3121

The New Prince album, and what I think about it...

Back in November and December I locked myself away in the studio to make a new body of art for a show that was planned for January. Yup, I'm a procrastinator. And usually when I listen to music while making art I listen to introspective or 80's nostalgic music, things like Depeche Mode, Peter Murphy/ Bauhaus, Skinny Puppy, Dead Can Dance, Joy Division, and Low. But brooding music makes for brooding art, and I had planned for these new drawings to be really colorful and energetic. I needed some music to get me dancing and happily flinging paint. And out came the old Prince standby, the three disc set called The Hits and the B Sides (which was given to me by a friend - I'd never purchased a Prince album, ever.) As much as I like music that makes me wallow in my own self pity, I also really love funk and soul, and have always enjoyed Prince's music. Hell, I even saw him live in Nashville a few years back, and it was the best show I've ever seen - better than The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, and my other favorites. Well, no, Lollapalooza '93 was the best show ever, but that's because a very fucked up Angelo from Fishbone used my ink pen. And I guess if Robert Smith had come out in hot pants and high heels, cartwheeling across the stage, that would have been the best show ever. Anyhoo, yeah, so Prince is good. And I always try to see Purple Reign (THE Prince Tribute Band) anytime I'm in Vegas. But I never really fell in love with Prince until making this body of art... when the discs stayed in my player so long that I could no longer distinguish which songs were the hits and which ones were the rarely heard B-sides. So when I saw him give a KICK ASS performance on SNL a while back, I knew I must get the new album.

I did not know that he had found Christ.

Yep, he's a Jehovah's Witness. And, ya know, good for him and all, though it's not my thing. I'm glad he's found an answer to something he was apparently searching for. But I'm so used to lyrics like "you sexy motherfucker" and "23 positions and a one night stand" , I was more than taken aback when I hear "Get up come on let's do something, don't you want to go get saved?" And..."don't you want to know the word?"

So THAT'S why there was no Parental Advisory for Explicit Lyrics. Mmmhmmm.

Musically, the album is okay, not great. There are some really good funky songs like Get on the Boat and 3121. And some expected sexy ballads like Satisfied and Te Amo Corazon.
The best song is probably the one he played on SNL called Fury. But I will say that his live performance was better than the studio cut (and ask Jason, I usually HATE live versions.) The guitar solo was much more rockin' on SNL - Prince is an incredible guitarist, and on the album there are so many peripheral sounds that the guitar is drowned out. And the powerful voices of the backup singers on SNL is not apparent on the album. He's into some contemporary sound effects, things I've heard on the radio in the latest Madonna songs, and some tired voice effects made popular by Eiffel 65 and Cher. Guess that means he'll be a hit at the gay dance clubs.

I love the concept of the album - 3121 is his address, and he's hosting a house party there. The song 3121 explains it all. And each new cd case has a golden ticket on the front, Willy Wonka style, and some contain winning game pieces that allow you into the party. Alas, I didn't win. S'okay, though. I don't want him pulling me aside and helping me find Christ.