I must say that i havent heard all (internet) releases from Prince from the last years, but to me it always seemed that Prince was trying to create more organic, ´sophisticad´ music.

I mean on the Rainbow children there are subtleties to be found in the arrangements and style of playing that are not often found in his earlier music. Also his musicology band, seemed a collective meant / able to bring more nuances and subtlety into his music.
I am of course not sure enough about it, but to me this was the direction Prince had / has in his mind when it comes tho the evolution of his music.

The strange thing is that Musicology, in my ears, sounded mostly as an attempt NOT to produce and arrange his music, to keep things as simple as possible. 3121 sounds often as an attempt to take elements from his musical past and try to fit them into ´listenerfriendly´ tunes.

One some newer songs the more natural, organic approach shines trough: hence On the couch, satisfied and Dear Mr Man, which almost sound ´retro´, and Te Amo Corazon and The Dance, which have (in Prince terms) subtle, layered arrangements.

On most others he does something totally different: Cinnamon Girl and a Million Days show that lack of production and thought out arrangements doesnt always pay off (I mean, it did work for some of the best songs on Dirty Mind and Sign of the Times, i think), and when the songs are missing a striking melody (Black Sweat) or are just plain mediocre (Incense and Candles) i wonder what Prince really wants to achieve: to create a hit? to built on his past? to follow his muze?

Right now i think its too early to judge about the quality of 3121, i mean it isnt released yet, and not many of us have listened long enough to it or heard it on a good hi-fi system. I wont make a judgement on that.

But the first thoughts that came to mind when listening to 3121, and, in retrospect, Musicology. What is Prince trying to achieve with those records?, are they sounding the way he wants? is he releasing music on record that really fit in with has evolution as a musician?

Right now, i havent got an idea. I am curious about yours.

i admire your sense of vague-nihilism..ah..you remind me of a old version of me!

is thinking if he should take that as a compliment or not... haha

Riverpoet31 said:

take it as you will..

North east.

Its evolving into the "I like money phase of his career." Dont worry, at the height of his relevence, he will disappear and make another TRC.