Reviews (page 12 of 14)
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.
Heb dit niet helemaal kunnen luisteren, maar ga het nog wel verder luisteren. Vond het wel gevarieerd en leuk eigenlijk.
This was a little too eclectic for my taste, feels the album is all over the place but I'm sure that's intended. I'm not a fan of R&B or hip hop but even so I could enjoy a few songs.
Too long, never caught my attention
Really nice.
Enjoyable R&B album with heavy pop influences that does lack more great songs though to warrant a fourth star
Sin mas
weird sounds, but has its moments. 3/5. I am grumpy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLeUvZvuvAs
The beginning was good, the rest not so much. I listened to a bunch other songs and it's ok I guess.
Not really my style, but there are some good bits there.
I mean this was alright. Some parts of some songs were good but this was way out there. 6/10.
The music on this thing is very pretty, and well produced. But Monae isn't the songwriter here that she would become on something like Dirty Computer, which I prefer to this.
Some great songs … Huge production and monster arrangements … not what i go to or want from an album … a Bind theme or three in there
Janells
Best album I've listened to all day.
Some massive bangers but the album genre/vibe consistency was chaotic
This album confused me, there was alot going on and it's a bit much after 18 tracks. Some great songs though and an excellent voice
Etwas wechselhaftes pop/r&b album mit einigen guten tracks und einem kohärenten konzept.
Wow, honestly I have to say I'm almost certain I would have never heard this album without this generator. there are some very cool and old-school reminiscent tracks, some interesting rnb ultimately very positive thus far. I knew it, a song reminded me of micheal jackson so much, I went on its genius page, it is sampling "rock with you"
Very top-heavy and overlong, but undisputable ambition. I'm glad there's someone like her pushing the boundaries in R&B/pop, but it doesn't always translate into something I want to listen to
A wonderfully charming alternative R&B album, mixed with soul and pop music, that gives 70 minutes of entertainment. I'm not sure how I missed this album being released in 2010, but every song has its own specific flavor in this delightful meal for your ears.
Really nice, easy listening. It’s probably not something I would have picked, but it was good.
Not my style, but at least it isn't a bad album. Maybe in the future i'm gonna give it another opportunity and see if my opinion change (I hope so)
3|18
I like the title of this album. Apparently there's some kind of storyline, so need to pay attention more than I did.
it was meh.
interesting combo of James Bond movie theme sound and dance pop and 70's soul. Didn't really catch my ear, but sounds innovative. 3/5
Different
a lot of sonic textures and cool ideas here, but they all whizzed by without anything sticking. Maybe it's a me problem?
Great voice, some songs were fun but overall not my style
Need more time with it. Some of it is good, some of it a pass
3/5
I've only ever heard good things about Janelle, but hadn't given her a listen until this album. I love sci-fi and the android theme throughout was so cool but this music really just didn't hit for me. Concept albums are supposed to convey one cohesive idea around a central story, theme, etc. but each song on here is so distinct that it really felt jarring instead of gelling for me. The biggest moment that threw me off was the transition form "Sir Greendown," which I loved, into "Cold War." It was so unsettling I kind of forgot I liked the song before it, and I found this repeated stylistic change from song to song throughout made me forgot what I had just listened to. The features definitely stood out to me. Loved Big Boi on the track and Of Montreal's weird ass freakiness is always welcome in my book. Her voice is incredible though and on songs like "Neon Valley Street" I found myself thinking about how pretty this song sounds. For me this was a great concept but the execution left a lot to be desired.
I liked it. I like Janelle Monáe, but it's not all my jam.
V
Didn't think this was going to be my thing but ended up enjoying it. Some tracks worked better than others but a very listenable record imo. Would give 3.5 if the rating system was different.
ok. pop
Soul post moderno. Cosas interesantes.
Much better than I expected
Good pop?
I really like the intro, I am a sucker for instrumental stuff. Faster and Oh, Maker are really good and I love them! I can really respect the talent and skill that went into this album. For me personally, I feel as though this is one of those albums where I can pick out one or two songs that I like to listen to and discard the rest. Another pet peeve of mine, though not limited to this album but more to music as a whole, is that songs like Faster can start out really good but lose their feel halfway through the song. However, I feel as though whether a song falls into this trap is strictly dictated by my personal taste. Still a good album though.
Cool, a concept album. Peppy, sort of sporadic, lots of layers, seemingly very well produced. There's a lot to digest but it's fun. Is this Nü Disco??
Not bad. Some good tracks in places
Cool idea around the album. Not my type of music tho
Trippy
It was weird, I think I need to listen to it more as I did like parts of it.
weird but cool
Really cool music, but it wasn't my style
Eclectic
I had really high hopes for this album. 7 tracks in, I was feeling pretty good about it. There was some real funky shit happening. The tracks were unpredictable albeit a little repetitive. We heard from Sir Lucious. Then it got weird. I waited for the funk to return, but it never really did. It ended up being slightly disappointing, like a dropped ice cream
Solid album.
Fine
Strange but has something about it.
I really liked this album. Poppy but nuanced enough to keep it interesting. Scoring into down on its ridiculous length.
Tightrope är en höjdpunkt. Come alive ett lågvattenmärke. Därutöver mest utfyllnad.
Maybe if I was working out? I liked the one w Big Bou
Janelle Monáe has just never clicked for me.
Never trust a non-classical album that starts with an overture.
While this album contains some catchy tunes and interesting mixes of genres, overall it is rambling and chaotic. I lost interest towards the end.
This album came up on the 50 greatest concept album list. I was obviously less discerning at that point (and looking back, that list was a bit shit). On a second listen, this album was mildly interesting at the start but then drifted off into drivel.
Disco interessante. Desconhecia a artista, melhor do que a média do mesmo nicho.
In terms of new music out there this was better than most.
Reminded me of mall music.
I've heard it before. It's got 2-3 jams. Flows like a continuous song. Good all together. Individual songs are harder.
2.5. As eclectic and weird as Janelle Monae has always seemed to me from the outside. Some of it I like and some of it I do not.
Bizarre album, feels to me like a bunch of songs thrown together, not sure if that is the intention/influential part. Top songs: Locked Inside, Tight Rope, Wondaland
Not for me
Not bad. Just not my thing.
Debut album. Very high production values but to me meaningless pap. Good voice but not really memorable. Feels very much like a product. Highest rating song has the obligatory guest vocalist/rapper. Instantly forgettable.
I tried. I really tried. It's not for me.
Good Rap/crossover album from Janelle
I found this annoying
There are interesting and unique ideas here, but it ultimately holds no weight nor remembrance to me.
Мне это вообще не понравилось. Абсолютно не мой жанр музыки. Какой-то overproduced поп, который пытается выглядеть немного умным, но по факту унылейший... В общем, фигня
Best wel kut gewoon
Not my thing. Not completely terrible though. Glad I finally got a female, non-rock artist.
Not for me.
Honestly this is quite interesting for contemporary r&b album, however I don't like the production at all and her delivery is frequently quite boring, so just 2 stars, but could be worse. Seems to get better on the 2nd half so maybe 2.5 on RYM
Weird in a bland boring way
Not my cup of tea
There are so many ideas and experiments here. Every time I heard a new section, fresh with promise, I had the same anticipation fall over limply and amble into another melody-less fashion house ad backing track. It's like a name check of classic genre tropes, but without any substance or weight, a theater kid's idea of a grand concept. Which makes it so much worse because my god can this girl sing, and there are some amazing production and arrangements, on top of a reluctance to follow through on any musical ideas, it's a wildly inconsistent mix that legitimate makes some songs almost to harsh to listen to. If there is actually a theme here, musical or otherwise, it's not conveyed in any meaningful way. Style over substance, but the style has no substance.
not my style
Ee
#386 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ It's pretty, too long and too sprawley. I appreciate the choice of themes, but the ludicrous scope of this project does not gel with me. This album has elements of classical music, basic pop, soul, probably some r'n'b, but at some point I simply lost interest in trying to figure any of that out. It became background and quite soon I realised it was interfering with my flow and I simply stopped it. I wanted to like it more, but alas, 'twas not to be. weak 3/5
Certainly not bad but not that special or interesting to me.
I love Janelle Monáe’s other albums but this one doesn’t do much for me
2.5
A couple of decent songs, and pretty in places, but too much filler. “Wondaland” is particularly poor. Oddly lightweight despite all the bombast
Perplexed how this is essential listening Fave track: Cold War
Ambitious sci-fi soul and orchestral pop built on funk grooves, symphonic arrangements, electronic textures, and dynamic, theatrical vocals unfolds in sweeping, genre-blurring movements. Listening feels like watching a futuristic opera where styles shift constantly but remain tied to a larger narrative arc. The result is inventive and engaging, though its scope feels overextended.
Un licuado multifruta
Interesting and different - yes, but, sadly, I did not enjoy it at all. Probably just not my thing, but still it was interesting to get to hear it.
Not my style
Surprisingly good! Very experimental. Just not really my style.
Me aburrió un poco
Le iba a poner un 3 hasta que he leido que lo comparaban a michael jackson y que salió en 2010. This shit mid as hell
She’s a big Prince fan and you can hear it in the music, for better and for worse. Pretty talented and I like that she went for something different but it just hopped around so much tonally it kind of lost me. I liked the song with Big Boi.2.4
Not really my style.
quite the maximalist album. i’ve enjoyed other stuff from janelle but this project feels a bit unfocused. some killer vocals tho.
2.5
Afrofuturism!
Some great songs but overall not for me
hahaha mmhmmmmm
With such a long and varied list of albums, it’s an inevitability that you’ll run into some you just aren’t compatible with. Hip-Hop simply isn’t my genre. I’ve come a long way in the last few years in regards to it, I actually listen to it in my shuffle, but not in any great quantity, and only really interspersed between other stuff. It is the antithesis to my natural habitat of metal. Even if I liked the genre, I’m not sure I would have liked this album particularly. The quality of music on display was strong certainly, and I found myself enjoying the initial tracks just fine, but 18 tracks is just bloat, especially with some of the songs making up that bloat. You could cut half an hour here and not lose anything of value, you could cut more with minor concessions. Half the runtime and you’ll double my enjoyment, if not the score.
There were a few cool songs on this album, but it didn't hold water as a concept piece, and the lyric quality was often really basic. She does have a great voice, though.
She has talent, no doubt. Just not my demographic. Tried to listen to it two times through, but couldn't make it the second time. 4.3/5 Top song Dance or die
Such amusing lack of depth from something that wants to be “conceptual” no less (and progressive, futuristic etc). Bonus penalty points for parts that sound like classical music, especially opening with Suite II Overture. Did you try to pretend you’re more elaborate or posh than you actually are?
ko da sam u slastičarnici. možda bih i dao trojku jer je raznovrsno i nije toliko bezveze, ima potencijalno fora dijelova, ali predugo je i jako mi je dosadno i tupo ovo bilo. bleh
I can hear talent and inspiration and effort, I just dont like most of it.
Ehhh, very pretty voice but still not for me
Bijzonder figuur die Janelle. Super poppy maar op één of andere manier wel weggebleven uit de echte mainstream. OOR heeft haar platen ook altijd hoog in de eindlijst staan. Zelfs een keer op 1 als ik het me goed herinner. The ArchAndroid vind ik eigenlijk niet zoveel aan. Gekke mix van stijlen. Sommige dingen klinken erg als 2010 Rihanna. Andere songs (zoals Make the Bus) zouden wat excentrieke/alternatieven moeten zijn maar spreken me niet echt aan. 5/10 Highlights Oh, Maker
No pop, no style. That's me. And this was just too poppy for my tastes. I'm sure it's very accomplished. The production doesn't hold back when throwing everything into the mix. But I'm afraid it's not for me.
Great potential and incredible voice, but the songs don't hold up.
Debated this one and gave it a couple listens. The highs are not that high and it’s way too long. Overall not for me.
Not my thing. Couple of decent tunes, but overall not something I'm gonna revisit.
Hmm...why is this 68 minutes long? Why does she rap like it's 1988? Ok this is actually quite varied and interesting. I'm not convinced it's actually good, though it's really hard to tell on first listen given the sheer amount of 'stuff' and ideas. It's an album that clearly takes multiple listens to adequately dissect, but I'm not sure I really want to invest the time to do so.
..
skjønner ikke at denne er her.
This just wasn’t for me. I don’t do well when a record isn’t coherent - I’m not of the opinion it makes someone “out there”; it makes them a bit flighty and confused in my book. There were all sorts of influences competing here - from traditional pop, to jazz, to the sort of thing the B-52s would have come out with. And it just didn’t work for me. “Tightrope”, however - excellent pop song.
Powerful voice, funky vibes (not sure if in a good way)... like futuristic 80s techno mixed with jazz. 2/5
Definitely a very impressively made and ambitious album, but I did find the theatricality and upbeat nature of the whole thing to be a bit too much. Maybe a weird thing to say but I'd much prefer this album as a video game soundtrack. Giving it 2 stars, maybe deserves a 3.
Ehhhh
Not for me
Really overproduced stuff that starts off sounding like sonic the hedgehog music (non-derogatory) before ascending to transcendent with Tightrope and then coming back down to Earth with tepid concept album filler. Really uneven, not a very coherent blend of styles. Listened to this in college and liked it more then but has really lost its luster as time passes over it. Favorite Tracks: Tightrope, Oh, Maker, Wondaland, 57821
High concept with some lovely vocals in places but just not engaging enough for me.
Not my cup of tea, interesting that all the songs were all together and it’s cinematic vibe was unique I just didn’t really enjoy it
Ful sm hotla da bi mi bil vsec ampak je tok stvari na kupu tak mess je vse skupi
Started off well enough but it went downhill from there. Well, at least for me. Not really my cup of tea.
Decent musicality backing a great vocalist producing tracks that I do not find entertaining - got a little Mariah Carey style wailing in there, but no writng of note.
eh, not my thing.
It’s really great occasionally but there is a bunch of misses on this album
Not my kind of vibe
10
Not sure how or why this is on this list tbh. Fairly dull and boring. Not to my taste personally, nothing to make it stand out as a decent album, no stand out songs, lyrics, music, anything.
Some very good-proto psych soul tracks and then some garbage of its era electropop music. Will probably get a higher score on more listens. 2.5
While it was refreshing to get some new music, it was not for me and the album was too long.
Not sure if it brought the right thing up, as what I got was scenes 2 & 3. But whichever, that's what I listened to. There were some good and some not good, but on the whole it's was sort of ok. Im sort of thinking I should give it a 3, but I want to give it a 2. Ill go with my gut and ....
Interesting at times, weird and annoying at other times. I did like the variations.
mwa
There were 3 or 4 songs on this that were very good and enjoyable. The other 87 songs were pretty cheesy. Like on fresh prince when Ashley launches her singing career. It reminded me a lot of that.
Synes der er god musical range på og nogle gode bangers også, men der er også bare noget som gør at jeg synes det falder fladt. måske er det fordi jeg lyttede til det som baggrundsmusik og på en dårlig dag. Det er det jo nok, men jeg har ikke tænkt mig at lytte til det for anden gang og ikke give det opmærksomheden som det fortjener. Er ellers vild med det opera inspirerede og klassiske. Men der er også rock på og det er også RnB og der er også bare nogle straight up pop sange. Men det får en TILBAGEVEND
i’m not going to lie, this album was hard to get through. not because it wasn’t good, but simply because it’s not quite my sound. it was definitely interesting, as each song had a completely different feel to it. also, in all honesty, i didn’t listen to the last song. even though this album wasn’t really my speed, my top three songs were: - faster - locked inside - oh, maker with an honorable mention of: - make the bus even though i didn’t feel like this album was for me, it definitely made me feel lots of different things. i’d recommend!
Very theatrical. Maybe too much for me. She’s an extremely talented singer though
Loved this album 15 years ago. It just hasn’t aged well.
This one didn’t do very much for me
No reason this needed to be as long as it was. Started off alright, it failed to maintain my interest. It’s not bad per se, it’s just not great. Highlights: Locked Inside
john williams called mario kart soundtrack but make in kinda sultry clean
This didnt resonate with me at all at first listen. Ive since revisited the album and think more highly of it. Cold War and Tightrope stand out as favorites. Also, her performance at the Rock Hall of Fame for Outkast was fucking great!
Jeg synes det begynner ganske lovende. Dance or Die, Faster, og Locked Inside er en medley av spennende pop med funky rytmer, disco inflytelser, og masse drivkraft. Derifra er det for det meste nedoverbakke. Sir Greendown er en fin interlude, men Cold War bytter ut spennende pop med noe som kunne vært tatt rett ut av en nyere Disney-film; Tighrope høres ut som en gammal Beyonce-låt (ikke et kompliment); Neon Gumbo er enda en interlude, men en interlude fra et sterkere album; Oh, Maker begynner bra, men velger fort å bli stuck i et helt annet spor; og Come Alive — nå er det faen meg tid for revy! Jeg skal droppe å skrive en kommentar om hver eneste av de gjenstående låtene, men som en fan av Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? må jeg trekke frem at Of Montreal høres helt malplassert ut i denne contexten — ikke er det en god låt heller!
Mener det har kommet mange gode plater ut av poptimismen. ArchAndroid sikter høyt, men lander sånn ca. midt på treet. Første delen av albumet er nok best, selv om det høres ut som musikerne skynder seg. «Faster» er høydepunktet for meg her, og jeg måtte google om Monáe er britisk. Jeg er utrolig svak for synthlyden på «Civil War», og syns det er en interessant låt. Tror den hadde vært høydepunktet mitt om ikke alt annet på låta hadde vært så masete og synthen hadde vært enda mer fremtredende. Plata rakner nesten fordi den spriker så mye. Det er mye potensiale, kule detaljer og melodier, men det sitter aldri helt. Selv «Tightrope» med et slags storband låter labert. Jeg regner med at alt går så fort fordi Monáe er en god rapper og vokalist og alt virker å være bygget rundt vokalen hennes etter den er tatt opp? Del to husker jeg nesten ingenting av etter å ha hørt den, men Of Montreal gjør en slags David Bowie-parodi som virker malplassert. «Wondaland» er catchy og en låt jeg kan høre flere ganger. Ja også er jo albumet altfor langt. Er ikke CD era over innen her?
«Just because you can, doesnt mean you should» Dette er et godt eksempel på et overambisiøst konseptalbum som tror at hvis man skal lage et dobbeltalbum så må det være en ny sjanger for hver låt. Det er noen fineøyeblikk i ny og ned, men desverre så fungerer det for det meste ikke.
pretty highschool musical, dar na it was the 2010s I kinda liked Wondaland
Made it about halfway. A talented musician but the album lacks the bite I need to keep listening. Retro-futuristic, but a retro I don't want to revisit and a future that already passed
I can appreciate how much is going on here, but it's really not my thing.
Boah Soul… schwierig. Kriegt mich einfach nie. Kann man sich anhören, kann man genauso schnell wieder vergessen. Keine Ahnung.
Die Platte wird ja überall als ihre beste abgefeiert und sicherlich stecken hier sehr viele Energien, ein Story-Konzept und viele unterschiedliche stilistische Richtungen, aber mich berührt hiervon fast nichts. Janelle wirkt ein bisschen wie eine Musik-Streberin, bei der die Seele in der Musik vor lauter "guckt mal, was ich kann" abhanden gekommen ist. Auf 4 Songs, die mir gefallen, bin ich zwar noch gekommen, aber das ist bei so einer überlangen Platte viel zu wenig.
Mussten 68 Minuten echt sein?
The first half of the album is gold. Very good music with good fusion sound and an amazing voice from Janelle. The second half is not that great. Overall this is a 5/10 album.
Too long
Didn’t know she was an artist
Eclectic and expansive, the songs, production and concept of the early songs were ambitious, but I felt they lacked any strong hooks. It was a kitchen sink approach which utilised classical music, heavy metal guitars, jazz, rap, film score, but nothing beyond an infantile melody. Then I was pleasantly surprised by Oh Maker, which had a directness the rest of the album lacked until that point, and then again by Mushrooms and Roses (I love this title) which was intriguing. The rest of the album I have no desire to revisit. But I'll certainly listen to those 2 songs again.
Not sure what I was listening to here.
The idea was better than the album!
A solid R&B pop album that does a lot well but is way too long to keep attention. Some good moments but bogged down by a lot of forgettable filler that in my opinion detracts from the high points. Top tracks: Neon Valley Street, Say You'll Go
Förstår grejen, men det är inte min grej. Har lite svårt för hennes röst, och då lyfter det aldrig för mig.
Stark tvåa, det greppade inte mig helt. Men jag respekterar idén och känner att det finns kvalitet här. Kanske behöver mer tid.
This sounds like a Disney soundtrack.
Average … but a bit too long.
I had high hopes for Janelle when she debuted. The pitch was a Millennial Prince, but ultimately this landed with a thud for me: it’s packed to the brim with ideas and energy, but never delivering novel, forward-thinking sounds, let alone songs. It’s all imitative of better music.
Pop music going in many directions. Quite fresh but also difficult to figure out what it is all about here
If I were forced to listen to it, I wouldn't mind, but there's nothing breathtaking about it. I would think less of anyone who enjoys this album.
Fine, too long
Some sparks ("Tightrope", "Come Alive") but in total not my jam and way too long.