1-800-NEW-FUNK explained

1-800-NEW-FUNK
Type:Compilation album
Artist:Various artists
Cover:1-800-NEW-FUNK.jpg
Released:July 20, 1994
Genre:New jack swing, hip hop soul
Length:46:08
Label:NPG
Producer:Prince

1-800-NEW-FUNK is a compilation album by Prince's NPG Records, meant to showcase artists signed to the record label. It was released on July 20, 1994. The title of the album was also a toll-free phone number in North America for customers to purchase Prince-related merchandise.[1] Some tracks are from albums that actually saw release either through Prince's previous label, Paisley Park Records or through NPG Records, while others appear only on this compilation.

There were two German releases to this CD; the first release was issued with the reference NPG 6051-2 and is missing artwork from the Steeles album in the liner notes. The second release, reference 0060512NPG, includes an image of the Steeles album cover artwork.

Singles

Reviews

Entertainment Weekly said that as a showcase of Prince's label, Paisley Park Records, the album "amounts to unintentional evidence of why the company failed." They rated the album "C+".[3] The Independent, describing the record as a "stop-gap compilation of Princely offshoots", cited Nona Gaye's contributions as being "of primary interest", saying she "displays a slinky sensitivity without the overt sensuality of her father or her producer".[4]

Notes and References

  1. Michael Corcoran, "A man with no name: The formerly named Prince is doing everything he can to avoid becoming a "has-been", The Spokesman-Review, June 14, 1994.
  2. Jon Bream, "The right combo; After a quarter century, Margaret Cox finally put together her first solo CD." The Star Tribune, April 6, 2003.
  3. https://archive.today/20130122134327/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20461186,00.html "Music Review: 1-800-New Funk"
  4. Andy Gill, "Albums: He-Who-Once-Was-Prince and Proteges, 1-800-New-Funk", The Independent, July 28, 1994.