Has ANYONE who loves 3121 since the onset come to their senses and realize it's just not all it could be?

No more cock and bull reviews JUST those who love it and now dont feel the same way anymore.

Can't oblige you there. I'm still listening to it regularly unlike several of the last releases.

No...just you.

Nothinbutjoy said:

Me too. Though this week I've given it a rest...3121 & Black Sweat & Fury have been going through my head.

It's not as good as 1999, PR, or SOTT but there aren't many albums out there that are. It's pretty good. Wouldn't mind seeing it live.

Daddy said:

It's also 2 decades apart from those. I don't know any artist who sounds the same after 20 years. Maybe the Stones.

I am still listening 2 it a lot and playing it a lot on my show and I still LOVE it

That doesn't keep me from hoping that he'll produce something that rivals those albums. I don't want it to sound exactly like them, just come close to them in terms of quality. I think 3121 is pretty good, I just don't think it's as good as what Prince is capable of. That is all.

Still in heavy rotation here . . .

More than just about any CD in the past 10 years, I can imagine him tearing up all of these tracks LIVE.

Daddy said:

Well he has put out material that does...just not all in one place. But greatness can be found on most of his recent offerings.

I wasn't fond of it initially, but then played it LOUD in my car on a trip up to Northern Cal and have been playing it continuously ever since. Believe it or not, I am now quite fond of Beautiful, Loved, and Blessed. I have also acquired a taste for the hook on Incense and Candles. I have listened more closely to the piano work and colors on "The Dance" and find it unique and catchy. There is nothing currently being played on the radio that remotely resembles the arrangements and overall sound of "The Dance". Initially, I felt that "love" was a bit to bland for my personal taste, but after listening to it (with volume UP) I've found it to be a cool dance cut. The hook is extremely catchy and I've found myself humming it in my office.

3121, at least for me, has more staying power than his recent work. Each time I listen to the songs listed above, I hear something new or unique in the arrangements.

MorehouseMan said:

like most Prince albums, it takes time 2 peel the layers and i am finding more and more of 3121 that i love

I read a review in Q magazine, that said, even if it isn't that great a cd, noone can sound like Prince, and there are some flashes of greatness on 3121.

They did say though that he has quite a few fans still even though his hit streak ended 20 years ago..

PurpleKnight said:

All of htem do these days. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Most of the bands I like that have been around forever (and are still around)..I pray that they make an album that I'll like and listen to. Oft times I am disappointed.

I liked Depeche's for a week.
I have yet to like a Cure album since Wild Mood Swings (and even that was spotty at best)
Duran's I liked for about a week.
Erasures...for about a day.
I am hoping the the new PSB album is halfway decent.

origmnd said:

I have. The more I listen to it, the more I realize that Prince has genuinely changed into another individual. Hard to believe that this is the same guy who wrote the classics we all know and love. It's almost as if he's deliberately undermining the funkiness of his work. Black Sweat is too subdued and minimalist -- not to have been written that way on purpose. Lolita it cute. But lacks the aggression of his earlier work. It's like he's exhausted. The ballads decent and all. But they dont' measure up to Prince's own standards. It's as if Prince is doing penance for his sins of the 80's and 90's! There's a jam on the Quest for the Minneapolis sound produced by members of this forum that sounded more Prince-like than 3121. Not the entire album, just that one jam. It was an instrumental...it might have been Purple Connection. But I digress. I love Prince...but his latest album is only marginally better than the last one.

origmnd said:

for me the album has a shelf life of about 1-2 weeks. It's weak.

Life moves on.

Still loving it. And more and more, I'm realising why Beautiful Loved and Blessed was promoted so much. It's one of the most prettiest songs both lyrically and melodically that I've ever heard from him.

RitaQoS said:

I agree. I think a lot of people aren't listening to it with open an open mind.

It's a really good song with a nice lyrical conceit.

pjcath said:

I didn't like it at first, but during one of it's rotations..I "got" it. It is really a good song. The end is an all out funk out Shame many don't like that song. Just because it sounds like what's out there doesn't mean that it's bland or sub par work. For what it is (R&B Nu-Soul) it's really good.

Not to jack the thread but I have to add my support for BLAB. I liked it when I first heard it, but now I really enjoy the lyrics and their promotion of the human spirit. We are all Beautiful, Loved and Blessed and once we realize that - it is all good. That being said I am not religious so....go figure.


...and just to stay on topic...I did take a break from listening to 3121, not on purpose, but I have put it back in rotation and I must say that I am still diggin it.

PrinceOscar said:

That's one of the things I love about Prince's lyrics. They talk to your spirit without bogging you down in religious dogma. At least they use to. Now it's a crap shoot as to what you're gonna get.

brothaluv said:

It is intentional that it's lacking funk furvor...not exactly sure why he did this.

I think some fans' listening experience is affected by the controversy over the lack of promotion and the disappointing chart performance of 3121. Also, some fans are expecting Prince to be groundbreaking -- it's not Prince at his best unless he's trailblazin' and groundbreakin'. 3121 is a fine slice of Prince at 47 -- I really enjoy listening to it. I don't feel like I'm listening to friggin' SOTT or Lovesexy -- this Prince is definitely more reserved and guarded, but if he's somewhat holding back, he does so with great artistry. 3121, Lolita, Black Sweat, Love, Satisfied, Fury, The Word, Get on the Boat, even Beautiful Loved and Blessed are splendid examples of different colors on his large palette. I do feel he should concentrate on a narrower part of the spectrum for his next project, create a more cohesive sound like he did on TRC
[Edited 4/28/06 19:23pm]

RitaQoS said:

I agree...on paper it looks like a song (and sytle that i dont like) but listening to it i can't help but to hear it right through.
I has a real honesty about it.
[Edited 4/28/06 18:33pm]

RitaQoS said:

U r so right, i love this song and the whole cd. Its the only thing i have played since it came out. I love the fact of not having 2 skip thru any of the songs. My girls were not a Prince fan until this cd came out. They know every word 2 each song. I never thought i could get them in2 Prince, but now thats all they want 2 listen 2 is 3121

Here here. BL&B getting much respect. Whenever I have people over they love that track, as well as the dance

BTW, has Alan Leeds' comments on The Word been posted here? I think I only remember it from housequake.com.

As org usual, cant a a SPECIFIC answer to question.

calldapplwondery83 said:

I would be interested in reading that. Do you have a link?