3121 - Prince
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Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critics What's this?

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Universal acclaim- based on 62 Ratings

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  • Summary: This is the purple one's second straight set of mainstream music, following 2004's 'Musicology,' which itself followed a string of more esoteric releases.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 31
  2. Negative: 0 out of 31
  2. As on Musicology, the beats get pretty wicked here... But while 3121 is no funkier than Musicology, it does emphasize speedier tempos and, two nods to Zapp aside, more conventional sonics. [6 Apr 2006, p.60]
  3. Like many of his records, it's more of a collection of songs than a 'play from beginning to end' affair.
  4. Oh well, a third of a terrific Prince album is better than no terrific Prince album at all.
  5. There are songs here that are terrific.... But 3121 wouldn't be a Prince album if it wasn't also full of filler. [May 2006, p.119]
  6. Even at its best, and it gets pretty damn good, such as on the stark "Black Sweat" and the rock single, "Fury," the record still sounds like it's stuck somewhere in the past.
  7. One expects more from Prince than this "futuristic fantasy."

See all 31 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 40
  3. Negative: 1 out of 40
  1. Vanessa
    May 20, 2006
    Prince combines old and new styles in this album. It is full of energy and as usual the songs are very different. This album is worth having (as are most of his albums)! Expand
  2. Adam
    Mar 22, 2006
    Prince is king. This album is even better than Musicology which I loved. No one is in his league!
  3. GeorgeOver
    Mar 29, 2006
    It's great to hear he is doin' it his way, and it's workin'
  4. JosephA
    Mar 21, 2006
    This is really a great record. I gotta admit I was skeptical ,but it actually manages to be better than Musicology, and I thought that one was great too! Expand
  5. vant
    Mar 26, 2006
    Some strong tunes, nothing groundbreaking, gets better each time you hear it... but don't all his albums.
  6. DaveR
    Mar 30, 2006
    "Sam M" gives the record a "3" and says that "Beautiful Loved and Blessed" is the best song--the blandest and most MOR ballad on the record. I also dislike when people just grandstand and say it's "bad," with vague, silly criticisms like "the hooks belong on a Disney soundtrack" that are not only inaccurate, the offer no insight into the music; I don't think Prince is an artist where you qualify his new records: "its good, but not as good as..." since his back catalog of songs are great, but not a peak of such excellence that they can never be reached ever again; I'd recommend this record, even if the second half is a bit slower, as it has some great songs. I agree with the people who say he should experiment more, though. Expand
  7. SamM
    Mar 26, 2006
    This is such a disappointment when you consider how good the last two albums were. Rainbow Children and Musicology were his best albums since Lovesexy in 1988. i thought 3121 was going to kill... it didn't. These songs wouldn't make an interesting bootleg, let alone a legit album. Lyrically immature, hooks that belong on Disney soundtrack and all around weak. The best song on this CD ,Beautiful Loved and Blessed, even looses its way with the stupid little rap and "Hey Hey Hey wave your hands in the air and say.." He's so much better than that . he needs to take the high road agin and challange us. 3121 has none of what makes him a great artist. He's allowe to go for the $$$, he should jsut warn us next time, thats all. Collapse

See all 40 User Reviews