Lotusflow3r
{{Short description|2009 studio album by Prince}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Lotusflow3r
| type = box set
| artist = Prince
| cover = PrinceLotusFlow3r.jpg
| alt =
| released = March 24, 2009
| recorded = November 2004; Early 2005 – early 2009{{Cite web|url=https://princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_Lotusflow3r|title=Album: Lotusflow3r - Prince Vault|website=Princevault.com|access-date=March 29, 2025}}
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|soul|rock|R&B|funk}}
| length = 139:03
| label = NPG
| producer = Prince
| prev_title = Indigo Nights
| prev_year = 2008
| next_title = 20Ten
| next_year = 2010
}}
Lotusflow3r is a triple album set by American recording artist Prince and protégée Bria Valente. It contains the thirty-third and thirty-fourth studio albums by Prince, Lotusflow3r (stylized as LOtUSFLOW3R) and MPLSound (stylized as MPLSoUND), as well as Elixer, the debut studio album by Bria Valente.{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Prince Vault |article=Elixer |date=August 27, 2011 |url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_Elixer&oldid=90868 |access-date=September 17, 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2008/12/visiting-with-p.html |title=Five things I learned from visiting with Prince: From album plans to thoughts on Prop. 8 |first=Ann |last=Powers |date=December 31, 2008 |publisher=latimesblogs.latimes.com |access-date=September 17, 2011}} It was released on March 24, 2009, by NPG Records.{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Prince Vault |article=Lotusflow3r |date=August 22, 2011 |url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_Lotusflow3r&oldid=90401 |access-date=September 17, 2011}}{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Prince Vault |article=MPLSound |date=August 23, 2011 |url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_MPLSound&oldid=90465 |access-date=September 17, 2011}} The three albums were sold exclusively in the United States at Target as a 3-disc set,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/03/03/prince-teams-with-target-to-release-three-new-albums-as-1199-bundle/ |title=Prince Teams With Target to Release Three New Albums as $11.99 Bundle |date=March 3, 2009 |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304174419/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/03/03/prince-teams-with-target-to-release-three-new-albums-as-1199-bundle/ |archive-date=March 4, 2009 }} and in Europe from more online music stores.
The album debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 168,000 copies in its first week.{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield |first=Keith |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268988/keith-urban-soars-to-no-1-on-billboard-200 |title=Keith Urban Soars to No. 1 on Billboard 200 |date=April 8, 2009 |magazine=Billboard |issn=0006-2510 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411014841/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268988/keith-urban-soars-to-no-1-on-billboard-200 |archive-date=April 11, 2009 }} Along with the set's other albums, Lotusflow3r received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics.
Production
The album was recorded and mixed by Richard Furch.{{Cite web|url=https://peachandblack.podbean.com/e/lotusflower-anniversary-reflection-with-richard-furch|title=Prince's LotusFlower Anniversary Reflection with Richard Furch | Peach And Black - A Podcast About Prince|website=Peachandblack.podbean.com|access-date=March 29, 2025}}
Release and promotion
In December 2008, four songs were premiered on Los Angeles radio station Indie 103: a cover of "Crimson and Clover", "4ever", "Colonized Mind" and "Wall of Berlin".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/12/18/prince-premieres-four-new-songs-on-las-indie-103-new-album-on-the-way/ |title=Prince Premieres Four New Songs On L.A.'s Indie 103; New Album On the Way |date=December 18, 2008 |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228042602/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/12/18/prince-premieres-four-new-songs-on-las-indie-103-new-album-on-the-way |archive-date=December 28, 2008 }}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.spin.com/blog/review-princes-5-new-songs |title=Review: Prince's 5 New Songs |first=Steve |last=Kandell |date=December 19, 2008 |magazine=Spin |issn=0886-3032 |access-date=September 17, 2011}} A month later in a Los Angeles Times article, further song titles were mentioned, namely "Hey Valentina" (written for Salma Hayek's daughter),{{cite magazine |title = Prince writes song about crush on Salma Hayek |magazine=NME |issn=0028-6362 |date=April 9, 2009 |url=http://www.nme.com/news/prince/43972 |access-date=September 17, 2011 }} "Better with Time" (an ode to Under the Cherry Moon co-star Kristin Scott Thomas), "Love Like Jazz", "$" (about "the most popular girl in the whole wide world"), and "77 Beverly Park".{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/01/one-night-with.html/ |title=One night with Prince |first=Ann |last=Powers |date=January 8, 2009 |publisher=latimesblogs.latimes.com |access-date=September 17, 2011}}
To generate excitement, Prince launched mplsound.com in December 2008, offering an instrumental of "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me", later replaced by the finished track. A month later, the site was shut down and replaced with an announcement of a new interactive website (lotusflow3r.com), proclaiming it would allow fans to "listen, watch and buy" music and videos featuring Prince and guest artists. The site, possibly acknowledging early reviews that the music hearkens back to his Purple Rain days (and the fact that 2009 marked its 25th anniversary), featured a thrown-down television set on a cliff with a frame from the movie. The site had three songs for listening: "Crimson and Clover", "Here Eye Come", and "(There'll Never B) Another Like Me". A couple of weeks later, it was updated again with more interactive content. The site contained 60-second samples of three songs: "Chocolate Box", "Colonized Mind", and "All This Love". On January 31, more changes were made with a new instrumental available for listening, as well as a "teaser" video. The site also had three full songs for listening: "Colonized Mind", "Discojellyfish" (an instrumental non-album track based on "Chocolate Box"), and "Another Boy", which is sung by Bria Valente.
The album contains a few songs previously known by fans. "Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful" was posted on Prince's now-defunct NPG Music Club website as a one-minute demo in 2006; "U're Gonna C Me" is a remake of a track from Prince's 2002 album One Nite Alone...; and "Kept Woman" is a track from Prince's unreleased 2006 project with Támar called Milk and Honey. Originally intended to be released together with Prince's 3121 album, the project was eventually leaked onto the internet by Támar on her website. "Here I Come" had been posted on Prince's now-defunct 3121.com site in 2007. An excerpt of the song "Home" was posted on drfunkenberry.com in 2008 and the track "Another Boy" was debuted on radio and iTunes in 2008.
On March 11, 2009, it was announced on Billboard.com that Prince would perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno three nights in a row, March 25–27. He performed "Ol' Skool Company", "Dreamer" and "Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful". Prince also performed "Crimson and Clover" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and along with Valente gave a two-part interview on the Tavis Smiley show in which he revealed he was born epileptic. During a fourth The Tonight Show appearance on May 28, in celebration of the end of Leno's first run as host of the show, Prince also performed "Somewhere Here on Earth" from his 2007 Planet Earth album.
On March 23, a demo of the song "Chocolate Box" (without Q-Tip) was leaked onto the internet. On March 24, at 7:07 pm PST, lotusflow3r.com opened officially. Members who joined early and paid the $77/year fee got to view streaming video (including the cover of Radiohead's "Creep" performed at the 2008 Coachella festival) and music videos for the tracks "Chocolate Box", "Crimson and Clover" and "Everytime",{{cite web |url=http://www.bauda.com/music-videos/52/ |title=Bau-Da / P.R. Brown |publisher=Bauda.com |access-date=2011-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930075924/http://www.bauda.com/music-videos/52/ |archive-date=September 30, 2011 }} download all three albums (detailed below), were sent a "founding member" T-shirt and were able to buy tickets to future concerts Prince would be doing in the LA area, including The Tonight Show performances. Later in 2009, Prince performed two shows in Montreux during the Montreux Jazz Festival and released a re-recorded version of the 1986 outtake "In a Large Room with No Light" to promote the concerts. Later, Prince also performed three shows in Monaco. On October 14, Prince performed on the French television program Le Grand Journal on Canal + to promote Lotusflow3r after playing three concerts in Paris. He performed the songs "Dance 4 Me", "No More Candy 4 U", "1999" and "Controversy".
The album was released as a physical release a few days later as a Target exclusive for the price of US$11.98. Even though the album was only released in the US, many copies were exported for sale in Europe. Warner Music released the album in France on September 7, as a single CD (MPLSound) and a limited 3-CD set. "Dance 4 Me" was digitally released on August 31 as a single. Three remixes ("Icon Remix", "Tribal Drum Remix" and "Dominatrix Remix") of the song were later released on the independent "Purple Music" label in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.purplemusic.ch|title=Home|website=Purplemusic.ch|access-date=March 29, 2025}} The "Icon Remix" was later released as a standalone single for a limited time on iTunes and a "making of" for the remix was posted on YouTube.
The song "Crimson and Clover" was replaced by the 2006 outtake "The Morning After" on the digital version of the album.
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1549796||tab=review |label="Prince: LotusFlow3r > Review" |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = C+{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/prince-bria-valente,25946/|title=Lotusflow3r / MPLSOUND / Elixir|website=The A.V. Club|last=Phipps|first=Keith|date=31 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403054921/http://www.avclub.com/articles/prince-bria-valente,25946/ |access-date=31 March 2025|archive-date=April 3, 2009 }}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = C−{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20270929,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411104713/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20270929,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2009 |title=Elixer, LOtUSFLOW3R, MPLSoUND (2009): Prince |first=Leah |last=Greenblatt |date=April 14, 2009 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=#1043 |issn=1049-0434 |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev4 = The Guardian
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/22/prince-every-album-rated-and-ranked|title=Prince: every album rated – and ranked|website=The Guardian|last=Price|first=Simon|date=22 April 2016|access-date=31 March 2025}}
| rev5 = Los Angeles Times
| rev5score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/03/album-reviews-p.html |title=Prince's 'LotusFlow3r' and 'MPLSound,' and Bria Valente's 'Elixer' |date=March 23, 2009 |first=Margaret |last=Wappler |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |issn=0458-3035 |oclc=3638237 |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev6 = Pitchfork
| rev6score = 4.9/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12911-lotusflow3r-mplsound-elixer/#review-album-13903 |title=Lotusflow3r |date=April 13, 2009 |first=Jess |last=Harvell |website=Pitchfork |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev7 = PopMatters
| rev7score = 7/10{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/72614-prince-lotusflow3r-mplsound-elixer/ |title=More Candy 4 Us: Prince Is Back with 3 Albums |date=April 9, 2009 |first=Quentin B |last=Huff |website=PopMatters |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev8 = Rolling Stone
| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/lotusflow3r-20090331 |title=Prince: LOtUSFLOW3R |date=March 31, 2009 |last=Edwards |first=Gavin |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev9 = Slant
| rev9score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/prince-lotusflow3r-mplsound/1688 |date=March 31, 2009 |title=Prince: LOtUSFLOW3R/MPLSoUND |first=Eric |last=Henderson |website=Slant Magazine |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
| rev10 = USA Today
| rev10score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2009-03-23-prince-3-albums_N.htm |title=Prince turns a brilliant sonic triple play: 3 albums in 1 day |first=Steve |last=Jones |newspaper=USA Today |issn=0734-7456 |access-date=November 29, 2009 |date=March 24, 2009}}
}}
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 168,000 copies in its first week and becoming Prince's fourth consecutive top-three album in the United States. The album narrowly missed the number-one spot, selling 3,000 copies less than Keith Urban's Defying Gravity. As of February 1, 2012, the album has sold 543,700 units, according to SoundScan.
Upon their release, Lotusflow3r and MPLSound received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics, based on aggregate scores of 61 and 62/100 from Metacritic.{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/lotusflow3r/prince | title=LotusFlow3r - Prince | publisher=Metacritic | access-date=April 7, 2009 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/mplsound/prince |title=MPLSound - Prince |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=November 29, 2009}} Bria Valente's Elixer received generally mixed or average reviews from most music critics, receiving an aggregate score of 49/100 from Metacritic.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/elixer/bria-valente |title=Elixer - Bria Valente |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=November 29, 2009}}
Track listings
=''Lotusflow3r''=
{{Infobox album
| name = Lotusflow3r
| type = studio
| artist = Prince
| cover = PrinceLotusFlow3r.jpg
| alt =
| released =
| recorded = November 2004; early 2005 – early 2009
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Psychedelic rock|psychedelic soul|funk rock|acid rock|pop rock}}
| length = 48:40 (physical)
46:54 (digital)
| label =
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Lotusflow3r track listing
| all_writing = Prince, except where noted
| title1 = From the Lotus...
| length1 = 2:46
| title2 = Boom
| length2 = 3:19
| title3 = Crimson and Clover
| writer3 = Tommy James, Peter Lucia, Jr.
| length3 = 3:52
| title4 = 4ever
| length4 = 3:47
| title5 = Colonized Mind
| length5 = 4:47
| title6 = Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful
| length6 = 3:52
| title7 = Love Like Jazz
| length7 = 3:49
| title8 = 77 Beverly Park
| length8 = 3:04
| title9 = Wall of Berlin
| length9 = 4:16
| title10 = $
| length10 = 3:58
| title11 = Dreamer
| length11 = 5:30
| title12 = ...Back 2 the Lotus
| length12 = 5:34
}}
"Crimson and Clover" includes an interpolation of Chip Taylor's "Wild Thing".
{{Track listing
| headline = Digital edition
| title3 = The Morning After{{cite web |url=http://www.drfunkenberry.com/2009/03/24/review-lotusflow3r-by-prince/#more-4566 |title=Review: Lotusflow3r By Prince |date=March 24, 2009 |website=drfunkenberry.com |access-date=September 17, 2011}}
| length3 = 2:06
}}
=''MPLSound''=
{{Infobox album
| name = MPLSound
| type = studio
| artist = Prince
| cover = Prince mplsound cd.png
| alt =
| released =
| recorded = Early 2008 – early 2009{{Cite web|url=https://princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_MPLSound|title=Album: MPLSound - Prince Vault|website=Princevault.com|access-date=March 29, 2025}} Chanhassen, Minnesota
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Funk|R&B|electronica|new wave|hip hop|experimental pop{{cite journal |last1=Horgen |first1=Tom |title=Prince plans a trio of new releases in '09 |journal=The Modesto Bee |date=January 9, 2009 |page=E2 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/667436057/?terms=%22experimental%20pop%22%20review&match=1 |access-date=January 3, 2023}}}}
| length = 47:44
| label =
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = MPLSound
| type = studio
| single1 = Better with Time
| single1date = August 24, 2009 (radio play){{cite web|url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Better_With_Time| title=Better With Time - a 'radio play' single| website=princevault.com| access-date=2020-06-17}}
| single2 = Dance 4 Me
| single2date = September 26, 2009
| single3 = U're Gonna C Me
| single3date = October, 2009 (non-US single)
}}
}}
All songs written by Prince.
{{Track listing
| headline = MPLSound track listing
| title1 = (There'll Never B) Another Like Me
| length1 = 6:01
| title2 = Chocolate Box
| note2 = featuring Q-Tip
| length2 = 6:14
| title3 = Dance 4 Me
| length3 = 4:58
| title4 = U're Gonna C Me
| length4 = 4:36
| title5 = Here
| length5 = 5:15
| title6 = Valentina
| length6 = 3:59
| title7 = Better with Time
| length7 = 4:54
| title8 = Ol' Skool Company
| length8 = 7:30
| title9 = No More Candy 4 U
| length9 = 4:14
}}
=''Elixer''=
{{Infobox album
| name = Elixer
| type = studio
| artist = Bria Valente
| cover = Elixer.jpg
| alt =
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|R&B|electronica|soul|smooth jazz}}
| length = 44:25
| label =
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Elixer
| type = studio
| single1 = Another Boy
| single1date = September 30, 2008
}}
}}
All songs written by Prince and Bria Valente, except "Kept Woman" written solely by Prince. All tracks sung by Bria Valente.
{{Track listing
| headline = Elixer track listing
| title1 = Here Eye Come
| length1 = 4:28
| title2 = All This Love
| length2 = 4:39
| title3 = Home
| length3 = 4:26
| title4 = Something U Already Know
| length4 = 5:44
| title5 = Everytime
| length5 = 3:50
| title6 = 2nite
| length6 = 5:02
| title7 = Another Boy
| length7 = 3:56
| title8 = Kept Woman
| length8 = 4:15
| title9 = Immersion
| length9 = 4:02
| title10 = Elixer
| note10 = with Prince
| length10 = 4:00
}}
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for Lotusflow3r ! scope="col"| Chart (2009) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Flanders|44|artist=Prince|album=Lotusflow3r / MPLSound / Elixer|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2011}} |
| {{album chart|Wallonia|78|artist=Prince|album=Lotusflow3r / MPLSound / Elixer|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|23|artist=Prince|album=Lotusflow3r / MPLSound / Elixer|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|France|14|artist=Prince|album=Lotusflow3r / MPLSound / Elixer|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Italy|65|artist=Prince|album=Lotusflow3r / MPLSound / Elixer|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|UKIndependent|30|date=20090419|rowheader=true|access-date=September 7, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=September 7, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|1|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=September 7, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=September 7, 2018}} |
=Year-end charts=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/Prince-Lotusflow3r/release/1734121 Lotusflow3r] at Discogs
- [http://www.metacritic.com/music/lotusflow3r/prince Lotusflow3r], [http://www.metacritic.com/music/mplsound/prince MPLSound], [http://www.metacritic.com/music/elixer/bria-valente Elixer] at Metacritic
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090403002201/http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/fr/Prince.htm Album Review] at About.com
{{Prince albums}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Prince (musician) albums