal acrobatics that end the track are simply ethereal.

Featuring horn arrangement by Philip Lassiter of NPG, "Come Back" is a slow burning tale of love gone wrong. In this emotional ballad, Liv ponders all the things that went wrong and what she can do to fix it. The background vocals serve as an inner monologue revealing that, in truth, it is her man that is to blame. “Don’t give up on me baby, I love you,” she sings, giving way to a guitar solo so beautiful it sounds like it is gently weeping.  If the time Liv Warfield spent with Prince was a full blown course in Musicology, then “Your Show” is her thesis statement. While many tracks may contain a purple influence here and there, this absolutely screams his name. Produced and co-written by Prince and performed by the New Power Generation, “Your Show” is exactly what it sounds like at one of his legendary 4 AM intimate aftershows. Dark, sexy, moody and all around groovy, hinging on the interplay between baritone sax and flute, creating a hook within a hook. On top of all that, add Liv’s sultry vocals and lyrics inspired by blacksploitation films and you have an instant classic.Clocking in at just over seven minutes, this song alone is worth the price of admission.

As with "Coat Of Arms," we are again treated to a horn interlude arranged by multi-talented trombonist and NPG member Roy Agee. This second interlude serves as the perfect bookend to Liv Warfield’s journey of The Unexpected, but as someone once famously said, “It Ain’t Over.” Included as a bonus track, “Fly” is a jazzy number used to showcase Liv’s vocal and songwriting skills. Just so you know, she can “fly without you,” and with this song and record she shows us that, just like a Phoenix, she will fly, she will rise and she will succeed. Make no mistake, The Unexpected is not a protégé record.  Prince‘s role on this album is as a friend, brother and mentor. Liv took the challenge and came up with a sound that is very much her own, part rock & roll, part R&B, and all the way real! When you follow your heart instead of following trends, the result is absolute magic.  You can call it the Unexpected or you can call it………………WOW!

MB

The Unexpected was released as a digital download February 18, 2014 via 1860 Property, LLC.

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Concert Review: Andy Allo - The Pike Room - Pontiac, Michigan, 1/19/14

Andy Allo first came to my attention, like she did for many, through her involvement with Prince. She started touring with him and the NPG during 2011 and the two then collaborated on her second album Superconductor. Now albums by Prince associates have been a sketchy bunch for awhile, but Andy was determined for that to not be the case with her sophomore release. 

I will be the first to admit I was skeptical about Andy's involvement with the NPG at first. But she made a concerted effort to make it clear she was not just another pretty face in a long line of them that Prince has mentored. Superconductor had a couple delays and seemed to be headed for another one before it was finally released in November of 2012. Although we don't know all the details, nor do we need to, it seems around this time Andy took complete control of both the album and her career, leaving the NPG fold to promote the album on her own. 

I completely understand the decision. Delaying the album's release date one more time would not have been in Andy's best interests, and we have seen many projects Prince was involved with remain unreleased. Look no further than Tamar's 2006 album Milk & Honey, delayed numerous times then shelved for good after an obvious falling out of some sort. Superconductor was too damn good to fall to a similar fate so major respect to Andy Allo for making the release happen. 

Andy spent parts of 2013 touring Europe promoting the album and I was thrilled to see a string of East Coast U.S. dates to start off 2014, including a local one at The Pike Room in Pontiac. This was a perfect venue for her, especially considering this is an acoustic tour. Opening the night was local duo Holly + Jeff who had the place buzzing with an acoustic cover of "It's So Cold In The D" during their set. Rochester's Trey Simon followed and he impressed with a very soulful acoustic set, a local voice to keep an eye on. 

Andy took the stage shortly afterwards, joined just by Los Angeles based guitarist Jacob Moses. She started the show on the mic singing but picked up her guitar afterwards for the majority of the show. Her set mixed a few covers, including Frank Ocean's "Thinking About You" and Bob Marley's "Waiting In Vain", with material from Superconductor and her 2009 debut UnFresh.

Now I already had tremendous respect for Andy, as I outlined above. But that respect grew even more seeing her live as she left no room for doubt, she is the real deal. Vocally she sounded fantastic and she had complete control of the stage, getting the audience to sing backing parts and clap when needed. The Pike Room is a small venue and she had those of us there in the palm of her hand. Assured and confident onstage, these live shows serve as proof of her genuine talent.

I was impressed upon first listen at the level of Andy's songwriting on Superconductor so it was great to hear favorites like "When Stars Collide", "Story Of You & I" and "If I Was King". "People Pleaser" did exactly that to close out the night, but it was an extended "Yellow Gold" that really brought the house down. Stretched out to over seven minutes, Andy proved just how funky you could get with just two acoustic guitars and an amazing voice. Truly the highlight of a great set.

I have seen acoustic shows that have lost my attention but Andy Allo made that impossible. Her command of the stage is ready made for arenas, no doubt built during her time playing with Prince and the NPG. She was very sweet to the fans at the post-show meet and greet as well, a truly cool way to close a fun night of music. I'd love to see her return to the area with the full band show she took to Europe at some point, so hopefully continued touring is in Andy's future this year. Prince had a great idea when he suggested last year in an interview that Superconductor be 'reloaded' with bonus tracks and a larger scale release. Given Prince's deal with Kobalt Label Services, that would be nice to see. The album and Andy Allo, are truly deserving of a wider audience.