Plectrumelectrum
Plectrumelectrum | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
File:Plectrumelectrum Album Cover.png | ||||
Studio album by Prince and 3rdeyegirl | ||||
Released | September 30, 2014 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 44:00 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
|
|||
Prince chronology | ||||
|
Plectrumelectrum is the thirty-sixth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and first (and only) to feature his backing band 3rdeyegirl.[1] It was released on September 30, 2014 by NPG Records under a renewed license to Warner Bros. Records.[2] Plectrumelectrum received generally positive reviews from critics.
Prince also released the album Art Official Age simultaneously.[3]
Contents
Music and lyrics
According to Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times, Plectrumelectrum is a rock album with lyrics and sound effects characteristic of Prince's "noble weirdness" and "sense of humor".[4] Abigail Covington of The A.V. Club said that "it takes a no-nonsense approach to funk and for the most part plays near the shallow shores of rock 'n' roll's enormous waters."[5] Rolling Stone reviewer Jon Dolan described the record as "a set of exploratory funk-rock jams".[6]
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | A–[5] |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Daily Telegraph | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[10] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork Media | 3.8/10[13] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Plectrumelectrum received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 61, based on 18 reviews.[14] Q magazine said that "the sound of [Prince] working with a lean combo is so refreshing, and a welcome first in his mammoth catalogue."[12] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly felt its hooks and band dynamic make it a better album than Art Official Age.[10] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph wrote that "the rock format appears to have concentrated him on songwriting basics."[9]
In a less enthusiastic review for The New York Times, Jon Pareles wrote that Plectrumelectrum is limited by its "rigorous, deliberately retro back-to-basics mandate" because Prince is better at synthesizing styles together rather than reproducing them.[15] Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote in his review for AllMusic that the album does not try anything new, but called it "a quiet thrill to hear Prince spar with worthy partners, as he does throughout this record."[7]
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and sold 26,000 copies in its first week.[16] In its second week of sales, the album dropped down to number 47 on the chart, selling 7,000 copies, bringing the album total sales to 33,000 copies.[17]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Prince except "PlectrumElectrum", written by guitarist Donna Grantis, arranged by Prince.[18].
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Wow" | 4:28 |
2. | "PretzelBodyLogic" | 3:26 |
3. | "AintTurninRound" | 3:02 |
4. | "PlectrumElectrum" (instrumental) | 4:51 |
5. | "WhiteCaps" | 3:43 |
6. | "FixUrLifeUp" | 3:12 |
7. | "BoyTrouble" (featuring Lizzo and Sophia Eris) | 3:53 |
8. | "StopThisTrain" | 3:41 |
9. | "AnotherLove" (adapted from original song by Alice Smith, Rebecca Jordan and Reginald "Syience" Perry) | 4:16 |
10. | "TicTacToe" | 3:38 |
11. | "Marz" | 1:48 |
12. | "FunkNRoll" | 4:10 |
Charts
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] | 33 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] | 20 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] | 35 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[22] | 8 |
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[23] | 9 |
French Albums (SNEP)[24] | 13 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[25] | 6 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[26] | 21 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27] | 31 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] | 8 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[29] | 15 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] | 8 |
UK Albums (OCC)[31] | 11 |
US Billboard 200[32] | 8 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[33] | 1 |
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2014. 40. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Prince & 3rdEyeGirl – PlectrumElectrum". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
- ↑ "Prince | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved October 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Prince. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Prince. Retrieved October 9, 2014.