Grabbing some CD's for the drive to Sydney on the weekend for Piano & Microphone shows...3121 was within the batch. Having not listened to this album in many years, I was pleasantly reacquainted with this (what I now consider to be) great album.

The (pardon the pun) 'driving' beat and bass of the opening track "3121" is hypnotic in it's delivery and lays solid platform for the song to build upon...and build it does. Layer some cool low register vocals, horns and a plathero of guitar styles, culminating in a blistering solo worthy of an album opener, 3121 sets the right mood for this fun album.

"Lolita" I initially felt was a cheesy track in terms of both synths and lyrics. Whether it was the excitement of the occassion getting to me or the track has just matured a little on me, I enjoyed this song for what it is...a playful, danceable track with a cathy hook that doesn't take itself too seriously.

"Te Amo Corazon" has a beautiful melody to it and is a fine song in its own right..I still however feel it isn't worthy of a single release and certainly not a lead single! Choices like this surely contribute to the image of an album release and as Prince himself mentioned at the press release at the time...it is not indicatve of the sound of the album overall. Fine as an album track...not as a single.

Now we all know the coined phrase "The Fury Effect"...dating back to the rocking SNL performance of this song prior to the album release. I distinctly recall that flat feeling the first time I heard the studio version of this...what a let down compared to the live delivery. Again....perhaps the occassion clouded my interpretation here, but I found myself right into this recording for the first time and appreciated the rock elements that were previously unnoticed. I guess it's possible had I heard the studio version prior to SNL I may have a vice versa opinion, but that aside....I really found this particular listen rocking.

"The Dance" & "Get On The Boat" closing out the album were just about the best double shot I could ask for in that moment. One, a classic Prince mid tempo journey with intense vocals and a mature song I prefer these days. The final track...welll....it's funky as only Prince can funk. Right from the opening snare drums to the weird closing percussive outro GOTB really made for a great driving track for me and I'm sure... the folks next to me at various red lights!

I listened to "The Rainbow Children" on the way home...but that's another post.

Fun album. Love 3121, Black Sweat, Fury, The Dance... and the best track on the album, The Word!

And The Rainbow Children is 'the bizness'.

Love this album - lots of great tracks!

Great album. Includes many fine melodies and a lot of energy.

Agreed. It was a great road trip album too, back in 2006 - we had the leaked version on heavy rotation as we toured the mid-west, east coast & south east.