spoida said:

Thank u

co-sign


this album desperately needed a producer for it...

GoZero said:

i seen whatcha said before you edited it... i am an artist, and i wouldn't mind a bit sharing a taste of whatever i'ma put out. it makes the project that much sweeter, and it'd also probably prevent leakage from happening, as wasn't the case we're currently having.

Eclecticali said:

You can't show fire on MTV.

Sdldawn said:

I think that says it all! Letting Prince produce is like letting George Lucas direct.

lspear76 said:

I thought I would be the only one who got an Ani Difranco vibe from The Word. I don't always agree with other folks song comparisons. Like the people saying that one of the tracks has a Soft and Wet synth. To my ears I don't hear anything Soft or Wet on this album. So far I like this version of the dance.. but im still checking it all out.. taking it all in.

roanmairin said:

I think you mean it's like letting George Lucas write his own scripts...lol

3121 is tight. Very good album.
3121-10/10 This can stand up against anything Prince has ever done!
Lolita-5/10 okay track
TAC-7/10 always liked this song
BS-7/10
I&C-7/10 nice song but I don't like the vocal effect. Prince you are above that. And Tamar has not earned the right to be on such a hot track. Or has she?
Love-10/10 tight jam. nuff said
satisfied-5/10 OTC is better
Fury 4/10
the word-8/10 nice jam. Yeah I know, I however am not offended.
BLB 6/10 nice hook
the dance 6/10 better than the original
GOTB-10/10 I can't see how anyone couldn't like this song.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Sorry the album didn't do for you what it did for me. I love it. Some of the tracks on here could easily stand up to anything Prince has ever done.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

...And I'm a give yo' review no stars outta 5. Mostly cuz you're comparing it to past work, and the comparison game is for little kids playing with toys.

I took me two days to make some judgement of the new album. I've listening it a lot (made some pause listening to some Bowie) and there are my rating, track per track:

1 3121 (4:31)

One of the best opening tracks from a Prince album. Camille meets laizy vox Prince. Electronic flavour. Catchy as hell. Remember me of Come #2.

10/10

2 Lolita (4:06)

Sounds like an unreleased Time joint...that's not bad! Funky exercise. The "Fellas" Vs. "Lolitas" part is awesome!

8,5/10


3 Te Amo Corazon (3:37)

I love this song. Shame Prince doesn't do more latin tracks like these. Simple but very direct.

10/10

4 Black Sweat (3:11)

It's not bad, but not excelent. Too minimalistic. Remembers me of Kiss.

8/10

5 Incense and Candles (4:05)

The R&B track of the album...would make a great single! I didn't like at first, but it's growing.

9/10

6 Love (5:46)

Plastic Production...gone in the right direction! A new personnal favorite!

10/10

7 Satisfied (2:50)

The weakest track! It's "On the couch" part II. Filler!!!!

5/10

8 Fury (4:02)

Almost perfect...miss Támar 6! I love the raw prodution!

9,5/10

9 The Word (4:12)

A masterpiece!

10/10

10 Beautiful, Loved & Blessed (5:43)

Filler...doesn't Prince feature as much to be in the album. If It was on Támar's album, it would have a better score

7/10

11 The Dance (5:21)

Can a great track be done even better? The answer is YES!

10/10

12 Get On The Boat (6:19)

The Funk track of the album. Sheila and Maceo!

10/10

Conclusion: More focused than Musicology! Great listening trip!

Sdldawn said:

Nah. Prince has been producing his own records for 30 years. Now he needs a producer? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

loudawg said:

Prince doesn't need a producer!

ImYours said:

which is the entire fucking point of making comparisons.

I think the album is getting better with more listens. I wasn't sure about Lolita when I first heard it but it's really growing on me. It's cheesey but it groves.

The only real dissapointment to me is Incense and Candles. I wish he left that one off and gave it to Tamar for her album, or perhaps to Beyonce. It's nice but too generic for my tastes.

Several of these songs are going to kick serious arse in a live setting. We all know how good Fury sounds but I also think songs like 3121, Love, The Word, and get on the Boat are going to be real crowd pleases.

There's one thing that strikes me about this leaked copy and that is that it sounds a little unfinnished in parts. Like it's not been finally mixed or something. There is VERY audible hiss throughout Love, the vocals on Fury just dont sound like they are properly mixed, they sound almost like a demo.

From all reports Fury was the last song added to the album, at the expense of a song called "Streets of Panama". I'm sort of hoping that it was added late and the leaked version isn't the final mix of the album that is released (if it was me I'd release the SNL live version -- but this wont happen).

There in NO comparison to Musicology in any way whatsoever other than the fact that this is a very commercial release aimed at the masses. It's sound is nothing like Musicology. That album was good but this one is much better.

loudawg said:

well, one of his best sounding records is diamonds and pearls, and he did have a producer for that (michael koppelman). It wouldn't hurt if P would leave some of the production to some really good producers occasionally

http://www.lolife.com/blo...00090.html <- koppelman's blog

loudawg said:

He's needed one before.

The album is good. The Dance is very good, so LOVE and lolita and get on the boat. Te amo corazon is a pretty song.

The rest of the album is ok. Very far from genius.

I am VERY dissapointed with FURY. His guitar solos there are mediocre compared to SNL, and his vocals too.

As a matter of fact all guitar leads on the album are uninspired.

Sdldawn said:

Absolutely. It's frustrating... there's some strong material but it's let down by the production.

Classic example is Fury... UGGHHH! It sounds flat, like a clunky demo version (hopefully it is?!?)

Overall 3121 is still a strong album (superior to Musicology and a hundred times better than Rave) but a decent producer would have licked some of the ideas into shape and fully realised the potential of the material.

Meloh9 said:

Whats up with the hating on Incense & Candles...the only legitimate single on this record. So what if it sounds like some otherthing Craig Davis or Usher might do. Prince is trying to get his shit heard and played on the radio...get over yourselves. In order to do that he has to bend Black Sweat is an example of that and so is Incense and Candles. In any case it won't matter because I beginning to believe that redardless of what Prince does people don't like him that run and control radio. Hes old news...there is no other explanation for not hearing Black Sweat on todays radio because this was his tip of his hat to them and they laughed in his face. Its too bad because you would think Prince would have earned some props even from these idiots

Alexandernvrmind said:

I don't know. I never said I didn't like Incense and Candles.

I stand by every positive post I made about the album. Aside from thinking Incense And Candles was good. I take back that. (listening to it today was painful)

Actually Fury and Beautiful, Loved, and Blessed have grown on me a lot.

I still give it a B+/A-. That could change (for better or for worse) any time though.

What I find so funny is how there are so many people who think this album is just average (including myself, even though I think it does have a certain "flow" to it, if u will), yet we all seem to disagree on what tracks are good and which ones suck (my personal favorites are 3121, Lolita and Love. Honestly, I skip over everything else. At least Ill listen to those 3. I dont listen to anything on Musicology, or hardly any of his 90's albums, with the exception of a few Gold and Chaos tracks. Oh, and In This Bed I Scream)

I guess Prince could never make another album to satisfy us all. Too many people like him for different reasons.

(I cant believe I called 3121 an album, but I did. Yes Nova, I do think its an album now. There does seem to be a cohesive theme to it. P meets Latin chick at party, lusts after her but doesnt want to cheat, realizes he's in love (or lust with her), flies to see her, they go out dancing, they try to fight temptation but do the nasty anyway, start fighting and shit, he goes away on tour or somewhere, she gets pissed, he tries to assure her they are still together, it doesnt work out, he misses her, then realizes he doesnt need her, only God. Yeah, I think its an album, just not his best by a long shot.)
[Edited 3/7/06 15:55pm]

In my humble opinion all the unwarrented bashing of the midget's new album, it's just not that serious....The album isn't among his best, but it certainly not among the midget's low or mediocre points...Just from reading some of the complaints about 3121, a lot of folks (once again, I know it's just opionion and I myself get a little uneasy when I hear "fam" heads praise the album as a work among his best...) seem to be attacking 3121 because of its heavy leaning on R&B...Again, in my opinion, it's a good album with splashes of nostalgia and a comtempoary edge...There's a lot of code words and phrases being thrown around on the Org. ("This track sounds like something Beyonce would do," "I wanted more guitar," "He's listening to the radio too much...") Well, here's a news flash people.....Except for Rainbow Children and Chos & Disorder, the midget has shown a heavy R&B influence since Diamonds & Pearls...

When I hear some of the fans say things like, "Rave and Musicology are a better albums," and "I wish he would go back to the "Chaos & Disorder sound" such statements have no credibility....Let's face it people, there are comments that have been made that show a bit of ignorance regarding the culture and sound of R&B...Whenver someone says "Black Sweat' sounds like Pharrell or the BEP's" it shows that people are a bit lazy with their experience with contempoary black music...The ladder statement holds the same weight as saying "Green Day's American Idiot single sounds like Blink 182..." Did it ever occur to the folks that are calling this album his worst effort to date, that maybe their dissapointment may lie in the fact that they heard three songs before the unreleased material had even been leeked...Not to mention, that they were spoiled with a memorable live performance of "Fury," which takes the air out of listening to the song, which is still a damn good track, on record...If you don't think such a reality has an impact on your opinion of 3121, I don't know what to say...

The bottom line: 3121 is not a top shelf work..but its a good, solid album that shows the old man is still capable of some fine moments...And it's better and fresher than Musicology, that's for sure..Again, just my opinion...but a very fair one (LOL)....
[Edited 3/7/06 16:19pm]

loudawg said:

Like I said.. Taking an artist out of his element can sometimes create some of his most impressive work. I know he can make music without one. his 80's material shows that.. but what about his 90's and 00's music.. Trust me, brotha needs a producer.. and and editor at that..
I simply believe that an artist needs for someone to show him the outside view of their creativity.. its not "letting the producer decide on how the music should sound".. thats not why he needs one.. He needs someone to structure these songs.. I know thats a blow to his ego. but its the truth.


A great example is Paul McCartney... He dropped the ego and let nigel godrich, who wasn't afraid to say "hey, thats crap..work harder, try something differnt here"

and what did he get? A great, well produced album.. of songs that are in my opinion.. some of his best solo work since the beatles..

The producer should pull out the best in an artist.. showing him the capabilites..

That is what a producer can do for you..
[Edited 3/7/06 16:28pm]

I saw someone say on another message board that this album pretty much emcompasses and meshes everything Prince has attempted to do within the past decade into one album.

I can see that. I really didn't want to make a review of this album so soon because I wanted to get beyond the "oooh, I've got new Prince music" feeling and give an honest review that didn't cater to my love of being a Prince fan.

Let me say this: 3121 is what New Power Soul would've sounded like had it been a good album. I wouldn't necessarily call that a negative review and it wouldn't necessarily be complimentary. I will say that this album may be a grower for me... because I do hear moments in the production that make me tilt my head to the side and say "Hmmmmm ... I think I likes that"

Ya see, I was digging the laid-back mature Prince. But this album is proof that Prince got paranoid about what some of you still think about him. Hopefully yall see now that when Prince tries to keep up with the mainstream he sounds (and looks) like he's having a mid-life crisis?

But I digress...

Beyond the shit that makes me cringe about this album... I will say that it's still an interesting album. Short... sweet... and to the point. Out of 12 tracks the only ones I truly dig are Fury (a lil weak compared to the the live... but that's always the case), Love, Te Amo Corazon, and The Dance (I wish the original never existed compared to this one). ... and I might come around to "The Word"

But who knows after a couple of weeks those particular moments that made me tilt my head a bit and ponder just might bring me around full circle to loving the shit out of this album.

Either way, I'm satisifed knowing that we got another book for the library. This one might not get read that often but, I'm happy to have it. (I'll still purchase it)

What I find most interesting is that this is the album that some of yall begged for: A predominantly pop album (<-- whether some of you want to admit it not, Hip-hop/R&B is practically what defines popular music today ... yall couldn't handle it when he was doing real R&B ) full of synths and guitars with a shit load of technology mixed in. Well, I'll be damned that here it is and some of yall still ain't satisfied. Go figure,
[Edited 3/7/06 16:38pm]

BSK3601 said:

hey, what can ya do...


that's the same way i see it--another bit to add on to my stash. might not be exactly to my tastes, but hey...dude's still doing the damn thang and that's all that matters in the end.

It's cool if anyone likes it ya know.. im just confused on those "review quotes" that prince threw up....



hmmm.. I think they got a different album

C'mon now you know that's gotta be the funniest shit about this...

For the past 6 years +, all I've seen is "I'm sick of that Dat Gum Horn Section "

The man adds synths on top of synths and even samples a fuckin saxophone, plays it on a keyboard patch and all of a sudden it's overwhelming and cheesy.