3121

Post the musicolgy album, Prince was once again in the mainstream public light. Whilst Musicology felt like a refresher course for lapsed fans, I was hoping that 3121 would see him push his music forwards again. So with my copy in my hand, I settled into my seat, pressed play and let 3121 begin.

3121 with its thumping intro has a kind of dark delight that The Slaughterhouse brought. The vocal manipulation is like George Clinton and Camille have had a baby. I love the distorted and effected vocal. The chorus informed of how 3121 should be delivered (and not 3,1,2,1 as I had thought) This is gritty funk, rolled in mud and left to harden. And the mid section takes me back to Superfunkycalifragisexy with that wonky clavier. And the solo is on fire. Not a bad way to kick off an album at all.

Tripping back to the old skool on Lolita. The synth line just cooks. This is classic Prince – radio friendly funk just shy of being harsh. Wonderful delivery on the chorus. This has a late nite mix feel to it. Like the kind of song you’d groove to on the way to show. I love that the song flips the Lolita myth on its head – the ultimate temptress has met her match it seems, who would have thought a song with such a title would be a strong statement in fidelity.

It’s funny, first hearing Te Amo Corazon I wasn’t that impressed with it. A beautiful enough song, but a dime a dozen track for Prince. But here, following in the high heels of Lolita it has a smoothness and tranquillity to it I have missed in previous listens. I still hear touches of Santana on the guitar line, but maybe the groove is taking me to that place. Either way, this shows P can play – not that there was ever any doubt.

From one single to the next, Black Sweat shows the two sides of Prince – the balladeer and the funkmiester. I’ve said it before and will say it again, no one works a drum machine as hard as P. The patterns he comes up with always sound fresh and inventive. And when you are working with such a base, you can only get better. This song brings out my inner soul brother. I start pulling that funk face and getting into the groove thinking of myself as way cooler than I am. A boost to the ego track no doubt. I pity the song that follows. Oh here comes my favourite part – that synth scream oooohweee.

Oh what do we have here? A vocoder intro can only be a good indication. Incense and Candles is smooth and hooked me from 10 seconds in. Nice intoxicating chorus and layering of vocals, and the verse effected vocals mixed with Tamar’s purity just float. I want to point out the percussion work on this track; it is sublime oh and based on the liner notes its all Prince. I love the reversed bass drum beat hidden in the flow of it all. This should have been a single. You with me?

Love – is funky – and with such a title I was expecting an adore style ballad. Again with Tamar as co-vocalist. Hear that chorus, that gently climb says, “hit”. I’m getting a sense of the album and that synth stab in the second verse is Interactive influenced. Ok so I’m gonna throw this out there, Tamar seems to be on here a fair bit, I wonder if these were song originally intended for her, but when P heard how cool they were he couldn’t put his baby up for adoption?!?!?! I interrupt this thought with appreciation of the drum break down – classic prince programming.

Satisfied – ok here is the super ballad. On the couch part 2, but for my ear a smoother and more focused ballad. No one milks a slow burn like Prince. Heralding the classic soul ballads of Otis, this song just lays it on the line and delivers. This is the kind of song that sounds full and passionate equally with a band behind him or solo on the keys. This has concert crowd pleaser all over it.

Fury – endorphin machine with a bit more of a pop feel and tinged with 1999 synth lines – how can you go wrong with that mix. I can’t help but see the Brits performance in my head listening to this. It has a touch of the new wave sound that was around dirty mind and for some reason I’m hearing a touch of The Rolling Stones, don’t ask me why, just has that classic rock structure to it.

The opening beat to The Word set me up for instant love. The way the guitar and sax play off each other sealed the deal. This is the 7 of the album. A beautiful singsong lyric with a deep as the ocean message. Love love love those layered vocals of the chorus. Prince is pulling out all tricks with the floating vocals, the reversed reverb punctuation of key words. Powerful production. The perfect mix of melody and instrumentation that seems to place you in the middle of the mix.

Beautiful Loved and Blessed – is the weak point on the album. It’s a soft pop beauty no doubt, with a smoothness of Space and Love Sign maybe in an attempt to make it radio friendly, but ultimately it ends up as wall paper in an otherwise impressively designed house.

Listening to The Dance was kinda hard for me as it mirrored where I was in my life. “If eye can’t b ur lover eye don’t want to be friends.” Love can mess you up for sure, and here it is in all the pain and joy it can bring. I love songs like this where Prince plays everything cause it’s like he’s using every instrument and track to extol the passion and pain inside. Expression in every note that’s played. The same kind of pain that made the beautiful ones so powerful, and here is that anguished scream again. Hot.

Get on the boat is pure funk, Pretty Man in a new tailored suit. A pure joy song with a hook that enrols you with every word. Now when I hear this song I get transported to the after show of a 3121 gig with Sheila helping out and it always brings a smile to my face.

With each release around this time it became increasingly hard to listen without a history of Prince tunes swirling around in my mind. Sometimes I envy the music lover who is picking up a Prince album for the first time. Not having a back catalogue to reference and compare. I guess it’s natural to see influence and progression, but sometimes I wish I could listen to it with fresh ears and see what I hear. That said, this album feels more cohesive and confident. Less trying to prove a point and more just making it knowing there is nothing left to prove. Without the weight of having to make a “come back” it seems the load has been lightened and as a result the music seems fresher.

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT, HERE IT IS.

My favourite album from this decade.

One of the top 3 albums (in 3rd place) of the decade in my opinion.

I love this album. I think it was one of the best of the 00s.

best album he's done in the past six years. Better then musicology imo. Black sweat is a personal favourite of mine

Lackluster, was the beginning of the fall,

Spinlight said:

I love this album. I think it was one of the best of the 00s.

Agreed.

Barring the title track, this album is hideous to me.

Incense and candles... this is not music, this is a shame!

The whole album is AWESOME!!!

I <3 3121,because of the enigmatic feel to it,and the guitar solo.

& fury is like a Jimi Hendrix/Santana mix...

He should have made another album with a 3121/20Ten mix to it...

That would be Epic.

I am glad there are quite a few fans who like the album like i do

very good album

Shame about incense and get on the boat
Didn't care much for black sweat

Stand out tracks:

3121

fury
BL&B
love

the word

My first Prince album. What really impressed me what the ablitiy to cover different styles with ease, like Stevie Wonder, and the overall tuneful nature of the songs. Of course, the standouts are

3121(Just too funky to ignore)

Lolita(Love the party nature of this song and the breakdown)

Black Sweat(Maybe too minialist, but I love the humor)

Love (Great drum programming and lyric/melody)

Satisfied( Cute ballad that has a perfect run time)

The Dance( Definitely the emotional ballad)

Not perfect, but very damn good and cohesive sounding.

I love that title track. This was a great album, the only one I would consistently skip is the Tamar duet song.

3121 is the Purple Rain of the 00s, or the D&P of the 00s: his most mainstream and his most popular album of the decade...the album was a Nº1, mind you...

But 3121 is by far more consistent than D&P, with 12 strong tracks, all killers-no fillers, three new undisputed classics (title-track, Black Sweat, Fury) and other great album tracks: The Word, Love, Lolita, etc. Also, this is perhaps the only album where Prince successfully embraced modern R&B without embarrassing results...something that Emancipation or Rave didn't accomplish...

3121: best Prince album of the 00s.

The Should Have Been Singles List

Love

3121

The Dance

Masterpiece!

CoolTarik1 said:

My first Prince album. What really impressed me what the ablitiy to cover different styles with ease, like Stevie Wonder, and the overall tuneful nature of the songs. Of course, the standouts are

3121(Just too funky to ignore)

Lolita(Love the party nature of this song and the breakdown)

Black Sweat(Maybe too minialist, but I love the humor)

Love (Great drum programming and lyric/melody)

Satisfied( Cute ballad that has a perfect run time)

The Dance( Definitely the emotional ballad)

Not perfect, but very damn good and cohesive sounding.

NMH!!!

vitriol said:

Barring the title track, this album is hideous to me.

Incense and candles... this is not music, this is a shame!

Vitry, I can accept that you don't like the pop/modern-R&B tracks, but you're crazy if you don't like Fury, Satisfied, The Word or the Dance... waht's wrong with U?

vitry, vitry...

I revisited 3121 the other day in my car. Lolita is so fun and funky to listen to, and for some reason Get On The Boat sounded better than it ever did before. Obviously a grower for me then. Very good album.

In retrospect, 3121 is the best Prince album of the 2000's.

I'd say 80% of it is very good to excellent and the production is steller.

Are there x-tra 3121 trax?

BecAuse some1 mentioned a song on the album ive never sEen.

Eyeofthelotus said:

Are there x-tra 3121 trax?

BecAuse some1 mentioned a song on the album ive never sEen.

What song was it?

his last great album, love it! None of the songs are skippable

Vict0r said:

Eyeofthelotus said:

Are there x-tra 3121 trax?

BecAuse some1 mentioned a song on the album ive never sEen.

What song was it?

BL & B

ANd my bad,eye think it was the musicology album that had songs eye ddnt know were on there.

This album is one of my fav's.

I really enjoyed black sweat and satisfied live @ the O2 arena.

Loved the beautiful loved and blessed performance with Tamar.

Hey and Fury live is just WOW

Satisfied, The Word, the Dance just so many cool songs!

There is not one song that I don't like on this album.

Sad that he didn't perform a lot of this stuff.

Vict0r said:

Eyeofthelotus said:

Are there x-tra 3121 trax?

BecAuse some1 mentioned a song on the album ive never sEen.

What song was it?

BL & B

ANd my bad,eye think it was the musicology album that had songs eye ddnt know were on there.

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Eyeofthelotus said:

Vict0r said:

What song was it?

BL & B

ANd my bad,eye think it was the musicology album that had songs eye ddnt know were on there.

BL&B = Beautiful Loved & Blessed

I LOVE this ablum!! Gets the most play lately!! I have to say, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lolita, Fury, and Black Sweat especially.....but also really like Love, Satisfied and BL&B!! All the songs are right up my alley!! 2nd best ablum of the decade behind Musicology!!

I just LOVE the lot of ablums Prince has released in this decade, I hope the next decade is just as great!!! I was playing Lolita for a couple people and one person even said "damn, this is the shit. I wish ALL Prince songs were this great!!" 3121 gets bumped in the car daily with Lolita on repeat the most!!!

[Edited 11/3/10 0:37am]