Not that we need one, but here's my review all the same:

3121 - Feels more like a groove, an intro, than a full-fledged song. Has a little head-bobbing effect and a bit of idiosyncracy about it (quirky guitar, voices), which sets it apart from some of the other tracks. Had potential for being something a little better, but all in all it's alright. Could've done without those synth horns. Doesn't quite satisfy.

Lolita - Goes straight in with a keyboard riff that reminds me of 'IWBYL', but the actual keyboard sound could've been better. It's straight up fun pop, kinda catchy but ultimately not my thing. A little too fluffy and Emancipation-eque. Wouldn't have made my 1 disc CDR of that 3 disc album.

Te Amo Corazon - Sweet track, beautiful production and instrumentation, but doesn't conjure up any more exciting adjectives than 'nice' or 'pleasant'. I wouldn't skip it, I'd enjoy it, but it could pass me right by if I weren't sitting there specifically to listen to it.

Black Sweat - Sparse, electronic funk track that is too short and for me never really hits stride. Another that doesn't quite satisfy. Some funky rhythm guitar would've improved it in IMHO, but even with that addition wouldn't feel like a good song.

Incense and Candles - Sexy, without a doubt, with some nice touches, but again just not that good a song. Production is good, some nice sounds and a smoothness to it that in this case I don't think detracts, but in conclusion only an average track.

Love - A kinda funky track which combines electronic elements with some nice rhythm guitar licks. The hook is nice, but the verses are pretty poor. The ending is where the track gets funkiest the more the guitar is prominent.

Satisfied - As many have said, very similar to 'On The Couch' but lacking something interesting like the vocal horns on the aforementioned track. Nice instrumentation, pleasing loose feel to the structure and playing, but passes by without really registering. Pleasant enough, but hardly taxing for ol' boy. He could write 3 of these a day and I'm beginning to think perhaps he does.

Fury - As suspected, and often feared, disappoints compared to the SNL performance. Sounds pretty soft, keyboards too prominent, guitar not prominent enough, vocals just so-so and a little quiet in the mix. Even the scream towards the end has a perfunctory feel about it. A cool song that I do quite like, but having seen the SNL performance it's hard not to feel a little disappointed. Knew it was coming though, unfortunately.

The Word - Acoustic guitar is a nice touch and there's quite a nice feel about this track. Lyrics aren't the best, but it's not a big issue. An enjoyable track without being that catchy or interesting. The usual nice touches here and there, some cool guitar work and a good vibe about it, but certainly not a great song.

Beautiful, Loved and Blessed - A decent pop Rnb track, some nice vocals from both Tamar and Prince. Good structure and quite catchy and a funky coda at the conclusion. All in all quite a well put together track with decent instrumentation. Quite good, will probably work well on Tamar's album. Doesn't break any molds but is a pleasant listen.

The Dance - Greatly improves on the other version. Has a nice mood about it and some subtly emotive singing. Piano work is good and fits well. I think this is one of the stronger tracks on the album. It feels more fully thought out. Again, it doesn't really jump out at you but there is some beauty in the subtlety. Ends with passionate pleading, emotion that is very welcome and sadly missing from much of the rest of the album.

Get On The Boat - Fun and funky with some nice solos in there. A very weak hook though, and verses almost identical in rhythmic delivery to 'Pretty Man'. The backbone to the song is chugging and funky though and the overall effect is a nice groove. Could've been a little grittier, but the playing is pretty tight. Not bad.


So, hardly the most positive review on here. In fact, I've not been exclusively positive about a single track on the album. The problem for me is that while it's quite consistent and I wouldn't have a problem with putting the disc in and letting it play all the way through, there's nothing really great on here. A few nice tracks, some cool music, a handful of good ideas, some wasted opportunities, some pretty weak songwriting, some questionable choices of instrumentation and production, and an overall pleasantness that ends up disappointing more than enthusing due to the man's obvious talent and our expectations of what should be capable of.

2.5/3 out of 5.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

May I ask how you gave this 3 1/2 Stars if you liked 2 songs? Was that to be nice? Or were the songs only ok?

just askin.

superspaceboy said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

now is that the good kind you serve at dinner parties?

superspaceboy said:

i wouldn't know about that...

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

As long as it ain't the funky bleu cheese, it's all good!

bkw said:

What more can you tell me about this.

Get on the Boatpeople

Get on the FLOAT!


and don't forget



Black Sweater

superspaceboy said:

FURRY

Te Amo Cornrows

I guess that is one plus to the album -- there aren't any segues.

3121 Smoked Musicology today

Got home from work before the wife got home and absolutely blasted 3121!

The opening song "3121" is so good. Man I love those layered voices with the "Dream Factory" voice leading. Its funky in the vein of Days of Wild and has so much bottom in it. Then towards the end he comes in with that loud ass fuzzy guitar. I'm loving this song!

Lolita - Ya'll gotta help me cause seriously I love the beat and synths and the pop kind happy but funky groove. Don't have a problem with any of that. But that freakin "Lolita ur sweeta..no you never ever ever blah blah blah ...is straight corny and almost ruins the entire song for me.

Te Amo.. - Wow talk about a song I totally ignored. I mean listened to it once when it first came out and never again...but now in the context of the entire record...its beautiful. It works...its lush and has body. Its not boring it mearly relaxes you before you get eltro chocked by Black Sweat!!!

Black Sweat - Needs a remix and while its disapointing that the song is not charting better... This is a straight up Prince funk jam that others that don't appreciate the little dude simply won't get.


Incense & Candles - Easily the strongest single potential on this record. Very nice RB Pop song...not at all what you wouldn't hear from Usher, Craig David or Justin Timberlake and there is absolutely nothing wrong with P making a song to compete with those kinds of records. Absolutely nothing! It however is not a shock that this song is despised on this Rock heavy board

Love - Oh goodness...lets dance y'all...this joint moves...shake that thang come mon!

Satisfied - P has done this song so many times. Somebody called this filler which is damn ignorant. Its not filler...its a great song and a tremendous vocal. Would have liked him to put maybe another rock-funk oriented record here and maybe have this be a b-side..but its a great song...just don't know how many times he can do it before I get bored.

Fury - starting to sound better but like many others have said we are jaded because we heard it live first. Although I still think its the vocals not anything to do with the guitars that take away from it.

The Word & BL&B - sound great back to back..two spiritual natured songs but very different. The chorus on The Word again is when he starts talking about spiders sounds a little corny but it doesn't ruin the song

The Dance - Sounds really good...hes turned it into an RB slow jam (well kinda)
"Baby are u really gonna stand there!!

Get on the Boat - Not my favorite but its will sound great live!!!

This is a much better record than Rave, or NPS, it is not 1999/Purple Rain, or Sign and that is clear. It however is very comparable to D&Ps, Musicology, & (the bloated) Emancipation and in my opinion is clearly better than all of those for different reasons..but the biggest is that for me there isn't one song on 3121 that I skip! It does not have a clunker. I don't know when the last time I could say that about a Prince record...I finally have one that I can listen the whole way through! But also in all seriousness its a good fun POP record without all the weirdness, segue distractions, and over the top corny lyrics or sacharine laiden lyrics. Also this record has a lot of bottom on it! I like that makes me want to bounce!

Novabreaker said:

While we're at it.. no misplaced cowbells either

Payt said:

Oh lawd, imagine if he'd put cowbell on 'Fury'. I woulda cried twice.

I really don't want anyone else to like this album either.

Fauxie said:

lol.. what's so wrong with cowbells?

King Sausage likes 3121.



Film at 11....

any1 else like the rock hard in a funky place drum fill sample in lolita?