The ArchAndroid

What a breath of fresh air. Maybe I should complain about the composition of this list more often. This is the one Janelle Monae album I haven't heard. Our first album from the last decade, and from this century! A concept album based on Metropolis...and it's a debut album. Immediately, I'm struck by how eclectic this is, spanning so many different genres and transitioning between them so effortlessly. This feels monumental. I love so many songs here, and a very special shout-out to "Cold War," which Santoma unknowingly SAMPLED (via Clams Casino) on his/my first ever track "Go to Town." This is just fantastic all the way through. I'm going to retroactively add it to my Top Albums of 2010 list. [Side note: this was nominated for a Grammy but lost to Usher's Raymond v. Raymond. Yet more proof the Grammys are wet garbage.] Janelle, if you're reading this, I just watched Antebellum last night--the movie wasn't good, but you're great. I was already a big fan of you, but this seals the deal. Let's see if Bowie can top this. Favorite songs: Cold War, Dance or Die, Mushrooms & Roses, Neon Valley Street, Come Alive, Faster, Wondaland. Album art: The framing and text and everything is very much a product of the early '10s, but I love the picture of Monae and the golden metropolis as her crown. Talk about a chrome dome. 5/5

This is crazy good. I knew Janelle was talented, but this album really blew me away at how good, cohesive, and yet varied it is. Each song is amazing and there are no duds.

After the Overture, this album starts and just keeps going. Great energy, vocals, big band mixed with some synth/electronic that give a bit of a Wizard of Oz vibe. Really liked this, could see this being an excellent live performance.

Wow! What was this? Is it hip-hop? Is it Enya? Is Santana playing guitar in the background? No idea, but it was awesome. Jumping from catchy dance beats to sweeping string-led anthems with Star Trek 60s vibes, I could never anticipate what was coming next. Rachmaninoff-style classical? Check. Movie soundtrack vibes (LOTR, anyone?). Check. Bass-infused jazz rifts? Check. Gap shopping trip background? Check. The illegitimate love child of Lauren Hill and The Bee Gees (Locked Inside - wow!)? Check. Going back to listen to it again, right now.

Truly, the greatest tragedy here is that this album was generated for me on Friday, and for an entire weekend I was cursed with the knowledge of how amazing this album is; and yet anybody who happened across my stats page would pity me for either never having experienced it, or for not recognizing it as a masterpiece. At last, Monday has come, and my anxiety can finally be dispelled.

Oh my god. From the first Overture I immediately thought, "This is beautiful." I was worried to have high expectations so early; little did I know that the rest of the album would exceed any expectations I had set up. Janelle Monae has an amazingly beautiful voice, and the album is simply electric. She mixes genres as styles flawlessly intermingle with one another. The energy burns you from the inside and doesn't give you a break. Production is top notch. What is there to criticize about this album? It feels like a real work of art.

Funny coincidence - yesterday was the first time I'd ever heard of Janelle Monae. They had her singing in the street out of one of those US morning TV shows. The TV was on mute so all I could see was Janelle's Michael Jackson ripoff outfit and a bunch of never-been-kissed type girls waving signs in the crowd. I rolled my eyes, assuming she was some kind of X Factor singer or some other yank shit. Then today, THIS is the album. Buuuuuuuut.... it's really fucking good? I wasn't expecting that at all. The Michael Jackson influence is pretty clear musically, maybe a bit of Jamiroquai-ish jam in there too, and I guess it's shouldn't be a surprise that an album called "ArchAndroid" has a bunch of electric sheep references. This is what modern pop music should sound like, not the lowbrow shit filling the top 50. What a shame - this should be way better known. It has vision, ambition, variety and it's incredibly well written. I actually listened to it twice - this for an album over an hour long, in a genre I don't usually like. That's saying something. I think it even cured my hangover. Or maybe that was the codeine, not sure. Either way this is a fucking 5/5.

I was starting to get tired of this challenge, thinking I was getting burnt out, because for two weeks almost all my scores were 2s or 3s….and then this came up, and within a couple seconds I realized, no, all that was really mediocre music. Because this was INCREDIBLE. Always enjoyed Monae as an iconic figure, the look, the music videos, the acting. Shamefully never listened to this in whole, even though I’ve had 15 years to do so (Jesus Christ where does the time go). WOW. Every song is a lovely delight, I never knew exactly where it was going, and they’re all so singular. I cannot wait to listen to this over and over again!

this album earns its grand presentation for sureee— the songs are just so good and somehow they all feel connected even as they pull from such disparate influences. janelle monae’s singular presence acts as the uniting force between these separate ideas,, like genuinely i don’t think anyone else could pull this album off. and also she’s a robot which is sooo awesome

This one was nowhere on my radar. Awesome album. Need to listen to more Janelle Monáe.

There's some interesting performances and production, but that couldn't save this album from being incredibly dull and boring to me. The kind of music that you hear in Target. Not for me.

Wow. I'd definitely heard of Janelle Monáe and knew she had already made quite a mark on the music front when I started hearing about her as an actress (and I saw her in a recent movie; she is excellent on that front, too!), but I'd not listened to her music before. This album is superb. What a variety and all composed, arranged, performed, and recorded so well. Her voice is spectacular. So much thought behind these tracks. Such precision and energy yet also infused with passion. I'll be sure to listen to more of her work. Stupendous!

Top-tier, cohesive album.

Loved it

I Love all stuff like this, soul and electric THAT'S FIRE!!

My favourite discovery so far. I only knew them from their singles. This album as a whole is such a trip. Donna Summer, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Leonard Bernstein, Pink Floyd. They’re all in there but this is a complete original too. Big 5 from me

I own this one!! :) I have a nostaglic attachment to this album, so I'm going to be a bit biased. I feel like the songs have a lot of variety to them, which makes it a fun album to listen through all the way.

THE FUCKIN BESSSSST. Janelle Monae does not miss on this album. A beautiful voice and wonderful, amazing songs. An honest treat to listen to.

Somehow met the dude who played keyboard on this album at a bar the same day I got it on the generator. Weirdly cosmic.

Frantic, mad in scope. I'm not sure one listen does it justice.

What a talent! Imagine having a debut album this fully formed in concept and execution. Loved it!

Phineas and Ferb music if they had the budget of seven trillion golden doubloons. Holy shit. I've known of this album's existence for less than 24 hours and I can safely say that this is my favorite R&B album of all time. I didn't even know the girl from Glass Onion was a singer. Uhh five outta five!

I can't believe how different each track is on this album! It's a fantastic sound, with catchy songs and a consistent musical theme. It's a very eclectic group of songs, spanning so many different genres and transitioning between them so effortlessly. 'Locked Inside' is a funky sounding track. 'Sir Greendown' is more relaxed and psychedelic whereas 'Cold War' starts off and you're wondering where it's going to go, and it ends up being a dance track. 'Tightrope' goes back to funky. These four songs all come in succession! 'Come Alive' is my favourite here. I can only describe it as a kind of rock and roll burlesque sound which really shows off vocal Janelle's vocals. She hits and holds a high note at the end of this track for a good twenty seconds before ending it with a great rock sounding "Ow!" 'Wondaland' is a sweet and sparkly pop song with a catchy chorus and the final one 'BaBopByeYa' sounds almost like a modern James Bond track. This album keeps you guessing what's coming next with everything sounding so different genre wise, yet sounding so similar and fitting together so well.

Never heard Jonelle before. Loved this album. So many different genres covered

ArchAndroid is an absolutely belting album with a mixture of every genre you could possibly think of: there are elements of soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop, RnB, synth pop and goodness knows what else. She also has a real ear for a melody. The long running time and slightly niche sci-fi concept could make this a bit inaccessible, but it's really not. You can easily enjoy this album simply for the catchy hooks and danceable grooves if that's your bag. Awesome!

This album was phenomenal. Her voice is amazing, the amount of genres is incredible, the album is dramatic and well sequenced. Great listen and an easy classic to throw on repeat. 5/5

Probably the most Work Of Art album I've been assigned so far. Absolutely incredible, never boring, fuckin' cool.

“We’re all virgins to the joys of loving without fear” What an absolute delight to listen to. Melodic and rhythmic, high energy through the fast and slow songs. I feel like this hit the perfect balance of lead vocals / percussion / synth and pads / other rhythm and vocals. It was long but thoughtfully made, with great transitions and song order, awesome choice of samples, and most importantly just a bunch of groovin songs. The vocal effects were a bit distracting once or twice, but I actually liked those moments in the same way I like the non-scary moments in a horror movie. They’re necessary for the scary moments (great songs in the album) to have full effect. 10/10

Beautiful voice and what a unique concept album. It really showcased her range as an artist, blending genres together. The production is so cinematic and takes into the world she was trying to create with this album. Especially the last song, it sounds like a score. It’s nice to get some more albums on this list from this past decade!

Finally an artist I had never listened to blew me away.

Truly Janelle's best album: conceptual, explosive, erratic, fun, and overall just an enchanting and captivating album.

Nothing sounded the same but it did feel like a cohesive piece. Really amazed by it, maybe they weren't all winners but overall 5 stars

this shit is the future

WOWWW this is so good idk how i havent heard of this album or any of the songs before. Literally fucking amazing, feels very new and fresh and unique. I think the slower songs in the second half are weaker, but theyre not bad. Just not nearly as good as the first half

This was fantastic! I feel like concept albums haven’t been in vogue for a good long while, so I really really loved how big she went with it here.

Started off strong with an odd overture which is uncommon for a 2010 album but with futuristic sounds which fits the album. Where is suite 1? Not what I expected, I did not expect her to rap. Song 2 is a banger. Song 3 blends well with 2 at the start. This is the first album that seems like an album, not just a collection of songs. song 4 Funky jackson drums, catchy and continuation of the story. song 5 change of pace, cool mix of classical medieval style callbacks in the lyrics in a song/album about android/human lovers. song 6 - starts slow and then picks up but again a change from last song. song 7 - fits in with the album theme but also about herself/music great double/triple meaning. song 8 - big boi banger, great continuation / other side of previous track. "You gotta keep your balance Or you fall into the gap It's a challenge but I manage Cause I'm cautious with the strap" Great high and low vocals while singing about highs and lows. song 9 - what is she singing? https://genius.com/Janelle-monae-neon-gumbo-lyrics fits in with the album but bit too much for me in the middle of an album should be an outro to a song not a song in itself song 10 - yet another style. Cool how it could be about either cyborg or human to either "maker". another style on the outro of the song. song 11 - harder style. big juxtaposition to the last. Fits in with her several mentions of schizo in this song and the whole album. vocals are wild, wonder how this is live. song 12 - sex and drugs very psychedelic. A more modern sounding lucy/strawberry style beatles song as in the distorted vocals and druggy feel. song 13 - another example of how this album is meant to be listened to with the album liner / internet with you but works also on its own. song 14 - another good blend from last song. She is a good rapper regardless of her singing and songwriting which is odd. "Confusion is a walrus" song 15 - what? so out of left field. Not mad about it. song 16 - dreamy/childlike very jarring with that previous song. Could be a tomtom club with the lyrics and less android references. song 17 - 57821 odd title, apparently a android reg number. "magical" sound and another blue reference. song 18 - "Love is such a novelty A rarely painted masterpiece A place few people go or ever know" very mellow/serene song, very zen great lyrics, flows very well song 19 - very orchestral/theatrical, odd bit of spanish. lyrics call out music and movie as ways of describing their love which is very cool, very good closer. https://genius.com/Janelle-monae-cd-booklet-annotated to tell the background story Metropolis is a good film, worth a watch also.

The music grabbed my attention right away! Really enjoying this album

Wow, never expected to enjoy this album so much. Didn’t know much about Janelle M - I had half listened / watched the “Dirty Computer” video, and thought it was pretty good. Excellent throughout I liked suite II a little more than III. Tightrope was the standout track, and I also really liked “Oh, Maker”. A lot of genre shifts were cool. Ilthought “Come Alive” could have been an X cover. 4.5 Stars, and rounding up.

Only knew Tightrope - this was way better than I expected. Really liked this album a lot - beautiful lush sounds throughout and some bangers. Only negative is it's a little long but I guess it's a double album?

I'd never heard this before and will now be looking up all of her work.

This album is wild. I'm all in for the high concept sci-fi part of it. Musically it's all over the place. Hip hop, pop, funk, rock, samba, circus, punk. Seriously not what I expected. It's very theatrical. I dig it.

Very listenable and rly fun. I feel like I’ll have to do an in depth analysis to truly appreciate it tho

The future was once an exciting place, a vision where anything that can be thought of as possible to achieve, looking backwards to understand how to move forward. As the ArchAndroid, Janelle Monae found a stellar way to fuse past, present and future together into a package that bursts with consistent energy and cohesion. The second and third part of a five part suite, heading into just this without digesting the first part feels like cheating yet this is a pretty good introduction to someone who may still very well turn culture on its head. Nearly fifteen years on, it's still electric. Favorites: Dance or Die, Faster, Locked Inside, Sir Greendown, Cold War, Tightrope, Oh, Maker, Come Alive (War of the Roses), Mushrooms & Roses, Make the Bus, Wondaland, Say You'll Go.

This was really great. I’d never heard of Janelle monáe and decided not to look her up when I heard anything. The first track made me wonder if it would be a classical album before the second track had her showing her skills as a rapper however she is not just a rapper and she’s a a singer too, with some songs like sir greendown sounding like lana del rey. There was also a lot of prince and outkast influence in there. This could have been shite and it absolutely wasn’t so will actually listen to more of Janelle’s releases after hearing this

Orchestra!?! I like the transition into a more modern rap/club song. Oh hey I know Tightrope. Come Alive is like an alt rock song. Oooh Clair de Lune appearance in Say You'll Go!

Favorite Track[s]: Sir Greendown Cold War Oh, Maker Make The Bus Wondaland 57821 Say You'll Go BaBopByeYa

I like: Locked Inside Tightrope Come Alive (War of the Roses) Suite III Overture Neon Valley Street

I knew who Janelle Monet was, but never listened to her before. Pleasantly surprised by the album, not to R and B, not to funky, just fun to listen to.

I had no idea that Janelle was a music artist, I just knew of her from knives out. This album was enjoyable. Some of the songs were vibey and fun but a lot of it is pretty unremarkable. I don’t remember a single song after having listened to the album in full and none of them did anything for me emotionally. The album also just seemed to drone on and on and I was looking forward to it being over. It’s middle of the road but I’d give it a 3.5 if I could

This has some great tracks and I appreciate the artistry AND the collaborations. But I don't see this drawing me back into its orbit.

It’s really good for what it is; I just don’t understand what it is.

Very solid album but admittedly the second half felt not as exciting as the beginning. I think it is an album that I probably wouldn't listen to again but if it came on I would enjoy it. Very cool use of percussion on a lot of tracks. Definitely did feel a little pushed with it's message at times but waaaay better than some artists. Overall id give it on around the same mark at about a 7.6

Eclectic, epic, sprawling. Too long? Too much symphony and overtures? Overall pretty good. Lots of good ideas. Could have used some editing.

Another cool post-punk pre-alternative album. I thought this one was interesting. There are times when it sounds like Bruce Springsteen, albeit with much different subject matter. It's easy to see the seeds of a lot of the music I grew up with in the 90s in this album. It goes by really fast, but every song is solid 4/5

Though I can appreciate this album's concept and some of its lyrical content, the style bores me. Also, many of the lyrics are uninteresting. Some highlights: -Come Alive (War of the Roses) -Say You'll Go -Neon Valley Street -Oh, Maker I must also appreciate how original this album is compared to the drab current of R&B today.

Started as a very spooky ride to work, ended confused. Thought for sure this would be my jam. It was mostly not. Sorry Janelle/obama.

Another one of these alleged experimental albums... I just found it bonkers eclectic random swings in style and sound that was all very much sounding computer generated with absolutely nothing memorable. There were some good parts to some of the tracks, but you shouldn't have to study a track to enjoy it. I've read a lot of rave reviews about this album, with lengthy disection of each track and what it means... ya de ya de ya... but I just don't get it what they're on about, I found the whole thing massively boring, never gonna listen to it again.

Just too much going on here - too many songs, too many style changes, too much in general. Some great songs - Cold War is fantastic, Say You'll go Good but it sorely needs an editor. Just lost me too many times.

Eclectic. If I dig around a bit I find lots of little bits I like. 2.75/5

Lots of ideas, many of them good, but neither the tunes or her voice have the strength the carry all the dicking around.

Should I be listening to this before I die ?......... No I shouldn't

Ikke min type musikk. Men e det bra eller dårlig? Vet ikke!

This was a very mediocre album to me and there were no songs that really stood out. it’s not really for me and I will probably not return to this album. 5/10

2 of 5 (10/30/20) Well, this was unexpected. This is very much not my genre. It's dancy and poppy with smooth vocals and slick production values. I have been known to call this kind of stuff musical exlax. There's something about this album that keeps it from tripping over into the diharrea zone, though. Maybe it's the conceptual nature of the thing that keeps it on course. It does feel like every track leads into the next in a cinematic storyarch. Perhaps that's what makes this work. Somewhere around track 6, it picks up and findsome funk and that was a lot more enjoyable. That said, it never really got anywhere interesting for me.

Devoid of any originality, it sounds just so formulaic. C'mon give me something better than this. It's like they went into the studio and pulled out all the old 'faithful' gimmicks- drum machine, snappy lyrics and guest rapper. Yawn, boring.

Nothing to fault but nothing I like about it.

No esperaba absolutamente nada, casi ni lo escucho. La madre que me parió, es la hostia en verso.

so many bangers. such a vibe. and then, to top it all off, of montreal turn up! what an album.

Already expectations are high before I even start the album because I know Janelle Monae is a babe. Ok this is a great one. Likely my first new-to-me 5 star listen. Really enjoying myself here. Incredible stuff, ready for round 2 whilst cooking

Цей альбом зумів мене здивувати, в хорошому сенсі. Справжній витвір мистецтва.

У мене не так часто зʼявляються огляди на сучасну поп музику. Та хоча, і цьому альбому вже як 15 років, тож він - «так собі сучасний». Проте його вік, абсолютно нічого не означає, адже музика на ньому випередила свій час на багато років вперед. Скажу більше, я навіть невпевнений чи прийшов його час вже. The ArchAndroid від Janelle Monáe - це концептуальний футуристичний альбом, що розповідає нам історії про андроїда, через які розкриваються такі теми як ідентичність себе у світі, та звісно ж, кохання. Подібна концепція не є чимось проривним чи новим, і творів на подібну тему, ми можемо згадати безліч. Проте тут ця концепція використана, в першу чергу, щоб підкреслити музичну складову, а не навпаки. Якщо ж говорити про музику, то назвати її «футуристичною» буде не зовсім точно. Адже вона втілює у собі таке поняття як «Афрофутуризм», коли африканська, а в нашому випадку, афро-американська культура перетинається із науковою фантастикою. Пісні тут звучать так якби їх придумали десь у майбутньому, але при цьому, покладаючись на усю минулу культурну спадщину. Тут поєднуються ледь не усі жанри афро-американської музики - funk, rnb, soul та hip-hop, і все це робиться максимально органічно, плавно, і що найцікавіше - «по-новому». Це не просто «перевикористання» елементів минулого, а дійсно створення чогось нового та унікального. Тут ми чуємо, як класичні та відомі нам жанри влучно поєднуються із сучасним звучанням, синтами та ефектами. І під час прослуховування, складається враження, що це музика із паралельного всесвіту в якому «перевинайшли» вищезазначені жанри. І якщо вам вже здалося, що це типовий, занадто «заморочений», #artpop альбом, в якому панує «творчій хаос та свавілля», то ви точно поквапились із своїм висновком. Так дійсно, в альбомі є експериментальні та нетипові моменти, але вони дуже уміло «вкладені» в основу композиції яка звучить достатньо прямолінійно та зрозуміло. Тобто в основі, це та сама танцювальна чіпляюча поп музика минулого, але яка відчувається зовсім інакше, і навіть не виглядає «ретро-футуристично», як той самий синті-поп. Навпаки, все звучить свіжо, автентично, та ніби «придумано вчора». Цей альбом справді існує поза часом, та я навіть не уявляю, коли він може стати неактуальним. Тому скільки б років не пройшло, для мене він буде залишатися «сучасною поп музикою». Дуже задоволений, що нарешті ознайомився і з цим шедевром, дійсно один із кращих альбомів, що я коли-небудь чув.

I'd never heard of this artist or this album. It's not really a genre I listen to either. But wow, what an album. If you were to tell me that a new R&B star was going to write an album in 2010 about a dystopian, Android led future and I would enjoy listening to it then I'd have laughed in your face. And I'd have been wrong. It sounds and feels like a stage show with huge variety, interest and excitement. Will be listening again.

This is how music is supposed to be, a joy to listen to! So interesting and varied and exciting without being overwhelming, will definitely be listening again. Favourite: Make the Bus (closely followed by Faster or Tightrope or Oh, Maker- just so many good songs!!)

Não é o melhor dela mas merece 5 pelo conceito

There is so much going on in this album. Start to finish it keeps you on your toes, with amazing music and arrangements throughout. Fantastic.

I’m amazed I’ve never heard of Janelle Monáe. This woman is wildly talented. There’s so much going on in this album. Genuinely there are so many things to address in this album. The biggest and most important thing to me when it comes to an album is variety. It doesn’t have to be nonstop changes in genre like a ween album, it can be as simple as a punk band throwing in a ballad or trying their hand at a ska song. Just something to change the tone from time to time. And this album EXCELS at that. Sometimes not even for the better, but it doesn’t matter how little interest I have in 57821 because I appreciate the risk involved in making “weird” songs. There’s so many on here that are noteworthy, for instance it starts with an interlude that leads into a fast bombastic dance song with squeaky clean production that could clean your dishes, then there’s like a “Latin rock song” (for lack of a better word) called “come alive” that’s wildly different than everything else on the album, and it even ends on a sharp turn when “BaBopByeYa” comes on and becomes a spy thriller opening number. All the weird stuff is what I fell instantly in love with, however the actual “hit” songs on this album are what’s going to interest most people cause they are legitimately catchy pop songs that have been all over the charts. And while those songs didn’t really blow me away I could appreciate that these are the songs that actually sell the album. But seriously this is a super underrated album. Its clearly part of the vision behind the album from artwork from the gatefold to the actual cover, but it honestly sounds like an amazing and epic soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. It’s got alittle something for everyone.

Damn, now THIS is an album I’m glad I heard before I died.

This was incredible, top 5 of albums I’ve never heard before. I was bopping my head the whole listen!

Wow. I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. I mean, I wasn't expecting to dislike Janelle Monáe's 2010 debut album The ArchAndroid, but I also wasn't expecting this to be one of the best albums I've listened to in 2025 thus far, but that's actually what I ended up getting. This album's amazing! Janelle Monáe is an artist that I've definitely heard of before, but knew practically nothing about in regards to her actual music. I've got to say. This was an excellent introduction. What do I love about this album? Well, there's a few things. Number one is that this is a crazy-ass concept album. And I LOVE crazy-ass concept albums. This might not be as crazy-ass with its concept as an album like The Wall or De-Loused in the Comatorium, but that doesn't mean it isn't crazy-ass in other regards. The concept is still pretty cool though, even if it is more of a thematic theme rather than a full on obvious story. The writing does a good job with this. There's some nice theming about love and identity while still being a very fun album throughout. Speaking of which, let's talk about this album's sound, which is another one of my favorite things about this album. I love the fact that I don't even really know what genre to classify this as. Is it R&B? Soul? Pop? None of those labels really captures the style of this album. Every song feels different from the last and I love it. Janelle's singing is great for the vibes of the album. The features are pretty good too, with the highlight probably being the verse on "Tightrope" from Outkast's Big Boi. This album kind of reminds me of Outkast at times. "Cold War" kind of gives of "B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)" vibes, and if you're making me think about that song, you're doing something right. I don't know what to say. This album has so many ideas behind it that just work effortlessly together. The fact Janelle Monáe was doing things like this this early in her career is astonishing to me. This is an excellent album with an insane amount of talent behind it. I love it. Light 5/5.

After i found out it is a concept album and that explains its weirdness, it jumped from a 4 to 5 very genius album

I love an album that can be cool but geeky at the same time, and one that feels both eclectic and cohesive. 5 stars might be generous, but I'd rather listen to this 15 times than the combined 15 Crosby, Stills, Nash amd Young albums on this list.

Ok, as much as I bitch and moan about the amount of boomer rock this list includes, ArchAndroid made me actually grateful for all the music I wouldn't have otherwise listened to - because it so richly contextualized all the genres Monae is more than capably of trying on here: - Ray Charles' albums come to mind with the classical/orchestral arrangements on the suite/interludes - Quincy Jones/MJ vibes with 'Locked Inside' - horror movie/rockabilly Cramps influence on 'Come Alive' - folky dreaminess on 'Oh, Maker' and '57821' - dream pop crossed with 1960s girl groups with 'Sir Greendown' - glam rock Bowie crossed with psychedelic rock sounds on 'Make the Bus' - and of course pure pop/R&B grooves with 'Tightrope,' 'Say You'll Go' & 'Wondaland' I know she doesn't have Lauryn Hill's pipes and maybe doesn't play every instrument like Stevie, but this has serious Miseducation and/or Songs in the Key of Life ambitions. Every effort may not be excellent but holy shit, enough of the attempts fucking land that I have to admire the fact that she went for it in the first place.

I knew Cold War and Tightrope, so I came into this one expecting the album to be similar to these two. Imagine my surprise when the first song is an overture. It's lush and beautiful and full of energy. I'm very impressed with this album.

God, what the fuck was I doing not listening to this? Wall to wall doesn't stop, full on energy, lot of different sounds that blend together nicely. This is just good music, and a lot of it, and a lot of different types.

How do you blend so many genres so seamlessly on your debut album? 9/10

OK, OK, here we go: Janelle Monáe! I've heard quite a bit of talk in my time about how big she should've been — or maybe I'm just remembering something Todd In The Shadows said a decade ago, I'uno... But here we go! The Randomizer finally got me off my ass to actually listen to one of her records! I finally got to see if it lived up to all of my expectations! And I suppose that was my problem initially: my expectations. Within the first five tracks, I wasn't really impressed, honestly? I thought what I was hearing was good, and I loved how cinematically it was presenting itself with the orchestral overture and everything, but... I'unno. I got myself figuring maybe the problem was me; that I generally just don't really jive with much modern music (me calling the nearly 15 year old album "modern"). Like, I'd give it a 4 for how good I thought I was, but I'd hafta shrug and admit that this "progressive soul, alt. R&B" thing wasn't really my bag. But then "Cold War" hit. And when specifically that guitar solo happened... **Goodness**. "Cold War", to my ears, is the single best song here. By itself, it rocketed this album straight to a 5, and from then on it never gave me a single reason to put it back below. Like, I really can't emphasize how much "Cold War" (and, by extension, "Come Alive") did to my enjoyment of this album. Jus', these hard-driving-ass psychedelic soul rock songs... Gawd, they're fuckin' amazing. And I **will** swear to emphasize how amazing they are. They're good enough to warrant it. After the album ended, I replayed the record side with those songs, and these days I rarely replay **any** part of an album after I'm done listening to it. I also occasionally make a deal about how I'm gonna revisit some albums but then never do, but here, legit, I can see "Cold War" becoming one of my most listened to songs of March — or maybe any other song on the album as I keep listening to it because of "Cold War". Honestly, yeah, I don't know why Janelle Monáe wasn't a bigger hitmaker. I can totally hear these songs killing on the Hot 100. I mean, can you imagine a world where some of these songs had made an impact? Seriously, the only place "Cold War" charted was in **Belgium** of all places. Honest to goodness... All this, and I didn't even have a damn clue what was supposed to be happening in the plot. Goodness me. Jus'... Damn, Monáe are hella good songwriters, and Monáe herself is a damn good singer. Goodness, I just can't think of another album where I've gotten this big of a "Why the hell weren't you listening to this before now?" kick in the ass. This isn't even really a review as much as this is a stream of consciousness about how incredulous I am about how I hadn't given it a chance before. So, like I said, it's a 5. A big-ass 5 all the way down. I don't even know what else to say except to re-emphasize that I was a fool for not getting to this sooner. Hell, I should actually, legit, no-forgetitng-about-it go and listen to her other albums, and I can kick myself even harder for missing all of **that** stuff, too. All in all, not a bad way to end February. Goodness me.

Good lord, what a stellar listening experience. Solid 5 Stars.

It’s a 10. It's probably higher, honestly. Janelle Monae, Kansas City, Kansas native & featured artist on “We Are Young” by fun – also one of the pop artists of the 2010s that’s eluded me. Before listening to this, the only other track I really knew her for was “Make Me Feel”, but I always told myself I’d listen to her someday. Today is that day, and today is the day that truly proves that procrastination is a sin sent by the Devil, or whatever another religious equivalent is, or just whatever bad forces exist in the world. I was absolutely blown away by this album – this jumps right into the top 5 of all the albums we’ve gotten so far, in terms of ones that are new to me. I haven’t been ranking them like that, but an album like this makes me wish I were. Right from the concert hall intro, letting you know you’re in for a play and a massive concept album, especially with the orchestration, it sets a tone that immediately goes into overdrive – those first 4 tracks are an electric experience that I cannot begin to describe, especially once “Locked Inside” drops the sample of the Rock With You drums. From there, it’s all about the worldbuilding, complemented by a myriad of genres and styles that are too immense to count, yet so perfectly executed. There’s some fabulous lyricism throughout this album, and while the story is hard to follow without really devoting energy to it, the broad strokes that get painted of this world shine through and make the narrative between Sir Greendown & Cindi (aka 57821) become obvious through just the music alone. I have always been a firm believer that lyricism matters, but I love an album where the music alone can tell a story like this. The lyrics simply enhance the experience, and I think they work in harmony in a way that very few albums with this intent & of this caliber have been able to match. Janelle Monae is unbelievable, truly. Her vocals on this album are a gift, and she showcases them often enough that, by the end, it’s easy to take them for granted when she hits the final notes to close the album. I truly cannot praise them enough, nor can I praise this album enough – this is the type of shit that is right down my alley, and my procrastination towards her feels like a 15-year-stretch of wasted time. This is an unbelievable debut studio album, on par with (and probably surpassing, for my tastes) “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”, and just as impactful. Or so you’d think, anyway. The GRAMMYs rewarded Lauryn Hill in spades in 1999, and for this… they fucking let Usher’s Raymond v. Raymond beat this out for “Best Contemporary R&B Album”. Criminal on a level only matched by Macklemore somehow winning over good kid, m.A.A.d city, and arguably even worse. Past that, this album feels… underrated, somehow? Not many plays on Spotify, at least relative to what it feels like it should have given the quality here. For my money’s worth, I think this album will get the recognition it someday deserves, and Janelle Monae, by extension, who’s still chasing a damn GRAMMY. Just on a first listen alone, this gets a retroactive bump to one of the top 5 albums of the 2010s for me. Absolutely unbelievable – a 10/10, maybe a 15, maybe a 20, who really knows? It’s off the number scale for me, and it’s by far one of my favorite albums to discover on this list. An absolute delight, a long overdue introduction for me, and what will certainly be my catalyst to dive deeper into her discography. I’m out of adjectives – just listen to it. It’s beyond worth it. It’s a masterpiece, and I don’t use that word lightly.

Certified bangers. Added to my collection, loved thism

QUEEN.

What a thrill ride this album is. Just constantly interesting stuff going on, taking you in different directions and everything just sounds amazing. Loved this.

Brilliant selection of eclectic songs. Hadn't heard of her before.

Scintillating stuff, one of my fav albums from the last 15(!) years and probably my no.1 concept double album...Metropolis meets Afrofuturism with nice nods to Philip K. Dick throughout .

Well that was freaking amazing. No notes. 5/5 Highlights: Cold War Oh, Maker Mushrooms & Roses Say You’ll Go

Janelle Monáe’s “The ArchAndroid” is a watershed album in R&B, standing out for its innovation and boldness. Released in 2010, Monáe blends diverse genres and styles, incorporating elements of funk, soul and electronic music, creating an unmistakable sound that redefines the boundaries of the genre. Her ability to tell complex stories, combined with a striking visual aesthetic, has made her stand out as a singular artist. Since then, no one has reinvented R&B with the same vision and depth that Monáe has brought, solidifying her place as a pioneer in contemporary music.

A concept album done right. Most are bloated, meandering, or lack cohesion even if their ideas are novel, but The ArchAndroid--particularly for 2010--is focused, streamlined, and tight in the ways that concept albums often fail to capture. Monáe sacrifices very little, if any, of her intention in the pursuit of crafting a sonically diverse, engaging, thoughtful record. Perhaps most striking to me is the ease with which Monáe inhabits and transitions between multiple genres and vocal styles. It isn't often that an artist is limited not by their talent but by the scope of their vision, and the fact that this vision doesn't seem compromised at all speaks to her skill and the skill of the musicians that work with her. Listen to this.

This is a cool freakin album. I didn't always pick up on the lyrical themes but I definitely noticed it at different points in the album. What I did pick up on was the sweeping, full sound from start to finish. It wasn't always the same sound but there was a constant medley of instruments, from the classical and/or orchestral stylings of Suite II and III Overtures and Say You'll Go to the soulful and jazzy stylings of Neon Valley Street and BabopbyeYa to the funky big band stylings of Dance or Die, Locked Inside, Cold War, and Tightrope. She kept changing moods and tempos without sounding out of step. She can both rap and sing...well. I was really impressed. And then there was Come Alive - what a banger. Not the first time on the album she had killer guitar licks or bass lines but it's oh so glorious. I couldn't get enough of it. One knock is the finishing - there are some abrupt switches from song to song even when the sound of one leads into the next. Still, this album was like Michael Jackson meets David Bowie with its high energy and varied styles embedded into a science fiction fantasy. Even a bit of Prince with her different vocal deliveries (for example, Faster vs. Mushrooms and Roses vs. Wondaland vs. BabopbyeYa). I didn't realize artists were still this ambitious and creative.

Crazy diverse album. When I first listened to it I had never heard a Janelle Monáe song before, and I became an instant fan after this. So fucking catchy all over the place while still leaving some quite cool experimentation

I wasn’t expecting to like this and I loved it… except for the few weird bits

Wow, I really loved this album. Definitely one of the best albums that's been new to me. I especially loved Faster.