Anyone else slightly dissapointed in 3121?

1. Doesn't break any new ground
2. The studio version of Fury is shit compared to the propper version.
3. To much poppy pappy crap.
4. There aren't any classics
5. Not a single GREAT song (Although fury had the potential to be)

Don't get me wrong, it's still a god album and hopefully it will grow on me, but i was expecting a classic after all the great reviews.

Prince maybe u could do up fury before the release?

LALALALALAAA I CAN'T HEAR YOU LALALALALALA

i'll listen to it when it's delivered by musictoday. until then

um edit
[Edited 3/10/06 11:05am]

The only thing I am disappointed is Fury doesn't have a stronger guitar. Still that doesnt take away of me liking the song.

Other than that 3121 is a very good album despite the cheesy lyrics. I am one of Prince old school fans who didnt care too much about his albums after 1984 with exceptional of SOTT, Batman, D&P and Gold Experience but I really do like 3121.
[Edited 3/10/06 11:13am]

Nope, not even slightly...out of the 12 tracks on the CD, six of them rate as great in my eyes (Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, Fury, The Word, The Dance). 3121, Te Amo Corizon, and Get On The Boat fall just below those six...Very few Prince albums have 9 out of 12 songs (75%) ranking this high this quickly. The Rainbow Children and The Gold Experience are the only two albums by Prince to do so since SOTT.

Lovin' 3121 completely...

Not at all. Infact, I'm pleasantly surprised.
Prince makes arty, unclassificable wee ditties which are intended to stand up to repeated listenings, intense scruity and the passing of time. On record, a stolen moment captured for all time, he rarely rawks,. thank Christ. Prince is an true artist, not Slash. Fury is perfect the way it is - the way it was supposed to be, the way it was born in its creator's mind. I love all these morons having the audacity telling the guy who created SOTT how his songs should sound. Aye, I'll see you all at the concert.

Jeez, I never thought you of all people would be so critical of 3121 GoldenGlove! Seemed like every other thread you were popping up to promote the album saying how it was going to be a classic and how the singles were going to explode in the charts!

I don't completely agree with your points:
1. Half the songs on 3121 are almost totally composed of synths or have the tune carried on synth melodies, something I'm struggling to recall if Prince has done before like this, and if he has, then certainly not as fresh and vibrant. It's futuristic funk!
2. The 'proper' version of Fury is the album version, remember. I like the live version better too, but in reality it came after even though we heard it first. Prince just is brilliant at taking tracks to an even higher level live.
3. I think people forget that, at heart, Prince has always been a pop musician, so we shouldn't be too surprised when he comes out with pop music.
4. I'd agree there aren't any major classics, although Black Sweat and Love continue to grow on me, but classics can sometimes overshadow the other tracks anyway - this is a consistent album at least.
5. Well, a great song would be a classic, so you're repeating yourself, but look at it this way, there aren't any majorly terrible songs on there either.

I think it's a good album and I'm really enjoying listening to it, much more than Musicology. I'm not sure where I'd put it yet in the canon of Prince's albums, but not near the bottom for sure. I don't think any non-Prince fan picking this up are going to be too disappointed with the quality of tracks, unless they are expecting an album of guitar heavy rock tracks!

Initially, I was very dissapointed and I was kinda harsh on it. I did say that certain things would probably grow on me and that seems to be happening. I still say that this album is what New Power Soul woulda sounded like had it been a good album.

Because I've grown accustomed to the laid-back, "mature" Prince, my knee-jerk reaction was to accuse Prince of following Pharrell and Andre. Maybe it's because he hasn't ventured into this poppy/party music territory in so long I've forgotten how natural it used to be for him. And honestly, if Pharrell or Andre3000 had released this album, I'd probably be fawning all over it... and that's not fair.

But I have to admit now that like Musicology, it's a good album... not great, but good. It's a good representation of what he has always had to offer.


I still hate Black Sweat with a passion... I feel a little more ashamed each time I find myself singing along.

Not at all. I feel like I'm one of the only people here who actually got what they wanted/expected from 3121. This is what I wanted:

Songs that I could "drop it like it's hot" to - mission accomplished
Songs that were fun - mission accomplished
Songs to sound like there was life and energy to them - mission accomplished
An album that I love - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

They might be simple but it worked for me. I wasn't looking for the second coming of SOTT, I wanted something great for today and I got it.

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

I first heard it and went hmmmm. Now its WOW!

purplecam said:

Not at all. I feel like I'm one of the only people here who actually got what they wanted/expected from 3121. This is what I wanted:

Songs that I could "drop it like it's hot" to - mission accomplished
Songs that were fun - mission accomplished
Songs to sound like there was life and energy to them - mission accomplished
An album that I love - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

They might be simple but it worked for me. I wasn't looking for the second coming of SOTT, I wanted something great for today and I got it.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

purplecam said:

Not at all. I feel like I'm one of the only people here who actually got what they wanted/expected from 3121. This is what I wanted:

Songs that I could "drop it like it's hot" to - mission accomplished
Songs that were fun - mission accomplished
Songs to sound like there was life and energy to them - mission accomplished
An album that I love - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

They might be simple but it worked for me. I wasn't looking for the second coming of SOTT, I wanted something great for today and I got it.

I agree. I'm liking it more and more every time I hear it. Of course I'm psychic and am hearing this album from the future.


M

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

No offense GoldenGlove, but you did it to yourself. I think you may have built this album up too much in your mind. But I believe you said this was Prince's first new release since you became a fan, so that excitement may be understandable.

But all the touting of this "masterpiece," the letter writing campaign to get "Fury" released as the next single (without ever having heard the studio version), etc., etc.....you just set yourself up for disappointment.

3121 isn't spectacular, but it's a cool little album. Once your initial disappointment wears off you'll probably start to enjoy it more.
[Edited 3/10/06 11:42am]

renfield said:

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

Not a hint of disappointment over here. 3121 is BETTER than I'd hoped (and my hopes were pretty high).

Peace, David

renfield said:

GoldenGlove said:

1. Doesn't break any new ground
2. The studio version of Fury is shit compared to the propper version.
3. To much poppy pappy crap.
4. There aren't any classics
5. Not a single GREAT song (Although fury had the potential to be)

Don't get me wrong, it's still a god album and hopefully it will grow on me, but i was expecting a classic after all the great reviews.

Prince maybe u could do up fury before the release?

GoldenGlove said:

1. Doesn't break any new ground
2. The studio version of Fury is shit compared to the propper version.
3. To much poppy pappy crap.
4. There aren't any classics
5. Not a single GREAT song (Although fury had the potential to be)

Don't get me wrong, it's still a god album and hopefully it will grow on me, but i was expecting a classic after all the great reviews.

Prince maybe u could do up fury before the release?

Byron said:

Nope, not even slightly...out of the 12 tracks on the CD, six of them rate as great in my eyes (Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, Fury, The Word, The Dance). 3121, Te Amo Corizon, and Get On The Boat fall just below those six...Very few Prince albums have 9 out of 12 songs (75%) ranking this high this quickly. The Rainbow Children and The Gold Experience are the only two albums by Prince to do so since SOTT.

Lovin' 3121 completely...

Byron said:

Nope, not even slightly...out of the 12 tracks on the CD, six of them rate as great in my eyes (Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, Fury, The Word, The Dance). 3121, Te Amo Corizon, and Get On The Boat fall just below those six...Very few Prince albums have 9 out of 12 songs (75%) ranking this high this quickly. The Rainbow Children and The Gold Experience are the only two albums by Prince to do so since SOTT.

Lovin' 3121 completely...

Brendan said:

Byron said:

Nope, not even slightly...out of the 12 tracks on the CD, six of them rate as great in my eyes (Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, Fury, The Word, The Dance). 3121, Te Amo Corizon, and Get On The Boat fall just below those six...Very few Prince albums have 9 out of 12 songs (75%) ranking this high this quickly. The Rainbow Children and The Gold Experience are the only two albums by Prince to do so since SOTT.

Lovin' 3121 completely...

I think that's a very accurate breakdown.

And the inevitable 10-minute live versions of "3121" and "Get On The Boat" just might be something very special.

Not dissappointed at all.

3121 rocks hard. Not disappointed at all.

Nope, I'm not disappointed.

After Musicology, I was expecting another uninspired, dull commercial project that's devoid of any signs of musical vibrance.

What I got instead was an album full of spirit and attitude, and rife with an overwhelming feeling of inspired fun.

The only slight disappointment I hav eis that "FURY" is not as raw on the album as it was live but otehr than that it's top notch.

this is nuts. how'd y'all access the album before its release date anyway?

Yes. I am.

This album is really growing on me. Initially I thought it was good, if a little bit sterile. But the more I listen to it, the more I like it (like all the best albums). '3121' is an incredible opener, the best for years. 'Love' sends shivers down my spine. 'The Word' is Prince at his most poignantly spiritual. And there are NO weak tracks.

So, after an inital twinge of disappointment, this album is exceeding my expectations. Bring on the UK tour.

GoldenGlove said:

1. Doesn't break any new ground
2. The studio version of Fury is shit compared to the propper version.
3. To much poppy pappy crap.
4. There aren't any classics
5. Not a single GREAT song (Although fury had the potential to be)

Don't get me wrong, it's still a god album and hopefully it will grow on me, but i was expecting a classic after all the great reviews.

Prince maybe u could do up fury before the release?

renfield said:

No,it's a fresh pop/funk album,something some of us were hoping
4 but didn't expect anymore.I'm surprised and pleased!