Reviews (page 13 of 14)
better then I thought to be honest. But not my cup of tea. Like her better as an actress.
Tightrope Deep cotton songs ok Not my type of music in general
Not bad- not for me
not my thing tbh
I see what she was trying to do but its not it.
It insists upon itself. Bit too corny.
Not bad. Not my thing.
A bit of a mixed bag. There were moments I quite enjoyed. The album was not for me overall though.
Some great ideas, but way too all over the place for my tastes. 2.5/5
This almost put me to sleep
I love the theatrics of this, concept albums are always acknowledgeable in their artistic merit alone. I didn’t know that Janelle Monáe has an entire alter ego which makes her 10x cooler… unfortunately the genre-bouncing simply isn’t for me. It was all too pop oriented and ultimately held that consumerist centred staleness despite the the creativity. Favourite song(s): Tightrope Least favourite(s): most of the others…
Best album, reminds me of college
First listen and it was like being stuck a room full of people auditioning for X Factor. She has a good voice, but this is so generic and samey. Maybe it was influential back in the day, but it hasn’t aged well.
I can certainly understand why it's considered good, but I can't honestly say it was for me.
I do question why this has made the list. Nothing remarkable. Nothing that stood out. Janelle has a lovely voice but it did feel a little generic.
listening when: in the morning on my way to pilates thoughts: i know her but id never really paid attention. some of the songs gave beyonce which makes sense since this album is 15 years old. she really is an artist. also the songs that i hated are the quirky ones which make sense since i avoided her due to thinking she was too quirky. rating: 3/10
Očekivala sam nešto što će me šokirati, bilo na pozitivan ili negativan način. Ovo je tako bazično da me ne može ni šokirati. Isto tipična muzika koja se čuje po tržnim centrima samo pretencioznije. A tek kako predugo traje...
Had some good jams, just not for me though.
Clearly really ambitious. Pushes the envelope and there are some nice bits of music on here. But as an album I'm much less convinced – not helped by the length of course. I admire that ambition, but it just doesn't really work for me, and not something I'd want to listen to again.
this was better than i thought it would be but the length was too much for me. i thought she has a nice voice and some of the songs were kind of catchy
Some of this could pass for Disney Channel music ngl.
All the textured instrumentation in the world doesn't detract from this feeling very wallpapery. Great, beautiful wallpaper, but I got no chills. Like an exquisite gilded parlour, beuatiful tendrils of vocals. But after listening to it once and not having one song stick out, it's got to be a pass. Perhaps one of my meanest and most subjective album reviews, given the consensus, but hey.
2.5 - Meh
Not a fan.
I'm sure it's good if you like it, but I don't
Meh
A jazz version of the black eyed peas
Seems like lots of people like it. Even really like it. I'm not one of them. Too weird for me. 2
La verdad, no se de que va este disco. La voz no empasta con la musica y cambia de estilo en cada canción.
While well done enough, I guess, it doesn't really resonate with me. just a bit too much going on maybe in the production. I dunno. Didn't love it.
O álbum tem bons vocais e instrumentais bem legais, apenas não é um estilo que me fisgou. CVJ Neko.
Meh²
Best Song: Tightrope This is not my type of music and does nothing for me. Even if this were, I have heard much better albums than this so I'm not sure why this would be 1001 worthy. 2/5.
I dunno man, I just couldn’t get into this one. I kept a running list of all the genres of each song, and there were six different styles on the album: soul/R&B, rap, big band/swing, funk (with one song completely ripping off the beat from the B-52s ‘Rock Lobster’), classical, and electronica. This album doesn’t know what it wants to be, and it suffers from that identity crisis in my eyes. Some people think that makes this a visionary album, but I’m not some people. Look to The Fugees The Score for an album like this done correctly. 2/5
Erm he's right behind me isn't he ahh album
Eh, it was not bad
Heard one before, not a big fan of this one.
2/5
Not my thing, and I know that going in. She's wonderful to look at and has a ton of talent musically and as an actor but her sound isn't in my wheelhouse of appreciation. The album felt theatrical, like the soundtrack to a movie or a stage presentation I haven't seen. I felt like I came into the theater having missed the intro so following the story was difficult. Ok listener counts but only one hit with "Tightrope" (but I'd never heard it). I didn't enjoy any one song enough to entirely finish it. It was so theatrical that I couldn't get into it at all. 2 stars, good production and sound, just not my sound or vibe.
Meh. It's fine. Didn't care for it. Easy listening just not my jam.
Beetje slappe r&b, niet mijn ding. Wel wat intressante sample keuzes
2.5
Sorry, I just don't like musicals, and even though there are some cool moments here, this feels like a musical.
Much skin, little music
Not my style
I like Janelle Monáe's tightrope when she came onto the scene, but this album lost my interest.
While I can understand that some people really like this album, it’s just not my thing at all. Really long and way too techno-ey for my tastes. Creative, but that doesn’t always mean good.
really not into it. Master of none type album for me
Agree with Bergen, just trying to do too much. The of Montreal collab says it all lmao. Also has an air of intellectualism that bothers me. I didn't hate the first half but the second half started to be too much for me especially when she started doing vocal jazz. Feels like it is trying really hard to be a good album which limits its ability to be genuinely creative and spontaneous. Funny to look back at how big of a release this was in the indie sphere back in 2010 Fav song: probably Tightrope tbh sorry
it's just too much for me, but the musicality is there for sure.
The pop and hip-hop genres are among my lowest rated. I'm not sure where that bias comes from, it's more a matter of taste than anything else. Maybe someday I'll go down some academic trail to figure it out. But for now, I just keep getting the same reaction to Pop and this sort of latter days R&B. I just don't dig it. It doesn't touch me, or move me. And this over-ambitious work is no different. Hat tip to the talent, Janelle Monáe is a fine singer. But there's so many producers, it ends up being a soulless musical exercise. Anytime pop artists use elements of Clasical or Jazz, or pop standards, critics fall over themselves to praise the boldness of moving around genres. But it's really not all that creative, like a lot of modern popular culture - movies, TV, music, etc. - we get a rehashing and reworking of ideas that have already been popular I don't think they bring TOO much new thinking to pop music here except for the conceptual idea behind this album. But even that doesn't quite work, and the androids among us story has been done better in different media (I'm thinking especially about PK Dick's "...Electric Sheep" which is referenced lyrically a few times in here.) A couple of excellent grooves here, especially "Faster" and "Tightrope." Otherwise forgettable and too long.
Ok. Would not have listened to this, if it was not on the list. ★★
i like her voice and the music sounds like someone i can’t put my finger on. pop i don’t miss the sound of
Some nice listening, one banger in the group, Tightrope was quite good. The rest feels heavily inspired by Outkast. The final tracks remind me of listening to Frank Sinatra at his peak, the lyrics are topical\universal, the sound is smooth and the timing is impeccable, but it holds no lure for me.
Man, another long as shit album. I’m grateful for having recently revised my two-listen policy as I would have probably blown my head off by now. In any case, I’m curious to see what’s in store for me, as I’ve never heard of Janelle Monae. Something electronic, if I’m to guess. Yeah, it's okay. A bit of an electronic/soul sound going on, with some very 70s guitar performances. On one hand this music is quite unique, though on the other hand the more contemporary production continually strikes me with feelings of deja-vu. Maybe this album laid the groundwork for all the electronic/pop music that came afterwards. The sequencing of these songs is also quite strange – I never felt like that the album was building towards something or going anywhere in particular. “Locked Inside” has a rock-solid chorus, and I enjoy the plucky instrumental. “Tightrope” has a solid instrumental – I like the bass, the wavy electronic sound that appears during Big Boi’s section and the strings near the end of the song. The songwriting/vocal performances aren’t half bad either, though I must admit that they lose me as the song progresses “Mushrooms & Roses” is a solid track, and among the more authentically “old” songs of the album. The pairing of the strings with the organ works surprisingly well, and I enjoy the lo-fi, crunchy vocals. “Say You’ll Go” is a solid late-album track. I dig the pensive sound and the way the vocals build on one another. The Clair De Lune during the outro was a nice touch, too. Can’t check the book for why this is in here as I sadly only have the 2005 copy, though Wikipedia should suffice. A concept album, which I didn’t pick up on at all. Compared to Bowie, Outkast, Prince and Michael Jackson – some big comparisons. Massively acclaimed and regarded as one of the best albums of 2010. Yeah, I get the impression that this is a solid pick. I guess I can cosign, even if I was kind of bored by this album.
Tbh this rly wasn’t for me. I don’t rly like pop music and this definitely resembled Disney musical music. BUT I do have to say the music is not bad but just not my cup of tea. There were some really good highlights on this like Faster and Suite III Overture. But some really low lows. I hate to say it but it is a sub 5 but not by a lot so I’m going to give it a 4.5/10 2.2/5
Not my cup of melted ice
Torture chamber music.
Välillä ihan ok mutta välillä taas ei ⭐️⭐️
did not connect with this at all for some reason :(
1. Suite II Overture - N/A Interludes/Overtures will not be rated. 2. Dance or Die (feat. Saul Williams) - 6 It's not a bad song but it's just not the type of pop or music I'm big into. Very hard to follow the lyrics in this track because of the auto tune effect on it. Guitar solo in the bridge in unbelievable though. 3. Faster - 6 Catchy song. The tempo and beat are awesome on this track. Vocals in the verses are very very enjoyable but the choruses leave a bit to be desired. The middle part of the song is nowhere near as enjoyable as the first half and ending of the track.. "I'm shaking like a Skittle" is such an awful lyric too. 4. Locked Inside - 7 The sound is like that of Jesse J/Pixie Lott. It's not bad and there's parts of the vocals that are really enjoyable. Sounds like it should be on a summer vibes album or a DOAX soundtrack. Much like other tracks however, there are too many tone/tempo/beat changes. It becomes hard to understand whether you're on the same track or have moved onto the next one as the album contains seamless transitions. 5. Sir Greendown - 5 It's an okay song. The quality of the sound of the vocals is great but the actual wording of the vocals is a bit average. Song sounds exactly as much. 6. Cold War - 5 The tone/tempo change in between the middle of the versus ruin the enjoyment of the experience after what is an amazing chorus. Guitar solo at the bridge is okay. 7. Tightrope [Big Boi Vocal Edit] (feat. Big Boi) - 6 Tempo, beat, and instrumentally this song is absolutely brilliant. Lyrically it has strengths and weaknesses that balance each other out to find somewhere in the median. Decent track. Bridge in particular is pretty bad over all. 8. Neon Gumpo - 1 Pointless track. 9. Oh, Maker - 4 Another decent track. Nothing vocally or instrumentally fantastic about it. It's of a different tone from the first eight tracks of the album. When you think the track ends at first it doesn't, spawning instead a pointless instrumental section that's completely out of place on the track. 10. Come Alive (War of the Roses) - 5 Great track until the screeching, way too high octave signing at the back of the second chorus, into the bridge, and leading into the outro. Drums and guitar are amazing on this track and it's instrumentally one of the best on the album so far. 11. Mushrooms & Roses - 1 The entire sound of the track is unpleasant. The vocals are given an unnecessary reverb effect that drowns them out entirely. The guitar solo is nice but suffers from the same effect, essentially swallowing the song in a puddle of incomprehensible noise. 12. Suite III Overture - N/A 13. Neon Valley Street - 3 The chorus is way too repetitive and the verses have the terrible reverb effect on them, not not as bad and pronounced as in Mushrooms & Roses. Guitar solo in the bridge to outro is absolutely incredible however. Brilliant sound to end the track on but you have to struggle to get there. 14. Make the Bus (feat. Kevin Barnes & Of Montreal) - 1 Lyrically it's not a good track. The sound of the vocals with the effects on them is undesirable. Instrumentally the track is all over the place as well. The track is a complete tone change. It's Ke$ha like in its construction. That's not a compliment. 15. Wondaland - 4 Vocally it's unpleasant it's unpleasant in the verses. The structure of the song between chorus and verse and back is ok. The chorus is very catchy though and that's the most enjoyable part of the song. 16. 57821 (feat. Deep Cotton) - 3 It's just not my style of music. It's a well written track, a very well written track at that. This one just comes down to it being not the sound and style of music I enjoy. 17. Say You'll Go - 5 Second half of the song is brilliant but the first half is hit and miss. Piano in the second part is very very enjoyable. 18. BaBopByeYa - 6 The opening 2 and a half minutes are outstanding and if the album contained more of that, it would have been rated better. The tone change is a bit of a break of what has otherwise been a phenomenal sound. It thankfully doesn't ruin anything unlike in previous tracks and helps build and elevate the sound, particularly the vocals. This is until the track fades into the second half of the song and another tone change which isn't as enjoyable as the boisterous vocals and jazzy undertones in the first half of the track. They eventually make their return, but you're long waiting for the track to end by this point. Average Rating: 4.25 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 2.22 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
2.3 I feel this list, now I'm approaching the end, has made me a lot more open to music I would absolutely have been extremely dismissive of at the end. I've enjoyed SZA's appearance, Solange's, even Christina Aguilera. So I went into this with an open mind. It failed to impress however, the constant careering between genre to genre didn't really work in my opinion, sometimes it leaned into it to heavily that it just sounded unauthentic. The terrible Bowie clone in Make the Bus a particular low point. Too try hard. Beats for the most part were uninspiring, even the vocals which are the usually the one good thing about similar albums that miss the mark were lacklustre here. Disappointing.
Ok quite random album. on 9th song so far, its maybe too much in my opinion. its like a lot of different genres or vibes mixing, so its not that consistent. other than that its interesting, first song was really cool. 10th song - wow for the singing. I like the Wonderland song. 57821 is so nice, loved it.
Kinda spaced out on this one. All over the place, not consistent.
Nice clear voice but the different styles throughout the album were a bit jarring for me.
It had some really catchy moments and a cool, unique vibe, but I ultimately found myself zoning out for large chunks of it. Tightrope was a definite highlight, though.
1.5 round up
A bonkers compilation of tunes. Some better than others
not a fan.
Bland elevator music
Wasn’t much of my vibe, if I was in a different mood I think I’d enjoy it more
"Dad, can we get some Beyoncé?" "We have Beyoncé at home!" The Beyoncé at home
I was optimistic going into this one as it’s an album I’ve heard great things about that I’ve no experience hearing. I was pretty disappointed, I found most of this really boring despite all the sounds that seem to be desperately trying to make it interesting. I also think her vocals are really boring for the majority of this record it’s really monotone(?) and boring sounding. All that being said I liked the two overtures and “Neon Valley Street” but the rest of the record was just boring.
I've never really given Janelle's work a shot until now. I knew her as an actor, and as a celebrity who wore eccentric outfits. She was good in Knives out 2 and Moonlight. I knew she was a musician. I remember the hype around her work in the 2010s. But none of that matters right now. The important question is: is it any good? And my answer: not really... but i respect what she's going for. This album is massive. Very ambitious. I think it's a concept album? It's quite impressive. I just... don't really... enjoy it? It's not bad... it just feels sorta sterile? And it's way too long. I got bored. Out of 18 tracks, only one or two piqued my interest. I didn't have time to listen more than once. Perhaps with more listening it might make more of an impact? It definitely wasn't a very immediate album. Things that did stick with me... The lyrics are a bit cheesy? They have a save the world, late career Michael Jackson vibe which didn't really work for me. I like the orchestral interludes. There was a lot of variety in the track list, which was nice... I guess. I recognized Tightrope. I think I heard it in an advertisement years ago or maybe a film. It was solid. I do love Big Boi. The instrumental sounded a bit like that shitty Happy song by Pharrell... but Janelle does a better job with it. Oh, Maker was probably my favourite song on the track. I dig the vocals at the beginning. It sounds expensive. And it definitely has a film score vibe on certain tracks... in a bad way. The closing track fits this to a T. Some cool horns and guitar work throughout the album.
Not for me.
Mid. 2/5.
not really my thing but can't point out why maybe I should keep a more open mind she is great on that one song with paolo nutini tho (fashion)
I have listened to this album at least 5 times and I guess I just don’t get it. It has some great elements of soul and funk but the concept story is not for me and nothing here seems overly new or exciting. It’s a female Bruno Mars. Why is this album on the list? I have no idea. I did enjoy certain songs but this album isn’t for me. Favorites include “Tightrope”, and “Come Alive (War of the Roses)”
Ikke min greie. For mye hopping hit og dit. Blir litt stress
Jeg synes det er bittelitt anmasende.
Langt dårligere enn "debutplata".
Maybe some good music? Wouldn’t recommend to someone
The first half of the album is far away from music I get enjoyment from, but then the second half (specifically starting from Mushrooms & Roses) had more songs I was into
A little too experimental and ambient than what I was expecting
This was a strange album for me. It didn't seem cohesive at all. It was probably well received by critics but I just don't get it. Meh. 4/10 (2/5)
I had never heard of Janelle Monae before listening to this album. Not sure how this even made the list. It was a mishmash of a bit of everything and I could never get straight who she was as an artist. Felt like a compilation of songs she would have sang trying to win American Idol or something. Comparing her to Bowie or Prince is just absurd. I’m sure she hits a chord for someone, just not me.
I don’t even know where to begin with this one. There was everything from lounge singing to hard rock. One minute I felt like I was in a senior center or musical, and the next minute in a rap R&B club. I can admit there were actually a few songs I liked. 57821 was pretty. Mushrooms & roses, Cold War, tightrope, and neon gumbo were all pretty good. Overall, I can’t figure out who she is as an artist. It was just weird.
- ein Mittelding für mich, teilweise moody stuff dabei, aber teilweise eben auch etwas nerviger Kram in meinen Augen - werde ich wohl nicht unbedingt nochmal hören
Boring
Appreciate how dynamic the album is and the overall musicality, but the style of music isn't for me
Not bad but did not like
Dragged like crazy. The highs were forgettable.
Very ambitious. Impressive production. Urgent vibe. Future rap? "Cold War" has a forceful smoothness to it. "Suite III Overture" more my speed. "Neon Valley Street" reminiscent of Rodgers & Hart tune, "With a Song in My Heart." "57821 (feat. Deep Cotton)" - Now we're talking! (Or should I say crooning?)
Ehh
I didn’t like her Knives Out movie, she’s associated with Diddy and Grimes, and she just seems like a lot. Androids and musicals and anime and just a whole bunch of lame weirdness that I don’t have the energy for. I don’t mind a gimmick if the songs are good but this was nothing but gimmick with no good songs.
gfällt ma net, nicht mein Genre
ColdWar war probably mein fav, but overall just not my thing
meh
Definitely not my cup of tea. Won't listen to it again.
Couldn't get into this. She's clearly a very talented singer, but.....I dunno, the vibe just didn't work for me. I felt like I was bored in a lounge somewhere.
Nuda
Couple of good songs, but really just fell flat for me.
не очень понимаю, как это тут оказалось, просто не самая лучшая попса
Mediocre, middle-of-the-road dance- and R&B-flavored pop, with boring, nonsensical lyrics. I have no general problem with nonsensical lyrics, mind you, but I have a problem with someone pretending to be all deep and futuristic for the sake of marketing, but ultimately saying nothing.
Sounds like Disney channel music
Pop, dance, 2010 -> 2-3
Album is interested in sound, and songs are thought out in relation to each other. I love the classical influences. Sometimes has a musical theatre feel. However, I think its core, most common soundscape is one that doesn't resonate with me. I don't know how to define it, I think there's a reference I'm missing. There are so many amazing sound moments though. They just don't often build to be consistently amazing songs. Best tunes: the overtures, sir greendown, tightrope, neon gumbo, mushrooms & roses, wondaland
dead
Very varied. Not all of it good.
Probably not a bad album if you like the style. However, it is not for me personally. Can't say I would recommend it to a friend.
I dont like pop of mostly any kind. Good voice sounded better than usual pop crap but still not to my liking
it all sounds pretty derivative to me - trying on a Prince costume, a Stevie Wonder costume ... it lacks a unifying feel.
Such a lot of difference, yet so little of it is good. Are the ableist lyrics really necessary?
Maso
Never heard of Janelle before. It was fine as far as pop records go, sounded very well produced. Just not really my thing. Nothing particularly stood out. 2
nicht so meins
Hat mir leider gar nicht zugesagt. Ne tolle Künstlerin und interessantes Wiki, aber die Musik hat mich gestresst und wenig unterhalten. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Keine
It was ok.
Way too damn long and gets progressively worse, but still pretty fun on the whole
Janelle Monáe has an incredible voice and can switch styles so easily—it’s impressive. You can hear hints of Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Lauryn Hill in her sound, and there’s a lot of R&B influence. But honestly, the style changes felt forced to me. The songs are well-made, but I just didn’t connect with any of them. I appreciate her talent and the effort to do something different, but it just wasn’t for me. 2 out of 5.
Too all over the place for me. Previous album was better
This just didn't do it for me.
Unexpected, interesting.
Nothing here grabbed my attention - I’ll pass
I really don't like this much. It's too strange and not in a good way There was nothing I liked about this album at all, except her voice which is very nice.
Not entirely unpleasant, but not of interest to me. Lush sound at times.
I feel like labeling this as R&B/Soul is a bit misleading. A lot of it just sounds like pop. I found a good bit of it to be obnoxious. I enjoyed sir greenwood but that’s it.
Ko da sam pustio otvoreni radio. Nista spektakularno loše a ni spektakularno dobro. Tu i tamo nesto zanimljivo iskoci. Produkcija, naravno, bolesna. Nemam kaj tu za reci, pop ko pop tog razdoblja. Nikad cuo niti jednu srvar. 3/10
2.5/10 Ma gle, kužim da je ovo kao dobro, ali ja jednostavno nemam kapaciteta za ovo. Poslušao sam pola albuma i dat ću trojku jer kao nije loše, ali opet, nije mi toliko dobro da bi poslušao cijeli album Baš se patim, isto kao i prošli album Ima elementa ovdje svega i svačega, ali baš me neće. I evo dok sam ovo tipkao i napreskokce slušao album, odem guglati, baš da vidim i da probam nešto otkriti. Pa kaže da je ovo zapravo konceptualni album. Snimljen kao soundtrack za drugi i treći akt Metropolis filma. Što me dovelo do toga da shvatim da ja baš i ne volim konceptualne albume Yup, prošao kroz top 50 listu najboljih konceptualnih albuma prema Rolling Stone magazinu i slobodno mogu reći jebes takve albume. S tim na umu, spušta se ocjena, jer sad uz to što mi je loša glazba mi je i ideja albuma pretenciozna Hvala gospođo Džanela, idemo dalje.
4.5/10 Ocekivao sam da ce mi biti zlo do kraja albuma ali bila je ustvari podnosljiva pozadniska glazba. Ono sto mi je ok su neki funky dijelovi, trubice, malo world musica u nenametljivoj dozi i pokoja zanimljiva gitara u pjesmama. A i zenska zna pjevati. Ali ovo mi vec skoro spada u "gledam ovo svaki dan na MTV-u" kategoriju, barem dok je bilo muzike tamo umjesto realitya i dok im je pisalo music television na dnu logotipa. To je manje bitno jer da moram bas birati izmedju ovog i Beyonce koja se stalno vrtila, mislim da bi ovo ipak izabrao. A i ova Janelle bi bila danas vjerojatno poznatija da se skroz prilagodila dobitnoj pop formuli tog vremena. Na kraju dana, nemam se s cim poistovjetiti na ovom albumu niti vidim situaciju gdje bi ovo pustio, ali zbog ocekivanja da ce mi album biti skroz shitty i par, sitnih iznenadjenja koje krije cu mu malo povisiti ocjenu.
Never heard of this but given its critical reviews and genre description I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I can't say I enjoyed it; I found it boring. 70 minutes and none of the songs caught my ear. To me, Janelle Monae's cultural recognition far outweighs her mainstream output, as evidenced by my not recognizing or vibing with any of the songs. One explanation would be an "alternative R&B" blind spot to experimental, non-mainstream acts such as this. Another interpretation would be that I gravitate toward catchier songs vs artsier songs, and she is firmly in the latter group. She takes herself very seriously: like Prince but with less of a talent for producing earworms.
Interesting but not for me
Strange album. Appreciate the effort, but it try’s to do too much and mostly results in a muddled mess. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
not horrible, but i think she’sa better composer than singer.
Janellelle on annettu liikaa minuutteja levylle, tuolla b-puolella tapahtuu kaikkea kummallista. Pidin alun vahvasta popista enemmän kuin lopun genrekokeiluista. Tosin Janellella on upea ääni. Eikä biisit huonoja ole, ihan hyviä, eivät vain kovin mieleenpainuvia enkä ymmärrä tätä albumikokonaisuutta - kuin monipuolisuus olisi hyve itsessään.
A-puoli alkaa raidalla nimeltään "Suite II Overture", mikä saa pelkäämään pahinta. Tästä huolimatta levyn ensimmäinen puolisko on kaiken kaikkiaan hyvää musiikkia: se ei ehkä sisällä varmaa hittiä, mutta toimii rytmisesti ja tuotannollisesti vetävänä poppina. Ikävä kyllä B-puoli on juuri sitä, mitä sen avaustittelin (Suite III Overture) perusteella voisi olettaa. Sekavaa, kummallista: musiikkia, jonka tavoitteena on saada kuulijat yliarvostamaan tekijäänsä. Listan poikkeuksellisin pettymys. 2+
Just no. Talentless, overproduced crap
I'm not sure what to make of this. It's at times both familiar and completely alien. Musically it's refreshing to hear someone taking much bigger swings that your average pop/R&B artist would and I certainly appreciate that. I listened to the whole thing, no skips. It's eclectic and ambitious but ultimately not much really grabbed my ear. I guess it's just not really my thing.
High 2 for me, nothing too great but also nothing terrible. so, meh. Couldn’t give it a 3.
first song surprised me. its very 2000s core. not my style of music. she has a good voice. i just don't like the tune of the music. stopped listening half way through tightrope because i couldn't be bothered.
She is clearly talented and its fine pop music, but it is not the type of stuff I care to listen to or that interests me.
Classical with aliens
Bit of an odd album. Liked bits of it but it didn't really hang together that well and I don't think I'd go back to it...
Feel-good music, sounds like a Disney film soundtrack.
I can appreciate talent but it’s not for me.
I have never heard this before, I didn't even know she was a singer, I thought she was only an actress. It's pretty good but doesn't really blow me away. My favorite song is one of the less popular ones "Wondaland". I will probably listen to a few songs from this again but it didn't really strike me as something that I need to hear again all the way through.
there is a lot going on, and not much of it is exciting or interesting whatsoever. she is a very good singer, but that doesnt make the album universally good. halfway through the album i thought to myself "i already dont remember a single thing from any previous tracks", so chances are i will forget this album has existed alltogether by the day after next NNN
too weird
Probably a decent listen for those that like dance music. Tons of production. Not a lot to remember.
Afrofuturistic science fiction... mmmh.
Yea i dunno im pretty neutral on this
Not feeling it.
Pretty hit or miss, not memorable Fav: oh, maker
Non mi è piaciuta molto
Not my kind of music over, all but I liked some songs.
I’m glad this isn’t an album based off of the first track (suite II overture) , I thought “no f’n way am I going to get through this”. Then again, the rest of the album isn’t for me either. I can’t put my finger on the style of this album either. You have classical, you have disco, you have soul, you have pop and you have a song that sounds like a James Bond theme song…. That’ll be my choice cut I think. This really isn’t me more than it’s not a listenable album. Choice cut: Sir Greendown
Great vocals but not my thing
Never heard of this lady and probably because looking at the charts she has made little impression in the UK. Reading about the album in Wiki I was interested in the albums concept. I am usually receptive to crossover albums but normally this is orchestrated rock. On listening everything is thrown into the mix here to the point that anyone favouring a specific genre could find something to like. I admire this but the old adage jack of all trades, master of none, springs to mind. All in all not an album I would return to but an admirable attempt at coming up with something new. 2.5/5 7/6/24
Gym pop
Started interesting, then dropped like a stone into some pretty generic hip-hop
first listen. Not my cup of tea.
Mostly found this tedious. On a whole, I found it hard to engage with the narrative/concept and did not take much away from that. Individually, I found a few songs fun but mostly they ranged from boring to cloying.
my lord ... i haven't heard this since it came out and really enjoyed it at the time ... i found it to be incredibly grating and irritating music. I had hoped that Tightrope was a misnomer on this album as far as annoying tracks go but the whole thing is annoying as absolute hell ... theatre kid with a budget.
Pas trop mon style a priori. En revanche, j'aime bien les derniers titres : en particulier 57821 et BaBopBye Ya
Suite II Overture 3.2 Dance or Die 1.8 Faster 2.3 Locked Inside 2.6 Sir Greendown 2 Cold War 3 Tightrope 2.8 Neon Gumbo 2 Oh, Maker 2.4 Come Alive (The War of the Roses) 3.3 Mushrooms & Roses 2.3 Suite III Overture 2 Neon Valley Street 1.9 Make the Bus 2.1 Wondaland 2 57821 2 Say You'll Go 2 Babopbyeya 2.2 Score: 2.327777778
not my favourite but it was ok, nothing noteworthy
Ambitious, but meh
They say never judge a book by its cover. Well I judged this album by its cover. And within a minute was doubting myself. I had to check I hadn't accidentally turned on The Wizard of Oz soundtrack. And as track two started..phew. Shouldn't have doubted myself. Mainly disposable pop but, you know, as it goes on it gets madder and more varied. Probably needs another listen when not working and having it in the background.
no. just no. like a bad mix of 70s and 80s R&B
Good singing by Janae and intriguing production, but I just could not get into this album for some reason.
Overstuffed. It just never breathes. Monáe is self confident and talented enough to take a stab at several genres and styles and succeed. But in the end it feels like a relentless collection of pretty good pastiches. It feels too much like a showcase rather than a genuine piece of art (which is perhaps unfair when considering the obvious time and talent put into this). But I’ve given it a lot of chances and it just doesn’t open up to me.
TIL that Janelle Monáe is also a singer thinking she was just an actress The album is not my cup of tea. 2/5
who needs that? I certainly don't. I've at least listened to all the songs. Her voice doesn't appeal to me. the only one I liked a little bit is "Sir Greendown" what a pity
Different
I love Janelle’s voice, this album was just okay to me though! Sometimes it felt like a target commercial
4.41/10 Top 3 Songs 1. Neon Valley Street 2. Cold War 3. Dance or Die (feat. Saul Williams)
A little too artsy fartsy for me. Talented though.
Non il mio genere
2- Stars (4/15)
Lots of range but it also felt like Fantasia at times.
eh
come alive was pretty decent, kind of persona ish
Not for me
My wife raved about this album, so I was really hoping for something special. I was seriously disappointed. Afterwards I read the Wiki page and it was comparing this to David Bowie for concepts, and I just laughed.
couldn't really get into this one for some reason.
I know it’s supposed to be amazing but I find it uninteresting
Njoo 2/5
Now I know what Janelle Monae sings. 2.5
I like the variety in sounds. There were a few shrilly parts that were unpleasant that drove my dogs nuts
Wasn't really my thing
Not my favorite music I found it dull. Afro impersonal
Not my cup of tea or crazy hat.
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.
- 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
Allright, but too much all over the place for my taste
It wasn’t very good
"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.
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.
Not my thing
Show me the Monáe!
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"...
Her newer stuff is better. This was weird and very inside. Not memorable.
Nice vocals but a little to “artsy” for my taste. Seemed disjointed. No flow to album
........ 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.
Nope. Nada. Not happening to my ears.
Wasn't my jam
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
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.
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
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. (⌐■_■)
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.
obnoxious elevator music
didn't appeal, really not my kinda thing.
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
I make it short: the music sounds boring.
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
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
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
Not a fan at all.
This album is just Beyonce-lite at this point. 😞
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.
It was okay, most of the songs were pretty boring, but I thought the suite overtures were beautiful.
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.
every song was different. some good most weird. sounded almost like a movie soundtrack.
Not for me.
Didn't finish it. It was ok.
Weird mix of classical music, strange instruments and boring generic songs.
Hände inte så mycket. Kanske ok på radion
Listened to this then forgot immediately.
Great Sound/Voice, just not my type of music
I'm all for combining genres in an attempt to create something unique, but this is too much. It's a hodge-podge of musical styles that don't really seem to gel in my opinion. And it's too bad because - by all accounts - she has a great voice. It's just too weird for me. I didn't get it. Although I did dig Say You'll Go.
Not for me
Vorsichtige 2, weil ich nicht an das Genre gewöhnt bin und es mir hin und wieder recht „kitschig“ vorkommt. Bisschen zu sehr easy listening mit teilweise aber richtig guten Tracks. Muss ich definitiv nochmal hören.
horrendous length. cold war
Creative? Yes. Music that speak to me? No.
I liked some of it, but it wasn't all for me. It didn't flow the way I found other albums of hers flow to my liking.
Yeah, not for me.
In the background, pretty good.
I can see how people would like this but it's just not for me. It all feels very focus-grouped and inorganic to me. Maybe it's because I know she's an actor as well but this feels like an actor pretending to be a musician. I know that's not fair because I believe she's a talented musician but it's just the vibes I get from the album. Rating is just where I land on the music. I like Janelle Monae as an actress from what I've seen, just never been into the music side of her work. Standout Tracks: Cold War, Tightrope
I'm not the biggest fan, the music is kind of erratic. I give it 2.5 stars
Not my bag
Not a fan
Diverse and long pop album that I unfortunately did not enjoy at all. I appreciate the ambition but it’s very long and the vast majority of the songs are very average and not memorable at all. Her voice is ok, variety is ok, but not a fan.
The have been worse albums on this list.
I liked her in Glass Onion but not sure if her music is for me. Some catchy songs but overall, not for me.
Didn't enjoy it at all. Wasn't "unlistenable" but was glad when it was over.
Zu lang. Und langweilig. Redet viel, sagt gar nichts.
Has some cool points – feels like they're trying to be too cool/fancy
I'm not really looking forward to this next hour. I prefer her singing than rapping. I'm liking the ballads more than the songs trying to be big dance floor bangers. She's got a great voice. This is quite the toe tapper (Come Alive (War of the Roses))! There's some good fuzzy guitar playing on this record!! This is about 20 minutes / 6 songs too long, bored now. 2 / 5 stars.
Meh it was all meh
Helemaal niet mijn ding, wat een gezeik. 2*
p929. 2010. 2.5 stars. Well done and definitely varied, but distinctly average. Very little of it stands out. Would not listen to it again.
Don't know. 2? Yeah, 2
I know she’s got a cult following and all, but it’s not for me. I heard the hits and they were fine, but I’m not flipping for them. Meh.
Modern R'n'B is not really my turf, apart from obvious hit singles aimed at making you shake your ass on a dancefloor. So I feel like judging albums in that style released after the nineties onwards is a little difficult for me. That being said, I can respect the artistry involved in such a record. There's tons of it, to be honest, especially with all the different styles outside said R'n'B that are infused in those songs, from roaring 20s charleston in "Faster" to punk rock in "Come Alive", not to mention the well-crafted orchestral arrangements in between. The thing is, there are TWO huge problems plaguing this sort of album: the first is that as nice and stylish as its different components are, I can't help but feeling that the flourishes on those songs are way to "functional" to make this a record one for the ages, even with my lack of knowledge or appetite for that sort of music. Case in point, the scratches at the start of "Faster", or the guitar solos and the dated rapping parts there and everywhere else. Those ingredients seem to serve a decorating "purpose" rather than being tought-out as part of the compositions from the get-go. As a consequence, everything sounds way too "calculated", there's no sincerity in that type of production, even if you take into account its mainstream pop context. And therefore, everything has aged terribly fast in this record, and this in only 12 years, to boot. Listen to what is done in this overall genre *today*, and the difference will strike you hard. The second problem is easier to explain: the songs are not catchy enough. Their choruses, particularly. The tunes in Monáe's later LP "Dirty Computer" will show vast improvement in that realm (maybe because the production team is different?). There are songs that remind you of the catchiest Prince, Madonna or Beyoncé/Destiny's Child songs there. So maybe that's the album that should have been included in this list, instead of *The ArchAndroid*, as "original" as the latter is. Number of albums left to review: 725 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 135 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 65 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 76 (including this one)
Some enjoyable bits but too long and too many ideas for me
Not my thing. Some cool moments on here tho.
I like the idea of the ArchAndroid. But try as I have, it seems impossible to warm to. Too clinical and calculated for my liking
Amazing voice, few nice tracks, but not really my scene
Ok
Not a fan
Bit samey, skipped through a few because I got a little bored. Fave was Dance or Die, think I'd probably like some of her other albums.
Afrofuturism meets Metropolis meets chart friendly funk/hip-hop/electronic/R&B/Pop. Lots of ideas here and though it's meant to be a suite songs sound a lot like one another. Bonus points though because it's at least trying to be different unlike other R&B/pop acts of the time - and be aware, no matter how much it may try and pretend it isn't a R&B/pop album, it is. It lacks soul, just like an android. Music that's been bleached and steam cleaned. Best Tracks: Faster; Tightrope (feat. Big Boi); Come Alive (War of the Roses)
As far as my ears can tell, no one else is making pop concept albums like this nowadays. So I'm sad to return to Metropolis and still not get it. There are excellent cuts from this album; Someone made me a really nice mix with some samples from it. However, I never thought The ArchAndroid was bad and this time around I no longer think of it as forgettable. That second half and its escape theme is a little more distinct. Both are musical-ish to their detriment.
I don't like this record, which is a shame because I really like Dirty Computer, but this does nothing for me. Her voice is amazing, but the backing tracks just sound over processed and too mechanical. I feel like this would be a good soundtrack to an 80's movie.
Felt this album was pretty long and didn’t find monaes singing that enjoyable. She is talented and the overtures were pretty good but her albums aren’t all that much for me. 3.6/10
So it starts off really good and then it divulges into kinda boring pop tunes. I really had high hopes for this .
Starts out with some decent tunes, but I lost interest along the way.
Not sure what to make of this. There are some great tracks, and some terrible tracks. It's as though she's tried to fit every genre in one album, an homage to every influence. You can pick the similarities to Bowie or Outkast tracks, they're so faithful to their influencers. In the end a lot of it sounds messy, like it needs trimming of some of the sounds going on. More selective production maybe. It's so close to being great.
First handful of songs are great, then you really start to feel the length of the album with it's inconsistent sound and quality throughout.
Ok, not really my thing.
The definition of trying too hard and failing.
Todella outo kokonaisuus. Paikoitellen ihan viihdyttävää ja sitten taas lähtikin laukalle. Pitäis ehkä joskus vähän enemmän ajatukselle kuunnella.
It has it's moments, but its so long and some of the stuff sounds so samey
Vaikka janelle monae onkin lit, niin muistin oikein kun aprikoin etten oikein välittänyt tästä albumista. Myöhempi tuotanto best.
Some good songs
57821 is a really good song. The rest is very creative, but doesn't do much for me. The two overtures were and unexpected turn.
Couple of solid tracks in isolation but as a whole it lacks direction
I can see why people could really love this, her voice is incredibly strong but apart from the one song that reminded me of an Imelda May track (Come Alive) nothing on here really gelled with my taste.
I really wanted to like this, and I appreciated the vocals, but the beats themselves really put me off this album. Isn't much more to it.
Stupid 10's music, that really is just straight bad. If I had to show someone what a bad album was, I would refer them to this. While it had some sub-par beats, the lyrics are some of the stupidest I've heard.
booo
not really my genre, disney-like r&b
Begon leuk, daarna haakte ik af
Helemaal kut was het niet, maar toch wel weer een onbegrijpelijke plaat in deze lijst als je 't mij vraagt.
Is dit een soundtrack van een Disney film? Het is me totaal onduidelijk waarom ik dit album gehoord moet hebben, en al die andere duizenden middle of the road Q-music hitlijst albums niet.
Couldnt finish it, nice voice but not my type, dont get how this is inspired in Metrópolis
Nah
Pleasant voice
Background music
good production, but not my thing
Meh. Just meh. A couple of decent tracks, but nothing more. From 2010 but nothing feels new about it.