And just like that 2014 got even more exciting!!!
As many fans have been speculating and crossing their fingers for, music icon PRINCE will in fact be officially releasing a new album this year, but it won’t be just one…
The legendary artist has announced today that he will release two brand new studio albums globally via Warner Bros. Records. The much-anticipated LPs are titled ‘ART OFFICIAL AGE‘ and ‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM‘, set to be released on September 30. ‘ART OFFICIAL AGE‘ is a solo album and ‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM‘ is by Prince’s new band 3RDEYEGIRL.
Both albums, which are sold separately, are now available for pre-order via digital retailers and from http://www.artofficialage.com. Early buyers will be able to unlock ‘instant grat’ tracks from each record. The album releases will also be marked by a series of very special events taking place globally, to be confirmed shortly.
2014 has been one of the most exciting years yet for the prodigious musical talent. Together with 3RDEYEGIRL, he rocked UK and European audiences into a frenzy with his sell-out ‘Hit & Run’ tours, generating some of the most significant critical acclaim of his career so far. In April, NPG Music Publishing was launched, marking the first time Prince’s vast publishing catalog has been independently controlled and administered in over twenty years. All of this in addition to headlining and curating the Essence Festival on July 4th in New Orleans and a much talked about appearance on hit TV show ‘New Girl’. 2014 has underlined that Prince continues to innovate and surprise, thrilling his fans and welcoming a whole new audience in the process.
The brand new studio albums mark a historic return to Warner Bros. Records, Prince’s original label home. The renewed partnership came after the announcement that Warner Bros. Records returned to Prince the master recordings of his pioneering ’80s albums, including Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain and Sign ‘O’ the Times.
“Prince is one of just a handful of visionary artists who have truly reshaped and redefined modern music and culture,” said Warner Bros. Records Chairman & CEO Cameron Strang. “For the past 35 years, he has never stopped evolving, challenging himself, reinventing his sound, and pushing boundaries. In true Prince fashion, he has just given us not one, but two extraordinary albums that express the incredible range and depth of his talent. All of us at WBR are immensely proud to be working with Prince to bring this brilliant new music to his legions of fans around the world, and needless to say we are thrilled to be working in partnership with him again.”
In releasing two albums on the same day fans get the chance to savor the many different aspects of Prince’s musical talents with ‘ART OFFICIAL AGE‘ and ‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM‘ offering two very distinct listening experiences.
‘ART OFFICIAL AGE’ is a classic Prince album, produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince and Joshua Welton. Sonically the record is a contemporary concoction of soul, R&B and funk. The melodies are immediate and prominent as ever and Prince’s vocals are rich and solid, taking full advantage of his vocal range with decidedly, seductive lyrics.
‘PLECTRUMELECTRUM’ is a classic band record, with 3RDEYEGIRL which include Prince, Donna Grantis (guitar), Hannah Ford Welton (drums) and Ida Nielsen (bass). Recorded live and in analog the album is an electrifying funk-rock statement.
ART OFFICIAL AGE Tracklisting:
01. ART OFFICIAL CAGE
02. CLOUDS
03. BREAKDOWN
04. THE GOLD STANDARD
05. U KNOW
06. BREAKFAST CAN WAIT
07. THIS COULD BE US
08. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE
09. affirmation I & II
10. WAY BACK HOME
11. FUNKNROLL
12. TIME
13. affirmation III
PLECTRUMELECTRUM Tracklisting:
01. WOW
02. PRETZELBODYLOGIC
03. AINTTURNINROUND
04. PLECTRUMELECTRUM
05. WHITECAPS
06. FIXURLIFEUP
07. BOYTROUBLE
08. STOPTHISTRAIN
09. ANOTHERLOVE
10. TICTACTOE
11. MARZ
12. FUNKNROLL
As an exclusive preview of ART OFFICIAL AGE take a listen to the new song “Clouds” via SPIN below:
