In light of the really funky 3121, I decided to give TCI a second listen. To my suprise, it is much better than I remember. The songs are actually really inventive and funky. Is anyone else feeling this album? It seemd like it got slept on by the fans. I wonder whether it would have been successful if it had a major label behind it?

prins777 said:

i can't find mine and i'm on a new computer (my old one with TCI crashed) so i haven't heard it in months. i remember liking it though.

I did the same thing the the other day and revisited TCI and Slaughterhouse. I think 3121 helped to give me another perspective on those albums. I also thought that they might have done better commercially if they had been promoted. In some ways they are similar to the new album tho 3121 is superior IMO.

Now if only NPGMC would make them available on pressed CDs with full artwork...
but honestly I've given up near any hope!

sallysassalot said:

You know you can download it again for free if you're a member?

I think both The Chocolate Invasion and Slaughterhouse would benefit
greatly from being released on an actual pressed cds with soundquality
being better than it is now and with some nice booklets and linernotes
stating who the players are etc



All in all I greatly like both albums. Still don't feel like albums
though, more like a bunch of songs from his tie over period between
Rave and The Rainbow Children. They're his search for a different n
more inventive/organic way of writing songs again.

IstenSzek said:

Yeah I agree with that. You can definately hear the evolution from the "plastic" Rave sound to the "organic" Rainbow Children sound in these albums (which he explored even furthur in One Nite Alone, Xpectation and NEWS before arriving at his new Musicology/3121 sound).

I wonder if he'll ever get around to releasing a third 2001 compilation album with the other tracks like My Medallion, Madrid 2 Chicago, Jukebox With A Heartbeat etc. That would be a nice suprise!

toejam said:

yes, it would be nice to have those released on a third album.
that would nicely tie up all the loose ends of the clubs cuts.
it would be great if they added another 2 or 3 new songs to it
as well.

i've been saying quite alot that 3121 at times sounds like a continuation of some fo the sounds from these 'albums'. i really like em, though theres some songs i do without. but golden parachute and hypnoparadise are two of my fave all time prince songs.

it doesn't surprise me at all if some of us are revisiting this period now that he's done big promotion on an album with "some" similar sounds that we all like. if that makes sense, you know - imagine people thinking this is ace but the TCI is crap, then being told to check it out again by people who also like 3121 and going back and revisiting it.

That whole period needs pressed cds and artwork though! Wouldn't it have been ace if the 7cd set came out - god, i was dreaming about that one! At the time I didn't have ANYTHING from those 7 cds, imagine getting that pack - *drool*.

Chocolate Invasion and the other NPGMC tracks collectively blows away 3121.

softandwet said:

at this point in time, i would even be happy with

slaughterhouse
chocolate invasion
xpectation
cnote

and what have we not, in cardboard single sleeves
with some additional info in small print.

it wouldn't be that expensive to ship out and it
could be a special offer for members, to ship them
out at about $ 5,- an album!

so for 25 dollars you'd get those 4 i mentioned
plus a "new" one with the other studiotrax like
My Medallion/Breathe and a couple new 'old' trax.

What other NPGMC tracks would you put on the comp?

Schleisher said:

Jukebox with a Heartbeat
My Medallion
Breathe
Madrid 2 Chicago
One Song
When Will We B Paid?
Cyber Single
Van Gogh

and a few other songs from that period that we haven't
yet heard of

it would be nice to include "Purple House" and songs
he mentioned or previewed on the web like "Funk Radio"
and "What Should B Souled"

PANDURITO said:

i didn't know that. really? i guess i better get over there, lol!

sallysassalot said:

that is IF you bought them orginialy. (the sight keeps track of what you bought)

SlamGlam said:

do i just go to the musicology room and download them again for free or is there anything special i need to do.

sallysassalot said:

It should be in your account in your purchase history.

TheBigBang said:

hey, thanks for the heads up guys! yay! i'm finally gonna hear "when i lay my hands on u" again!

IstenSzek said:

That would really be nice. Much of this material gets bashed, but I really like this stuff. It, to me, was a sign that Prince was moving away from his "plastic" phase. Sure, there is some of that amongst these tracks, but overall it was strong material. I'd love to have pressed CDs with top-notch sound for these "forgotten" albums.

Great album!

Speaking of TCI, isn't this more or less just what became of the "High" album, renamed?

jtfolden said:

Pretty much. Most of the tracks from the High sessions were included on TCI and The Slaughterhouse

where do you go on npgmc to download the chocolate invasion? is it a whole album or just one song?? i've been on and downloaded crasscutter, but i don't remember anything called chocolate invasion being available??

connorjoj said:

Yes, there is


how big! edit
[Edited 3/25/06 9:58am]

prins777 said:

Oh yes I am a huge TCI fan. You know after I downloaded that cd I remember tellling a friend of mine how impressed I was with it. I liked it more than Musicology and I really like Musicology.

I told my friend how I felt that if Prince really wanted too he could make a very good if not great r&b funk album. I felt Prince had given up on the mainstream media but TCI was Prince making any who heard it aware that Prince hadn't abdicated his R&B throne to RKelly.

I honestly did not ever expect Prince to make a "Black Sweat" or a "Incense and Candles" again. So for me TCI was a welcomed surprise and it proved to me anyway that Prince could do mainstream funk again if he chose to do so.

As of right now TCI's the dance is better than 3121 but I love the one on 3121 too so what does that tell you? TCI is a great R&B cd so if any of you haven't gotten it yet I would sincerely suggest that you do.

chiltonmusic said:[quote]

As of right now TCI's the dance is better than 3121 quote]


Dude, the version on 3121 STOMPS the TCI version into the dirt!

underneath the cream and supercute are brill songs ....

zaara said:

What the heck is a "brill song"???

JediMaster said:

Would be my guess it's short for brilliant.

Anyway, on topic, I've always liked TCI. I didn't care for Slaughterhouse though.
I thought the songs were better on TCI. 3121 and TCI are very similar in style and substance.

I think Underneath the Cream would have worked better on 3121 than The Dance.