Prince - '3121'

Prince's latest album which was released on March 21st 2006 = 3.21 = 3121.

I never had a chance to fully review it until now, a full three months later. Today is June 23rd, 2006 as you can see. So I guess that would mean I am reviewing 3121 on 6123! LOL! OK! Enough with the symbolism already! LOL.

Was this album a Purple Rain or a Sign O' The Times? No, but I didn't expect it to be. It's a decent collection of his songs though to show where he is right now. Or in Prince's case, where he was up to three months ago! LOL. He creates and moves on, creates and moves on, so I'm sure he's on to something else in his studio by now. Anyway, here you go!

1. 3121 - This track opens the album. It starts with a mid-tempo kick drum and a nasty bass in a repetitive loop. It sounds like you just walked in a big theater hall, you're coming down the isle in between the theater seats and Prince is up on stage working out a funky jam. You know, warming up the band. It reminds me of something he did off his album, NewPowerSoul, with a nod to George Clinton. It is basically Prince doing one of the things he does best. He lays down his normal voice, then he lays down his voice again in this high-pitched sped up voice that we have all come to know over the years. He basically here is welcoming all to the party. Welcome to the jam. This is what we're gonna do. You are in the right place.

2. Lolita - this track grabs you immediately from the beginning. It has this big bombastic sound, man. I mean, as in the old days when you used to go to the skating ring and the speakers were booming and had that echo effect afterwards. This cut is a guaranteed hit. The lyrics, the structure. Miles was right, Prince comes in on the beat and plays on top of the beat. Good God, man! This is one funky jam. You got to get up and dance to this. This groove is so catchy and funky I had to put it on repeat about 10 times just to feel and hear how he did it. Another example of Prince's genius, where you ask yourself, "How does he do this?" You will dance, Your Momma will dance, Your grandmother will get up out of her seat. This cut will move your body.

3. Te Amo Corazon - This one starts off with those beautiful strings I love to hear from Clare Fischer. It threw me immediately to the time of Under The Cherry Moon and his Parade album. Do you remember the incidental music in that movie, the music used for certain scenes in between dialogue? I actually wished this could of gone on a little bit longer. This song has a slow Brazilian type groove to it and was the first single released to radio from the album. Not a bad little number.

4. Black Sweat - Another funky, futuristic sounding cut that sounds like it came out of the future. In 1987, some musician friends and I used to sit around in one of the studios at a Jazz Station I worked at then and in between me editing and producing shows for air, we would discuss what we thought music would sound like in the year 2000 and beyond. This to me is an example of what we were talking about. Prince can be at least 25 years ahead of his time when he wants to be. Ahead of time yet right on time. Is that something else or what? This is another one for the clubs that will make you move and get up out your seat.

5. Incense and Candles - This love groove has gotten a lot of play on Urban AC Radio and I can see why. It fits. It's slow but funky. You can play it in the middle of the day right after lunch or in the evening during your slow jam show. Kinda poppy and catchy. Prince again explaining exactly what he's gonna do to his woman. The art of lyrics and words. Prince does it again.

6. Love - This one is just OK to me. Not spectacular. It kind of has a twisted sound to it. Kinda like a lemon and a lime with a little sugar sprinkled on it. A lil sour, a lil sweet. LOL. This sounds like something that could have been on Emancipation which was a great 3CD set he came out with in '96. The ending is the best part when he says "Let's Skate...Bounce...Shake that thing, come on." From that point on it gets better. Not one of Prince's best but OK, I'll go with it 'til the next cut.

7. Satisfied - Another example of a slow jam that shows why Prince is Prince. The Love Master. LOL. The ladies have loved this one every time I have seen him do this live. All I can say is, "Dang! Go head boy, whatchosay! Go head and make it plain to her! Go head!" LOL. This is one that goes over big live. One thing you can say about Prince when it comes to the ladies, he makes his intentions known, doesn't he?

8. Fury - He performed this one on Saturday Night Live a while back with Tamar and The Twinz. It is a real rocker. This is another example of when Prince does Rock and he rocks it out complete with an interesting story he is telling in it. "Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned." You ain't lyin' bout that brotha! This reminded me of something that could have been on his Chaos and Disorder album. He ended this on Saturday Night Live by taking his guitar off and layed it down at his feet by his pedals and the guitar continues to play by itself off the last key he hit. It reverberated and he walked off stage. Another way Prince is just the bad man that he is. LOL. Dang! Lorne Michaels could not believe he did that! LOL. When Prince finishes his jams, HE'S OUT! LOL! I guess when you have all the talent like that, you can do that. lol.

9. The Word - One of my favorites off the whole cut. Another one I was blown away by as in "How does he do this? How does he do that? How does he put these fantastic sounds together?" This song just works. the words are very spiritual. I put this on repeat at least 10 times before I moved onto the next track. It's just that hot. It also has this Indian type sound going on behind it. He lays down his voice again what sounds like a dozen times in perfect harmony. How does he do it? This sounds like "7" to me off the Symbol Album but totally different. I can see Mayte belly dancing to this even though they ain't together no more. She would WORK THIS JAM OUT! Santana sounding guitar at the end too.

10. Beautiful, Loved and Blessed - Perfect. That's all I can say about this one. It's perfect. The lyrics are beautiful and so positive and spiritual and true. Shows off Tamar's voice. Sounds great. This one will go in the analogs of Great Prince Tracks you just can't be mad at or hate on. It's perfect. It has an element which is missing in Black Music today. The woman sings her part and speaks her mind, the man sings his part and speaks his mind and they are actually lifting each other up, singing something unifying and positive that includes each other's intentions instead of the same ole drama we are hearing out here right now. They are announcing what they are going to do together. Reminds me of the way a song for a man and a woman used to be written when they do it together in unison. "Hey, Hey, Hey, wake up its a new day" - one of my favorite parts.

11. The Dance - Another nice one. Prince, what planet are you from, man? Are you from this Earth? What universe did you bring this from? I was blown away by this one. It comes from a totally different place where you think to yourself "What vibe or mood was he in when he did this?" These lush, romantic strings that operate throughout. What can I say? The man is bad for days on end. Prince, can I visit your studio to see how you do this, man? This is one of those situations where you imagine prince said to his musicians and staff, "Close all the doors to Paisley Park, I'm workin on somethin in here." Everybody must leave until he's finished. Hours later they come back, hear the playback and are all blown away, speechless. "He did it again." LOL.

12. Get On the Boat - What can I say? Prince has done found religion and it is workin for him. This was probably a long time coming for how spiritual Prince has implied stuff here and there over the years in his music even after his Dirty Mind phase and beyond. The spirituality was alwyas there mixed in. Another reason it will always be hard to pin down Prince on one thing. Whatever spirituality he has in his life right now I believe it is working for him and working for him well. He has peace and wants everybody to "get on the boat' with "getting on the good foot" of finding peace, joy and happiness in whichever spiritual way is best for you.

Prince makes albums so fast I always look forward to the next. It's one of the things you can look forward to every year. I would like to see him get back into that Madhouse 8,12,16,24(you know, the ones with Monica Lightner on the covers? In Morris Day voice..."Yessssssss! Bahaw!") sound he did in the late 80's as his next one, but we will see. He's one of those artists that whatever he does I have to pay attention to it because you never know what he's going to do next. But like any great artist, you just have to sit back and watch what he paints on his canvas next.