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Liv Warfield [Of Prince + NPG] - "Catch Me If You Can" + "Why Do You Lie"

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Those lucky enough to have caught the recent New Power Generation residency at City Winery in New York--not to mention those who are simply true Prince fanatics--will already be familiar with the name and funkogrpahy of one Liv Warfield. The Portland-based singer has put in much work alongside the likes of The Roots and Al Green, touring with the purple one as recently as this year's SXSW appearance and generally emerging as the new face and voice of NPG in its post-Prince incarnation. All of which explains why her recent announcement of two new solo singles--"Catch Me If You Can" and "Why Do You Lie" hit iTunes Tuesday--is such welcome news. But the real explanation is the overwhelming funk ferocity of her musical attack on these two jams. "Catch Me If You Can" in particular comes on like a pre-dawn raid, combining doorknocker drums, a big brass section and deceptively precise jazz harmonies on the hook. "Why Do You Lie" revels even more brazenly in grungy guitar and machine gun drums, recalling the most metallic of Prince's guitar solos but again balanced with a bluesier direction on the vocals. The overall combination is more Lady Marmalade than Darling Nikki--but not for lack of grind. Listen below: