Lotus flow3r: a success a la Musicology or a fiasco a la 3121?

Here we are, in the begining of March 2009. Once Prince returned to the mainstream in 2004, we have seen the release of three albums of new music, including Musicology, then 3121 and finally Planet Earth. The initial hints of Lotus flow3r appearing at the end of 2008, and discussed here a few weeks ago, looked promising indeed. However, in these three months we have a rather mixed balance of the Lotus flow3r promotion. On the one hand, we had rave articles, a new, professional website, a few good songs played in radio and in the website (including jewels like A colonized mind) and insiders posting optimistic comments. On the other hand, we have delays and more delays, an underexploitation of a fully fledged website, some terrible samples (like Chocolate box) and a strange party after the Oscars, initially announced as the uber-exclusive gig for celebrities, which for unknown reasons turned out to become a small gig for fans, with a tracklist composed mainly of versions (instead of the expected new songs).

I know that "contradiction" and "Prince" will always be linked words, but I can't avoid to be shocked by the lack of consistence in the promotional campaign of what is supposed to be a major release from Prince. To the point that I wonder, now, if we are leading to a big, smash hit album + large tour in the USA, as happened in 2004 with Musicology, or if we are rather going towards a big promotional fiasco, as happened in 2006 with 3121, which flopped instead of being his most brilliant album since The Gold Experience.