Is this thread for professional reviews only, or can we add our own?

Moonbeam said:

Professional ones like from Rolling Stone, etc.

luv4u said:

Will there be a thread for personal reviews, or should we each start one?

All-Music Guide Review



Musicology was a self-conscious comeback, a record designed to return Prince to the spotlight and the charts, and it worked: even if it spawned no big hits, the 2004 LP became his first album to crack the Billboard Top Ten since 1995's The Gold Experience, get a fair amount of radio play, and get a bunch of positive press, along with a well-received tour. Prince no longer seemed like an eccentric consigned to the fringes: he seemed like a savvy pro, reclaiming a reputation and respect that he'd lost. That he did it with an album that sounded uncannily like a deliberate return to classic Prince as performed by the New Power Generation was almost beside the point: it was enough that he sounded engaged, and that he made a focused, purposeful album. Its quickly delivered 2006 follow-up, 3121, proves that Musicology was no fluke. Like its predecessor, 3121 is tight and concise, offering 12 songs in 53 minutes, and it's classically structured, emphasizing shifting moods and textures between songs. It is an album, not a collection of songs, and you could even call it old-fashioned, but it feels fresher than Musicology, as if Prince had listened to enough Neptunes productions to understand how they've absorbed his music. That acknowledgement doesn't come often — it's evident in the sly, sexy grooves of "Black Sweat" and the squealing synths of "Lolita" — but since it's paired with an emphasis on dance tunes and a retreat from the enjoyable but endless NPG-styled vamping that characterized a good portion of Musicology, 3121 winds up sounding lively, varied, and, at its best, exciting. And at the beginning of the album, 3121 is quite exciting, as Prince revives his high-pitched alter ego Camille on the title track and dives head first into the electro-funk of "Lolita" and "Black Sweat," songs that recall such mid-period masterpieces as "Kiss" or "Sign 'O' the Times" without being rewrites. Nevertheless, the fact that the freshest sounding music here still has a direct line back to records Prince made 20 years prior is a good indication that the album, like Prince himself in the wake of hip-hop, is a little bit conservative, emphasizing funk of both the James Brown and George Clinton varieties, late-night slow jams, classic dance, and soul, instead of wrestling with modern music. While that may disappoint some listeners who yearn for the return of the trailblazing Prince of the '80s, when he reinvented himself with each record, it's hardly surprising that a 47-year-old musician is spending more time refining his palette than expanding it. What is a surprise is that Prince is in top form as both a writer and record-maker; perhaps the one-man-band nature of its recording doesn't mean the album is as gritty or raw as his reliably thrilling live performances, but 3121 crackles with excitement, filled with different sounds and styles. Best of all, this is filled with songs that hold their own as individual tunes, yet gel into a cohesive record that is thankfully devoid of an overarching concept, a problem that plagued his albums after Diamonds and Pearls. 3121 does fall short from being perfect — there may be no bad songs, but the momentum slows ever so slightly on the second half — yet it's something more valuable than being a one-off classic: it's proof that Prince has indeed returned as a vital, serious recording artist on his own terms. Maybe he's no longer breaking new ground, but his eccentricities are now an attribute, not a curse, which goes a long way in making his trademark blend of funk, pop, soul, and rock sound nearly as dazzling as it did at his popular and creative peak in the '80s.

You beat me to it Ian! I'd already started a thread. I think that's a really good, solid review.

luv4u said:

Speaking of...

from Rolling Stone:

GangstaFam said:[quote]

luv4u said:

I just checked Rolling Stone's website 15 minutes ago! They didn't have it.

Moonbeam said:

It's in the recent headlines.

GangstaFam said:

Just saw it. Don't think it's the official review.

Moonbeam said:

I think it is. We'll see though.

GangstaFam said:

You're on!
[Edited 3/20/06 13:13pm]

Moonbeam said:

pink-purple

Moonbeam said:

Then you go here http://www.prince.org/msg/7/181983

From German magazine "Der Spiegel" online.

http://www.spiegel.de/kul...61,00.html
" A Masterpiece of simplicity" like Parade
Prince kehrt zum Pop zurück, Be Your Own Pet verzichten auf Struktur, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness machen ihrem Namen keine Ehre, Josh Rouse ist leise und weise, und Secret Machines sind besser als ihr Ruf. Abgehört - jetzt auch zum Reinhören!

Prince - "3121"
(NPG Records/Universal, 24. März)


Popstar Prince: Zurück zum Pop
3121, das ist die Adresse von Princes Anwesen in Beverly Hills, wo vergoldete Billard-Tische herumstehen und riesige Kronleuchter mit purpurnen Edelsteinen besetzt sind. Das ist ganz schön protzig und geschmacklos, und man möchte am liebsten höhnen, dass ihm all die kitschigen Statusgerätschaften, die mit dem notorischen "Love Symbol" verziert sind, auch nichts nützen, wenn die Musik, die der gefeierte Superstar der Achtziger heute macht, nicht gut ist. Aber sie ist gut, sogar besser denn je. Nachdem Prince auf seinen herausragenden letzten Alben "The Rainbow Children" und "Musicology" die Zügel etwas lockerer gelassen hatte und viel Jazz und Spielfreude in seinen Funk einsickern ließ, steht nun wieder Disziplin auf der Tagesordnung. Gleich die ersten drei Songs auf "3121" sind ein Musterbeispiel für sparsame Effizienz: Das Titelstück rollt verführerisch präzise dahin, "Lolita" setzt mit einem ebenso schlichten wie atemberaubenden Riff den Ton für Princes Rückkehr zum Pop; und "Te Amo Corazón", die bereits bekannte Single, schmachtet, ohne zu überzuckern. Da sind sie also wieder, die hingetupften Licks, die abgezirkelten Bläser (von Maceo Parker und Candy Dulfer), die irrwitzigen Details, die einen Prince-Song so bezaubernd machen. "3121" ist ein Meisterwerk der Einfachheit, eine Pop-Platte wie "Around The World In A Day" oder Parade, aber gereifter, kontrollierter und immer abwechslungsreich: Die Jimi-Hendrix-Hommage "Fury" gesellt sich wie selbstverständlich an hypnotische Schmonzetten wie "The Dance" oder tatsächlich Tanzbares wie "Satisfied". Und zum Schluss gibt's wie immer in den letzten Jahren den großen Rausschmeißer-Funk: "Get On The Boat". Wer da nicht aufspringt, ist rettungslos verloren.
(9) Andreas Borcholte

Thanks to linus4000 for originally posting this!

EmancipationLover said:

My remark on the original thread:

Just as an info for the non-SPIEGEL-readers: They virtually never give 10 (out of 10) and it's the first time in a while I've seen a record rated 9 there. Usually, they give records they like 7 or 8.

EmancipationLover said:

Is there a english translation somewhere for us non-germans?

Love2tha9s said:

Bubblefish translation by XxAxX from the original thread (thanks for posting this):

opstar Prince: Back to the Pop 3121, that is the address of Princes messuage in Beverly Hills, where gilded billard-Tische are occupied with purpurnen jewels and enormous kronleuchter. That is completely beautifully protzig and tasteless, and one would like to hoehnen dearest that all kit ski towards Statusgeraetschaften, which are verziert with the notorious "Love symbol" the also nothing to him it uses, if the music, which the celebrated superstar of the eighties makes today, is not good. But it is well, even better ever. After Prince on its outstanding last albums "The Rainbow Children" and "Musicology" had relented the zuegel somewhat and much jazz and play joy let seep into its radio, now again discipline stands on the agenda. Equal the first three Songs on "3121" are an example for economical efficiency: The piece of title rolls seductively precisely there, "Lolita" sets with just as simple as breath-robbing reef the clay/tone for Princes return to the Pop; and "width unit Amo Corazón", which schmachtet already well-known single, without to over sugars. There they are thus again, the hang-dabbed Licks, which abgezirkelten blaeser (of Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer), the err-funny details, which make a Prince Song in such a way bezaubernd. for "3121" a masterpiece of the simplicity, a Pop plate is like "Around The World in A Day" or parade, but mature, more controlled and always varied: The Jimi Hendrix Hommage "Fury" associates as natural to hypnotische Schmonzetten like "The Dance" or actually dance-cash like "Satisfied". And in the end gibt's like always in the last years the large Rausschmeisser radio: "GET on The Boat". Who does not jump up there, is rescueless lost.

Sorry, I'm about to shut down my computer and have supper, otherwise I would've written a translation (it really is a rather enthusiastic review).

BBC Teletext : short but encouraging review

Prince
3121
(Universal)

Prince revolutionised popular music 20 years ago, and it's taken that long for the world to catch up. It's a hard legacy for anyone to live up to.

The eclecticism of 3121 harks back to that 80s golden age. There's the addictive groove of the title track, the cheesy - but deeply satisfying - boss nova of "Te Amo Corazon", and a supremely competent funk work out by the name of "Get On The Boat".

Despite a few too many insipid ballads, it's his most focused album in years; devotees of classic Prince will love it. It's not anything new, but then changing the course of music twice in a lifetime is probably just a little too much to ask for...

Reviewer: Matt Harvey

Jim Farber review from the New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.co...9398c.html

Sticking with royal convention

Synths aside, '3121' is Prince by the numbers

Prince
'3121'
(Universal)

News flash: Prince has a new one-named love obsession.

But it's not another in his long line of girl-toys, like Apollonia or Vanity. This time, Prince's one-named love slave is Technology.

On the star's new album - his first in a new pact with Universal Music - he goes mad for synthesized sounds, indulging more sonic tricks and electro doodads than he has in years.

In the first single, "Black Sweat," synthesizers snap and crack, creating a stop-start rhythm meant to alarm. In "Lolita," Prince whips up a sort of deconstructed version of "Little Red Corvette," with '80s-style synths jerking around a hollow core. The title track goes full force into squeaks and squawks, using sheer abrasion as a hook.

Unfortunately, that last ditty winds up sounding like 18 sets of finger nails scraping down a blackboard. While there's something undeniably nervy about Prince's noisy pursuits, that's the only aspect of "3121" that's the least bit innovative or even odd.

Otherwise, "3121" rates as one of Prince's most conventional CDs. It's digestibly short, just 45 minutes, with 12 songs, only one of which stretches into the kind of jams that defined Prince's albums of the last few years, like "Rainbow Children" or the concert CD, "One Night Alone."

More akin to his 2004 CD "Musicology," the latest seems like a bid to get his pop career bubbling again. But beneath its distracting sound effects, the album is too full of Prince-ean cliches and routine riffs, to usher him back into the pop kingdom.

The ballads bomb especially badly. Prince's faux-Spanish cut "Te Amo Corazon," sounds like something Enrique Iglesias might smarm his way through. "Beautiful Love & Blessed" - a duet with the, yes, one-named Tamar - sparks no chemistry between the two singers. An orchestral "The Dance" sounds like something left over from an aborted soundtrack.

Then there's the boudoir ballad "Satisfied," whose lyric - "this is going to be a long night" - works as a warning. Other lyrics just roll out the usual Prince-style boasts ... "I'm funky and I don't care who knows it," "imagine me on the tip of your tongue" and others.

Such outbursts, in lieu of lyrics, suggest a person seriously in need of an inner life, a longtime problem for Prince. Worse, many cuts feature production too thickly weighted, and self-conscious, to get up and move.

A few of the upbeat tracks eventually find their groove. "Fury" recalls Prince's most rocking tracks from the '80s. And the final funk rave-up, "Get on the Boat," with Maceo Parker, successfully inverts the strategy of most of the CD. It's a flat-out live jam. Too bad it winds up only proving the point Prince uses the rest of the CD to refute - that less is more.

Critics' Choice | New CD's
Puttin' on the Funk, Playing Sly Games

By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: March 20, 2006
Prince
"3121" (Universal)

Prince doesn't sing any complicated messages on his new album, "3121." He has his perennial topics in mind: love, partying and sex (monogamous now that he has declared himself a Jehovah's Witness), with some salvation on the side. It's a friendly, happy, concise album, clocking in under 54 minutes and just about always putting the funk in the foreground. But within the grooves, Prince enjoys some sly musical games. It's not what he says, but what he plays, that gives the songs their snap.

When Prince went fully independent in 1996, his first impulse was to pour out all the music he made: triple and quadruple albums, cover versions, Internet-only songs, instrumentals. But since 1999 he also has been making deals with the major conglomerates, one album at a time, and giving them some of what they want: songs that reaffirm his gift for pop hooks and that also deliberately stir memories of his 1980's hits. With any luck the new songs could sound familiar enough to reach a generation raised on sampled 1970's and 80's R&B. He reaches back to "1999," for instance, in "Fury," a tale of pop ambition and parted lovers.

Yet he's experimenting too, perhaps goaded by atonal liberties of hip-hop. Working alone in the studio, Prince becomes the opposite of his onstage self. Instead of working in real time with live instruments, he goes for a dizzying mix of the handmade and the surreal. "Black Sweat" is an electronic maze of claps and bass thrusts with a whistling, sliding synthesizer high above, while the murky P-Funk vamp of the song "3121" carries dissonant distorted guitars and voices that have been sped up and slowed down. When Prince proselytizes in "The Word," the track is a shifty mixture of staccato acoustic guitar, washes of string sound, a lone saxophone, simmering electronic sounds and clipped percussion.

Meanwhile, when he's not being futuristic, his music holds a history of soul. "Satisfied" is an old-fashioned falsetto ballad, complete with horn section, "Get on the Boat" mixes James Brown funk with salsa, and "The Dance" builds up to an orchestral supper-club bolero.

Prince has done some careful ethical balancing to square his old lascivious self with his openly devout one, and on "3121" he shows his sense of humor about it. He's still a seducer, but one with boundaries. In "Lolita," he's tempted by a young girl, yet insists, "you'll never make a cheater out of me"; then he starts a call and response, asking, "What you wanna do?" She responds, teasingly, "Whatever you want," but when he says, "Then come on, let's dance," she says, with disdain and disbelief, "Dance?" Still, Prince understands what made him a star, and he's not giving it up. "I'm hot and I don't care who knows it," he declares in "Black Sweat," then immediately gets pragmatic: "I got a job to do."

JON PARELES

http://www.nytimes.com/20...ref=slogin

NY Post (3121 Review)---thumbs up from the rag....
New York Post


BY DAN AQUILANTE
-----
PRINCE

"3121"

4 STARS
Universal

WITH the cunning of Machiavelli, Prince has completed his comeback campaign from self-imposed obscurity.

The pint-sized funkster re-emerged two years ago at the Grammys playing an incendiary duet with Beyonc‚, after which he issued the well-received "Musicology." Now he reclaims his stardom with "3121," a record that's lyrically sexy, musically crazy and totally cool.

Where others like Madonna have attempted to stay young through reinvention, on this album Prince wears his own skin and rediscovers who he is and why he's part of rock royalty. "3121" is pure Prince, and these dozen songs showcase his considerable music vocabulary. Crunchy, aggressive guitar rock, bump 'n' grind funk, spiritual R&B and hints of a Latin groove are integral to this record's tight weave.

It all comes together on the title track, "3121," a sexy rave where Prince makes his electric guitar squeal to the funked-up horns of the chorus. His Purpleness has been elusive as to what "3121" means, but the lyrics point to an address where, like the Hotel California, Prince warns "You can come if you want to, but can never leave."

The three other exceptional songs on this record are the pop-powered "Love Is," the R&B number "Satisfied" and a seriously funky "Lolita."

On "Lolita," Prince gets his inner Humbert Humbert out in a peppy, up-tempo song ready-made for radio and music TV. Between bass-and-drum thumps, Prince reminds himself that Lolita is "sweet-a" but in the end "will get a brother in trouble."

But if you're looking for Prince at his drop-dead vocal best, check out "Satisfied," an R&B song that's heavy on the blues. Prince is almost vulnerable as he sings in his trademark falsetto to a melody that's big, brassy and beautiful. This could have easily been written as a big-band ballad for another generation. As sexually provocative as always, he croons seductively "Love is ... whatever you want it to be." If you're Prince, you don't need a better pickup line.

Prince did step outside himself and take a couple of risks on "3121." He explores Latin music on the light samba ballad "Te Amo Corizon," an OK song that's this album's weakest track. The fuchsia-loving funkster fares much better on "Incense and Candles," where he demonstrates his skills as a rapper. He's not bad for a guy who has always shunned hip-hop styles.

In all, "3121" is the kind musical excellence that you expect of Prince, and it just might make you forget about lesser album efforts like "Emancipation," "Crystal Ball" and "Rainbow Children."

A sort-of review (there's an actual review in the St. Paul Pioneer Press...I think this is just something to go along with it):

http://www.twincities.com...144839.htm


New numbers, old numbers

While it's hardly derivative, certain tracks on "3121" do recall various Prince eras. Here's a look at a few of the songs and the previous album they bring to mind:

"3121": Its disorienting, odd synth lines would have been right at home on Prince's 1987 masterpiece, "Sign 'O' the Times."

"The Dance": Already familiar to fans who picked up the Internet-only "Chocolate Invasion," this totally new arrangement features some soul screaming at the end that's highly reminiscent of "The Beautiful Ones" from Prince's biggestselling album, "Purple Rain."

"Love": The last time Prince so explicitly borrowed from the floor-filling thump of techno was on his underrated 1994 disc, "Come."

"Te Amo Corazon": Tasteful and accomplished, if a bit of a yawner, this luxe ballad could be an outtake from 2004's "Musicology."

"Lolita": This bouncy, sultry dance number recalls 1980's "Dirty Mind," even if the lyrics are nowhere near as filthy. (And the call-and-response that closes the song is pure Morris Day and the Time.)

Yahoo:

http://launch.yahoo.com/r...s/30958495


Prince Returns to Funky Form on '3121'

Prince, "3121" (Universal)

Unless you were the kind of Prince fanatic who subscribed to his Web site for musical downloads or stood in line for hours after hearing whispers of his low-key club performances, the only Prince music you probably heard during his self-imposed exile were golden oldies.

Maybe that's why his much-hyped return to the spotlight with 2004's "Musicology" — his first album on a major record label in years — was so disappointing. Compared to the classic Prince we'd been listening to, it was hard to deny that "Musicology" lacked the fire, passion and innovation that made him such a groundbreaking '80s force. One had to wonder whether his time away from the spotlight or his conversion to the Jehovah's Witness faith had tamed his Royal Badness for good.

Such concerns evaporate upon listening to his latest CD, "3121." Tantalizing, sexy, even uplifting, this Prince sounds like the vintage Purple One.

Well, almost. Though Prince ramps up the sex appeal on "3121" with the throbbing club track "Black Sweat," it's generally a pretty tame affair, unlike the salacious content of his prime. On "Lolita," he declares to a temptress, "You'll never make a cheater out of me," while on sensual, pillow-soft ballads like "Incense & Candles," it's true love, and not lust, being celebrated. In fact, some of the most passionate songs have nothing to do with romantic love, but a spiritual one, like the lovely "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed," a duet with his protege, Tamar. There's also an inspirational uptempo track, "The Word."

And unlike the Prince of old, he doesn't mine any new musical ground here. You'll still hear the dance grooves that are heavily reliant on synthesized funk or those that sound like you've dropped in on a free-for-all jam session. But with killer jams like the horn-and-drum centered "Get On the Boat," that's hardly a bad thing.

Whereas "Musicology" made you long for the Prince of old, "3121" leaves you excited about where Prince is today — and looking forward to where he might be going.

Very Positve MPLS Reviews for 3121

http://www.newsday.com/en...columnists

http://www.twincities.com...145187.htm


Prince's proud return

March 21, 2006


Prince is one of those rare artists who can change the music industry climate with a wave of his well-manicured hand.

He tamed the Internet tidal wave with his online music club years before anyone else figured out that he was right. He built the price of his "Musicology" CD into the cost of his concert ticket and then handed out the album for free, creating a storm of controversy that netted him an unexpected hit along with his successful tour. And, of course, Prince made "Purple Rain."

He manages such feats because he is a risk-taker as well as a brilliant musician. When you take such chances, though, they don't always pay off. And his albums in the 19 years since his landmark "Sign O' the Times" have been remarkably hit-and-miss.

Prince has never made a bad album. But he hasn't made a great one in quite some time, either. Well, folks, that drought is over.

Prince's new album, "3121" (Universal), is his best since "Sign O' the Times," taking all the various styles he's been dabbling in for the past two decades and combining them into a unified, powerful package.

On "3121," Prince returns to his classic themes of love, religion, the future, and, you know, freaky sex. And he surrounds them with whatever funk, soul, rock, R&B, gospel and jazz sounds suit them best.

It opens with the title track, with its grinding soul groove and keyboards that recall "Controversy," setting the stage for the journey, as Prince says, "You can come if you want to, but you can never leave."

Prince unleashes his naughty side with "Lolita," a funky dance number that rhymes "Lolita" with "sweet-uh" and could have come from the "1999" album. It pairs nicely with "Black Sweat," his current single, which combines some spacey keyboards with a stuttering funky beat, some patented Prince falsettos with some James Brown angst.

On "Love," Prince is partying like it's 1985, with a big funk number that manages to sound like a throwback while still sounding fresh. It's one of his most immediate, unforgettable songs in years -- a grand contender for the single of this summer, with its squiggling synth riffs (a la "Erotic City") and its cool percussion break.

He follows that with the amazing "Satisfied," an old soul number that Otis Redding could have sung, complete with horn flourishes. It feels like an immediate classic, like an updated "Since I Fell for You," where he croons, "Turn off your cell phone, can't you see I just want to get you satisfied?"

It's a great example of Prince's softer side -- the balladeer side that dominated "Musicology" and continued on the recent single "Te Amo Corazon." "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed," which will be a single for his newest protege, Tamar, is another tender, sweet love song, showing off his love of gospel. ("The Word," on the other hand, has more of a pop sound for its gospel message.)

He still knows how to rock out, too, as he shows on "Fury," the song he unleashed on a recent "Saturday Night Live" appearance that featured the song's blistering guitar solos, which build to a "Let's Go Crazy" end. And the far-flung, Sly Stone-ish closer "Get on the Boat" shows Prince hasn't let go of the funk-jazz improvisational style he has cultivated over his past few records.

There are no gimmicks on "3121." (Though, in true Prince business style, he is offering a contest, both in the CD and online, where buyers who find the "purple ticket" win entry into a special show at his Minnesota mansion.) No failed experiments. No filler tracks.

It is lean and mean and chock-full of potential hits that should introduce him to a whole new generation of fans, while rallying his longtime fans with an album that will remind them of the good ol' days.

While "3121" is not a return to "Purple Rain" Prince -- mainly because he has continued to grow as an artist since those heady days -- it does mark the return of his interest to be a player in popular music.

It shows he once again is willing (at least for now) to save his best songs for a single, potent release rather than spreading them out over several albums.

For the past two decades, Prince has been the musical equivalent of a blogger, letting few thoughts go unexpressed and few ideas unexplored. That can be fulfilling and quite entertaining, if a little fleeting.

On "3121," however, he returns to the discipline of a great novelist -- honing and polishing a single major work so that it will stand the test of time. He strives for that something extra and reaches it, making "3121" a truly special album and one of the year's best.

("3121," in stores Tuesday; grade: A.)



Prince's lucky number

'3121' has all the earmarks of a truly classic album.BY ROSS RAIHALAPop Music CriticThroughout his nearly three-decade career, Prince has struggled to find a balance between rock and funk, between the sacred and the profane and — most important — between being a pop star and an artist.
With his new album, "3121," out today on Universal Records, the diminutive 47-year-old gets it all right in a way he hasn't in far too long. The results are every bit as startling as fellow Minnesotan Bob Dylan's 1997 comeback, "Time Out of Mind."
It's the sound of a man who has fallen in love with music once again and figured out how to incorporate his storied past into an album that still feels utterly contemporary. Easily his most consistent and radio-friendly collection in a decade, it's also weird and nervy enough to reclaim those who started to lose faith after 1988's "Lovesexy."
Of course, just this sort of talk surrounded Prince the last time we heard from him with 2004's "Musicology." And that effort remains a pleasurable spin, even if "3121" blows it away at each turn, constantly reminding us why we fell so hard for Prince in the first place.
Careful, considered and just a wee bit cautious, "Musicology" gave us Prince as elder statesman. But "3121" bubbles with the energy and swagger of a skinny kid from the wrong side of town who's got a head full of futuristic funk.
The mysterious numerals of the album-opening title track apparently refer to the address of Prince's Hollywood Hills mansion, home to his latest string of late-night, star-studded parties. Disarming electronic squiggles frame the alluring track, with Prince's often-altered vocals promising, "That's where the party be, 3121, you can come if you want to, but you can never leave." A searing guitar solo tucked into the end of the song seals the deal on the jam of the year, circa 2006.
From there, Prince revisits his various personas, from the playful flirt ("Lolita") to the bedroom-eyes balladeer ("Incense and Candles"). It's a very sexy — if not sexual — album. He fantasizes about the youthful temptress of the former but announces, "You'll never make a cheater out of me." And the latter features one of several references on the album to not removing one's garments.
Prince's lyrical chastity dates to his turn-of-the-new-century conversion to the Jehovah's Witnesses. Yet he's not really preaching, even if the gently swinging "The Word" urges "come on girl, let's get saved." Instead, it's as if he has borrowed a line from that old Jermaine Stewart song as his motto: "We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time."
There are plenty of good times on "3121." Current single "Black Sweat" is a breathtaking, stripped-down electro-funk workout that would have been the highlight of the disc if it weren't for the magnificent "Love." It employs a similarly skeletal beat — the electronic drums crackle as if they were sampled from dusty vinyl — to fashion a slinky, hip-swiveling epic that once again sounds far filthier than it actually is.
The only real disappointments on "3121" arrive in the pair of songs he premiered on his recent "Saturday Night Live" appearance (the show will be repeated at 10:30 p.m. Saturday on Channel 11). "Fury" feels fussy and overproduced compared with the fiery passion of his televised performance, where the song's lyrics and melody existed as a mere backdrop for Prince's jaw-dropping, four-minute guitar solo.
As it did on "SNL," "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" places his latest protege Tamar up front, but it's a colorless, R&B-by-the-numbers track that barely hints at the iron lungs and outsized persona Tamar unleashed during her local live premiere last month at the Orpheum.
But it's a testament to the strength of "3121" that neither track is a deal breaker. Heck, even "Te Amo Corazon" — the sleepy Latin pop ballad Prince issued as a single in December — makes sense in the context of the full album.
Prince left us in 2004 with the claim that that year's tour would be the last time he performed his classic hits. Even though the guy is notorious for breaking such promises, "3121's" canny balance of art and commerce proves Prince has a few new classics left in him.

USAToday.com

wow, some of these reviews are extraordinary... I knew it was a strong album, but I did not expect THIS good of a reception for it.

La Times,

Three Star review, out of Four.

"The artist formerly known as out of his mind appears to have stabilized.

When Prince "liberated" himself from the major-label music business a decade ago, his musical course became so bewilderingly indulgent that even the occasional bright spot wasn't much cause for celebration, since he'd likely be back soon with something unlistenable.

But here's a sign o' changing times: He's followed 2004's return-to-form album, "Musicology," with another R&B-rock hybrid that recalls the days when he tossed off these gems with effortless brilliance. Like its predecessor, "3121" (due in stores Tuesday) looks backward for its inspiration rather than blazing new trails, but its quirkiness, playful tone and rhythmic irresistibility remind you why Prince ruled the world for a while.

Well, some things are new. In "Lolita," this onetime libertine actually rejects a young seductress' moves, discussing the matter in a funny call-and-response with the "fellas" in the band (also funny because Prince plays most all the instruments himself).

But there's plenty of lust too, concentrated most effectively in the spring-tight funk of "Black Sweat." Also spirituality (James Brown-style in "Get on the Boat"). And meaty, "Dirty Mind"-style synth hooks, florid ballads, soaring melodies, even something that sounds like a Tom Petty rocker ("Fury").

Uneven? No question. Entertaining? Is the rain purple?

— Richard Cromelin"

My boy Robert Christgau liked it.

A good place to check up on a summary of reviews is available at Metacritic.
[Edited 3/20/06 19:51pm]