As we approach the one year anniversary of Prince’s death, there’s an unfortunate amount of ugliness surrounding the legendary artist. There are legal battles and drug revelations, all adding up to drama that obfuscates what we should be remembering about the late, great artist a year after his passing: his music.
Enter Low Cut Connie. The Philly rock outfit led by Adam Weiner is paying tribute to Prince today with the release of their newest single, a cover of “Controversy” from the 1981 album of the same name. “Prince is my hero, and down here on Earth, we all still feel the loss,” Weiner tells Consequence of Sound. “He freed our bodies and minds. He married outrageous fun with an openness of spirit like no other artist before or since. In his world we were all valued, all sexy, all stars. Our country is fracturing and full of hostility … we need Prince’s words so badly, to open up the channels and get the juices flowing.”
Those words are, of course, “People call me rude/ I wish we all were nude/ I wish there was no black and white/ I wish there were no rules.” Although Low Cut Connie’s take on the track switches out the synth for pure piano, with Weiner behind the keys, the shift does nothing to lessen the song’s innate funkiness. It’s no easy feat covering someone like Prince, but you can tell Low Cut Connie are enjoying honoring the fallen icon with their version, and that makes it all the more fun to listen to. Check it out below.
“Controversy” comes from Low Cut Connie’s forthcoming fourth studio album, Dirty Pictures (Part 1). The record is out May 19th via Contender Records, and you can pre-order it here. Find the single artwork and album tracklist below.
“Controversy” Single Art:
Dirty Pictures (Part 1) Tracklist:
01. Revolution Rock n Roll
02. Dirty Water
03. Death And Destruction
04. Montreal
05. Angela
06. Love Life
07. Am I Wrong
08. Controversy
09. Forever
10. What Size Shoe
Catch Low Cut Connie on tour at the following dates:
Low Cut Connie 2017 Tour Dates:
04/22 – Long Island, NY @ Cask Ales Festival
04/27 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
04/28 – St. Louis, MO @ Atomic Cowboy
04/29 – Norman, OK @ Norman Music Fest
05/04 – Athens, GA @ GA Theatre Rooftop
05/05 – Atlanta, GA @ The EARL
05/06 – Memphis, TN @ Ardent Studios
05/09 – New York, NY @ Secret Show
05/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Free at Noon
05/18 – Ft Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail
05/19 – Davenport, IA @ The Raccoon Motel
05/20 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
05/23 – Iowa City, IA @ Big Grove Brewery
05/25 – Kansas City, MO @ Tank Room
05/27 – Denver, CO @ Denver Day of Rock
05/30 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
06/02 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
06/03 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
06/08 – San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar
06/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Resident
06/15 – Ft Worth, TX @ Magnolia Motor Lounge
07/26 – Louisville, KY @ Waterfront Wednesday’s
07/28 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summer Sounds
08/04 – Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East
08/05 – Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest
09/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/06 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
