Reviews (page 11 of 13)
New discovery for me. Not terrible, but doubtful to revisit
Pretty voice
Low key funky vibe
I loved this album when I came out and listened to it over and over, but it's been about a decade since my last listen. Undeniably ambitious but unsatisfying, somehow feels like it runs longer than its hour duration. I wanted this relisten to be more enjoyable than it was.
As a 2010 release, this has to be one of the newest songs on the list. Should be interesting. Looking at the Wikipedia entry is interesting. There are at least 3 writers for each song, and as many as 5. (With the exception of “Make The Bus”, a collaboration with that song’s writer). So it is very collaborative. That carries over to behind the scenes, with over 1/2 dozen folk in mixing, mastering, production, and 4 credited arrangers. And, oddly, 2 wardrobe people and a costume designer. But again, a very collaborative effort. So how is it? Within the context of “current” pop, it is really good. It is very polished, smooth and shiny. Solid beats throughout. Janelle the more rap sections aren’t my favorites, but that works as a stand alone statement for me. Mona’s gives a solid vocal performance, without much excessive auto tuning. There’s a variety of moods and directions, which is refreshing. The wiki article is full of themes like playful, fun, lively. And that’s fine, especially for “pop”. I kind of liked this, it has some nice moments, and some really nice ones. Only a couple I didn’t care for. I may have to listen again, even though I’ll never love the 2010s soundscape. Very solid 3, not enough to round up.
sehr vielseitiges Progressive-Soul-Album der Schauspielerin 3,5
75/100
i know im not the biggest pop fan but fuck man this is so boring. it sounds cool and all but that doesnt make me enjoy it much. gets a low 5/10 because its produced so well and the ideas are interesting.
up beat, up tempo, not usually what I'm into, but this is not bad, maybe even good.
You see, it’s not bad pop music. Just not my cup of tea.
Janelle Monáe is one of those artists I wish I could like more than I do. She has such a unique sound, a real past-present-future scenario, and is a literal protégé of Prince, but I only admire her work instead of truly loving it. So I admire this but don’t especially vibe. C+
Did not expect these sounds - very creative… listened in background so no songs stood out
Surprisingly good. High 3.
The backing tracks are great. She has a gorgeous voice when singing softly. Not sure she/the producers are doing her any favors trying to make her a power singer. She ends up sounding reedy. The lyrics are cringe-inducing; both when she's going universal-political and when she keeps it personal. That said, it's pretty easy to ignore cringe-inducing personal lyrics because pop music is somehow geared for personal statements. When an artist goes for the political, they better work really hard to nail the lyrics. Abbie Lincoln, Marvin Gaye and Chuck D. managed it. Janelle hasn't. The backing tracks are great though. I wish I could listen to the album without the vocal buses.
Another unknown album to me. I've never heard of Janelle before. "ArchAndroid" is good but not great. It just sounds like other albums from that period. I like its style most of time. I'll give it 3 stars.
Étonnement intéressant.
Very dynamic pop, I liked it.
Look, usually with concept albums I can kinda take it or leave it. This I'm kinda in the middle with it. I didn't really love it, but that's not really through any fault of its own. She's got a great voice and the songs are really well made. It's just the whole dystopian cyborg thing that just doesn't really do it for me. I dunno, it sounds good but really didn't do anything for me, and the lyrics are kinda weird on some of the songs (which didn't really surprise me). Again, just kinda middle of the road for me.
This was a unique combination of genres and an interesting listen.
Target store music
Well - a lot better than I was expecting - gave this a few listens and there is a lot to like. Plenty of variety and very polished. A bit too safe but she's clearly a talent.
Not bad
2024-03-29...
A very versatile r'n'b, soul, psychedelic album by Janelle Monáe. I appreciate the different styles on the album but it is also the weakness of it because all these songs don't flow together that well. It is more like a compilaction of songs rather than a complete album (perhaps it doesn't help that it's very long, almost 70 minutes). It's difficult to rate something like this. Individually many of the songs would be a 4, but as a whole, the album is more like a 3.5/3 for me.
OK so I can definitely see how this is a great album. I can see the potential and maybe later I will be able to fully appreciate it. Until then it is a strong 3. Fav songs: - Cold War - Mushrooms and Roses - Tightrope - Tightrope
Different. Got Disney movie soundtrack vibes…
Just ok.
After the first couple of tracks, I was ready to write this off as another generic R&B/rap album, then it started doing some interesting things and turned into quite an ambitious and impressive sounding album. It goes into some unexpected territory. Mushrooms & Roses sounds like an homage to Crimson & Clover. 57821 sounds sort of Simon and Garfunkel-ish. Lounge singing. It's got it all. I didn't like everything she tried here, but A for effort. Favorite tracks: Tightrope (except the Big Boi part), Oh, Maker, and one other I can't remember the title of.
I don't know anything about this album, but it sounds like one with high production effort. It's very theatrical, there are operas in the background, just a lot of bells and whistles. Maybe it's all above my head, but it doesn't seem musically special to me, and I'm not compelled to listen again. Maybe there's some takeaway here on modern music production, that it's overly commercialized, but I'll leave that to someone who has more insight.
it's a really cool and refreshing sound. however after listening two times it didn't hook me enough to ever want to hear again (although I'm sure my Spotify algorithm won't respect this wish), so I guess I can't rate it higher than 3.5 stars. still, it's a great album
Love tightrope of course. But this whole album is lovely.
Very electric blend, I like that several tracks are continuous.
Iets van beyonces net niet zo leuke zusje, beetje boring
The album was neat. I'm gonna check out more
There are some real bangers on this album like Cold War and Tightrope. I like the various styles on the album and the ambition Janelle has with the album I think the album is too long at times and the back half of the middle kind of drags on. I can see myself listening to some songs again but probably not the whole album. I do appreciate albums like this though since I wouldn't have known about it without this generator.
I think with some fine tuning you could make this album great. Removing some of the tracks and tightening up the runtime could make this much more re-listenable. I thought parts of the album were amazing and would be super happy to see her in person.
This tasted like a Neon Gumbo of Mushrooms & Roses.
it's cool but her voice isn't my favorite
Bara nokkuð geggjuð, ekki viss um að það séu mörg lög sem færu á bestast en klárlega þess virði að hlusta aftur
Over all enjoyed. Not quite a 4 but very close… 3.8.
It’s fun but I won’t seek it out again
Really interesting album. It runs the gambit of musical styles and influences. That being said, I didn't think she did anything that was particularly memorable. I kept fluctuating between thinking she had a really good and sub par voice. Overall, not a bad listen, wasn't a drag to get through, but likely won't be returning to this one.
Ok
Gear: Moondrop Variations Mix: spaßig, modern und hochwertig Musik: fantastisches Konzept von einer sympathischen Künstlerin (mit belanglosem Pop-Anteil) Wertung: 🤖🤖(🤖)/5 (inkl. +1 für "Wondaland")
I was wary when I saw this was a "concept album," but I was pleasantly surprised. Still not my thing, but not bad.
more is more
It was finnneeee
I enjoyed this lots more than I was expecting. It's a diverse album, with lots of musical ideas and approaches and there are some real high points, but I don't find it works enough as an album to get four stars from me. Very much enjoyed getting to know it though!
Quite good, nothing i want to go back to but still pretty good. Some tracks are worse than others and some stand out from the rest.
Dance or die 👍 Faster👍 Cold War 👌 Tightrope 👌 Neon valley street👍 This album kept me entertained. Beautiful voice accompanied by a well put together instrumental portion in my opinion. Well thought out and smooth transitions. I don’t see myself listening to this album regularly tho.
I really want to like this more than I do! It's super creative and there's a lot of neat elements. Unfortunately, most of the songs just kind of land in the "eh" department and didn't stick out to me. I think this is a very neat endeavor though, and it wasn't boring to listen to - just not my jam. Fav tracks: 57821, Neon Valley Street, Suite II Overture
Great album, she has an amazing voice
Torn on this one. The project is dope, but I don't hear anything that would make me want to come back to it. This is listed low on the popular albums on Spotify, so I may dive into the newest/popular one to see. Still awesome though.
It was aight
This album is too slow for me. But I really liked 'Cold War' and 'Give Life'. Overall all good. But I don't listen to anything other than Cold War and Come Alive.
Well now, this is pretty cool. Creative, vibrantly weird arrangements with a stylistically far ranging, time traveling sensibility. Quality is a little uneven from song to song, and I have hard time believing most listeners have patience for every song on the album. Still, it was great fun to listen to. I wish we had more contemporary artists as willing to take these kinds of creative risks. Fave Songs: Neon Valley Street; Oh, Maker; 57821; BabopbyeYa; Dance or Die; Sir Greendown
Pretty good actually.
This was a nice surprise, I like her later work but hadn't heard this one.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I had made an assumption that this was just another rap album, but was blown away by her voice and talents combined with catchy beats. I want to study the lyrics further.
The Archandroid is Janelle Monae's ambitious debut album. She combines soul, funk, pop, and rap in elaborately orchestrated songs. Monae has a great voice, and her songs are of a remarkable range. The Archandroid is a concept album which contains a story about an android in the future. For the range, the complexity, and the elaborate concept, I tried to love this album, but I couldn't muster it. The songs are scattered, and all feel like revisions of songs of other pop artists. For me, the sum did not add up to something greater than all of the parts.
This album is excellently performed and produced. Janelle Monae is a great talent. Still, it came across as very robotic. It was clearly a performance and not an experience. Plus, many of the tracks just did not slot together at all.
Manche Lieder super
She’s had an interesting musical arc and I’ve liked Dirty Computer since it came out about 5 years ago. Much like her other stuff, this is a very nice easy listen that falls just short of absolutely great. Solid and unique but not wildly amazing. This is one of many musical works to be largely inspired by the movie metropolis from like 100 years ago. Another musical trilogy that shares the name and inspiration is the metropolis EP series by the M Machine. A must listen
I loved the first track and thought I was in for an amazing treat. I did enjoy the album but I think the first track lulled me into a promise that it just didn’t deliver. I’ll listen to it again and perhaps some of her other albums. Her thoughts on androids are quite interesting!
I think I enjoyed it
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one and was pleasantly surprised.
I get it, you can sing girl. Great instrumentals and vocals tho, issa vibe COMO PONGO UN 3.5
Beautiful and creative artist
Quite enjoyed it
Interesting concept, but not for me. Slightly too long.
Not really my thing, but I always appreciate when an artist commits to the bit
Ambitious and I enjoyed it but it didn't really grab my attention. Don't think I will be listening regularly.
Surprisingly good, shockingly 2010
I have not heard this album or artist before. The songs were definitely different from what I normally listen to. Some songs that stood out to me were: Cold War, Wondaland, and Make the bus. I could listen again to try and get into it more but as of now, it wasn’t my vibe.
This album had a lot going on. There are some really high highs - Janelle has a great rapping and singing voice and some of the songs are modern pop bops that check all the pop boxes. But the lows are low - lots of ambitious thematics that don't quite hit the mark.
Kinda enjoyable
The first four tracks seem to be recorded all in one take, which is impressive given the amount of energy they have. Cold War was really cool, almost had a drum track like OutKast. Then I saw Big Boi on the next track and it made sense. This is supposed to be all part of her android metropolis story, which I guess makes sense but the analogy isn’t very strong. This is good but I just don’t see myself coming back to it. The target audience seems to be theater kids.
Lots of effort but not my cup of tea, or whisky.
3/5 - Okay nvm I like this LOL. I think the first half was just kind of meh for me, but once I really got into the psych rock and other rock elements of the album, I was kind of blown away. It's really impressive that Janelle Monae has a range like this. Some of the album though, I was just pretty bored. It felt like I was a bored kid in 2010 listening to the radio in the car. But I get that like...Janelle Monae's album and production style probably INFLUENCED what was on the radio at the time. So yeah, I get why this album is in the top 1001 albums you need to listen to. I'm assuming it's era-defining. I was bored for a lot of it though.
I really liked this album when it first came out and more importantly it first introduced me to Janelle Monae as a solo artist and not just part of the dungeon family. While the album is good about showing her range and talent. It's kind of scattered and I don't get back to the whole thing, only select songs.
Liked this a lot, especially the variety of types of music employed. If it had been 20 minutes shorter it would have probably rated a 4. I quite like her in her movie roles — e.g., Hidden Figures, Glass Onion.
(3.5) I’m not a huge R&B guy, but I did enjoy this one a lot more than I was expecting. I thought the production on this album was really solid and I liked the sci-fi concept. I think the highlight of the album for me personally was “Tightrope,” which featured Big Boi. There weren’t really any tracks that I disliked and overall this was a solid album. I could see myself rating this higher after revisiting in the future.
This was an interesting album. Started off pretty cinematic. Turned into some Megan Trainor-type songs. Overall I dug it, some songs better than others. May revisit.
Interesting one. Pretty enjoyable.
This was interesting and kind of what I expected as I am familiar with a couple of Janelle Monae songs which are usually kind of retro and different. It’s good stuff but doesn’t really do it for me. Listens: 1 Fave Track: Cold War Rating: 3
So… with no expectations of what was to come, I was pleasantly surprised by this. There’s a huge scope of styles on show including futuristic blends of pop, jazz, funk, r&b and hip hop topped with the sweetest soul vocals. Unlikely to be a regular listen for me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless
6.3
This was a pretty good vibe. First time listening to electric lady music. I’d listen again.
It’s monotounous, might be good if you like it in that case.
fun and brand new for me! looking forward to listening to more of her stuff.
ok but a bit boring to me
Justo ok
Not my kind of music
The lady can sing! This goes everywhere from rap to what passes as a jazz standard, from a band arrangement to an orchestral accompaniment, from a lead guitar solo to a violin solo, from an R&B vocal to an ethereal chorus sound. The two overtures were good. The last two songs I especially enjoyed. I must admit, this was a very interesting listen. I might even listen to it again.
Listened to cold war and tight rope. I feel like she has the type of music that I’m not mad if it comes on, but for some reason I would never seek out or listen to religiously.
Fresh take of combined genres.
This is basically every genre of music in one. Enjoyable listen, great voice and vibes.
Production quality was great-lots of string ensembles etc. that said a little to whimsical in lyrics and presentation. 3/5
3/5. For an R&B album to be anywhere on this list for me is impressive alone. I actually liked this album and thought the voices and instrumentation was fantastic.
Not bad, well made
Evolutionary Fugees. Good soul, probably good hip hop? Good sound, likely not for me. May revisit sometime.
It was okay.
Wouldn’t be mad if more pop sounded like this
Artsy album with wide variety of styles
The album's got a smooth flow like a musical, 꿀떡꿀떡 들썩들썩 on the ears
This album is good but weird. It feels a little chaotic to me, but I don't dislike it. The Spotify radio that started after had some less chaotic but similar-sounding songs that I also liked, such as: * https://open.spotify.com/track/2rByGzndD0TKPWDXOdF2hg * https://open.spotify.com/track/6buvtBWRzgXoyj5tlen0jK * https://open.spotify.com/track/0oDQjpCMDxJpV3oFMAbWZJ They've both got this pop-jazz/pop-blues sound. The album also reminded me of Iniko - two songs from them: * https://open.spotify.com/track/4RLHj4aXHBZIWPBsXqEGgO * https://open.spotify.com/track/4ztdjZ2t7BVo5DLIFQBdJh
Almost finished it! Just missed the last two songs. I liked all the instruments? Faster and Cold War were my favorite songs.
I like Janelle and her beats, but the music gets a bit repetitive. Enjoyed the back end of the album.
What a weird record. Tight Rope and Come Alive are wonderful tracks for example, but those are mixed in some generic sounding ones like Locked Inside. Overall, however, it is a well crafted album, creative and with wonderful performances.
There are lots of positives here. She has the look, the ambition of sound and image, I liked the diversity of musical styles and her voice is good. But the album felt about 50% too long and sounded like someone still trying to break through the external facade to reveal her true self. I think there is a classic album in her future, but this wasnt it.
"Cold War" is the only standout for me. Janelle Monáe is talented and the dedication to craft is top-notch. Nothing else stuck with me though, and I wasn't eager for a relisten.
Okay
Surprised by the variety, it’s all over the place so not all of it hits but some of it is interesting
Pretty good, but I probably wouldn't listen to it again.
Pretty ok.
It's so good. I was not expecting it to be this good. But other albums that have gotten a 4 are just absolutely amazing. This is super good. But not absolutely amazing. Still so good though.
Really good production, most songs not really my style, but saved a couple of good ones
That's no doubt she's talented but this music wasn't for me. I got bored halfway through
A real stunner for a debut. Super cool and so much fun to be had.
bueno!! good representation of their discography i think
Standouts: Sir Greenhouse, Oh Maker, Cold War, Tightrope, Mushrooms & Roses, 57821, 3.5
Coco Chanel said take one thing off..
Fine, idk
hmm, another unheard album for me. Artwork looks like its gonna be Soul/R&B. Was not expecting it to open with a classic orchestral piece lol. oh wow, just noticed the runtime, is a long one for sure; just under 70 minutes. Smooth lyrics for how fast paced it feels, good production, a TON of musicians listed on this project damn. The two singles on this album sound veryyy '2000s' to me; kinda like a hoppy trance beat over motivational feminine 'fight song' vibes. I liked the start of this album, but mannnn I am not a fan of these anchor songs.... they are very artificial and def drops my score. Well made album, but def not my thing, not really a fan when contemporary crosses the line pretty far into traditional rock; I like them separate but I just don't think they mix well. I liked the songs that were "low-key" and following the 1920s futuristic theme.
Pretty cool
This was... unexpected, to say the least. It's the first 21th century record on my list, and it's an R&B/Soul concept album about futuristic dystopia. What caught my attention was how diverse and extravagant this one was in terms of music and genre. From fast-paced pop fun of tracks like "Dance or Die" and "Tightrope" to ballads like "Sir Greendown" and "Oh, Maker", from short orchestral instrumental "Suite II Overture" to a 9-minute grand finale "BabopbyeYa", this album's sheer scope and ambition is remarkable. That said, although Suite II flows very nicely and is well paced, Suite III can feel like an extra or bonus rather than a continuation of a single record. That is probably intentional, but it does loses me when trying to listen to it top to bottom. Highlights are the aforementioned "Dance or Die", "Locked Inside" (great chorus and song structure that never lets one lose focus), "Oh, Maker" (again, unpredictable song structure and key change), and "Wondaland" (just a fun and cute little track). Overall, it was an adventure that really showcases how talented this woman is, but is at times hard to swallow fully.
Interesting 3 stars
Some epic moments worth another listen
Interesting pop concept album with some trippy moments like backwards audio, but not super compelling.
This is clearly cool and interesting. But I like music that fits some life situation or feeling. This is too all over the place and crazy to feel that way. So I'll never listen to it again. That's my problem with avant-garde records. I recognize them as cool but they make me feel nothing. Still better than lots of stuff though so I'll go 3.
Jag förväntade mig nån tidigt 2010-tal pop-schlock som skulle få mig att vilja dö, men albumet var faktiskt mycket bättre än så. Några låtar kan jag faktiskt säga att jag gillar. Resten av låtarna vibar jag inte riktigt lika mycket med, men de har alltid nåt nytt att säga vilket hindrar det från att bli tråkig/ointressant. Jag blev ofta imponerad av sångarens färdighet. Älskar vocal slides. Locked Inside var kul. Låter som nån mario kart låt Cold War var banger. Hög energi. Come Alive (War of the Roses) var bara helt okej, men den var ändå märkvärdig. Värsta spooky halloween skeleton castle mr oogie boogie vibes man får. Make the Bus, Wondaland och BaBopByeYa var kankse lite roliga, men förtjänar inte några egna kommentarer
Pretty solid, catchy, enjoyed, rated is as 3 because it is a first album so I can't compare it to anything. Loved the storyline and worldbuilding and her voice is amazing.
3.5 demasiado largo
I admire the ambition on this and there’s some good tracks, but a few too many fall short
Decent open Gives me R&B Age of Adz vibes Some interesting songs, some more poppy I'm not fussed at. Of Montreal one was great Wondaland decent
Suite II Overture NR Dance or Die 3/5 Faster 4/5 Locked Inside 4/5 Sir Greendown 2/5 Cold War 5/5 Tightrope 5/5 Neon Gambo 2/5 Oh, Maker 4/5 Come Alive 3/5 Mushrooms & Roses 3/5 Suite III Overture NR Neon Valley Street 5/5 Make The Bus 2/5 Wondaland 3/5 57821 3/5 Say You'll Go 3/5 BaBoyByeYa 3/5 Average: 3,38 Innovative album, really liked some songs. Others just weren't my cup of tea
Futuristic Funk/Jazz. A lot of the tracks blended together seamlessly and made for an interesting listen. Standout track for me was Make The Bus.
Some of this was okay but it wasn’t really my style.
Unique sound, spans multiple genres, don't like a couple songs. But overall ok.
Esperaba más después de ver que alguien que también usa esta web lo compartió como uno de los grandes descubrimientos. Suena bien y me ha gustado que sea muy ecléctico al mismo tiempo que eso me ha despistado ya que pensé que era un disco conceptual. En cualquier caso me guardo Faster y Cold War y lo mismo lo escucho más adelante. Dudo entre 2 y 3 estrellas pero seré benévolo.
SO -- Cold War, Tightrope, Locked Inside, Wondaland
I really like Janelle Monae. I love her style and her ambition/ But overall this just leaves me a bit cold and I’m kinda disappointed. 3.5
Not my cup of tea
Pleasantly surprised. Never thought I would be very into a "pop/soul" album, but the song writing is top notch.
Don’t really know what’s going on here
Agradável sem empolgar.
No es mi rollo pero es impresionante la diferencia de géneros conviviendo en un mismo álbum. Dance or Die y Faster favourites. Me salte un par de canciones pq hay géneros que no me gustan y por ejemplo Come Alive se la pasa gritando media canción. Disney vibes tbh. 5/10 teniendo en cuenta que no me curre entender la letra.
Lovely but not my taste
Eigenlijk best een episch album dit man. Ken haar alleen van zo’n nummer van Fun. Volgens mij. Ik vond Cold War echt een lekkere banger
Ihan kiinnostavasti monipuolista poppista, mutta ei oikein noussu ykskään biisi myöskään helmeksi. 3/5
I have never heard a single note from this album, or even from the artist. It was not clear what genre he would like to play, but it was almost everything: classical, jazz, rock, country, disco, musical, pop, hip-hop, new-new-wave. But whatever style prevailed within a song, sooner or later they all became inevitably swamped by the upper edge of mediocre commercialism. Despite the professional musicians, the perfect sound and the brilliant vocal skills, this is a mediocre album that can be completely forgotten in a week. It's probably destined to be, I wouldn't have lost much if it had stayed out of my life.
Lots to enjoy here, even if perhaps stretched a bit thin by the end. Monae delivers some great vocal performances, but the runtime by the end for me didn’t quite have it all there for every track. Three and a half. Fave track: Cold War
Not bad. Fait changement du brit pop. Rien de fou, mais ecoute agréable. 6.5/10
Dit is niet helemaal mijn muziek dus ik vind het lastig om dit op waarde te schatten. In de eerste helft hoor je vooral iemand die wil bewijzen dat ze hetzelfde kan doen als Beyoncé, Kelis en Outkast. Redelijk hoog tempo. In de tweede helft besluit ze dat dit een te klein hokje is en wil ze graag laten merken dat ze ook nog andere artiesten kan nadoen. En dat bedoel ik niet eens denigrerend, want ze kan het wel allemaal. Ook heeft het af en toe iets wat me aan kinderfilms doet denken. Dat Mika-achtige. Kleine zeemeermin, Wizard of Oz. Laatste track is een verschrikkelijke musical. Niet slecht, maar gewoon niet voor mij. Een milde 3.
Hit and miss songs. Too much filler. Gv. Good voice. 7/10
The second half has some good stuffs. I like the rock elements and how more experimental it was. It was, however, an overproduced and over-polished album overall.
Ikkje dumt
65/100
🐍
better than I thought actually.
3.5
Interesting and unusual, although it didn't speak to me
C+ Suite II Overture - 3 Dance or Die - 2 Faster - 3 Locked Inside - 3 Sir Greendown - 3 Cold War - 3 Tightrope - 3 Neon Gumbo - 2 Oh, Maker - 3 Come Alive (War of Roses) - 3 Mushrooms & Roses - 4 Suite III Overture - 3 Neon Valley Street - 3 Make the Bus - 3 Wondaland - 3 57821 - 3 Say You’ll Go - 3 BabopbyeYa - 3 Janelle Monae is pretentious af. I intentionally left the accent off your name you self-centered snob.
Interesting and intriguing album.
it was all right for what it was memorable lyric: "I'm shaking like a schizo"
Not exactly something I would listen to normally, but it did catch me by surprise in a good way. Pretty upbeat and groovy, although a bit too much on the pop side. Missing a bit for a 4/5, but it’s a solid 3.5/5 (that I wish I could rate)
3.5
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it was something a bit different. Favourite song: Track 9 - Oh, Maker
Many good grooves but the high concept songs made the album uneven
This was a fun listen, an interesting theme and some great guest appearances. Love Janelle's voice, however the mix seemed a little too vocal forward. Still a stellar project from my hometown pop sensation.
Janelle seems like she's just great at everything she does. The album was a large endeavor and hit all over on the spectrum of music genres, which works well for a movie soundtrack but not as well as an album only to sit down and digest. In the end, I thought it was really cool and I'm glad I listened to it.
i liked some songs and hated some songs, only one was great, otherwise was very unpredictable. felt like all genres
3/5
Eklektiskt värre men väldigt spretigt. Hade blivit riktigt bra om hon vågat hålla kvar lite längre vid färre idéer.
Not unpleasant but, also, totally forgettable. Yesterday it was Sade and tomorrow it's somebody else. In, between? I don't remember.
A lot of it is really good, but man is it long. It is too self-indulgent - where a lot of tracks could have been edited out to make a stronger more condensed album. It also tapers heavily at the end, losing steam and because of its length, you are left without remembering the gold nuggets at the start of the record. It's a shame.
She’s talented, and the music is unique. Orchestral hip-hop is a fun combination. I’m just not sure it was executed with much more than 1 or 2 songs coming away with a compete sound. The rest is kind of boring and tame considering the grand ambition of the mash-up.
I don't know what to make of this album. I was not familiar with it or the artist. It is a little long at almost 70 minutes. It is not bad and I did not skip any songs. I liked orchestrated parts as it the album a much older feel to it. The lyrics were alright but unremarkable. I am not sure I would totally revisit the album though. I will round up.
It was crazy
yeah this was pretty cool I suppose. its broken into two definite parts and the second one is definitively better than the first.
A couple songs I really liked, a couple I didn’t. Really interesting sound that was a cool a blend of soul, jumpy pop with r&b
I enjoyed it
U know i enjoyed this! Some really nice funk progressions and she's a talented vocalist. Nice songwriting. The collabs and being a double album didnt seem to really add much though. I do have a soft spot for jazz progressions without solos. I will say i prefer my suites a little more deliberate but i have the utmost respect for hitting lots of ideas without committing fully to any of them when a good 50% of the explorations are meaningful.
Lots of modern pop here, with plenty of funk, soul and hip-hop sprinkled in. Some of the tracks I like, but mostly the tracks have too little substance and there is nothing really standing out. 2.5/5
i wasn’t expecting much because of the title but this was a lot better than i expected
Not my music
I love Janelle Monae and I don't care who knows it. This album hits me very much like Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. I didn't listen to everything on it, but several times the sound of it pulled me in. What a weird mix of stuff. I'll have to give it a closer listen.
First time listener, long time caller. There’s enough here that’s interesting and enjoyable for me to give a solid three stars. Really liked “Locked Inside.” It’s funny to me how weird modern pop music gets at times. Like, could you imagine Whitney Houston ever putting out an android themed album? Not a chance. Times have changed. Pop singers today embrace the weird and it’s better (probably) than the alternative. Biggest complaints? Too long. Obviously. And, while I haven’t listened to a ton of Beyoncé… a lot of this sounds to me like Beyoncé.
I know it's become cliche by this point, but I actually enjoyed this album more than I expected to. In a way, it feels kind of out of its time, like an album I'd put on if I were looking for a more pleasant Jazz album with good vocals. Janelle Monae is a name I've heard a lot, but couldn't pick out of a lineup, so it's good to finally have this context. Solid album, if not a bit long. Standouts: Locked Inside, Cold War, Neon Valley Street, Say You'll Go
Glass Onion has joined the chat. So has Moonlight. Two great movies with great performances by one Janelle Monaé. We could be looking at a modern day Streisand here. The album is ambitious in the same way that Kiss' Music From The Elder was ambitious, in that it's biting off more than it could possibly chew. That's not too disparage the album (Monaé is clearly more talented than any member of Kiss, and I'll take this album over The Elder any day). It's just an overreach in terms of creating something epic, which is quite bold for one's first complete album. But take the sci-fi shit away and this is sprinkled with bangers.
interesting. I was surprised by the many changes of genre. seemed like a real mixed bag, but in a good way.
Not my sort of thing, but it wasn't too unpleasant.
enjoyed it. It's not her best album, in my opinion, but I understand that it was her debut. I would give it 3.5 stars, maybe pushing 4, but I don't see that this needs to be on the 1001 list, so I'm going to round down. (Part of the issue may be that 1001 is too big of a number to use for an "essentials" list.)
There’s a lot happening on ‘The ArchAndroid’. It’s sprawling, ambitious and brimming with ideas, but not of all of them stick. That’s not to say there aren’t flashes of brilliance, or great songs, but because Monáe is trying to cram so much and so many styles in, the records impact ultimately feels diluted. Some editing really would’ve made a difference here. Special shout out to ‘Mushrooms And Roses’, the best track on the album.
She has a beautiful voice and the production is amazingly polished and clean. The music is smooth, soulful and easy to listen to. Though i could appreciate certain aspects, i didn't engage too much with it.
Great vocals and production but a tad pretentious
Alert! Prög! Handclaps please me. Disco pleases me. Afrofuturism can be ace.Janelle Monãe can turn an enunciation on a dime - she’s sharp. But a few tracks in I was wondering if this was all nice concept, clever production, no tunes. The prog curse: pulsing cerebellum, tin ears. However, “Cold War” did the trick for me. “Tightrope” also has a decent hook, and speeds us up, and throws in the cockiest use of brass I’ve heard in a while. It’s a fun record. Not much lingers on first listen, but it’s never less than diverting.
Some hits and some misses for me. Just slightly too wacky
First time listening to Janelle Monáe, and I must say this is a great introduction. Now I don't know what an archandroid is, seeing as the only thing I know about androids come from movies like I, Robot, Blade Runner and Ex Machina, but if the real thing is anything like the album I hope the androids take over the world. From the funky beats to the soulful vocals, Janelle has got me dancing and singing along like a fool. And let's talk about those lyrics for a sec. I mean, "Tightrope" has got me feeling like I could walk a tightrope over Niagara Falls and not even break a sweat. And "Cold War"? I didn't know it was possible to feel both empowered and vulnerable at the same time, but Janelle somehow manages to pull it off. Overall, if you're looking for an album that will make you feel like a powerful, futuristic cyborg, look no further than The ArchAndroid. It's like listening to the soundtrack of a sci-fi movie, but with better dance moves. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a robot fist bump!
Heb ik net Glass Onion afgekraakt, krijg ik prompt dit album met dezelfde hoofdpersoon. Het algoritme loopt met me te sarren, dat kan niet anders. Maar dan gaan we ook de complete Janelle Monae ervaring omarmen en zet ik vanavond nog een film met haar op. Metropolis had misschien ook gekund, vanwege de invloeden daarvan op dit album(hoes), maar die klassieker heb ik al gezien. Qua muziek zal dit denk ik niet zo snel een klassieker worden. Al zit er wel van alles in, het is in ieder geval buitengewoon interessant om te luisteren. Het gaat van funky wereldmuziek naar zuurstokpop, er zit Prince in en Beyonce of Taylor Swift, maar vervolgens ook Santana en James Brown, Daft Punk, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young. En het mixt op een of andere manier al die verschillende stijlen en weet het ook nog redelijk met elkaar te laten samensmelten. Al klinkt het soms ook wat te druk en te aanstellerig. Het is een kakofonie aan stijlen, waarbij ik de indruk krijg dat deze getalenteerde jongedame een enorme drang heeft om te laten zien wat ze wel niet allemaal in haar mars heeft. Wat dat betreft mist er focus.
Sacrilege I’m sure but I feel this album is a little overrated. Undoubtedly talented and yet the influences of Prince, Parliament/Funkadelic, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder weigh heavy like an overcoat, never quite breaking free to feel fresh. And if I was in the mood for that groove there’s no way I’d choose Monae ahead of these. And whilst Monae doesn’t have to be in the same league as these artists, she does have to distinguish the music far enough away from them not to be constantly thinking of them whilst listening to this album. Nevertheless, an artist who will surely make an even greater impact to come.
An expansive and eclectic achievement, from an undeniable talent, that’s not quite for me.
Lite hc men semi chillll
Very "all-around" album. Monae shows she knows the music from jazz through classical music to hip-hop.
This is a strange album for me. It's kinda likeable and listenable, but there is this "look how hard I'm trying" and "look how creative I am" piece that I find distracting...
I actually enjoyed most of this. Other parts I didn’t care for at all.
I’ll be honest only listened to the first 3 songs. Not bad actually. Fun fact she went to school in my district in KCK. Anyway 3 stars because I didn’t finish.
Album had great energy in the first 4-5 tracks where the songs were transitioning into one another. Liked the Afrobeat/world music theme throughout, but the album lost momentum on some of the more digital/techno songs where her voice was distorted. The high points were the songs where her incredible vocal talent was uninhibited, I liked Locked Inside, Cold War, Oh, Maker, and Say You’ll Go the best.
Overall: 3/5. This was a very Interesting and fun listen but mostly not up my personal alley. She has Undeniable talent, and I don't regret listening to it at all.
Buena producción, excelente sonido pero no es de mi gusto.
Nice cross over between old cinema type of music and the funk. So better than average Prince album. Still not in my street.
2.9
I wanted to like this more because I like her & she's great live...maybe I just wasn't in the mood. I'll try again another time.
I've heard this album before. This go around, I recognize some sampled parts. Greendown was sampled by Mndsgn somewhere and Cold War was sampled by Clams Casino. This album gets a lot of praise and has influence on some of my fave producers and should be something that's right up my alley but for some reason it's not - just something about it that feels a bit empty. Can't explain it. Overall it's a good listen though - not something that I'd keep listening to.
More traditional instrumentals, futuristic lyrics and vocals. Interesting.
Quite a statement. It’s a bit too much for me, but I am impressed by the musical and conceptual range here.
Ok album
Loved the upbeat tracks at the start and the theatrical ending, but it lost me at some filler in between
Opens up very funky but it kinda dips later on. Overal a decent album but won't listen to it as a whole again.
I had only heard a few of these songs before, so I appreciate the impetus to give it a full go. In terms of influence, this to me sounds like a natural extension of what André 3000 was doing with The Love Below mixed with Prince at his most futuristic. Not surprisingly, it shares the strengths and weakness common to both, which means when it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s brilliant and when it’s not, it’s a bit of a mess. It also goes on way too long and while individual tracks are still good at the end, I was fatigued by the end even with breaking up the listens. A hard album to assess to be honest as it probably rewards repeat listens, but that’s not going to happen today.
Unfamiliar with this album. Stream of thoughts: Dance or Die is a jam. Singing on Faster is a little timid. More passion on Cold War, she lets go. I can see why Tightrope has the most listens. Great beat and breakdown with the horns. I dig the intro on Oh, Maker. Retro folky-soul. Would love to hear a full stripped down version of it. Oh, Maker --> Come Alive --> Mushrooms & Roses is a very impressive run of songs showcasing different styles. Don't like Make the Bus Gets a little same-y at the end. Overall enjoyed it. 3/5
If her album dirty computer is also on this list, I will probably give that a 4, but this one is a 3 for me.
A really interesting listen. Monae is super talented, and a couple of her songs are on high rotation in our house. But I've not listened to any of her albums. This one was pretty epic in scope, lots of enjoyable-enough songs, but not one that I'd be likely to come back to. Keen to listen to her later work though (including whichever album has my favourite song of hers, "Make Me Feel" - possibly THE best pop song of the last decade, IMO).
This is a massive survey of Janelle Monae and her (many, many) ideas and (plethora of) influences. It's like every idea she ever had, all highly polished in their baroque finery and glossy perfection. There are some cracking tunes on here (Cold War and Tightrope in particular), but I found the overwhelming quantity of stuff in this feast too rich for my blood. And it is all so much! Overtures! Psychedelic interstitials! Cabaret! Madrigals! Jazz! String quartets! Choirs! Orchestras! Pyrotechnic rock guitar solos! Some is good, but more is better! I love her voice; and when the songs are a little more stripped back (eg Say You'll Go), you can really hear the quality of it. I wish she would just simplify a bit. Less high concept, fewer embellishments in the arrangements, just a bit more straightforward. A little bit more... human. I guess that runs against the 'artistic vision'... Instead of being a jewel box, it is a massive treasure chest. Trying to consume this whole album is like eating a 5kg box of chocolates in a single sitting. I needed to consume this is small portions.
She’s in a film I saw recently so that’s cool Cold War bad song
It was good but not really my style.
Interesting at times, but too long. 3/5
Nostalgia job straight back to 2010. This was in my phase where I thought I was pure cool listening to different music. Decent album though.
I quite enjoyed this, it's eclectic, and all over the place, but there is a charm to it. Not every song is a winner, but enough are, and even those I didn't enjoy are still good.
Very 2000’s R&B. Talented
Sounds like someone trying REALLY HARD to make a CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED album length artwork. Good attempt but doesn't quite hit the mark.
A very elaborate at tines over wrought, album with a few gems on it and a unified, interesting, yet not wholly engaging sonic landscape. 3/5, I'd score it a bit higher if a few more tracks landed better with my mood/energy levels.
Very strange. Idk. Some great bits but I just dont feel the cohesion somehow, lite galet.
something good
3.75
Not my jam but I can respect it
This was a new artist for me. The album sounded pretty good, with lots of variation and influences, but with many of the songs I felt I heard something like this before. A bit like a tribute band, but paying tribute to many different artists. A respectable effort, but just short of 4 stars for me.
So inconsistent and lacking flow that one could easily oversee some good songs. I found them mainly in the second part: e.g., come alive, neon valley street, and 57821.
Call me surprised. I enjoyed a lot of this album. Faster was particularly engaging.
Admittedly most of exposure to Janelle Monae is through films and seeing her on SNL ... and this is her debut album you say? Impressive. I liked Tightrope, although it reaaaaaly is bugging me as it sounds like a revamped Pharrell "Happy" track. "Faster" and "Cold War" are also pretty good. Overall, trois stars!
Good album overall with some good songs that really turned my vibe on, some unexpected things but it was a bit all over the place.... I would still recommand it... But also it was really long and hard to go through 3.5/5
This was a pretty interesting listen. The first track set some good vibes going in. Cold war was a damn good song. Tightrope and mushrooms & roses were also very good. I don't think the last two songs were very good and they were wayyy too long. Interesting but not great. 5/10
Some songs I really liked on here but there were some weird ones + too long
this album is a sex bob-omb. this is what i want from high concept orchestral scifi rigamaroll. wow. give me more of this modern fusion of all the cool old styles. this album is r n b’d out, jazzed up, jammed down, movie scoreesque shit. dayum. where we at toto? listen… but, wait, whats this incredibly unnecessary and bloated ending i hear? horns and farewells for nearly a quarter of an album, you say? nay, no more, go back to where ye came from foul funkless blend of boredom. goodnight. 3/5 ooohhh, some fuck funk to boot! bounce that bass on this boys dad yooooo.
Is it RNB? Am I on a spacecraft? Is this an opera or is the orchestra tuning up their instruments? Somewhere in between?? Although I really dislike RNB, I found myself somehow entranced by this album which passes somewhere from this halls into another intergalactic dimension and it held my interest. I feel like I could give this one a few more listens as it was pretty fascinating.
This album is quite the accomplishment. The alien, Android theme is interesting and shines through. If I were a critic, this would be a 5 no doubt. The variety of musical styles is impressive and engaging. However, I’m not a critic. I’m just me, being critical, and there’s something missing in this album for me. A lost connection. Maybe the theme is too high falootin for me. I don’t really know what it is. I recognize the feat, but it’s for others.
3.5/5. Fluid and groovy, the first 4 songs combined and flowed seamlessly. Into it.
Better than I expected
First half incredible, second half drags
I kinda dismissed this after the first couple of track but then kinda got drawn to its esoteric batshit nature. Her voice is great but her vision is pretty astonishing for a debut. Funk/soul is not really my genre but I have to admire.
Pop eletronic, algumas boas e muitas ruins
Ok
Playlist "This is Janella Monae" had way more hits
3/5 Pretty good, i enjoyed listening to it and the nice mix of hip-hop, soul and funk.
This album is all over the place; a hover car run through districts in some Bladerunner-inspired future. The rush, flashes of so many different styles, bumpy jerks of the turns, and the crashes into carts as you drive wildly down a market street are all here. It’s almost too much but a thrill.
Idk. This one didn't do too much for me. It's in that category where I recognize it's a good album but there were very few standout tracks for me. Enjoyed the experience but wouldn't listen again aside from 1-2 tracks. Fave track: Tightrope. It will always be Tightrope.
I'm still not sure what to think of this.
Perhaps ambitious is the word? Some great ideas but I feel that this would be bettter cut down to half the length.
DNF
Come alive is good
Not my thing, on to the next one
Beautiful voice and creative music, but it suffers from the same problem all concept albums have. You have to buy into the concept in order to reconcile the sometimes wild shifts in style and feel. I had to take a couple points off for that
Wow. Never heard of her before, but this was amazing. What a journey! Can't wait to get to know this one better. 3.5/5 (For now).
It's an interesting record. Very pop, but with a ton of styles crammed into it. This is not one I would've ever listened to before, and one I can't see putting on again, but I didn't dislike it while it was on, either.
This is the first time I’ve heard janelle monae outside of features and movie soundtracks and it was solid. Very different from what I’ve heard before but also good in its own right. Definitely can tell it’s inspired by metropolis
3/5 nice but not enough
the diversity in the music is amazing and her voice is so good. some of the music didn’t appeal to me but overall i think it was good.
odd, but had some songs I really liked, Cold war especially jumped out
I remember this more fondly than I felt visiting it again. First third of the album is as good as any, it is bolstered by the two singles of the release and is genuinely fun. The last 2/3 is riddled with some baffling production and style choices that seemed to have little to no direction in terms of making this a sonically cohesive album. After Neon Gumbo the producers chose to go into business for themselves because the composition legitimately distracts or does not accentuate Monae's wonderful vocal abilities.
This is a massive survey of Janelle Monae and her (man) ideas and (plethora of) influences. It's like every idea she ever had, all polished int their baroque finery. There are some cracking tunes on here (Cold War and Tightrope in particular), but I found the overwhelming quantity of stuff in this massive treasure chest too rich for my blood. And it is all so much! Instead of being a jewel box, it is a massive treasure chest. Trying to consume this whole album is like eating a 5kg box of chocolates in a single sitting. I needed to consume this is small portions.
Very cool. Wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. Different in a good way.
This was a neat discovery.
Experimentellt, ganska spretigt
Cool, has good moments.
This brand of progressive soul / alt R&B isn't my cuppa but when this album was released back in 2010 I remember that my socks were blown off when I first listened to it. I was really impressed by her ambitious audacity and her creativity. To base a series of albums on the 1927 Fritz Lang film Metropolis featuring a messianic android sent to free the citizens of Metropolis is pretty damned ambitious. The production of this album, the music videos, costumes and orchestration are also top shelf. I wonder who was bankrolling this debut album?
Not quite what I expected from her. Had an almost old-timey feel to it?
The ArchAndroid a pretty strong groove to it tbf, a little overproduced here and there but it has a strong sound, some late 90s inspiration but modernised. Tightrope is great. 3/5, it just goes on far far far too long.
This is cool, did enjoy this a lot as a whole. Not that many tracks that really stood out individually, but it comes together really well. Locked Inside, Cold War, and Come Alive probably my highlights. Couple of bits of odd sounding filler in there which cut the rating down a bit (and it's over an hour which also doesn't help), but a comfortable 3/5, getting close to a 4 but not there. She has an absolutely wonderful voice which I think she doesn't quite make the most of on this album? There are some moments, but could push it a little further I think?
A fairly solid album. Very modern and interesting. Bit long, however...
Started off interestingly but I got bored before I was halfway through. Good if you're a fan, I guess.
Remember getting this the day it came out. So many good songs but still drags a little bit. Hadn't listened to it in quite a while though. 3 stars based on how much I used to like it.
Not really my genre of music, but it has an infectious energy that keeps it interesting. There's some good songs on here and is worth exploring more.
Janelle Monae is one of those artists that sounds so good in writing but when I actually listen to her music, it doesn't end up doing a whole lot for me. My expectations play a big part in how I respond to it of course. My main issue is that I want/expect her to be more experimental, closer to the way she seems to be described in the rave reviews. But when I listen to the music, it comes across way too poppy/pretty/polished for my taste. It sounds like this could be a Broadway musical actually. Maybe someday it will be? The Sci Fi concept album is right up my alley but it doesn't sound particularly Sci Fi to my ear with all the pianos and strings and such. I mean it's pretty and everything but it's not out of this world.
I definitely respect what she's going for here, but as an album it feels like it's wanting to be 2 or 3 different things. There's the symphonic songs, the more straight-forward hip-hop (Cold War, Tightrope), and then the rest are much more experimental pieces. I had only heard the radio hits that were Cold War, Tightrope so that's what I assumed the whole album would be, so I was a bit surprised. If the album contained all of one style, I feel like it would be a 4 for me, but since it's so disjointed as an album it's only a 3. Individual tracks rate much higher.
pretty good pop r&b to start last 1/3 sucks
All over the place album that I wanted to like more than I actually did. 'Tightrope' is a fantastic song and 'Neon Valley Street' is great, but some of this seems to devolve into show tunes. The concept didn't really win me over and there are absolutely horrible guitar solos throughout.
This album is all over the place. It's not sloppy but it has a lot of different sounds and styles. There's a couple really good tracks here (Oh, Maker and BabopbyeYa) and some that are performed well but didn't really stand out, and honestly a few less than interesting ones. Make The Bus is the only one I outright did not like. For now I've got to give this a 3, bordering on 4. I think I will be looking into more of her work and giving this one more listens down the road.
I love JMonae, but I prefer "Dirty Computer" over "The ArchAndroid"
Klasse retrofuturistisches Werk, rasant im Vortrag, versiert im zitieren von Musik Geschichte. Manche Songs fillen dann doch zu sehr zu Lasten der Gesamtwertung. 3.4
Pretty fun, dont really need the whole album but i dug it
Interesting, would like to reallly dedicate the time to take a deeper dive on this one and the others in the series.
Pre-tay good.
Funky. Tightrope is a good song helped a lot by the Outkast love. A bonus star for the crazy range of music on display.
6/10
2021.11.29 come alive say you’ll go
Interesting. Some decent tracks - she has a great voice.
a weird one to review this. First half quite generic and shite. 2nd half really good. 3 overall i guess.
First Listen. Very interesting album. Some very good songs. Standouts: Locked Inside, Sir Greendown. 3/5
Hmmm interesting listen. This is another one that I didn't "get" or like as much as I feel like I should appreciate it for the quality. The first five or so songs seemed like the same long song and then it was just all over the place. A lot of it didn't resonate with me but a few songs stood out - Tightrope, Come Alive, and Neon Valley Street specifically. Her voice is beautiful though, and I enjoyed it more as the album went on. But I can't say that I would sit through the album as a whole again.
Full to the brim with afrofuturistic big bops, massive ideas and winning collaborations. Some brilliant pop songs and lovely melodies. Not really my scene, but I love the audacity of it and so appreciate the talent.