What a tease. "Deliverance," a six-track EP of previously unreleased Prince songs, surfaced a few days ago and then was quickly removed from several major digital music sites, including iTunes, after a lawsuit was filed in federal court by Prince's estate. The tracks were assembled and released by one of the late singer's former studio engineers, Ian Boxhill, apparently without the estate's authorization. Boxhill co-wrote and co-produced the tracks, which were recorded in 2006-08, according to Rogue Music Alliance, a Washington-based record company.
The now-you-hear-it, now-you-don't EP marks a new litigious chapter in what is sure to be a protracted struggle over Prince's extensive musical archives. Despite releasing 39 studio albums in his lifetime and dozens of other projects, Prince left behind a trove of music at his Paisley Park studio. As evidenced by the outpouring of posthumous recordings that have extended the careers of artists ranging from Jimi Hendrix and Tupac Shukar _ sometimes for the worse _ the Prince archive seems ripe for exploring and exploiting.
Quality control is another matter entirely. The title song from "Deliverance" is Grade-A late-period Prince, 3-plus-minutes of piano-organ interplay and sanctified backing vocals that impart an anthemic gospel feel. "Who got the blues?" Prince cries in the buildup to a fierce guitar solo. The song's healing message _ "Because time's so hard to deal with, now understand your deliverance is at hand" _ gains poignancy on the first anniversary of his death.
But the remainder of the EP isn't quite as strong. It consists of five linked tracks, including two versions of "I Am," the grittiest and spunkiest of the bunch. The remaining songs/snippets flirt with camp ("Touch Me," "Sunrise Sunset") and vampy erotica ("No One Else").
The inconsistency should come as no surprise. Prince spent the last 20 years of his career releasing hit-and-miss recordings. But who, if anyone, will be charged with finding gems on par with a track like "Deliverance"? And will that music be released in a way that expands and enhances our understanding of how Prince spent his time in Paisley Park? Don't count on it.
