Prince has always been a strange and mysterious being, so it should be no surprise that he is, once again, doing things a little differently. Instead of a single album release, ART OFFICIAL AGE – Prince’s solo LP – and PLECTRUMELECTRUM – featuring his all-female backing group 3rdeyegirl – were both released on the same day, Sept. 30. While both albums share similar soulful grooves and a fetish for the caps lock, each has a distinctive style that brings back the classic funk-energy that Prince does best.
ART OFFICIAL AGE, Prince’s 31st studio album since 1978, kicks off with “ART OFFICIAL CAGE.” What starts off a standard dance tune erupts into something more grand and unexpected. He orchestrates a multi-layered and transformative wall-of-sound. The song leads with a heavy bass line and delves into a fuzzy synthesizer-driven melody with snappy guitar breaks and air horns. Prince makes allusions to an artificial (or, “art official”) cage that has trapped his mind, likely referring to the Internet, which he famously hates. Then, around 2:50 into the track, we hear the sound of someone being water-boarded paired with the threat, “We need you to tell us what you know,” before an electric guitar solo leads the song out.
In response to the classic “Chappelle’s Show” sketch about playing a game of basketball against Prince and the Revolution, Prince included the single “BREAKFAST CAN WAIT.” The single’s cover features a wide-eyed Dave Chappelle in Purple Rain attire, ruffled lapels, black eyeliner, pencil-thin mustache and all, holding up a plate of pancakes.
“FUNKNROLL” is a track that appears on the tail-end of both albums in different variations. The version on ART OFFICIAL AGE is more dance-oriented and finds itself right at home in any frat house or dance party with the line, “The only way to last at the break of dawn / Is put your phone down, get your party on.” This lyric is great; it not only speaks to Prince’s party energy, but also remains in touch with his frequently referenced distrust of technology. The PLECTRUMELECTRUM version is more tailored for funk or rock devotees with a great focus on instrumentation and vocals. Much like the rest of the album, it fits more in the rock category and feels like Prince albums from the past.
The guitar solo on the opening track “WOW” recalls Prince’s dynamic guitar abilities and introduces PLECTRUMELECTRUM with 3rdeyegirl in style. A variety of sounds are found across the album, with “BOYTROUBLE” hip-hop artist Lizzo’s rap, the smooth ballad “TICTACTOE,” and “MARZ,” a two-minute depth-filled rocker.
In “FIXURLIFEUP,” Prince delivers a not-so-subtle strike toward sexism when he takes aim at the male-dominated music world with the line, “A girl with a guitar is 12 times better than another crazy band of boys/ trying to be a star when you’re just another prick in a misogynistic wall of noise.” This collaborative album with 3rdeyegirl goes to show that female-fronted musical acts are just as good as any other band.
Both albums have a distinct feel to them, but the major difference is between the intended audiences. PLECTRUMELECTRUM more closely resembles a rock record and ART OFFICIAL AGE, though it may run a few minutes too long, is aimed toward the dance music crowd. Prince fans are sure to enjoy both, but more casual fans may prefer one over the other. Either is a safe choice in the end.