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Prince Readies Two New Studio Albums For Release September 30th
August 25, 2014 at 1:23 PM (PT)
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PRINCE is back in business at WARNER BROS. RECORDS.
The prolific one is readying not one, but two separate new studio albums, "Art Official Age" and "Plectrumelectrum," for release on SEPTEMBER 30th.
"Art Official Age" is a solo album, while "Plectrumelectrum" is an effort by his new band 3RDEYEGIRL.
Both albums, which are sold separately, are now available for pre-order via digital retailers and from 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.
Together with 3RDEYEGIRL, PRINCE performed in both U.K. and EUROPE with his sell-out HIT & RUN tours. In April, NPG MUSIC PUBLISHING was launched, marking the first time PRINCE's catalog has been independently controlled and administered in over 20 years. In addition, he headlined and curated the Essence Festival on JULY 4th in NEW ORLEANS as well as his walk-on appearance on the hit TV show "New Girl."
The brand new studio albums mark Prince's historic return to WARNER BROS. RECORDS, his original label home. The renewed partnership came after the announcement that the label returned to him 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."
The two albums offer two very distinct listening experiences.
"Art Official Age" is a classic PRINCE album, produced, arranged, composed and performed by PRINCE and JOSHUA WELTON, described as "a contemporary concoction of soul, R&B and funk."
"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." Many of the tracks from the album were performed live on the HIT & RUN tours of the UK earlier this year.
More live dates will be confirmed shortly.