The ArchAndroid

Love Janelle Monae, love these songs (especially the Big Boi and Saul tracks.) It does run a bit long, but it's still great.

Afrofuturism is fun, and this is as afrofuturism as you can get! Genrewise, it is eclectic as all hell. The production, writing and performances are all brilliant. The album felt a bit long towards the end, but a solid record that I'll be revisiting. (Who would have thought 2010s would be my best decade in here)

Interessant

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.

I like the variety in sounds. There were a few shrilly parts that were unpleasant that drove my dogs nuts

Wow, I cannot articulate enough how much this album isn't for me. The "poppy" songs feel like they are for a Target checkout line. The "artistic" songs are just ... not a concept song I ever want to hear again

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

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.

Toll: Kannte ich bisher nicht. Abwechslungs- und Ideenreich. Zwar im Grund nicht meine Musik aber trotzdem irgendwie gut.

Really enjoyed the album. Cold War is a great single and the Overture tracks were unexpected surprises.

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

Seems like I’m continuing to venture into the 2010’s. And this album in particular is one I have been waiting to get. I’ve heard such good things about it. And traditionally I try not to set expectations for myself with these records. But I couldn’t stop myself from expecting great things. It could have turned out horribly if I didn’t like this. But great things I did get. Truthfully I don’t remember the last time I listened to an album that left genuinely blown away in some places. This should be used permanently as a case study on how to properly blend genres together seamlessly. I find the sheer scope of this record hard to grasp sometimes. It’s so gloriously ambitious, covers so many different genres, and flawlessly brings them all together. I wouldn’t blame someone for thinking some of these tracks were done by completely different artists. The only thing connecting them is Janelle singing. Plus this a concept album, that is also apart of a series that has a story? I can’t even imagine the work that went into this, and I’m sure the story is great, but the music itself is so massive that I can’t focus on anything else. Records like this, Blonde, and The Ghost~Pop Tape that push R&B music to new heights are some of the most inspiring and creative pieces of music I’ve ever heard. This leaves no stone unturned, and is constantly doing something interesting. I mentioned yesterday that I love albums that fill my head. This is one of those. There is no negative space. It’s all taken up by something cool. I just love the vision of this. To conceptualize something like this, and actually put it out there as a complete work, and have it sound as good as this does is a miracle. Rating: 8/10

Wasn't really my thing

Surprised how much I enjoyed this album! It's very clean and polish, none of the songs are misses! High recommend!

Don’t like it I couldn’t even finish it. No songs made me feel satisfied about listening to them

Psychedelic 2010s pop with a hint of funk and jazz and hip hop and r&b and it’s just surprisingly great. This album is a true display of talent.

Not my favorite music I found it dull. Afro impersonal

Incredible production and dynamic arrangements, to say nothing of Janelle Monáe's wild vocal performances.

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

One of the most versatile artists I've encountered so far. Felt like I heard 5 different genres and she did damn good in all of them.

Seen her around but never really checked out her music. Pretty good! Impressive for a debut. It’s a little long but still good and a lot of variety. Probably a 3.5 - 4 for me.

Monáe #3, after Dirty Computer & The Age of Pleasure BUT- I’m going to make it #4, by listening to the Metropolis EP beforehand :) Apparently that’s the first chapter of this project, and the Arch-Android is the next 2 parts. While the EP was a nice listen, AA is a brave step forward, and takes its sounds, themes & bombast to new heights. To be honest, "Suite 2" felt like the real album and "Suite 3" a victory lap. While it's certainly indulgent to a degree, it's also a joyous listen & celebration of Monae's influences. I love the unhinged theatre kid energy on display in this album. The worst thing about this album is that it took me 14 years to get around to hearing it HL: "Dance or Die", “Locked Inside”, "Sir Greendown", “Cold War”, "Tightrope", “Come Alive”, “57821” February 19, 2024

First new album I've heard that left me genuinely excited to hear more from the artist. Janelle Monae is a huge artist that I never bothered trying, and I'm kicking myself now because this was excellent. I'll absolutely be returning, and I hope the rest of her work is as good.

Going into this album, I was expecting a great vocal performance from Monae and I absolutely got one. This album sounds so diverse throughout and it didn’t become dull at all despite the hour run time. I didn’t love the vocal effect on Mushrooms and Roses, but the song itself was good and I appreciate the experimentation. There were no other issues I had with this album. I am amazed.

This girl is talented. No two songs sound alike. Touches every genre and absolutely crushes it every time. Monáe and her team put in the work and it shows.

No sabía que Janelle era lesbiana!!!

Gran debut a pesar de q no me gustan tanto los concept albums

There was a lot to this album. A lot of songs were in a different genre. I did enjoy some of them, especially the first song which was very orchestral. There is not doubt to how good the singer is. However overall it wasn't really my thing,may need to listen again.

Awesome , will come back to

Not my cup of tea or crazy hat.

This album slaps

I generally don’t go for music of this era. But this is sufficiently creative to make me interested in Janelle’s other (more recent) work. I dig the reference to “Crimson and Clover” in “Mushrooms & Roses” (that song is really great). But overall, the songs aren’t 100% to my style.

A revelation. I hadn’t known much about Janelle Monae beyond her pop hits (mainly features) and her (middling, to be honest) acting. This is surreal and operatic, science fiction and pop and everything. Immediately one of my favorite concept albums ever. Excellent production, amazing vocals and lyrics, and the writing is just great. I want to see the film of this album, which is the highest praise I think I can give. The only sad part is that this is a weekend album so I have to wait until Monday to actually send this review.

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.

absolutely incredible visionary album

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

Great!

Loved this album. Very cohesive while keeping it interesting. Loved the transition from faster paced numbers in the first half to some slow jams. Shout out to Cold War

Never listened to this albus previously, but that's really good

Janelle has a beautiful voice but her early albums are all disappointing. I hope the next iteration of this list drops this album and replaces it with the Age of Pleasure. THAT is an amazing album that you should listen to instead.

Pretty good actually.

This was a nice surprise, I like her later work but hadn't heard this one.

This blew my mind. This album has a ridiculous concept that was somehow executed. I think this album will age well. Don’t listen to any individual songs, but when you have the time to binge this album, it’s like watching the strangest show you’ve ever not seen. This was an absurd idea for an album that turned out as well as it could have. This is one that I still think about when I ask myself which albums changed how I see music. This is music you can see. It’s not perfect, but that’s kind of why I like it too

- Seems more storytelling, but so many different genres - First 4-6 songs sound the same IMO - Not the kind of album I would be into, but the concept and experiments work well - Does a good job of merging different genres but it all sounds too similar to me Current Rating: 6.4 = 3.2

Musical-like World music

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 automatically gets a five as the blueprint for my college aesthetic and early gender fuckery murmurings.

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.

2/12/24. Wow, I’ve slept on Janelle’s work for way too long. This album blew me away and loved every second! I can almost consider it a modern classic.

actually, not too bad.. I was a bit confused by the beginning of the album, as it started off with classical-ish music and then there were a few songs that sounded as if the instrumental was good enough but there was also this person singing over it, but then things got a bit better, so not a bad album

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

It was a good album.

Allright, but too much all over the place for my taste

It wasn’t very good

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!

"shaking like a schizo" 'like a schizo running wild' - geeze, get some better lyrics Janelle. I thought I might get into this album after the first track, but it went downhill from there. Over produced, muddled and didn't fit with the ideas of the concept over the full album. It just felt like musicians who wanted to show off their range, but as a listener there's nothing really to pull you in and keep you there. I can't even say it's just that its not my kind of music, because there were so many genres I had musical whiplash! Clearly talented musicians who maybe just need a better producer and it's not that it is awful, its just really lame.

Wow. How have I never heard this. Its a flowing masterpiece taking you on a musical journey through whatever style of sound and music she felt like carving out in each piece. So friggin awesome.

I think I enjoyed it

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one and was pleasantly surprised.

Molto interessante

fave track: wondaland final thoughts: some very cool stuff but it's def not my fave of janelle's albums

this was so theatrical and fun to listen to! i definitely enjoyed the pop r&b vibe of the first half, i definitely felt some outkast influence on here. the second half was very experimental and in a good way! i don’t agree with all the production choices but i can’t ignore the creativity on here. it sounds very ahead for it’s time

Too long! If you're going to give me more than an hour of music there better be multiple bangers in there. Nothing really stood out or was particularly enjoyable. Not my thing.

There’s no denying how fun this album is, however I can’t help but feel that it suffers from a lack of direction and focus. Each track is enjoyable on its own, but altogether, sounds a tad messy. Still, there’s no arguing the production, writing, lyrics, and vocals on this project. Janelle is always a good listen. 4/5

Wow. This is what I'm here for. I've heard of Janelle Monae but just assumed her music was outside my genre interests. This album is fantastic. Will be checking out more of her work for sure.

I get it, you can sing girl. Great instrumentals and vocals tho, issa vibe COMO PONGO UN 3.5

Vocals are simply amazing and the level doesn't drop from up there. The main theme of most songs work great for the proyect. Menos guerra y más paz hptas. Very creative atmosphere and very good features. its an 8.5/10. Loved it.

Beautiful and creative artist

Not my thing

Hmmm feel like this is a 3.5!! Had never heard any of these but generally liked it.

Quite enjoyed it

Nice to re-listen. Roses and Mushrooms stood out, and it starts sooo strong.

Interesting concept, but not for me. Slightly too long.

This album is as interesting as it is impressive. So many songs jump across genres and have such a feel-good energy. Ranging from something fit as a James Bond movie or a shonen anime intro, then off to a classical piece or some silly quirky fairy-like song...all while having an almost seamless transition between it all. I don't know what you call all of that, but I like it. I will admit when it showed up with 18 tracks and I knew nothing I took a big sigh, but now I've listened to it twice so far. Favorite track: "Come Alive (War of the Roses)" the first time, "Cold War" the second time through. 5/5

Not really my thing, but I always appreciate when an artist commits to the bit

BEST FRUIT FUSION ALBUM CRYSTAL AHH TORNADO AHH ALBUM I LOVE IGNSK MUCH

Different

Show me the Monáe!

if there’s one thing about me, it’s that i LOVE a concept album. this one was so rich with storytelling, i couldn’t stop listening. i will be coming back to this.

Beautiful, clicks all the ticks and her voice is beautiful

Okay, I can't listen to this. I'm not saying that talent wasn't involved in the creation of this, but it just feels and sounds shallow, bordering on pretentious... Ooh, let's make a concept album! Nah, doesn't fly for me.

Weird album in a really fun way. There are some excellent songs in this album, like Come Alive, Dance or Die, and the the Gnarls Barkley-esque Tightrope. I didn’t love some of the slower, throwback songs like Sir Greendown, but I could see the sound and feel she was going for. Overall, an album I would highly recommend. 3.75 stars.

Ambitious and I enjoyed it but it didn't really grab my attention. Don't think I will be listening regularly.

What a wild album. I love how hard to define it is - elements of pop, R&B, electronic music, and rock all blurred together. Somehow it all works though and blends into a really phenomenal album.

Definitely not my cup of tea, and really thought this was going to be really "poppish", but it was better than I expected... Janelle can really sing (i.e. I think of her as the actress in "Hidden Figures"...). I appreciated the diversity of the songs, including pace, tempo, and instrumentation - as at times this felt more like the soundtrack to a Broadway musical... Best songs in my opinion were "Cold War", "Come Alive", & "Mushrooms & Roses"...

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.

Has a classic funk sound married to a very unique and inventive style. Love the themes the how beautiful and fun this was. Very enjoyable listen and will be returning.

Her newer stuff is better. This was weird and very inside. Not memorable.

Kinda enjoyable

First time listening to Janelle Monáe. I found it a fun upbeat jazzy/neo soul record I could definitely see myself listening to again.

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.

Omg Janelle Monaeeeee

Sorprendente. Fácil de escuchar y entretenida. Mucho ritmo. Me ha gustado.

Nice vocals but a little to “artsy” for my taste. Seemed disjointed. No flow to album

Great find.

Lots of effort but not my cup of tea, or whisky.

Definitely not my type!

3.6/5 Best Track: Faster

What a musical journey. I heard 1 song from this album before, and missed out on so much until now!!

I couldn’t even finish it. I did not enjoy it at all.

Weird pop, r&b, but very enjoyable

* faster * Locked inside * Oh, Maker * Actually, all of it!

incredibly wide breadth of influences and styles... I probably won't listen to most of it again, but the talent to put all of that together is amazing

........ no. Look, it's not about genres, it's about creativity. The most creative thing that happens on this record, that was completely unexpected, was the thieving of "I am a Tangerine" by the Shondells. That and the song by Of Montreal that was basically an Of Montreal song ...... so, points for that. It's not a record that I would say anyone "needs" to hear .... unless you want an example of what a lack of creative vision sounds like.

Not my usual listening but very enjoyable. An eclectic mix of styles and beats.

This was dope. Super cool beat and mix of vibes

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.

It's refreshing and interesting. Songs are well composed, with mostly soft sound images but still carry decent low ranges. It's worth a listen.

locked inside. Solid 🤘🏽

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.

Very eclectic with some good songs. Something I may revisit in the future.

Feels like this set the blueprint for a lot of pop music or this generation. I was honestly very surprised with how much I enjoyed this album.

This is a cut above most of the albums on this list because of the subject matter, the concept, and the many styles used. Tentatively giving 3.5 stars until I have a chance to listen to it more.

Like her style

Nope. Nada. Not happening to my ears.

Wasn't my jam

She does have a great voice, but the production was so cookie cutter boring. All I heard was the generic pop sound of 2010 that I learned to tune out, so the only things I really heard in this album were the interludes.

Erinnert anfangs an Alicia Keys, gefühlt schon tausend Mal gehört. Zwischendurch kurz interessant, meistens aber doch mainstream. Der Stil ändert sich ständig, was nach einer Weile super anstrengend war. Mir fehlt ein durchgängiges Albumkonzept, das sind random zusammengeschmissene Songs.

Nije moja šalica čaja

I wasn’t familiar with Janelle until Make Me Feel, which I love. This was very enjoyable too. I adore her voice! Especially love Come Alive.

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.

Very nice! Really liked how it was so different. Didn´t expect it from Janelle Monáe. Saved about 5 songs.

(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.

Wasn’t for me. Good voice, not good enough music.

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.

The bass hits nicely, but that's all I have to say about that! TRASH

Not the best, target shopping soundtrack

Janelle Monae certainly has a lot of variety to her music. She has an amazing voice. Most of her music is not to my taste however.

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

Nice voice - I don’t particularly enjoy the musical style of most tracks 57821 is pretty

I'm not into R&B apparently. I swear to God I almost fell asleep listening to this. Ok but Come Alive is pretty cool. Not great, but just cool. Yep, I'm definitely not a fan of R&B

A very ethereal and atmospheric album. Displays a wide range of skills styles and bending of sounds. A good album to sit back on a rainy day and read a book to.

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

ehh... 1 or 2 good songs but mostly just not my vibe. lots of weird ballady experimental things that just weren't good listening.

Album is all over the place, some are decent but overall a bit much. Gets weird again at the end, a couple of the middle songs are the only ones I'd want to hear again lol

Great vibes

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.

Soul que regala los oídos. Escucharlo seguido es un lujo para los oídos

fun and brand new for me! looking forward to listening to more of her stuff.

ok but a bit boring to me

Vild hiphop, rnb, funk, soul hybrid! Eksperimenterende og smooth på samme tid

This was such a pleasant surprise. I did not think I knew any of Janelle Monae's music, but realised I had heard Tightrope covered on Glee. There were so many parts to this album that made me lean in and listen a little closer or simply smile. Loved the experimental nature of the album, it truly gives a reason to listen to this as an album complete, rather than simply picking songs. I do wish there had been one or two more songs that I would listen to in isolation, as the album experience is not something we have the time to listen to much, but this is definitely an album I would listen to again. There were moments where I could also picture Janelle Monae singing a James Bond intro song, and would love to hear that in the future.

Surprisingly enjoyable pop record. Rich mix of sounds including pop, funk, hiphop and electronic. For 2010 it sounds slightly ahead of its time. Great voice. 8/10

I had never seen this album art or heard of this artist. I listened to the album twice, I liked it so much. The momentum kept building throughout. This album just kept coming. The songs varied but weren’t too abstract for my liking.

Great first half, some of the tracks of the second drag for a little too long or just are not as strong. However, this album is immaculate and I cannot believe how long it has taken for me to listen to Janelle Monae. They are a genuine artist with so many strong suits, especially musically. This album is an 18-track space opera epic which delves into social commentary about revolutions, oppressive governments, and liberation. The songs have such a strong groove, and I found myself being completely stunned by how great these songs are.

seems like it's trying to sound like the future but doesn't have anything but cut ups of the past to fashion that together. sounds like a whole lifetime of secondhand experiences. makes me sad in a bad way. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Felt momentarily Cool when this one turned up. I thought “Hey, a new one that I know, and know I like!” then realized that 2010 was 14 years ago. Still like it nonetheless. A 3.5 rounded up because my kids have a Sesame Street DVD that features Monae, and her segment is maybe the only one on there that I don’t mind hearing repeatedly.

Mucha fusión, muy bien

This album kicked ass. Listen to the whole thing, not just songs.

Justo ok

This was new to me. I liked it. Very interesting musician ship and vocal talent.

Whatever.

Impressive. So eclectic! Not into the soul and R&B stuff, but other stuff is really cool.

Not my kind of music

Top ten favorite album of all time. What a delight to see it on this list.

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.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous album. Monae's passionate vocals, the soaring guitars, the swelling stings. All gorgeous. Love how the electronic elements blend with the soulful ones and add to the album's overall sci-fi concept. Back in 2018 I had heard Monae's, then new, Dirty Computer. I don't remember much about it, but if ArchAndroid is anything to go off of, it's due for a revisit.

Space orchestral with R&B; not my favorite artist but I appreciate the theme, the narrative of the love between the android and a human.

Before its time for 2010, very prototype for SZA. Interesting catchy beats.

ArchAndroid, Janelle Monáe (2010) Suite II Overture - fraught, ethereal Dance or Die -- a bit of Santana's beat, electric cool, dense rap lyric (need to read lyric) Faster - pop beat dance tune, nice lyric & melody Locked Inside - intro beat reminds me of Michael Jackson (Thriller album) Sir Greendown -- melody tempo like 60s teen lover songs, ~ dreamer Cold War - bold Ka-BOOM dense lyric ballad, This is a cold war Do you know what your're fighting for? (need to read lyric), fast tempo (disco) Thugga Massina -- blues-y male rap, down-beat tempo, electric synth melody -- didn't work for me Tightrope - pop rap upbeat tempo contrasts with lyric, dance tempo, brass! in interlude (horns -- sweet!) Neon Gumbo -- electric entro, lyric in tongues? perfect track title Oh, Maker -- (laugh) show tune intro, oom-pah-pah beat, musical Come Alive -- another show tune style (electric turbo Streisand, Stoney End) Mushrooms & Roses -- stoned effect (vocals thru special equip) slow elec amusing lyric, her name is ...uh... Suite III Overture -- Broadway expressive opening & chorus (like Moon River in full Wonderland livery -- Judy Garland, Rogers & Hammerstein Neon Valley Street -- sweet love song, slow dance rhythm, rap interlude Make the Bus -- neon sound & lyric, pop dance tune "won' t make the bus" -- bit of Queen (rhapsody) Wonderland -- another etherial track, amusing, reminds my of Knopfler's way of writing offbeat humor into serious criticism 57821 -- lovely, multi-voice (echo) lead, sweet & tough with great melody Say You'll Go -- soft melody & voice contrast with gritty lyric BaBopByeYa -- broadway show tune intro (with horns!) -- show tune style lyric -- orchestral, with a tenor clarinet, harp, great piano, violin -- and rap! Glad I did not die without hearing this album.

Fresh take of combined genres.

This is basically every genre of music in one. Enjoyable listen, great voice and vibes.

obnoxious elevator music

didn't appeal, really not my kinda thing.

AMAZING: this has been one of the greatest albums on this list I have ever listened to. Quite literally a modern classic. The amount of different, exciting an eye opening sounds included on this record were smth else. The creativity was unmatched, vocals were some of the best, she really put her whole pussy into this.

Janelle Monae's debut the ArchAndroid pays homage to the likes of Prince and Outkast. Its a complex blend of genres with the odd moment of brilliance. It's unique charms appeals to many, but personally it wasn't my cup of tea. Despite being too lengthy it remains an intriguing debut from a talented artist. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Tightrope

Major Janelle Monae fan, this concept album links into her other work thematically and I LOVE the genre hopping. Sir Greendown and Oh, Maker are my faves and this is audacious music. But the whole thing soars. Masterpiece

Album cover thought it was gonna be straight hip hop/R&B but they mash so many different styles from classical to punk and everything in between all mixed with random samples. It drove my buddy Cory crazy and he had to Chang it but I enjoyed it. Found myself rating songs 4-5⭐️s as I listened. Good album.

Not for me.

Loved it!!

"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 album was fantastic from start to finish. I knew nothing about the artist or the genres I was venturing into, but this album didn’t disappoint and kept me on my toes the entire time. -Klep

Not what I expected. It starts with an orchestral piece, moves into hip hop before doing a Britpop type song. And that's just the first three tracks! "Tightrope" is a great single! Lots of genres, all over the place. A little show tunes, a little folk, a little Danny Elfman. Uses "Like a schizo" a little much haha.

It is a brilliant album, and I can kick myself for waiting 14 years to listen to it.

such an amazing vocal performance, the concert was pretty interesting too

I make it short: the music sounds boring.

Never heard of this artist or album so went in blind. What a revelation it was. This is an excellent concept album and blows you away with how well it works

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.

Good chill out record, would say it’s just a touch too long.

Not bad, well made

This music does not set any particular accents. Some songs are at least danceable.

Nothing special to my ears, but not my cup of tea

Probably worth another listen

Another interesting and kinda weird one I was not expecting. Add to the listen again pile

This was another pleasant surprise. I was not super familiar with Janelle Monáe’s discography going into this album and was under the assumption that she just did hip hop. This album was all over the place stylistically but was also super cohesive. Despite all the different genre influences on this album the songs transitioned into each other pretty seamlessly- so much so that I didn’t always know when a new song had started. This album definitely explores a wide range of options and influences which is super cool and much appreciated.

fav song: dance or die, faster, cold war!, 57821 fantastisch album

good but too pop for me

This is just kinda there nothing to write home about.

She's a good singer, but the style is not one I cared for. At a few points, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get through the album. 2/5

Evolutionary Fugees. Good soul, probably good hip hop? Good sound, likely not for me. May revisit sometime.

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.

Day 1 Never really saught her music out but was glad to see this as my first album. A challenge. That said, I found her persona and more so her forced accent to be obnoxious. She has a lovely voice but doesn't really explore it (except when she does, like in the grating "Come Alive"). I appreciate that parts of the album just feels like a non-stop track—tiring at times and I'm sure it makes repeat listens a task, but I think it's an admirable concept, and she sticks to it. Overall, I suspect this album hasn't aged well. Don't own: Streamed 2/5 (initial 2.5), sorry, just didn't care for it

Incredible mix of genres.... Loads of fun, lots of surprises... A great find.

Funky, soulful, and highly imaginative. Strong influence from Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Lauryn Hill. Comes out with a ton of energy from the start and blazes through to the two singles. Tightrope is such a jam. After that it trails off with some weaker and slower songs, especially that of Montreal feature. But ultimately this is a fantastic, compelling debut and one that I’m sure will garner more acclaim as time goes on.

My first introduction to Monae, this album was quite the start. I loved the grand theatricality of the record and the orchestral inclusions. She also showed a pretty stunning vocal range. That said, this album deserves further attention for it's story (as well as the story starting on the EP), and there were a handful of tracks that didn't click with me whatsoever. Fav Tracks: Suite II Overture; Tightrope; Oh, Maker; Mushrooms and Roses; Neon Valley Street; BaBopByeYa Least Fav Tracks: Make the Bus; Wondaland

It was okay.

This absolutely blew my mind. I know one or two Janelle Monae songs but nothing from this album. I feel like you could describe this album as something close to psychedelic progressive soul. There's themes of afrofuturism and cyberpunk going on, which gels incredibly well with the almost impossible combination of musical influences. Despite the myriad of genre influence - everything from folk, hip-hop, glam rock, soul, and pop, all thrown together in some psychedelic soup - the whole thing feels so cohesive. Most tracks transition seamlessly into the next, really solidifying the feeling of a journey this album takes you on. And the whole thing manages to be just so much FUN! Even though we're only ~10 years out from this things release, it 100% has the makings of a timeless classic.

A voice for the ages, and she reminds you! Completely lush arrangements carry you from song to song. Even the breakout single “Tightrope” fits beautifully alongside crooners like BaBopByeYa and Oh, Maker. Exquisite and FUN!

Wait this was excellent. Loved the blending of electronic and pop with classic pieces. Wonderfully composed.

Absolute jam. It’s a bit too long and falls off in the second half, but still a great listen.

Wasn't sure if I would be onboard til about midway through the third track and then I gave myself over to it. Not sure whether this is considered their proper debut or if that belongs to the chase suite, but this is such a confident, locked in record. Stevie's influence obvious (and welcome) in Locked Inside. Got a diverse mix of styles overall, from slow and psychadelic to retrosoul to dancey rock to bedroom pop to the theatrical, tied together with the afro futuristic Metropolis narrative framework. Monáe's vocals are strong as hell. A little weird how often they call themselves a schizo, even if in character? This is a light 5 for me, no one track completely blows me away but as a cohesive album I can't really fault it. It knows what it is and executes on that - I doubt I'm squarely in their target audience anyway

This is a debut album? That’s wild. I enjoyed this but didn’t really attempt to follow the story - maybe on a subsequent listen. I like this more than the first time I heard it. It flows along nicely, gets a little long at the end. Oh, Maker was excellent. And loved the Big Boi appearance on Tightrope. Cool blend of genres. Good stuff.

Wouldn’t be mad if more pop sounded like this

At first I was going to give this a 4 because I couldn’t follow the story but after a second listen it deserves a five. I still can’t follow the story but who cares. Janelle Monae is immensely talented and like Beyonce on Lemonade created an album where the songs are in different generes but she excels at them all. Sounds like she’s pulling from OutKast, Prince, Hendrix and the B-52s just to name a few. My favorites were “ColdWar”, “Tight Rope” (which I can’t believe wasn’t a bigger hit) and “Mushrooms and Roses”. Her 2018 album dirty computer would get a 5 from me too if the list lakers allowed non white British artists a second entry.

Artsy album with wide variety of styles

Ok, this was a pretty good album. Not a lot stood out as something I would personally listen to repeatedly, but it had good beats and lyrics and I could see how people would really enjoy it. I think I could come back to this later for a relisten. 3.75/5

Wat een gaaf en divers album, echt een leuke toevoeging aan de lijst.

I don't know what to call this. But I like it. A lot. From the Metropolis iconography to the genre bending music, this record slaps. Never heard of the artist or this record. But I'm a follow on Spotify now.

Kids in 2010: it's just an album Kids in 2070: 🎶 🤖 🎶

I really enjoyed this one, had only heard her on the Fun. song before, this is nothing like what I expected

Favorite tracks: Locked Inside, Tight Rope, O Maker, 57821 Rating: 5/5

Pretty cool funky album. Had songs that commented on social aspects, but also some really cool bops and some beautiful instrumentals

This is why i started this journey, to find albums like this. Really great stuff here.

Никита подговорил:)

My only other exposure to Monáe before this was Dirty Computer, which is a better album than this. Failing to clear that high bar, however, hardly counts as an indictment of this album. I can understand why some people may not like this, as it is certainly an experimental, conceptual album. However, it is stylistically brave and very enjoyable to listen to. Highlights for me include the Overture, Cold War, Tightrope, and BaBopByeYa. Monáe rejects simple beats and melodies in favor of a wide variety of instruments, techniques, and more. And she pulls it off. However, this album does not quite reach five stars for me for two main reasons. First, a significant flaw for a conceptual album, her voice - and thus, oftentimes, the story & message - gets lost in the production a little bit too much. On a first listen, without knowing what to look for, I truly did not pick up the story (unlike in Dirty Computer, which was clear while retaining epic production) Second, and less important, the album did not have enough songs that truly stuck out from the pack to quite elevate it IMO. As much as raw artistry is great, I’m a sucker for having songs that you can truly throw on repeat and love on their own. In this album, I think only Cold War even contends for that. Again, for comparison, Dirty Computer had Dirty Computer; Crazy, Classic, Life; Screwed; Pynk; Make me Feel; and American (again, all IMO). However, this growth is to be expected of an artist, and ArchAndroid is incredibly impressive for a debut album. I think it truly settles somewhere in between a 4 & 5, but I am trying to preserve fives for true masterpieces. Thus, a 4

I love this album, I initially had 5/18 songs saved for a few years now but after relistening I now have 9/18 songs saved. Every song has its place in the album and nothing is truly bad while the good songs are great. One of my favorite albums from the 2010s with neon valley street being one of my favorite songs of the 10s.

The album's got a smooth flow like a musical, 꿀떡꿀떡 들썩들썩 on the ears

Wow dit was verbazingwekkend goed

Not a fan at all.

Really good album, very imaginative. She does a good job of using her vocal skill to make actual bops, rather than just showing off.

Preceded the listen with The Chase, Janelle Monae made something really special with her 3 Suites. It pulls from the Afrofuturistic roots of artists like Sun Ra and translates it to a modern era while still capturing the political importance of it all. The songs are widely varied and it keeps you paying attention. I was delightfully surprised with this, and excited to give it another listen. A Popera

energetic and cool genre fusion/combo. few gems on here. 3.6

Good gracious. This thing damn near blew me away. Smooth, grandiose, fun, touching. If you had someone describe each song one at a time and line those descriptions up for you to read, you’d say “no way this will work.” But does it ever. A work of art.

There are some serious bangers. However the album as a whole is lacking. Too many not great songs

love janelle but somehow have never heard this album and !!!!!! 🤩🤩 stylistically all over the place but in the best way and still feels cohesive and interesting. love it love it. i think i’d give it 4.5 if i could but i’ll round up for simping reasons (JANELLE I AM FREE ON THURSDAY)

Terrible

Loved it, super boogie 8/10

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

It’s a but. I think my favorite track is Locked Inside.

Likes: Cold War, Come Alive (War of the Roses), Tightrope It’s a vibe.

Almost finished it! Just missed the last two songs. I liked all the instruments? Faster and Cold War were my favorite songs.

Arch Android Suite 2 Love this album. Such an amazing start of a record with the the orchestra and I love the transitions especially in the first four songs. Also love how styles shift throughout songs like in O Maker. I didn’t remember the crazy rock vocals on Come Alive. Mushroom and Roses- psychedelic rock at its best Could’ve ended the album here and it would’ve been great and then there’s a whole other suite. Suite 3 Was also great. So much to talk about with all the songs and would definitely be interested in going deeper to learn about this record. This is a super eclectic and ambitious record and it is amazing that it all works and is still so cohesive.

This record is incredible, it encompasses so many genres and influences but somehow all works and never feels cluttered or forced. Total masterpiece from start to finish and so exciting to listen to.

So good. Cold War and oh namer were great. Love the vocal production

not something I'd listen to

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.

I came into this knowing next to nothing about Janelle Monáe and came out of it wondering where the fuck this has been my whole damn life, holy shit she's incredible!

Decent sound.

Great energy, beautiful arrangements and really fun and refreshing listen. Once the second track, Dance or Die kicked in I had a good feeling about the ArchAndroid. The R&B tag had me worried, this has more to it with some Pop and even rock influences at times. Nice appearance by Kevin Barnes and of Montreal too, didn’t see that coming. Again, loved the energy here, a few tracks could have been trimmed but this was great 4 stars

This album is just Beyonce-lite at this point. 😞

Suite II Overture- 4.1/5 Dance or Die- 5/5 Faster- 4.8/5 Locked Inside- 4.7/5 Sir Greendown- 4.5/5 Cold War- 4.8/5 Tightrope- 5/5 Neon Gumbo- N/A Oh Maker- 4.6/5 Come Alive (The War of the Roses)- 5/5 Mushrooms & Roses- 4.6/5 Suite III Overture- 4.5/5 Neon Valley Street- 4.7/5 Make the Bus- 5/5 Wondaland- 5/5 57821- 4.6/5 Say You'll Go- 4.9/5 BabopbyeYa- 4.7/5 Total- 4.7/5

Before I'd ventured into this all you can eat buffet, I'd heard of the pop, which is sweet, catchy and infectious. I hadn't heard of any of the other specialities, but I was interested to sample them. Sadly, the chef's ambitions exceeded her strengths (though this is more of a result of the vastness of her ambitions than any limit to her talents). The classical dishes, the folk rock plates, the misjudged electrobeat forays all left me wishing for the real deal, instead of these good, but fundamentally underwhelming, attempts. (Aside from the folk rock. Never do I wish for folk rock. Nor do I wish for electrobeat, now I think of it.) None of the dishes aside from the pop were worthy of revisiting, and there seemed to be little if any cohesion between the flavours in this potpourri buffet. I left feeling overstuffed, dissatisfied and mildly bemused.

I like some of Monae's stuff, so was looking forward to this album. I was thoroughly disappointed by this generic, forgettable R&B album.

C'était une bonne vibe.

Un des meilleurs album de la décennie passée, beaucoup apprécié le concept et le bon groove

General Rating 10: New Favourite 8-9: Listen Consistently 6-7: Might Listen Again 4-5: Wouldn't be mad if came up again 2-3: Wouldn't Listen Again 1: Never listen. Song by Song Analysis: Suite Overture: 6 Dance or Die: 8.5 Faster: 8 Locked Inside: 7 Sir Greendown: 7.7 Cold War: 8.5 Tightrope: 6.9 Neon Gumbo: 5 Oh, Maker: 6.5 Come Alive (War of the Roses): 7.85 Mushrooms and Roses: 5.9 Suite III Overture: 6.2 Neon Valley Street: 7 Make the Bus: 7.3 Wondaland: 7.5 57821: 7.5 Say You'll Go: 7.85 BaBopByeYa: 8 M/Md: ~7.2/7.4 True Opinion: I'd definitely listen to the opening songs on ways to places. Not sure about the other songs...but I wouldn't mind putting it on every now and then. So really like an 8-9 for the first 6 songs, then 7 afterwards. Thoughts: The colors of the album are electric purple, blue, saffron, and lime green. Bouncy, and has the texture of smooth plastic. Vocals are definitely a defined instrument in this; very varied and expressive. Not sure about the usage of schizo throughout the song? Adore the piano and more 'classical' instruments- perfect. Sounds like something you'd hear in a futuristic speakeasy.

Just phenomenal. No words. This is just a fucking Masterpiece no room for discussion. This should be rated with the best pop albums of all time,while it shines equally as an all time concept creation. This should've revolutionized music, maybe it did?and I just don't realize it but. Wow.

She’s outstanding.

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.

Playful basslines and strong vocals that cut through. Great mix of genres, including orchestral parts, rap, funk even some punk.

Really cool. Like really really cool. But, the Mona Lisa wouldn't benefit from being 15 feet wide. Learn to regulate girl. Edit it down. Still cool tho.

I’m honestly a bit of a super fan already. I love this album and Janelle does little wrong in my eye.

Excellent album. Many of the songs are first-class. The music is rhythmic and gets you moving wherever you are. Great vocals. A proper concept album, too. I'll be listening to this one again for sure. If I had a criticism, it would be that some of the classical pieces slightly drag and slow the overall pace. To some extent, this is valuable for the overall concept. Could have done with a very, very slight slight trim. That is being perfectionistic though. It's a marvellous album, brilliantly written and delivered.

Amazing album. Love most of the songs passed by in a second.

Had been putting off for so long. So surprised by it. Super unique 4.3

Such a fantastic album. I love her later stuff. I need to get a copy of this on vinyl to add to my collection.

WHOAH, that was wild.

Something and someone I had never heard before. Really enjoyed the Track with Big Boi!

Brilliant all the way through

I didn’t know what this album was about, nor genre, but was pleasantly surprised. The varied songs and semi experimental music was lovely (helps she has a great voice as well)

This album was incredible. No slippers and added a few

At first I thought it was just a pretty good, heavily produced pop album, but it really grew on me. There’s some experimentation, but it contributes to the entertainment value.

This was fun!

It was okay, most of the songs were pretty boring, but I thought the suite overtures were beautiful.

loved her in Glass Onion

"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.

I need to give this album another listen. Not my usual choice of style or genre but I can appreciate that she/her production team are very talented. Tightrope is a bop though.

Lots of the songs sounded the same, not a familiar genre but sound was unique.

Okay

Surprised by the variety, it’s all over the place so not all of it hits but some of it is interesting

Hey Barbara Broccoli, make BaBopByeYa the next James Bond theme song.

Quite an exceptional pop release.

Pretty good, but I probably wouldn't listen to it again.

Pretty ok.

I really, really enjoyed this. Bops all the way through.

This was the coolest thing I’ve heard in a long time. I’d heard of Janelle Monáe’s name, but I did not know what to expect at all. It’s so inspiring!

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.

LOVE

Loved the lyrics and the instrumental parts were very unique. Sometimes sounded a bit like a Disney movie theme song though.

Fun album. Not sure how I'd classify it, but it felt unique and jaunty.

bueno!! good representation of their discography i think

Liked this more than I used to and i expected to like it less.

Standouts: Sir Greenhouse, Oh Maker, Cold War, Tightrope, Mushrooms & Roses, 57821, 3.5

Coco Chanel said take one thing off..

Loved it! so dynamic, wasn't expecting so many different moving parts! Hadn't ever listened to Janelle much, but I'm a fan now!!