Prince -- 3121

[5_moves_of_doom]

OK, I've never really quite trusted Pitchfork, as I find them all too predictable (props to Incandenza, by the way, for calling the Band of Horses album's rating a month in advance,) but I picked up the new Prince album today, and there is no way that this deserves a 6.0.

 

I would agree that some of the album is slightly tarnished with the "samey" feel that has found its way into most of his albums over the past fifteen years or so, but when I buy a new Prince album these days, I do not expect a Purple Rain, which I consider to be one of the greatest albums of all time. The album is just downright solid (and delectably sleazy!,) lightyears ahead of Musicology. I would say that of the album's twelve tracks, there are only maybe three duds, and quite a few stellar efforts. Also, it is absolutely badass that the record is basically a concept album about how fucking awesome Prince's house is, and I like the "Purple Ticket" Willy Wonka concept as well.

 

If the album isn't great, it is most definitely very good, and I cannot see in any way how the album sounds "dated." Electric drumbeats were not an exclusive feature of a single decade. Hell, these electric drums sound downright modern and futuristic at times, and I would say that many of the programmed beats are more Aphexian than FlockOfSeagullsian (which we will pretend is a word, for the sake of my argument.)

 

Anyway, I've only listened to the record once so far, so I don't have song-by-song commentary or anything, but I just wanted to note that this is one badass album in no way deserving of a "6.0," and set up a post towards which all comments on Prince's newest work can be directed.

 

Your thoughts, gents?

 

EDIT: By the way, "his best album in a decade," I've decided, is an understatement. It could very well be one of his top three albums of the past two decades.

[Your Paragon of Virtue]

I haven't listened to much of Prince's later work, but I'll be picking this one up just because he's Prince. Musicology wasn't too bad, just a little long. I also don't think it's fair to expect Purple Rain or SOTT every time, so I will give this one a chance.

[Annabelle]

i haven't listened to this album. but i love the hyperbolic phrasing that some use. "best album since ___". "the true _____ is finally back".

 

awesome.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Really mediocre, boring album, filled with half-baked funk jams and very little in the way of quality songs. Only on the title track and "Lolita" does Prince exhibit any of the old fire.

 

I didn't read the Pfork review. Does it say what I just said? I mean, I called them jizzing over Band of Horses, after all.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

So, two albums into a career revival, Prince is still only kinda sorta "back." He's never going to be as surprising as he was in his heyday, of course, and it's probably unfair to expect anything like that from him again. All told, 3121 is a pretty ordinary-sounding record, largely stuck in another, friendlier sonic decade-- namely the 80s. If nothing else, Prince is slowly regaining the plot, and of course, there remain plenty of great old records in his catalog to revisit while he finds it.

 

Less than half of the review is actually about the album. They seemed to feel the same way as you, but with a bit more "oh, that Prince!" positivity.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Seriously, though, the songs "3121" and "Lolita" are good—wouldn't have been out of place on Sign o' the Times, which is the nicest thing you could say about a Prince song released in the last 20 years.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

Quick digression: Love Symbol Album. Find me someone who's listened to it more than three times start to finish.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

That that album ever got praise shows just how desperate some people are to think Prince was still releasing good music after the 80s. "Seven," of course, was great.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

Individually, I'm down with several of the songs. "My Name Is Prince" is hilarious and dumb, and I go for some of the ridiculous shit like "Sexy M.F." and "Love 2 the 9's." All the way through, it's agonizing. I've used the Kirstie Alley bits to great effect on mix discs, though.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Prince is still a genuis, of course. Don't get me wrong. '80-'87 will forever attest to that, regardless of how much coasting/masturbating his way through albums he's done since. Just like how the Stones are still a great band, in spite of the last quarter-century.

[5_moves_of_doom]

I've listened to the album once more and I still don't get the criticisms. The first half of the album (and I would agree that "3121" and "Lolita" are both in the album's top three tracks) is awesome, then there's a bit of so-so commercial R&B shit with one or two solid tracks ("The Word" is great)... and after that, the album closes at a high point, as well.

 

If Prince is slacking off in anything these days, though, it's surely his lyrics. He's still clever as hell from time to time, but many of the tracks in the middle have pretty Prince-lite seduction lyrics. Oh well.

 

What exactly did happen to Prince after '87? The singles stayed great, and there is sure as hell a lot of stuff that I would consider "interesting," but only three or four albums that I have been able to listen to from start to finish more than once or twice. I do maintain that Batman is fun to listen to, though.

[Ripper]

I loved "The Couch" "Marrying Kind" and ummm...whats the name of the song..."She knew which fork to use" song. Actually...his last album really kicked ass.

[Perfxion]

Prince from 1987 to 2004 was a mind trip. Good songs and albums (Rave..., Batman, Music...) but alot of weird shit and crap (NEWS, Girl 6, Old Friends, ect)

 

New album is kick ass

[Edwin MacPhisto]

Listening to it now. Just like Musicology, it's hugely derivative of his 80s work. Ballads are utterly generic and not worth another listen, but I do enjoy the songs that have already been mentioned here.