The ArchAndroid

Wow! Really did not expect to like this album but was pleasantly surprised. Hard to classify the genre as it seems to me to be a mix of lots of different genres. Strangely satisfying and pleasant to listen to. I can see why it's in the list. I'll listen to this album again.

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?

Janelle shows boundless creativity and talent across these 18 tracks and takes ample time to tip her hat to numerous inspirations. The album is a variable periodic table of musical elements; Funk, Rab, R&B, Classical, Latin, Swing, Pop, Samba, Jazz, Psychedelic, Rock, Folk, Ballads and maybe even some Broadway. Stand out tracks for me are 'Neon Valley Street', 'Dance or Die', 'Come Alive', '57821' and 'Tightrope'.

Confusion is a walrus.

Very eclectic and respect to a concept album. it is too long. Yet another from the digital era which would have benefited from a vinyl mindset. When it's good its excellent.

A fairly solid album. Very modern and interesting. Bit long, however...

I really, really, really enjoyed this. Not being at all familiar with the artist, I went into this completely blind. What a fantastic album! This has definitely been added to my rotation and I will be seeking out more from this artist.

Literally incredible. Zero skips.

Loved it. Never heard it before but the girl has a great voice. Who says the concept album is dead? I shall be listening to this again, and investigating more.

It's a bit of a curio. Walks the line between exhilarating and being a bit too much.

Started off interestingly but I got bored before I was halfway through. Good if you're a fan, I guess.

Ok, not really my thing.

The definition of trying too hard and failing.

Enjoyed it! Each song interesting and unique and different from the previous. Some dancey, many tell a story. Would listen again!

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.

Wow this is new to me and sooo cool! Really enjoying it so far! OMG the themes and story-telling, the interesting sounds, the classical music sections, this is just so incredible exciting and fantastic. Her voice is sensational, it reminds me of Lianne La Havas wow!

No surprises, I love this album

Lucy will be happy this is on the list. I've always meant to pay Janelle Monae more attention after Lucy played her lots. Really enjoyed this. Very different and varied. I really enjoyed it. Will listen again

This was a complete banger! Took me by surprise. I've liked Janelle Monáe before but not done a deep dive on her older albums but this was outstanding. It was so diverse in sounds but still all felt very together as an album. Loved it

Todella outo kokonaisuus. Paikoitellen ihan viihdyttävää ja sitten taas lähtikin laukalle. Pitäis ehkä joskus vähän enemmän ajatukselle kuunnella.

Viihdyttävän monipuolinen kokonaisuus

An enjoyable listen, an album I would listen to again.

One of my favorite modern RnB albums ever made, though it's becoming less and less modern. Timeless production with detailed, scifi inspired beats that incorporate art pop into old school funky grooves and bass lines. All tied together by janelles eccentric performance and infectious energy.

Jao, ovaj album ima toliko raznoliku paletu žanrova da bi svaka pisma zaslužila svoj review. Ža mi je šta ima toliko dobrih pisama za koje nisan nikad cula, a koje su mi osobno bolje od nekih njenih mainstream hitova. Baš se osjeti utjecaj Michaela Jacksona, Bowie-ja i Prince-a (šta nije čudno s obzirom da je posli i surađivala s Princeom!!). Usprkos tome šta mi ovih par elektro pisama nije silo, druge su mi toliko dobre (pogotovo ove ukomponirane s klasičnom glazbom 🤤) da zaslužuje visoku ocjenu od mene.

Pretty darn good. Nice variety

It’s a keeper. Futuristic, seamless.

A little too long. But holy shit what a great album.

This is exciting and unique, it's easy to understand why she's a star. It has pop hooks but it doesn't feel formulaic.

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

What a tour de force of creativity. Definitely going to add this to regular rotation. Only downside is weird/bad mixing in a handful of songs.

Pretty sick tbh

Enjoyed the mix of classical with r&b.

Upbeat, but not really my style

very very solid album, I already knew some of the songs like Cold war, but I enjoyed the rest of the album very much, really interesting sounds

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Faster; Cold War; Oh, Maker; Wondaland; BaBopByeYa Cutting Edge: Mushrooms & Roses Overall Notes: The first half is super funky and groovy while the second half is musical theater-er and jazzier. Don't think I'll be returning to it too often because I'm more of an individual songs guy and this album demands you to enjoy the full hour+ experience, but I'm not mad because it's an enjoyable one. (also saw her live and it's an Event)

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an album in this genre. I’m not even sure what genre this was but it was a good listen. I enjoyed the album and would listen again.

One of the first times I hung out at my wife’s (we had just started dating at the time) apartment, I caught her having a solo dance party to this album. I had loosely heard of Janelle Monáe, but didn’t really know her music. Well, I joined in on this solo dance party and haven’t looked back since. Her voice is beautiful and could stand on its own. But oh no, she decided to throw some amazing background vocals and music into the mix as well. The result is an amazing musical journey that will have you bopping, sliding, spinning and singing likely in public 😂 Excellent album!

This puts so many albums on this list to shame. The talent and beauty of the music is ridiculous. Oh Maker is on a whole different level. I wish there were more stars to give.

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.

Future funky. Loved the scale and imagination at play here. Hints of Funkadelic, elements of Todd Rundgren. No expense spared, no kitchen sink unutilised. Huge fun.

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 it!

I love JMonae, but I prefer "Dirty Computer" over "The ArchAndroid"

god... what a fucking album. really.

What a wonderful surprise, an album i would never have listened to but absolutely loved. The range of genres and influences is mind-blowing, and the variety in the vocal performances makes it hard to believe it was one artist (with guests) responsible. I love a concept album, and this is as high concept as anything, but the songs stand up individually as well. Dance or die, faster, tightrope (with big boi), wondaland, and my new favourite song Come Alive (War of the Roses) are so good I can hardly believe I hadn't heard them before. What an album, and this is exactly the reason I wanted to do this!

4.5

Great surprise! Enjoyed the creativity!

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

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

It has it's moments, but its so long and some of the stuff sounds so samey

Very enjoyable album

Beautiful!

This is excellent. Some fabulous rap, some amazing soul - all very varied, very experimental. Her voice is amazing, and although I think she might be reaching the edge of her talent on one or two of these tracks, that talent is way, way, way better than 95% of the other talent in this list. I might be a convert.

Interesting album. I didn't know what to expect (which always makes for a great listening experience) and was surprised to hear how many different musical genres are touched upon. Tight performances from musicians and production too.

Vaikka janelle monae onkin lit, niin muistin oikein kun aprikoin etten oikein välittänyt tästä albumista. Myöhempi tuotanto best.

that janelle monae is one talented broad

Some good songs

Very unique. Not like anything I've ever heard before.

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.

Amazing, interesting, experimental but still enjoyable to listen to.

Great album, good beats, great singing

This is straight fire. Hot damn.

Interesting, would like to reallly dedicate the time to take a deeper dive on this one and the others in the series.

Wow... such a mix of genres. I liked Come Alive and Mushrooms & Roses a lot. It's a neat album well executed. Some of the songs didn't really resonate, with me. I also listenened to Suite I and liked it, but it's mostly more of an R&B sound.

This was a very enjoyable listen! I especially loved the transitions/smooth flow from one song to another. You could tell a lot of care was put into the order and flow of this album

Wow, I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Her voice is incredible and liked every song on this album I think. I'll be coming back to this one!

Janelle Monaé is so much cooler than I’ll ever be and I’m kicking myself for never having listened until 2022. This album is somehow orchestral, soul, jazz, pop, hip hop, rock, rhythm and blues, it’s a really fun listen that I absolutely will come back to again. Cold War and Tightrope are BOPS.

Very fun!

Great diverse album

This album was a lot of fun and probably not one I would have listened to if it wasn't for this list generator. Hoping for more discoveries like this one as I continue to listen.

Timeless, passionate, groovy, funky, soulful, rockin', romantic, powerful, intriguing, classic, relatable, subversive, splendiferous, seamless, flowing, masterful, genius, classy, supreme, and I wanted to come up with more, but thinking of adjectives is really hard, so I'm just gonna leave it there and say this album is very very very good.

The best of this album IMO: - Dance Or Die - Faster - Tightrope - Neon Valley Street I love how fast-paced it sounds. C'est limite big beat. Great voice. Fantastic beats. Colorful! Great variety in the songs with the voice effects and whatnot. 4.3/5

an absolutely beautiful album. the vocals, the lyricism, the instrumental. everything about this album screams beauty and grace. it sounds like the soundtrack of a thriller or adventure movie. the transitions between songs is flawless and had me thinking i was still listening to the same song. the cohesiveness of the album whether that be through, lyrics or sounds is incredible. its like a journey. the introduction "suite II overture" sounds like something out of indiana jones or some other action movie song composed by hans zimmer. the powerhouse vocals monáe uses in many of the tracks showcases her passion. overall this album seems very feminine to me and expresses this in a subtle way. i think the use of string instruments like violins further supports this as delicate instruments. the title of the album is very fitting. in the second half of the album, monáe seems to use something like auto tune and increases her pitch making her sound like an android of sorts.

This is an exhaustive album. Janelle Monáe has taken me on a musical history lesson that spans the last century. Eclectic is one way to describe it and in a way I am reminded of Beck who did a similar kind of genre smashing. Needs a few listens to capture what is going on, and no interruptions which has been hard listening to it while working in a busy office. Maybe a bit over long and unaccessible in places but I'm OK with that

Couple of solid tracks in isolation but as a whole it lacks direction

This album drips with style and confidence. Great production, vocals, and just a super interesting listen all the way through. 4.5/5

nope

She has an amazing voice and I really enjoyed the more upbeat songs.

I guess this album was influenced by a lot of artist, like Prince, Kate Bush and Lauryn Hill. A concept album that marked a quantum leap forward in musical ambition. (8/10) FT: Say You'll Go, Come Alive

Funky. No la conocía, me está gustando :)

Очень круто. Аранжировки супер. Есть чему поучиться.

This started very strong with jam after jam but it lost me towards the end. There were a few that just didn't quite hit for me. Still a strong enough album for me to rate a 4/5.

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.

love janelle, she's queen

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.

So very very close to a 5 for me. I did not expect to love this album as much as I did, what a JAM. There's a lot of weird experimental stuff going on, her voice is absolutely AMAZING and the beats I can't help but bop along to and the orchestra is just... Fantastic. The reason why I won't give it a full 5 is because it fell a bit flat for me after Suite III Overture (except for maybe Wondaland). I think if it'd stopped there it'd have gotten a full 5 stars. And tbh had a bit of an off day as well so might actually have given it a 5 if I was feeling more generous. Adding to my regular album rotation.

Pre-tay good.

Un album très sympathique et varié de la part de notre Janelle préférée. On notera toutefois une outro complètement chapardée à l'ami Debussy. J'ai prévenu les ayants droit du compositeur qui m'ont confié leur intention de porter plainte dans les prochains jours. Affaire à suivre.

Janelle commet ici une des erreurs élémentaires du générateur: nous proposer un album bien trop long. Ceci est la preuve d'une arrogance la plus absolue, Janelle pensant pouvoir nous tenir intéressé pendant une heure. Cela n'est evidemment pas le cas, mais le grand début d'album lui assure tout de même un 4/5 bien mérité. A noter que mon camarade d'écoute robteillère fait preuve de la même arrogance vis a vis de sa propre musique, ce dernier se permettant de donner des concerts payants. En effet, ce dernier s'est reproduit en Pologne ce week end, devant un auditoire d'environ 4 personnes. La non plus, impossible pour rob de tenir son auditoire pendant une heure, mais cela va même plus loin, puisque 3 des 4 spectateurs ont quitté le concert dès le premier refrain entamé par rob. Un fiasco pour la salle de concert, qui ejectera rob sans même lui payer son cachet.

Eine wirklich interessante Künstlerin. Weiter beobachten. 06.12.2021

Very experimental

Great album, first half stronger than the second.

Funky. Tightrope is a good song helped a lot by the Outkast love. A bonus star for the crazy range of music on display.

Ok, I honestly don't understand this album, but I think I love it. It's just so out there in terms of mix of styles, lyrical concepts. Viewed as an album, the sheer scope and ambition of it is fantastic. Viewed as a collection of songs, it's hard to believe this is all one album. The best thing about this is the seeming ease with which Janelle Monáe pulls off all of the different style on this album - with all of them sounding good. I even enjoyed the rap on this album - something I enjoy only very rarely.

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.

I loved the song Make the Bus (feat. Of Montreal) because I love Of Montreal. Kevin Barnes' musical thumbprint is so pronounced it was like an Of Montreal song was somehow mixed up in the recording booth and placed there by accident. All the featured songs on this album were recognizably distinct from the beautiful R&B Janelle solo tracks, yet wove in to the album expertly to take the listener on a journey through the afrofuturist story of The ArchAndroid.

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.

Sometimes it’s really cheesy but you gotta respect the boldness of this album

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

booo

First Listen. Very interesting album. Some very good songs. Standouts: Locked Inside, Sir Greendown. 3/5

not really my genre, disney-like r&b

Very Theatrical with a variety of styles throughout and fascinating lyrical content to dig into. Favorites: Faster, Tightrope, Oh Maker

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.

solid 4.5. Her albums are so good, great sound peppered with theming you don't tend to find in non-electronic music.

Screw it. 5.0. If I could rate higher I would. I've not listened to much of Janelle Monae, but I am wowed by this album. It's hard for me to pull the trigger for 5.0 on something thats new to me like this without it being a groundbreaker or iconic artist. But wow, this was a great disc to end the week on. I'm going to relisten now.

The scope and range are very impressive. Special album. I love this app. Has shown me some excellent music I would never have gone near otherwise.

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.

Terrific album both lyrically and musically. Janelle Monae manages to cross genre effortlessly without it being jarring or intrusive. She also subverts traditional pop and R&B chord progressions and allows there to be unresolved tension in her music to reflect the lyrical themes. Overall, a super impressive album all around.

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.

Denk je weer eens wat moderns te horen, krijg je dit soort saaie, zoetzappige meuk. Waar hebben we dit aan verdiend, generator!?

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.

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.

It's a lot different feel to what I normally listen to but I liked it.

Too long, never caught my attention

Goes from 4 to 5 just because of Come Alive.

it ate my review but the short of it is that this is some kind of prog r&b i didn't know existed and it's cool as hell

When this came up it wasn't one that I expected to enjoy, just that it would be one to get through to tick off. But you know what, I enjoyed it. It's a really complex and varied album. The production is brilliant.

Wow. This was really surprising, in a good way. I've never heard of Janelle Monáe, and didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't expect something super eclectic ranging from pop/R&B to songs that were reminiscent of David Bowie, Prince, Bjork, even one that reminded me of Enya. I need to listen to this a few times to totally get it, and I plan to. 4 stars.

Nothing to fault but nothing I like about it.

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

This one was good, but hard to describe. I'd like to listen to it again sometime. 0RS

Enjoyable if not a little weird. I don’t know her stuff all that well but it’s always entertaining.

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

Love Janelle Monae. Very underrated singer. Oh, Maker is one of my favorite songs ever.

Not for me. Most of the songs were too chaotic and diverse, and as an artist, hard to recognize with no clear sound or personality.

Really nice.

What a surprise from someone I only know as an actress. Great almost cinematic concept album. Reminds me of the great pieces of art from the 70s album greats. Massive respect to Janelle, and what a voice!

Enjoyable R&B album with heavy pop influences that does lack more great songs though to warrant a fourth star

Sin mas

Top tier album and I feel it only gets better with subsequent listens

Looks like I am in for a real ride on this one. Yea this is all over the map in terms of genres and feels. Locked Inside is a groove at the end of the universe. Cold War is a great track made mediocre by too much heavy handed mastering compression. Tightrope is a banger. Come Alive is a another one. yea all of Suite II is good, lets see Suite III. I don't get Make The Bus. I like the vocal texture on Wonderland. I got lost about halfway through Suite III. It launches into these lavish soundscapes, and if you haven't been locked into the story, you will feel lost. But Monae's voice is so rich and plays so nicely with the the elegance of the soundscape.

Покашьто лучший из тех, что был тута. Хоть я и прям все песенки не прослушал

Not sure what i listened to. A lot of different types of music, but it was good.

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.

very cohesive, very good fave tracks: faster, tightrope, locked inside

I mean this was alright. Some parts of some songs were good but this was way out there. 6/10.

Another pleasant surprise

Right between a 3 and a 4, but trending toward a 4 for the sheer variety and ambitiousness. So many genres are here, and such virtuosic singing.

i'm hella late on this album. janelle really cultivated a beautiful and lush soundscape with this one.

13.75 7.639/10

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.

This was great. A brilliant mash of genres with interval tracks that didn't intrude at all. The first and last tracks are excellent as well, which probably helps. Some of the middle tracks were weaker, or a bit weirder, but I'll definitely be returning to this one.

Nearly gave this 5*, went back for a second listen. It gets muddled and shabby after the second overture but in general very enjoyable.

First impression: looks like comercial pop, not big expectations. First song is a classical overture. Already had a big start, probably will have to take my prejudice to the garbage. Love how the first songs flow like it's a single song. It just follows from a song to the next and you don't notice it.

Musically really in interesting pulling from upbeat swing tunes to classical samples and other influences, really took me off guard

Primer disc majestuós de Monae. Ja quan va sortir es va convertir en un secret a veus i des d'aleshores no ha perdut un bri de la seva frescura. Hi ha temes immediats, com 'Faster' o 'Cold War' i d'altres que requereixen més atenció, però com a estrena discogràfica és molt meritòria

Never heard this before, am not super familiar with Janelle Monae in general. But man this album goes all kinds of places. This album has what feels like a dash of everything. R&b, Funk, Electronic, Rap, Jazz, Orchestral, Disco, Film scores, Even like some psychedelics rock and like some like British Folk influence. Like this mash of Some David Bowie and outkast. Just so much weird stuff it's pretty neat. Especially with the whole using metropolis as a foundational idea. It's really good.

Incredible, such a cohesive album

Beautiful voice, great album from front to back.

Really a 4.5

LIstening to this album and reading about Jenelle Monae in the process was an absolute joy. What an artisit, with this album reflecting someone who may just be one of the more underrated artists of the 21st century. I can't wait to spend more time with this album and for it to be a part of my long term listening repitoire.

so cool. great range of song styles, her voice is amazing and gives me 2010 pop ‘now that’s what I call music’ nostalgia but with r&b n funk notes 😵‍💫

wow amazed this is a fucking album

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

No me gusta nada

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

I don't listen to much "pop" music, full albums almost never. This is the best pop music album I have heard in a long time. So varied in musical genres and always interesting. It plays like a concept album but with changes of mood and style that keep it interesting. Changes of style are nothing if the music isn't interesting and this album held my interest throughout. I was shocked at how the album flew by so quickly. I am tempted to give it a 5, but 4.5 is all I can muster. A discovery! 4.5 stars

I consider this a bit of a modern classic but had to downgrade it to a 4, i'd forgotten how much it loses steam near the end. Still a great variety of sounds and layers

A great album with some really electrifying tracks

Incredible album, Janelle has always delivered with concepts and versatility while pushing artistic limits, and this album is no exception

Takes its time to get going but encompasses a wide swath of well-blended influences at its end. Swing, acid house, a touch of Tropicana and more are blended into unique pop operas that have a life all their own. The interludes could be trimmed (even in the context of the narrative) and some fat cut from overlong arrangements, but a great concept album over all.

Janells

Way better than I thought coming into this. Adding her to the rotation.

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

Best album I've listened to all day.

Some massive bangers but the album genre/vibe consistency was chaotic

Far more weird and interesting than I expected. Very cohesive and excellent flow to the whole thing.

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

Oh, Maker is a good one. Say You'll Go. 57821. Mushrooms & Roses.

Pretty good, although Dancing Queen is the obvious standout.

Bombastic. The backing band is great throughout, and she goes all-in the whole album. The first couple tracks are a rough start but once it gets going it never hits the brakes.

Etwas wechselhaftes pop/r&b album mit einigen guten tracks und einem kohärenten konzept.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Dance or die, Faster, Locked Inside, Tightrope

Sounded very theatrical, big. There we’re some parts where I wanted the song to end but it went a little longer, but overall a great album with a lot of different and unique songs.

Muy bueno, algunos de los temas no fueron para nada de mi estilo y probablemente no elegiría escucharlos de nuevo. Sin embargo, overall, experiencia positiva. Difícil encasillar lx artista en un género musical. Increíblemente versátil.

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"

Couldnt finish it, nice voice but not my type, dont get how this is inspired in Metrópolis

My first listen, so taking it with a grain of salt. Album felt all over the place, no two songs similar but overall the sound was great. Not something I’d return to frequently but I would listen again.

I've heard such good things about this record, excited to listen to it! Shit was dope.

Not for me, too muzak like

Es completamente diferente de algo que haya escuchado antes, en verdad es buenísimo, lo recomiendo demasiado. Se siente tan actual, además las letras son preciosas, todo el álbum es una obra de arte y lo adoro, es de lo mejor que he escuchado y definitivamente uno de mis álbumes favoritos. Cada canción se siente diferente pero al mismo tiempo conectada con la anterior. No hay palabras para describir lo magnífico que es este álbum, lo amé.

An amazing album containing some of Janelle Monáes all time great songs, let down only slightly by the run length.

"Tightrope" might be the only track I've heard from this album, but it's not the only track I've heard from Monáe. This album was a happy surprise, with and overall happy sound and several tracks that I really enjoyed. Monáe frequently reaches back to earlier say close enough.

Awful. Hated every second of it.

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

Nah

Good album

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)

I'm a lot more familiar with Janelle Monae's later albums so this was fun to explore. It was a fun album to fully immerse myself in! She has such fun creating concept albums that span a wide array of musical compositions. Gotta love the bass in some of these, and how much she changes her voice from song to song. I really like some of the featured artists as well like Of Montreal on Make the Bus. Submitted this before listening to the last few—what a mistake! Wrapping the whole thing up with a Shirley Bassey style jam?!? Now demanding Janelle Monae be the next Bond soundtrack.

3|18

Интересный альбом. Необычный жанр. Талантливо.

So much variety! It's as if she is an artists trying diverse genres until she finds one that lands on a hit. Loved cold war, tightrope, oh maker, the overtures, and the surprise inclusion of Of Montreal. This album is one to spin when you're tired of boring music!

Eclectic! Very interesting and enjoyable. Haven't even had a chance to take in the lyrics and themes to see the project as a concept album. So many influences and I think I even heard some Smiths on Oh, Maker! Unfair to just say she is "like Prince". Her ambition is quite different. Impressive.

I like the title of this album. Apparently there's some kind of storyline, so need to pay attention more than I did.

Unexpected delight! Great album; really upbeat.

it was meh.

Pleasant voice

miks svega ali sve ide do jaja zajedno

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

Sweet

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

Background music

This was a wild entry, and now I'm curious about Janelle Monáe.

Mushrooms and Rose's, Sir Greendown, Neon Valley Street, 57821,Babopbyeya all make for a very interesting album. Having not heard of the artist I was really impressed. Something different.

Different

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

This was an eye-opener. I knew her name but had not listened to her. Excellent stuff - good songs and great production. Good diversity in styles. I liked it.

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

just annoying.

Another great album. Enjoyed the Suite II tracks much more than Suite III. Upbeat tracks. I think Emily talked about this at some point, but the fact that an album from 2010 made the list shows how standout it is.

I enjoy Janelle’s current endeavors but felt like the album was a collection of her thoughts and travels around the world with a synthesizing and pre fanned mixer. Was not impressed with any of the songs. The album cover says it all..too much on her mind and where to put it. Not sure where she was going with it all.

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

Need more time with it. Some of it is good, some of it a pass

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

4.5!! Production is really good, a ton of fun to listen to. Fantastic vocals and pretty cool lyrics!! There are some weaker songs on here but the beats are always cool enough to keep me interested. i love the android/future theme and I wish it were a bit more cohesive, without something tying it all together it feels like it goes on a bit long, maybe it’d be clearer with another listen.

This was more constantly upbeat than most albums I listen to so I was a bit overwhelmed by the end, but it was good! I really liked Tightrope and tbh it was nice to have a female artist. Awesome sounds, loved her voice. I didn't listen as hard to the lyrics as I'd have liked so no comment there. 4/5 stars

Oops I'm really behind in this. Good album! I really like the sci-fi vibe and Monaé has a great voice.

Vital

3/5

I really liked this one. There were some sections that seemed a little bland, and it would have been nice to have more overarching themes, but it was still interesting as an album. A low 5 from me.

HOLY SHIT FINALLY A GREAT ONE

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.

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

Ruchira: 3.5.

I liked it. I like Janelle Monáe, but it's not all my jam.

Glad to see Janelle take the spot of most current album on this list. And what an album this is. I’ve grown to love Janelle more and more over the years especially with her most recent album, Dirty Computer and her film roles. I’m glad I’m getting to hear her on this album as well because this is a kaleidoscope of different songs and styles that fits her so well. Her whole persona has always felt so otherworldly and that is on full display in this album especially with the gorgeous cover art and title. She really is an android in the best way. I really enjoyed Faster, Locked Inside, Cold War (which was sampled by a super underground musician named Santoma). I’m still listening to it and just hit Oh, Maker which at the start could have been a Carpenter’s song. She breezes through so many different genres and even though the album is listed as R&B it could be hip hop or pop or electronic. I would also equate her to a more sophisticated and technologically advanced (keeping with android theme) of Nikki Minaj where she does voice changes and quick verses along with serenades. But most of Janelle’s songs are focus on very different things than Ms. Minaj. The best compliment I can give this (along with her other albums) is it always feels like I’m listening to the future.

Pop, soul, música clásica... Recuerda a Michael Jackson en parajes.

Sounds good. Production reminds me of Pyramids throughout a lot of the album which is, of course, great.

V

Drivel

Sympatyczne

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.

Such a talented artist

ok. pop

Soul post moderno. Cosas interesantes.

It's so fuckin' cool to see sci-fi and concept album tropes applied to a pop album like this! The orchestral intro and varied interludes throughout plus the extended outro song just let you know you are not in for just pop and bookends it all well! Outside of the theatricality of it, I loved the mixing and blending of genres throughout. Faster, Cold War, and Oh, Maker were favorites. It's still a feel-good pop record! Just with some wild afrofuturism in its bloodstream! This might be a 4 in reality, but I'm a sucker for theatricality and want to celebrate concept albums and sci fi stories like this finding success!

This was a really cool album. Musically, it moved all over the place between things that were straight R&B to English Folk to borderline Punk Rock. Big Boi's influence on the album was pretty apparent to me as it sounded liked Janelle was channeling Outkast at times. Good listen

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

Very nice

Much better than I expected

Love her. Great record.

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

It was ok

Interesting. R&B is not my cup of tea, but this is nice.

Good pop?

one of my favorite albums of all time. front to back. as an aspiring musician it’s the album I wish I could’ve made.

like most critics I can heap high praise upon the concept and musical range. i can imagine Fela Kuti really enjoying this

Knew great album

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.

Amazing! Loved this album. Never listen to Jenelle Monae before and I really enjoyed it. She has incredible range and I love the mix of Jazz, Rap, and pop. it made for a unique sound!

Here we go! For a while now this has been one of my top 10 my favorite albums of all time, so naturally it's an absolute joy to listen to again. This album is a masterpiece through and through. So many musical styles and themes are explored and crafted into fun and interesting songs. This album starts out very theatrical, which drives the theme of a fictional story in a sci-fi world based on Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis', with social issues mirroring the ones we face in our world. In Janelle Monae's world, the android fighting for it's freedom is her as a black woman navigating a similarly hostile environment. The vocal and musical range that Janelle Monae traverses in this album highlights just how talented she is. We see art-pop, R&B rock, punk, jazz, hip-hop, folk, and a series of amazing features that give each song such a distinct life of it's own, while still contributing to the narrative of the story. Despite how different each song feels, the songs flow together so well, with the same musical motifs revisited in new ways. Overall, I love this album and I'm glad it exists. It's an important album that both encapsulates the struggles of a black woman but at the same time shows her strength, and overwhelmingly impressive talent through good music and good story telling.

40s dance/lounge and 60s retro feel. Upbeat songs give a fun groovy mood where slower laid back songs come on smoothe and clean.

Nope.

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??

Was pretty great, like a more soul inspired bjork type deal. Favorite tracks were war of roses, neon gumbo, mushroom roses

Definitely kept me entertained, I liked the first half of the album better than the back half. It felt like a Broadway play how it flowed through the entire album.

good production, but not my thing

Nice album, cool beats and baselines, beautiful singing.

I can tell it's a good album, but it's not my taste.

This was way more nuanced than I was anticipating, and while I didn't keep track of individual songs, I loved it as a collection. Absolutely going back in for a relisten.

Didn’t know janelle went hard like this some tracks were weak but really enjoyed it

Not bad. Some good tracks in places

Meh. Just meh. A couple of decent tracks, but nothing more. From 2010 but nothing feels new about it.

This is pretty fire, although I'm not sure if the extreme diversity of styles quite holds together to support it as a Concept piece. A few more listens might bring me around on that though.

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

Fucking sick, but I’m also a Janelle stan.....it loses me in the middle just a tad

1 funky

A really solid neosoul record. Had some great grooves and the singing was on point. I’d say it’s downfall would be some of the songs aren’t that memorable and the length is a bit daunting for this music but overall enjoyed this one. Favorite track: Dance or Die Least favorite track: Neon Valley Street

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

It's not necessarily "bad," I just don't really enjoy it. The music is kind of quirky/fun, but it overstays its welcome. Maybe if the album was trimmed down to half an hour I would've had a better time, 70 minutes is too many.

Not what I expected. I’ll have to check this out when I can pay more attention.

Some real cool songs mixed in this album, featuring Of Montreal & Big Boi pushes this from solid 3 to a 4

This album is bad. (get off my lawn)

Loved it! Seemed to fluctuate between a number of different genres (rap, alternative, one other I can't recall at the moment). Saved a few songs!

Sleit meg gjennom to runder, dette er ikke min sjanger. Bonus-stjerne for Cold War og Tightrope.

So many sounds on a single album!

I'm loving the orchestral music in some of the tracks, but not as into the rest of this album as much. Really loving her new music though!

Afrofuturist

Not my thing

Really cool music, but it wasn't my style