Prince popped on 'SNL,' but his upcoming single is going to explode
BY ROSS RAIHALA
Pioneer Press

Prince made a stunning comeback in 2004 with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the largest-grossing tour of the year. His "Musicology" CD was pretty sweet, too, but one key element was missing.

A single. A killer single. Not a minor hit, nor a respected genre entry, but the sort of song that leaves an instant, indelible impression.

Well, it has arrived in the form of "Black Sweat," the second single from his upcoming album "3121," due in stores March 21.

Reminiscent of his string of minimalist '80s hits — "Kiss," "Alphabet St." and "Sign 'O' the Times" — "Black Sweat" is built on a bed of taut electronic drums, squealing synthesizer and a magnificent vocal performance from the Purple One that gracefully glides between whispers and screams.

It's both seemingly effortless and breathtaking. It sounds like a long-lost nugget from his commercial peak yet comes across as utterly contemporary. It's funky, sexy and cocky (sample lyric: "You'll be screaming like a white lady when I count to three"). Most important, it's still weird in that way that makes Prince at his finest unlike anyone else on the planet. And after little more than three minutes, it's over, leaving the listener gasping for more.

Even the video — now available for streaming online at MTV, VH1 and other music Web sites — is a hoot. In it, Prince mostly ignores the co-starring bootylicious model (who is, indeed, working up a black sweat), instead choosing to adjust his immaculate cuffs and sip tea while seducing the viewer with the swaggering sex appeal of a man half his age.

Prince being Prince, he didn't perform "Black Sweat" on his "Saturday Night Live" appearance last week. Instead, he tore through the new tracks "Fury" — a reminder that, oh yeah, this skinny little guy hasn't forgotten about guitar-based pyrotechnics — and "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed," a launching pad for Tamar, the latest in a long line of Prince protégés.

Yup, Prince is back. Yet again.