OldFriends4Sale said:

lauralevesque said:

Sounds like mostly great reviews! GREAT! Now I'm really excited to get it! I'm trying to go back and get the CD's I didn't bother with- now I need to get 20ten and Planet Earth. I had originally written off The Rainbow Children as awful but went back ten years later and listened and freakin LOVE LOVE it - now wondering what else I've missed out on?

thanks for the feedback!

2 me Rainbow Children stands miles apart from his 2000's albums, it's the most cohesive and full of that classic Prince sound but in the 2000s, I love the music 4 some reason 3121 always felt like Rock hard In a Funky Place my fav live version of 3121 was at the Macey's 7.7.2007 show

That definitely was a great version. 3121 going into Girls & Boys is one of my favorite live moments.

It was another desperate attempt by Prince to prove he's capable of writing relevant pop songs years after he'd consistently proven that he wasn't. The results are as predictable as ever; the lyrics are simplistic and banal, the song structures are as typical and trendy as much of what you'll hear on top 40 radio, and none of the songs try to do more than appeal to a mass market. It's formulaic song writing that plays it safe and suffers from a desperation to be cool.

PurpleKnight said:

It was another desperate attempt by Prince to prove he's capable of writing relevant pop songs years after he'd consistently proven that he wasn't. The results are as predictable as ever; the lyrics are simplistic and banal, the song structures are as typical and trendy as much of what you'll hear on top 40 radio, and none of the songs try to do more than appeal to a mass market. It's formulaic song writing that plays it safe and suffers from a desperation to be cool.

Wow. Couldn't disagree more.

The thing is, I really wanted to like 3121. Prince recaptured a lost audience with Musicology, and with that album I actually wanted him to play it safe so as to avoid alienating people and missing another opportunity. He could have ventured a bit further out with this one. Sadly, the album, to me, just sounds like an old man trying to be hip again.

Musicology was Prince saying, "Remember these old hits you adore? Well, here are some lighter versions of them that won't hurt your ears." 3121 is Prince saying, "I'm just as hip as these young artists who imitate me! Look! I can use a vocoder and write a pop chorus! I can sing about seduction in an R&B song! I can make a cool video with a catchy beat!"

It doesn't work for me.

[Edited 11/22/12 23:20pm]

^ I felt like musicology was all about the marketing, it had no hits, where as 3121 is his only modern sounding album in 15 years

For what it's worth, Musicology is even worse imo. It's one long tranquilizer.

I always thought that 3121 was Prince's Diamonds and Pearls of 2000's. Pop tunes done to appeal to the masses without using sex as the main ingredient. That being said, I still like it!!

I think it stands very tall in terms of the music.

The Word is my favorite, then comes 3121!

There is no song I don't like!

Although I wish he played 'Get On The Boat' with guitar like he did at the superbowl preshow!

I dont play this album much. but it is a really good album.

black sweat

fury

get on the boat

stand up with some of his best work

thedance said:

Black Sweat is good, and the 3121 title track is good when played live..

forget about the rest of the album.

One of my least fave Prince albums.

I agree with you it has a lot of weak songs, but I think it has its moments. Dont you enjoy Fury and Te Amo Corazón at all?? I think these and the ones you mentioned are great. Te Amo Corazón is beautiful!

imago said:

It's a good album.

Nowhere near the greatness of his 80s output, but probably my favorite of the post-mellinium stuff.

I think of it sort of as a Diamonds & Pearls mixed with a small amount of Gold Experience, minus most of the hip hop elements. (most). It's more subdued than the afore mentioned albums, but not too much more.

It's sort of like Lotus Flower in sound too. But where Lotus Flower is the hippie chic, 3121 is her slutty best friend.

Strange comparisions. I tried to imagine your point but it was too abstract for my head. LOL

It's not perfect but I think it's a pretty solid record. Definitely better than Musicology.

Do I wish Satisfied didn't sound so much like On The Couch? Sure. Do I wish Fury had the umph that the live SNL version had? Totally. Do I wish Lolita and Incense And Candles would've been inadvertently destroyed during the mastering process? Absolutely.

I like everything else on it though, and I LOVE the title track, Black Sweat, Te Amo Corazon, The Word, and Love. The Dance is really nice, too.

I prefer Muiscology, i cannot stand Incense and Candles, Love and The Dance, the rest isn't too bad.

kewlschool said:

I always thought that 3121 was Prince's Diamonds and Pearls of 2000's. Pop tunes done to appeal to the masses without using sex as the main ingredient. That being said, I still like it!!

Were Cream and Gett Off not about sex??

BrazilianOnRaspberryBeret said:

kewlschool said:

I always thought that 3121 was Prince's Diamonds and Pearls of 2000's. Pop tunes done to appeal to the masses without using sex as the main ingredient. That being said, I still like it!!

Were Cream and Gett Off not about sex??

On Te Amo Corazón you get one of his best incursions in Latin music (beside The Question of U) with a gorgeous arrangement by Clare Fischer, Fury is rock n roll grace, 3121 feels like an old Prince funk jam, and Black Sweat is a great pop/funk song that curiously shows something Prince has rarely shown before, the influence of a contemporary artist that came later him (The Neptunes).

I think 3121 has these very good songs (Fury, 3121, Black Sweat and Te Amo, Corazón), mixed with ok (Satisfied), so-so (Lolita, Love), mediocre melody and/or poor lyrics (The Word, BL&B, The Dance, Get on the Boat) and one plain-horrible song (Incense and Candles).

So that it'd be a much more compelling album, was it released as an EP like this, excluding the poor/bad songs:

1. 3121

2. Lolita

3. Te Amo, Corazón

4. Black Sweat

5. Love

6. Satisfied

7. Fury

[Edited 12/14/12 6:03am]

Gohi said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

2 me Rainbow Children stands miles apart from his 2000's albums, it's the most cohesive and full of that classic Prince sound but in the 2000s, I love the music 4 some reason 3121 always felt like Rock hard In a Funky Place my fav live version of 3121 was at the Macey's 7.7.2007 show

That definitely was a great version. 3121 going into Girls & Boys is one of my favorite live moments.

Yes I agree, it was a good combination of songs on that show, could have done without Crazy but that show was hot

Love it!!!! Love Lolita/3121/black sweat/te amo corazon/fury

The number #1 on the charts half a million sold 3121 is a "MasterPiece"..........

I dug "The Dance" and "Black Sweat." It ended there for me.

Love it! My favorite is Beautiful, Loved and Blessed...love Tamar on that. Also, The Word. The entire CD was fulfilling.

jpnyc said:

12 filler tracks. Should have stayed in the vault.

So what do you like?

PurpleKnight said:

It was another desperate attempt by Prince to prove he's capable of writing relevant pop songs years after he'd consistently proven that he wasn't. The results are as predictable as ever; the lyrics are simplistic and banal, the song structures are as typical and trendy as much of what you'll hear on top 40 radio, and none of the songs try to do more than appeal to a mass market. It's formulaic song writing that plays it safe and suffers from a desperation to be cool.

[Edited 12/16/12 17:23pm]

I love this album!

PurpleKnight said:

It was another desperate attempt by Prince to prove he's capable of writing relevant pop songs years after he'd consistently proven that he wasn't. The results are as predictable as ever; the lyrics are simplistic and banal, the song structures are as typical and trendy as much of what you'll hear on top 40 radio, and none of the songs try to do more than appeal to a mass market. It's formulaic song writing that plays it safe and suffers from a desperation to be cool.

1. Isn't "relevant pop song" a bit of a misnomer? Anyone can have a hit with the right pay/push/play/promotion. Prince somehow stopped having "pop hits" as soon as he left Warner Bros. Coincidence?

Musicology was Prince saying, "Remember these old hits you adore? Well, here are some lighter versions of them that won't hurt your ears." 3121 is Prince saying, "I'm just as hip as these young artists who imitate me! Look! I can use a vocoder and write a pop chorus! I can sing about seduction in an R&B song! I can make a cool video with a catchy beat!"

2. It could be said that Prince has been doing this since 1991. In fact, I'd argue that much of Diamonds and Pearls, for example, is much more blatant in chasing pop trends/success than 3121 or Musicology are.

3. Wasn't Purple Rain essentially a concentrated effort by Prince and WB to get Prince BIG crossover pop success? I mean, he was not necessarily chasing trends, but he definitely watered down his dirty mind and played into guitar driven rock in a way he never had before. Does this grab for commerical appeal make the album/movie/effort less genuine? Or is all forgiven just because the formula worked like a charm?

[Edited 12/17/12 8:35am]

TheEnglishGent said:

I like it, Black Sweat is the weakest track closely followed by Incense and Candles. Fury, 3121 and The Word are excellent.

Please! That's the best song on the album.

A very very very good record that anybody would be proud of authoring. His best of the 2000s easily, and I must admit that period (or to be more precise both this and MUSICOLOGY previously) was a fun time to become a Prince fan.

I just remember thinking how unfortunate Haley wrote his book before all that, when Prince did have his comeback and arise again.

People hoping for another SOTT or 1999 or whatever are foolish, but it's reasonable to expect he'll crank out another 3121 before he departs for the big purple phallic symbol in the sky.

not only his best album after TGE, but the only GREAT album he did after TGE (though Musicology and Lotus come close)

obviously his best 00s album and one of his top12 best albums for sure

all killers no fillers, & perfect modern but retro at the same time production

JoeTyler said:

not only his best album after TGE, but the only GREAT album he did after TGE (though Musicology and Lotus come close)

obviously his best 00s album and one of his top12 best albums for sure

all killers no fillers, & perfect modern but retro at the same time production

Oh I totally agree on your first point.

You know how every new Prince song/record the fans will come out of the woodwork and more or less split between the "it's back to basics vintage Prince!" and "Prince still can't do anything right!" camps? Well for the "this is great camp!", its actually friggin fulfilling when truely for once you're not using hyperbole or overreact as a fan only to scale back as time pass. It's delicious as a fan when you feel justified again to be a fan in the first place.

I do wonder however if MUSICOLOGY and 3121 double feature really for better or worse dictated Prince's direction subsequently. Like he "realized" he's fine as long as he continues his self-retro throwback work. And that's proven to be commercially limited for him.

I enjoy this album, most of the tracks are enjoyable, specially:

the mood makes me feel being at the end of summer time

3121

Beautiful Loved and Blessed: afternoon mood when the sun sets

LOVE of course

Black Sweat: night club mood

Get on the Boat (people)

[Edited 12/20/12 13:32pm]