Ok I WAS one of those not really feeling "3121" when I first heard it last week. But towards the end of the week I had the same feeling that I had about "Musicology": "it's not a bad album, it's just all over the place". I think, one of the main things that fans miss from Prince of Yesteryear is the continuity of his albums . The way they used to flow, have a beginning middle and end. The ability they had to take you on a journey through Prince's mind. "3121" and "Musicology" haven't lost this ability, they're just a herky jerk bumpy kinda ride that's a bit left, right, backwards and then forward.

I found myself skipping over "Te Amo Corazon", "Black Sweat" and "Satisfied". At first it was: "Ok I've heard these tracks; I know what they sound like, next". But then around the fourth listen I played "Te Amo" and was able to appreciate it a little bit more. Although a bit dull, you can tell Prince put alot into that song. It could easily be lost in the background while shopping at your local supermarket; but there is a certain complexity to this track. It was then that I realized this album just doesn't flow. Of course you're not following it because it's hitting you in all different directions.

So I changed the sequence to:

3121
Love
Black Sweat
Satisfied
Fury
Beautiful, Loved and Blessed
Incense and Candles
Lolita
The Word
The Dance
Te Amo Corazon
Get on The Boat

"3121/Love/Black Sweat" - Go straight from the groove to the Jam then hit em with the R&B Funk. With all this hype about this album people needed to be hit with something funky and heavy, a line up like this should do the job.

Take a short breather with "Satisfied" then rock em with "Fury"

Now the true R&B of "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" and "Incense and candles" these two tracks both stand their ground with today's contemporary R&B but it still has Prince's funkiness all over it.

Although the lyrics of "Incense and Candles" aren't very explicit or sexual at all; the song is drenched in sexuality; almost to the point where the energy of the song is actually kinda heavy. A cool whimsical break from this is "Lolita". Pop fun. This song has the same feeling as one of those carnival rides usually called "The Himalayas" or something like that (You know those rides where you sit in a car and they spin you round and round, going up hill, and over bumps, while the DJ spins the summers latest dance tracks).

"The Word" basically "7" 2006. The pop crowds ate up "7" back in 1993; and I think they'll do the same with "The Word" despite it's religious lyrics.

"The Dance" even though this is a mid tempo ballad it puts you in the mood of a typical Prince ballad all the same. I think "The Dance" and "Te Amo" really compliment one another being next to each other. "Te Amo" follows "The Dance" like a cigarette after sex.

And then there's that "Boat" thing; whatever. I can't seem to let this whole song play. I've heard it in it's entirety about 5 times now and that was more than enough.

All this to say; if you're not really feeling "3121" try mixing it up a bit; you just might find your own way of appreciating it a little more.

Maybe Prince will throw in a "Michael roed" 2 the Boat in the remix.

MickG said:

I don't think even a remix can save "The Boat"

when will this ever cease

MikeMatronik said:

What's that supposed to mean?

I think this type of threads are definitely futile, but your sequencing is not that bad at all. In fact had the album come in this sequencing, I'd think it might have worked a bit better to me.

Just a bit though.

i think 3121 was horribly sequenced
i've tried many variations myself which i like a lot better

Novabreaker said:

Well I wasn't exactly writing this thread with hopes to change the world; just sharing my experience