When I listen to 3121, just as with Musicology, I just can't help thinking that Prince has lost touch with his inner sensual self.
The Dance is great but otherwise Satisfied and On the Couch from Musicology are just nice attempts. They are no Do me, baby, Adore, Shhh. Nowadays he's much better at doing funky, "fast" songs. It's great, but I miss those beautiful, sensual, sexual, slow songs he used to do.
To me it sounds like he needs some new inspiration.

Agreed, he needs some serious heartbreak and a new muse. But even his faster songs need an energy boost - theyre no Daddy pop, Return of the Bump Squad, Housequake, Superfunkacalifragisexy, Baby Im a Star....

So basically the comments from both of you combined would say that the current Prince is shit?

Novabreaker said:

No, he'll never be shit. It's just the slow songs who are not that good anymore. Mani has some work to do...

VenusBlingBling said:

Ha ha. Put it on the woman!

Novabreaker said:

So basically, judging from the question you ask, you would say Prince likes his coffee black and without sugar?

andykeen said:

Yes.
But they don't have that sensual/sexual vibe songs like Do me baby have. I want some more of that!..

"She Loves Me 4 Me" was a very nice slow jam and one of the best I have heard from him in years.

However, most of his slow jams lately like "On The Couch" and "Satisfied" are great with a bluesy feel and songs like "Extraordinary" have a nice jazzy feel. I love all these songs but I definately miss the sensual bedroom jams like "Do Me, Baby", "International Lover", "Insatiable", "Scandalous", and "When 2 R In Love". Those types are my favorites.

Prince should try to sing more ballads in his natural (tenor) voice in my opinion.

I get a bit tired of his falsetto vocals, it makes the ballads a bit samey the last well 10 years at least. The song on which he uses his falsetto are mostly in the same vein: either old R&B / soul / bluesy type things (Damn You, on the couch, satisfied), or awfull plastic R&B 'things' (many ballads on Emancipation, Incense and candles, BLB).

Not to say that he isnt able to create great ballads with his falsetto (Adore for example) but i happen to like his tenor more, it sounds more natural, forcefull and often more soulfull. For example, i really dig his vocals on The Cross and The Morning Papers. More (blues-)rock type of ballads that is.

Call My Name was one of his best ballads ever and that was from 2004. Satisfied sounds half finished to me, you want him to take it up to the next level but it just finishes. I really liked Man O War from Rave also.

WildheartXXX said:

Shhh! is one of his best but Call my name is sublime and comes a close second.

AWJ

WildheartXXX said:

Call My Name was a good song and Man O War was good also. I think that he still produces great ballads-their just more mature now. Afterall, he is pushing 48 .

nurse said:

I don't think he's become more "mature". Otherwise he wouldn't sing about lolitas and taking a sip and taking clothes off and Prince's candle and screaming "It's just not faaaaiiiir!!!!!".....
No, he needs something that inspires the slow, sexual side of him again and gives him something new to write about! Obviously something's missing...

VenusBlingBling said:

Without saying names are you implying that someone is not doing their Princely duties?

nurse said:

Maybe... Of course it takes two to tango but there's a lack of something... Maybe they should try with Kamasutra if they haven't yet....

Prince can still make excellent ballads but I agree that Satisfied and On The Couch are really pretty poor , he can do soo much better ,the sex ballads are not a style of music that hes excelling in anymore .

vainandy said:

ITS the instrumentation of the 80's people....

He sees sex as some glossy magazine, looking into the gloss of his own forehead, instead of seeing the light.

VenusBlingBling said:

I agree, he doesn't (or can't) get as erotic and sexy as he did back in the day. It's because he's a JW. All of his songs center around monogamy.

Inspiration?

Say no more...