Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL’s Plectrumelectrum is a record that wants to be heard as a band album, not a Prince solo project. It is a lean, guitar-driven funk-rock set that strips away the studio gloss and synth-pop grandeur of his recent work in favor of live instrumentation and tight ensemble playing. The album is named after the group itself, and it functions as a deliberate statement of intent: these are songs built for the road, played by a unit, not a one-man show.
The record arrived in 2014 as a double release alongside the more electronic Art Official Age, and the contrast was stark. Where that album sprawled, Plectrumelectrum cuts to the chase. It runs 44 minutes across 12 tracks, and the mood is aggressive, retro, and physical. The band — guitarist Donna Grantis, bassist Ida Nielsen, and drummer Hannah Welton — gets room to breathe, and Prince steps back into the role of frontman rather than auteur. The result is a back-to-basics record that trades innovation for immediacy.
The Opening Salvo: WOW and PRETZELBODYLOGIC
The album opens with “WOW,” a 4:28 blast of distorted guitar and call-and-response vocals that sets the tone immediately. It is not a subtle entrance. The track rides a single riff hard, with Prince barking the title over a wall of noise, and the band locking into a groove that feels designed for a live crowd. It is the sound of a group introducing itself, and it works.
“PRETZELBODYLOGIC” follows at 3:26 and is the first real standout. The track is built on a slippery, syncopated guitar line that twists and turns like its title suggests. Prince’s vocal is playful and coiled, and the rhythm section pushes the song forward with a funk backbone that never lets up. It is the clearest example of what this lineup can do: a song that feels both loose and locked in, with a hook that earns its repetition. Critics singled it out, and it is easy to hear why.
The Middle Stretch: AINTTURNINROUND, PLECTRUMELECTRUM, and WHITECAPS
“AINTTURNINROUND” is the third track and another highlight. It is a stomping, defiant number that leans heavily on the band’s chemistry, with a chorus that feels like a chant. Prince’s vocal is urgent, and the guitar work is sharp. It is the kind of track that makes the album’s rock orientation feel less like a limitation and more like a choice that pays off.
The title track, “PLECTRUMELECTRUM,” arrives fourth and slows the momentum slightly. At 4:51, it is the longest song here, and it spends its time building a moody, mid-tempo groove. The band is tight, but the song lacks the sharp hook of the tracks before it. It is not a failure, but it is the first moment where the retro approach starts to feel a little safe.
“WHITECAPS” closes out the first half at 3:43. It is a lighter, more melodic number that lets Nielsen’s bass take the lead. The song has a rolling, oceanic feel that matches its name, and it provides a welcome shift in texture. It is not a major statement, but it shows the band can do more than just rock out.
The Second Half: FIXURLIFEUP and BOYTROUBLE
“FIXURLIFEUP” opens the back half with a funk workout that feels like a direct response to the rock-heavy first half. The track is built on a syncopated bassline and a call-and-response chorus, and it is one of the more danceable moments on the record. Prince’s vocal is relaxed and confident, and the band sounds like it is having fun. It is a solid track, though it does not reach the heights of the early highlights.
“BOYTROUBLE” follows and is the weakest stretch of the album. At 3:53, it is a lurching, mid-tempo number that never quite finds its footing. The groove is there, but the song lacks a strong hook, and the vocal feels buried in the mix. It is the kind of track that fills out a running order without adding much to it. The band’s playing is competent, but the material is not.
The Final Run: STOPTHISTRAIN, ANOTHERLOVE, TICTACTOE, MARZ, and FUNKNROLL
“STOPTHISTRAIN” is a brief reset at 3:41, and it is one of the more interesting tracks on the album. The song has a tense, driving quality, with a riff that feels almost mechanical. Prince’s vocal is clipped and urgent, and the band responds with a performance that feels like a chase. It is a strong return to form after “BOYTROUBLE.”
“ANOTHERLOVE” follows at 4:16 and is a ballad of sorts, though it is a rock ballad rather than a soul one. The song is built on a slow, heavy guitar line and a vocal that is more restrained than the rest of the record. It is a change of pace that works, though it does not have the emotional weight to make it a classic. It is a solid track that shows range.
“TICTACTOE” is a short, punchy funk number at 3:38. It is built on a simple, effective riff and a playful vocal delivery. The song does not overstay its welcome, and it is a nice palate cleanser before the final stretch. It is not a highlight, but it is the kind of track that keeps the album moving.
“MARZ” is the shortest track on the record at 1:48, and it is a burst of noise and energy. It feels like a live jam, with the band tearing through a quick, aggressive riff. It is not a song so much as a statement, and it works in that context. It is a reminder that this is a band record, and the band can play.
“FUNKNROLL” closes the album at 4:10, and it is a fitting finale. The title sums up the record’s mission, and the track delivers on it: a heavy funk groove with a rock edge, a catchy chorus, and a band that sounds fully in sync. It is not the best song here, but it is a strong closing statement that ties the album together.
The Retro Approach and Its Limits
The album’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. By committing to a lean, rock-oriented sound, Prince and 3RDEYEGIRL create a record that is focused and energetic, but they also cut themselves off from the genre-blending that made his best work so unpredictable. There is no synth-pop detour, no orchestral ballad, no left-turn experiment. The record stays in one lane, and while that lane is well-driven, it can feel narrow over 44 minutes.
The Daily Telegraph noted that “the rock format appears to have concentrated him on songwriting basics,” and that is a fair read. The songs here are simpler and more direct than much of Prince’s catalogue. That is not inherently a problem — some of the best tracks on the album, like “PRETZELBODYLOGIC” and “AINTTURNINROUND,” benefit from that simplicity. But it also means that the record lacks the surprises that make a Prince release an event.
The A.V. Club said the album “takes a no-nonsense approach to funk and for the most part plays near the shallow shores of rock ‘n’ roll’s enormous waters.” That is a fair characterization. The record is not trying to be deep or ambitious. It is trying to be a good rock-funk album, and for the most part, it succeeds. But the shallow waters are real, and there are moments where the lack of depth is felt.
The Band Dynamic
The album’s other defining feature is the band itself. 3RDEYEGIRL is a real group, not a backing band, and that distinction matters. Grantis, Nielsen, and Welton are given space to play, and they take it. The guitar solos are prominent, the basslines are front and center, and the drums are mixed loud. It is a record that sounds like a band playing together in a room, which is a welcome change from the polished, programmed feel of much of Prince’s later work.
Q magazine said the record is “the sound of [Prince] working with a lean combo is so refreshing, and a welcome first in his mammoth catalogue.” That is a strong endorsement, and it is accurate. Prince had made rock records before, but he had never made one that felt this collaborative. The band’s presence gives the album a live energy that is hard to fake in a studio, and it is the main reason the record works as well as it does.
That said, the band dynamic also contributes to the album’s limitations. Because the focus is on ensemble playing, there is less room for the kind of studio trickery and sonic experimentation that defined Prince’s best work. The songs are built to be played live, not to be picked apart in the headphones. That is a trade-off, and it is one that the album mostly handles well, but it is a trade-off nonetheless.
The Verdict
Plectrumelectrum is a good album, not a great one. It succeeds at what it sets out to do — a lean, energetic rock-funk record with a live band feel — but it does not reach the heights of Prince’s best work. The highlights are real: “PRETZELBODYLOGIC,” “WOW,” and “AINTTURNINROUND” are strong tracks that justify the album’s existence. The low points are few, but they are there, and the record’s single-minded approach means there are no surprises to lift it higher.
It is a record that rewards listening as a whole, in order, with the volume up. It is not a masterpiece, and it is not a failure. It is a solid, focused effort from a legendary artist and a talented band, and it deserves a fair hearing on its own terms.
The album earns a 6.1 out of 10.
Comparing the Two 2014 Prince Releases
| Album | Style | Critical Reception | Standout Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plectrumelectrum | Rock-oriented funk with live band | Mixed-to-positive, praised for energy | “PRETZELBODYLOGIC,” “WOW,” “AINTTURNINROUND” |
| Art Official Age | Electronic, synth-pop, experimental | Mixed-to-positive, praised for ambition | Not specified in source |
Ranking the Best Tracks
- “PRETZELBODYLOGIC” — the sharpest hook on the album, with a groove that twists and turns.
- “AINTTURNINROUND” — defiant, stomping, and built on band chemistry.
- “WOW” — a loud, immediate opening statement that sets the tone.
- “STOPTHISTRAIN” — tense and driving, a strong return to form in the back half.
- “FUNKNROLL” — a fitting closer that sums up the album’s mission.
The album is not a classic, but it is a worthy entry in a long catalogue. It is the sound of a legend doing something different, and for that alone, it is worth a listen.
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- WOW4:28
- PRETZELBODYLOGIC3:26
- AINTTURNINROUND3:02
- PLECTRUMELECTRUM4:51
- WHITECAPS3:43
- FIXURLIFEUP3:12
- BOYTROUBLE3:53
- STOPTHISTRAIN3:41
- ANOTHERLOVE4:16
- TICTACTOE3:38
- MARZ1:48
- FUNKNROLL4:10
