TrivialPursuit said:

"Love" is the gem here. And it's not production, it's the lyrics. I've never felt a Prince lyric (at least not in a long while to that point) as I did "Love." We've all had many, many moments with his lyrics, but he was just speaking to my spirit in that song.

Again, Prince was really ahead of the curve here. And while he sort of addressed drama and haters in the past (eg: "Hello," "Pearls B4 The Swine," "I Hate U," "Billy Jack Bitch,"), this could really be a song now talking about wannabe influencers, wannabe gurus and other social media types who get caught up in subtweeting this person or making apology videos about that, or spillin' tea, being fake, etc etc. Millennials and Gen Z get caught up in that. Yet 14 years ago, Prince was laying that shit out and telling people what not to get distracted with or by.

I wish the production was better but maybe that would've taken away from the message. It's truly a message that needs to be heard in 2020.

"3121" is a funk workout that goes unplayed and unmentioned way too often.It's almost like something that could have been on Come. "Te Amo Corazon," "The Dance," "Fury" also stand outs. "Satisfied" really throws back to shit like "International Lover" and "Do Me, Baby." Oddly, my least favorite is "Black Sweat." It's piercing to the ears, and I don't like it in the falsetto. "Get On The Boat" is fun musically, but lyrically he starts to lose me a bit w/ the leftover Rainbow Children dogma. Same with "The Word," although it's interesting to hear him harken back to spiders as he did on Lovesexy.

I used to have a Planet:3121 playlist that took the absolute best from Musicology, 3121, & Planet Earth and made one stellar album. They're definitely a trilogy of sorts, and it's sort of cool that his next album actually was a trilogy set.

I think a more purist trilogy would be 3121, Planet Earth, and LotusFlower since they all share songs from the same sessions (and Planet/Lotus had a very intermingled period where half the Planet songs were sequenced as a Lotus configuration).

I can't tell if it is a good or bad thing that the 00s had so many sonic similarities.

Am I the only Prince fan who likes "Lolita"?

SanMartin said:

It was the first post-WB album I got. I bought it in 2011 on the same day as ATWIAD. It was a very pleasant surprise and thoroughly disproved the 'everything Prince did after the 80s is shit' prejudice that floats around sometimes.

True, it's not one of Prince's most envelope-pushing records. Contrary to one of the previous posters, I think TRC is his best album of the 2000s, one of his most creative works overall, and WAY less shrill in its religious message than I'd been led to believe. Nonetheless, 3121 is very competently executed. I won't go through every song 'cause no one's asked me to, so I'll just point out a couple of highlights.

The title track was probably his most effective album-opener since Thunder, only outdone afterwards by the 1-2-3 punch of From the Lotus/Boom/Crimson and Clover three years later.

Beautiful, Loved and Blessed has got be one of Prince's best duets. It's no U Got the Look but it is more tasteful than, say, Arms of Orion. Blasphemy warning: Take Me With U is catchier and more "important", but I wouldn't say it's substantially better than Beautiful, Loved and Blessed.

I'll say something bad too, fear not. I know Incense and Candles tends to be the most derided song on the album, but I'm more bothered by Get On the Boat. It's ok, and that's the problem: it's fine, but nothing more. I'd argue that ending on a good song is more important than starting on one, and Get On the Boat is a perfectly serviceable but ultimately uninspiring funk song. It's not funny like Prettyman and it hasn't got the energy of FunkNRoll. Shame, really.

I too agree that TRC is his best album from the 2000's, but I would disagree that the lyrics are cringe worthy. The sexiest commentary alone makes me gag!

As for 3121 I think live versions served the songs better (except Blacksweat). I think 3121 live blows the album version out of the water and so does get on the boat.

There's something very cold about the album, which is not what I want from a P album. I prefer the warmth of Musicology, Rainbow Children, and LotusFlower. But the songs are definitely a cut above similar albums like Rave, MPLSound, HitnRun 1, Planet Earth, and either of the music club albums.

dustoff said:

Am I the only Prince fan who likes "Lolita"?

I've always liked it, pure modern take on The Time vibe off it. It's lightweight but it's fun, effortless.

dustoff said:

Am I the only Prince fan who likes "Lolita"?

I like Lolita. I like the entire album

Never understood why this album gets so much praise and Rave gets shit on.

There isn't a single song on 3121 as breathtaking as I Love U But I Dont Trust U Anymore or as hook-laden as The Greatest Romance or as sincere as Wherever U Go Whatever U Do or as mourning/haunting as Man O War or as weirdly funky as Strange But True.

[Edited 7/22/20 11:53am]

MattyJam said:

Never understood why this album gets so much praise and Rave gets shit on.

There isn't a single song on 3121 as breathtaking as I Love U But I Dont Trust U Anymore or as hook-laden as The Greatest Romance or as sincere as Wherever U Go Whatever U Do or as mourning/haunting as Man O War or as weirdly funky as Strange But True.

I don't think Rave gets shit on that much. In fact, I remember fans on AMP and elsewhere being pumped about the collaborations on it. I think the one bigger disappointment was that it wasn't the original Rave, and he just pulled out that random song and stuck it on the front of the album. It feels a bit like "P Control" on The Gold Experience. It's a weird intro track that could be removed and the album still have a strong opener.

TGRES isn't hook-laden. It's boring as fuck. I do think ILUBIDTUA is a beautiful song, as well a "Tangerine." "Man O War" brings me back to "Adore" in some ways, and also brings in "U Make My Sun Shine" as a close cousin, too. Also, "Wherever U Go" is a send-off, a "goodbye, good luck, I love ya" song, whereas MOW is keeping whoever in check, wanting to love more than fight. Totally different songs and themes.

"Strange But True" is... unique, but deserving of a spot on Rave. Reminds me of things like "Da Bang" or "Calhoun Square" type stuff. 3121 certainly doesn't have a funk jam like "Prettyman" or a pop sensation-ready like "Baby Knows" and "So Far, So Pleased." But "3121," "Lolita," "Love," "Satisfied," and "Fury" are excellent tracks.

Fite me, but "Satisified" > "Man O War."

MattyJam said:

MattyJam said:

Never understood why this album gets so much praise and Rave gets shit on.

There isn't a single song on 3121 as breathtaking as I Love U But I Dont Trust U Anymore or as hook-laden as The Greatest Romance or as sincere as Wherever U Go Whatever U Do or as mourning/haunting as Man O War or as weirdly funky as Strange But True.

[Edited 7/22/20 11:53am]

One album was a number 1 album (3121) and the other was not. Rave felt like Prince was chasing to be relevant, whereas Prince as just being Prince on 3121.Not that he wasn't still Prince on Rave. I do love the song ILUBULDTUA (however, I love the live version more than the album version. A ditto with the song Rave). The production choices bogged down the album. I distinctly remember hearing the song ILUBIDTUA for the first spin thinking; I wish he had produced this song differently. That is why I was pleased with his live version (that is how I invisioned him singing it.). For me; 3121, fury, lolita, get on the boat are all better with live versions than the recorded versions on 3121.

sexton said:

Very good album!

I agree that 3121 is very underrated still. Fury is the best track for me. The only weak track for me is Beautiful, Loved & Blessed.

I still like the whole album very much.

The777Man

TrivialPursuit said:

MattyJam said:

Never understood why this album gets so much praise and Rave gets shit on.

There isn't a single song on 3121 as breathtaking as I Love U But I Dont Trust U Anymore or as hook-laden as The Greatest Romance or as sincere as Wherever U Go Whatever U Do or as mourning/haunting as Man O War or as weirdly funky as Strange But True.

I don't think Rave gets shit on that much. In fact, I remember fans on AMP and elsewhere being pumped about the collaborations on it. I think the one bigger disappointment was that it wasn't the original Rave, and he just pulled out that random song and stuck it on the front of the album. It feels a bit like "P Control" on The Gold Experience. It's a weird intro track that could be removed and the album still have a strong opener.

TGRES isn't hook-laden. It's boring as fuck. I do think ILUBIDTUA is a beautiful song, as well a "Tangerine." "Man O War" brings me back to "Adore" in some ways, and also brings in "U Make My Sun Shine" as a close cousin, too. Also, "Wherever U Go" is a send-off, a "goodbye, good luck, I love ya" song, whereas MOW is keeping whoever in check, wanting to love more than fight. Totally different songs and themes.

"Strange But True" is... unique, but deserving of a spot on Rave. Reminds me of things like "Da Bang" or "Calhoun Square" type stuff. 3121 certainly doesn't have a funk jam like "Prettyman" or a pop sensation-ready like "Baby Knows" and "So Far, So Pleased." But "3121," "Lolita," "Love," "Satisfied," and "Fury" are excellent tracks.

Fite me, but "Satisified" > "Man O War."

I've woken up with bits of TGRES in my head for literally months now.

I am indifferent to the album, but the period did give us a top-notch SNL appearance with Fury. Even Prince couldn't help grinning at the end.

My take is for sure an unpopular one but, for me, it's the best pop album of his career.

PurpleHigh said:

I am indifferent to the album, but the period did give us a top-notch SNL appearance with Fury. Even Prince couldn't help grinning at the end.

That performance ruined my appreciation for the album vesion for all time, though. I can't even put it on without wanting to pull up the SNL version instead.

It's one of his worst albums, overproduced and overplayed. But I still like it, it gets an 8/10 from me. Best tracks, The Word, Beautiful Loved and Blessed, The Dance.

WhisperingDandelions said:

I think it's a very good album and the song 3121 is the best song he made post WB.

The song I like the least is Black Sweat because they synth hurts my ears. It's like nails on a chaulk board.

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

I like it. It's a timecapscule of Prince's continued return to the mainstream following Musicology. Some people called the album "dull" - I get Prince sounded a bit laidback in some tracks,but I think it's a decent introduction for the Millennials.

I like it, some of the songs sound like they could've been made today, did think it was a bit strange considering that Musicology was all about using real instruments and then he came out with a pop album, 3121, but still a very good album.

lurker316 said:

I think it's a very good album and the song 3121 is the best song he made post WB.

The song I like the least is Black Sweat because they synth hurts my ears. It's like nails on a chaulk board.

I've always said that song sounds like a tramautic morning in the dentist's chair.

MattyJam said:

Never understood why this album gets so much praise and Rave gets shit on.

There isn't a single song on 3121 as breathtaking as I Love U But I Dont Trust U Anymore or as hook-laden as The Greatest Romance or as sincere as Wherever U Go Whatever U Do or as mourning/haunting as Man O War or as weirdly funky as Strange But True.

[Edited 7/22/20 11:53am]

I agree with this. While Rave may have been considered disappointing at the time for fans waiting for Prince to return to his earlier brialliance, I think at least half of the material on the album has stood up well. Yes, it is catchy and has good melodies, which is both it's strength and weakness. I tried to get into 3121 due the critical praise upon it's release but there was never a song that stayed in my head friom it. Over the years, I keep giving it another chance but the same dull results. There are some decent songs and few outright duds, but something just doesn't click here for me.

The only lowpoints for me are Lolita and the Autotune effect on Incense & Candles.

Otherwise it's a top-notch album, one of the very best of the '00s.

leecaldon said:

I've woken up with bits of TGRES in my head for literally months now.

Thoughts and prayers.

One his more consistent later releases at least with, as usual, 2 or 3 real standouts

Love, The Word, 3121 and Get on the Boat really do it for me. Not sure what happened in the studio with Fury because that song was fucking FIRE on SNL. One of those records where even the songs I like the least don't bother me enough to hit skip and, for a good minute, that wasn't always the case so I'll take it. Black Sweat had...something...but kind of misfired somehow. I might have toned down that squealing synth with a more orchestral sound but the foundation is there. BL&B is a nice floaty duet.

I call it "solid across the board" and "steady" and I can't find a real genuine turd on it which is unusual for something like the last 20 albums he put out. Te amo Corazon and Lollita are my least favorites on it but I've heard far worse. Production is sound. Most of it has an organic and rich quality I appreciate and, as usual, the stuff I've heard played live from it I liked far better.

I like it.

I'm one of the few that doesn't like The Dance too. It feels meandering, lacking a basic structure and really doesn't fit with the other songs. Many often site it as a favorite on the whole record. To each their own and all that but I just find it boring.

And holy shit it's way better than Rave UN2.