Reviews (page 2 of 15)
Thought I would hate it but this is pretty dope and fun dance music Bubba! Eclectic! Nice!
Poniendole muuuuucha onda llegué al cuarto tema
Best Track - "Tightrope"
Very cool album, very cool artist. A bit too long, but I loved the variety.
Quite experimental and varying in styles throughout, enjoyed listening to it.
A variety of genres in this one. Really enjoyed.
Always in safe hands when it comes to Janelle Monáe
This is a sprawling album that shows how diverse and talented she is, able to dance between genres effortlessly - even during the same song. With such diversity it makes sense that she would land on sounds I don’t like, the schmaltzier soul stuff for example. But a great album overall. What a force!
Musically interesting, but not my cup of tea. I love the concept behind the album, but the songs were a mish-mash of genre conceits. And while normally I'm a fan of random, this just didn't grab me the same. I will probably give this another listen later, and see if my perception changes at all.
this nonbinary android did her thing and it's fantastic. an afrofuturistic concept album that is cohesive (even as it veers from musical style to musical style) and listenable and her voice is so very nice. huge personality going on here. 5/5 added to my music library
My weak 2026 sensibilities don’t know how to handle the phrase “shakin’ like a schizo” anymore. I burst out laughing. It’s very good but I don’t think I can be bothered listening again.
definitely interesting
One of my favourite records of the 2010s. A universe of its own. Cold War. oh Maker... Janelle's best record
Very nice. Eclectic while stil coherent as an album. I will certainly be revisiting.
Very much an album of two halves. Starts out strong but really runs out of steam and focus towards the end.
This album is so good. Full-tilt over-achiever R&B that keeps the right tension between acrobatics and great songs. Like some kind of taut connection between the two....
There’s so much packed into this nearly 70-minute album that it’s hard to judge on a single pass, but wow. I could listen to a whole album of her recording samba-tinged classical supper club compositions like “BaBopByeYa” alone. Elsewhere I hear echoes of early Prince and southern hip-hop, classical, psychedelia, and you’re telling me there’s a sci-fi concept as well? On paper it sounds ridiculous, but Monae is clearly operating in another musical universe, she has a terrific singing voice and it’s a real statement. Glad to have had the opportunity finally hear it.
Is it lazy to call her the female version of Prince because she hops genres effortlessly, has a killer fashion sense, was (at first) coy about sexuality/gender idenity and dabbles somewhat competently in film acting? Fine. But this rules and I hope we get to see her epic Super Bowl halftime show one day.
Gonna go straight down the middle with this one, album was like a ramp, nice steady ascent, peaked in the middle, then declined to the end. 70 minutes was a bit too long.
I appreciate what she’s trying to do with this album, but I don’t think I’m her target audience. It was fine, but I didn’t understand the hype.
This felt more artistic in nature than musical. Like it was trying to get across a deeper meaning versus having the listener enjoy the music on the surface. Janelle is very talented but I didn’t care for the composition of the songs as the album lacked cohesion across the songs.
One or two interesting tracks but overall it’s pretty unremarkable. Jumping from style to style isn’t showing range if you make them all sound the same. I’m not picking up what she’s putting down. It’s just pretty basic pop to my ears.
I expected more life to this album. I remember cold war and tight rope, and always really enjoyed both songs. I expected more of that vibe and was dissappointed that wasn't the case. She's clearly a talented artist, but I did not enjoy this album at all. Likely a result of my expectations going in, but overall just a boring record.
I wanted to like this one! I think this was too long for me to really enjoy though. I'm not an epic/opera album kind of girl for the most part. 6/10
Wide-ranging sounding album. Soul, indie, new wave, rock, and R&B all in here. Quite good.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. There is some innovation that resists being pigeon holed into a preconceived notion.
4/7
Too bland
A VERY rare find: an album that’s longer than an hour and doesn’t flag once. Dancey and varied and transcendent and flows together like one thing. Removing any tracks from this one would make this worse - a rarity of its era and genre. Fantastic album.
Not bad, well produced but just not what I wanted to listen to
This was interesting. I think I need to listen to it again, but I kinda liked it. Janelle has a beautiful voice.
It's noticeable that she got references, some of them being 2000s indie pop, Broadway, R&B, jazz, prog rock, 80s new wave and samba, she's also very inspired by the Beatles. The problem is that some of that inspiration is too apparent in songs like "Oh Maker" that sounds too similar to Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" and "Neon Valley Street" sounds like Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor". She literally straight up stole Debussy's "Clair de Lune", Wizard of Oz and a bunch of other music. Also the classical and rock stunts feel out of place and just water down versions of great composers that are there to earn some type of credibility.
I dig this and I can imagine it getting into my rotation.
Wow! What a refreshing discovery. A great mix of genres. Bossanova, classical, hiphop, jazz... Good voice.
9/10
Incredible composition
Wow! A really fun, experimental but also funky and engaging album. I have to listen to it again, but my favorites were Dance or Die, Tightrope and Sir Greendown.
What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this when I first saw the album cover. This is the kind of shit I am here for. Solid 4 stars.
You've got to applaud the ambition here and it was much better than feared! Although to be fair when I've heard her on the radio, she's done some decent stuff so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. It's ostensibly a pop and R&B album, but there's a lot of influences and styles here, which make that descriptor a little unfair. I'd liken this more to someone like FKA Twigs, not so much in how it sounds but in that she's trying to push boundaries, It's not exactly my taste but I can hear the appeal and perhaps I'd listen again on the basis that it's something my daughter might get into and it would be infinitely preferable to High School Musical and Camp Rock.
One of the best debut albums of all time. There’s nothing else like this, really. So catchy, so many adventurous genre fusions, a hugely ambitious concept, inspiration spanning great art from Fritz Lang to OutKast and everything in between. Impossible to sum up and impossible to replicate, even from Janelle themself - to this day, they haven’t reached the highs of The ArchAndroid again. Inimitable.
seems like an interesting collection of tunes and variations of style. Some I like, some not so. Voice is feminine & light but not annoying.
Album intéressant qui mélange pas mal de genres ! Y a du néo-classique (si c'est bien ça le terme), et des trucs qui sonnent plus modernes (R&B, hip-hop, soul). Belle découverte, même si je n'écouterais pas ça tous les jours. J'ai bien aimé 57281 en particulier.
Very unique album. Lots of variety within from hip hop to jazzy R&B. There were some very uninteresting tracks and the album dragged a bit especially the last song but still an interesting record
A very interesting album with a lot of different styles. Kinda liked it.
4.4. Really liked and will add her to explore
Woah!
oprecht leuk, ook beetje hiphop maar zeker geen 5
1. 3.5 2. 4.5 3. 4.5 4. 4.5 5. 4 6. 5 7. 5 8. 3.5 9. 4 10. 4.5 11. 4 12. 3.5 13. 4 14. 3 15. 4.5 16. 4 17. 3.5 18. 3.5
She may not be paranoid, but she is definitely an android. Very high 4
Of Montreal Jumpscare?! The lyrics are not the greatest in my opinion, lots of simple rhymes that slightly bug me. Other than that, the track sequencing is stellar, the production is beautiful, the instrumentation is very creative. Very solid album
Enjoyed that. Easy 4.
Enough variety for a comfortable 3 despite being very long
Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: This album has absolutely no interest in staying in one lane. Funk, soul, rock, orchestral music, electronic weirdness, pop, sometimes within minutes of each other. Somehow it mostly holds together. Ambitious as hell, occasionally overwhelming, but never boring. Favorite Track: “Cold War.” Immediate favorite. Huge energy, great vocal, and underneath all that momentum there’s something surprisingly vulnerable.
Fresh, funky, inventive and diverse
Janelle has gone on to more commercially successful projects, but for my money this is her magnum opus. I had it as my 8th favorite album of 2010 (I’m a nerd who keeps such lists), and that was an unusually strong year for new music (for those curious: High Violet, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, The Suburbs, Halcyon Digest, The Age of Adz, and The Wild Hunt ranked higher for me that year.) This album is a blast and is one of those that takes you on a journey. The album art is so effective at conveying the vibe: it’s futuristic (still sounds very fresh 16 years later) and fun. A smidge long for me to call it 5 stars, it rounds up to 4.5 for me if I could.
Not really my thing, kinda boring
https://media1.tenor.com/m/lgBUcFLOTn4AAAAd/flower-universe-cat-funny.gif Wow! This is gorgeous. This is her debut?? This is what I'm here for. Another I never would have found on my own. Damn good stuff.
this was wild. and awesome. # client!
This is what I love about this project, never heard this before. Never heard of the artist. I love it, this is art. Beautiful and mesmerizing
Never judge a book by it's cover. I expected generic ass pop like the other two dozens albums on this list, instead got weird shit.
Fun album. Doesn’t really need the concept, gets by just fine as infectious dance pop.
What a surprise. Production is high quality and the variable tone of the album kept me engaged the entire time. Didn't even realize that a song I had been listening to for years was from this album. Just overall really fun album.
3.8/5
Fun super unique album just not quite my taste but I respect it
I actually really enjoyed this the blending of styles was very fun
I have never heard anything like this in my life…
Geil
Cold War and Tightrope and Come Alive are spectacular (aside from Big Boi verse). Janelle's vocal quality is so appealing, and versatile enough to explore a large variety of styles and genres. There are so many twists and turns and each pulled off with so much proficiency. And as a fan of 'of Montreal' the song with their feat might be the worst on the album, but it's still a surprise. First time listen: 9/10
Solid across the board. A few tracks hit pretty hard.
Pleasantly surprised
This was one of the first true "finds" for me with this app. I was totally unfamiliar with this artist. She reminds me of a female black Beck, in the sense that she combines multiple styles and musical approaches rather seamlessly. Her vocals are off the charts. And I can't say I'd ever heard of "black futurism" music before. Solid. I will listen to this artist more often.
it’s brilliant and now another excuse to listen to this fabulous album
It only took almost a year and a half but I finally get the first non-binary artist of the list, and they do not disappoint. This album is full of some really interesting ideas and great execution, albeit it could've been significantly shorter. I like the totally random features on this album. What other record could put Big Boi and the lead singer for Of Montreal in the same 30-minute stretch? Like I said, the fact that the album is the full length of a CD brings it down a little for me. I was ready for the album to end by the time it was over, but she gave it a pretty neat ending that ties it all together, so it's worth it anyways.
EXCELENTE
Норм, 3,5 из плюсов дикое разнообразие и эклектика, из минусов - ни один трек не зацепил и не запомнился олдскульный рнб все же вайбовее
Музыка 26го века
Чуть более натужная в своей вейрдовости версия Эрики Баду и Лорин Хилл, но все еще мама
Красивишно Умела ж когда-то делать хорошую музыку Не то что сейчас
как-то не запоминается что-то, но все звучит приятно и хорошо, плюс интересные фиты приметил - 3.5 с округлением в большую сторону
Я честно говоря ахуел, насколько это угарно и почему вообще мимо меня пролетело.
Not necessarily my thing but I appreciate it a lot
i'm not listening to this shit
Ugh, not for me. I could feel the technical expertise and I appreciated the genre bending but it just never hit, not enough hooks.
It combines Rock, Soul, Rap, Classical Music, and, like, 10 other genres! It sounds amazing and is definitely one of the greatest albums of all time! The fact that all of this is a concept album with a story as good as this makes it even better! Better than I thought it would be!
Ensin ajattelin, että kyseessä on elokuvallista taustamusiikkia. No ehkä vähän sitäkin mutta ehdottomasti genressään hyvä levy. Ei siis missään tapauksessa minun ”kuppi teetä” mutta tykkäsin silti. 3/5
More style than substance
I saw Janelle Monae open for Of Montreal at First Avenue around the time of this album. The one-two punch Cold War into Tightrope really pumps you up! It’s long. And conceptually it waivers
På rak arm tycker jag nog Janelle är den bästa och intressantaste soulen på senare tid (om man nu kan kalla knappa 15 år det). Både efterföljande Electric lady och Dirty computer är väldigt bra också. Janelle har både röst och kreativt sinne för att förrverkliga uppblåsta ambitiösa sammanhang. Det var knappast nån slump att självaste Prince tog henne under sina vingar. Blandningen av soul, rock, funk och pop under ett tematiskt artistiskt paraply imponerar. Det för tankarna till Erykah Badu och just nämnde Prince. Visst det spretar och det tematiska kanske inte riktigt når hela vägen fram men blir ändå på det hela ett både kvalitativt och intressant bygge. Janelle är fri och låter sig inte styras eller begränsas och det hörs på bästa tänkbara vis. Här finns en drös minnesvärda låtar men det är som verk hela albumet fungersr bäst och man gärna upptäcker igen och igen Svag 4
Jag hör många bra saker här. Jag hör funk, motown soul, snygga popmelodier, bra sång. Men också en lite spretig helhet med kast mellan olika stilar. Uppföljaren Electric lady vill jag minnas är mer sammanhållen.
Om det inte vore för Prince utomjordiska spelning på Wow 2011, vore den Janelle Monaes akt självklara höjdpunkten. Sällan har man sett/hört något så snyggt och svängigt. Välregisserat och ändå fullständigt spontant. Riktigt samma känsla når hon inte fram med på skiva (då hade femman varit given), och det går att argumentera för att uppföljaren Electric lady är strået vassare. Med det sagt. Det här är bra. Hela suite II svänger nått djävulskt med toppar som Dance and die, Cold war, Thightrope och Come alive. Suite III håller inte riktigt samma klass. Make the bus är rent av svag. Ändock ett album som gör en glad och som man gärna spelar en gång till.
Tightrope är en höjdpunkt. Come alive ett lågvattenmärke. Därutöver mest utfyllnad.
extremely eclectic and funky. the first half rules, the second half rules slightly less. highlights: suite ii overture dance or die faster locked inside cold war tightrope oh, maker suite iii overture wondaland babopbyeya
I admire its scope and some interesting treatment, but not really my taste musically. Had fun, and can see why this albums is in the 1001 listing, but wouldn’t choose to listen again. That makes it a 3
One of the most amazing records of my personal lifetime. Been listening to this ambitious art-pop concept album for years now, and it just keeps delivering; each listen is as magical as the last. I usually hate doing this, but I think the best way to describe (or pitch) this album is the soulfulness of an album like 'Songs in the Key of Life' paired with the fast-paced southern funkiness and eccentricities of an album like 'Stankonia', fused with the futurism and sci-fi elements of a 'Deltron 3030'. And it's as good as all those absolute classic albums as well. The first disc of this thing has the really incredible standalone songs of the album; there are some serious all-timers here. Just incredible, fast-paced, pop and RnB songs kicking this thing off, with Monae's rapid-fire deliveries of the opener 'Dance Or Die' and the much more soulful, but equally energetic 'Faster'. 'Locked Inside' is that Stevie Wonder homage I mentioned before, but it's done tastefully, and the song really brings this concept album's actual concept to the forefront. The chorus on this one is also an undeniable earworm. And the bangers just keep coming, many of which are simultaneously great takes on '2000s era pop and also insanely predictive of a lot of 2010s art-pop trends, like with the blood-pumping synth-pop rocker that is 'Cold War', or the endlessly slick and iconic ode to Monae's southern roots 'Tightrope', featuring an ice-cold verse from Big Boi himself. And "Oh Maker' might be my favorite song on the entire album, just such a warm and introspective ballad in the tracklisting after such a chaotic start; it feels like somehow finding a little grassy clearing in a large and never-sleeping metropolis. And then 'Come Alive' I also really love, maybe the best showcase of Monae's vocal range. It's a sudden left-turn in the tracklisting for sure, but it goes over pretty well still, and the noisy guitar solo paired with these warm, choir interludes allow it to stand out here. The second disc here is certainly far slower and more meandering, like floating through a large, twisted woods, far from the noise of the metropolis of the first side. It's more psychedelic, orchestral, and comforting, and it's exactly what this album needed for a second disc. 'Neon Valley Street' is just so heartwarming, such a delicate vocal performance over this grainy shifting synth pattern. 'Wonderland' is this oddly catchy psych-pop song; all the weird vocal effects work pretty well in painting a very trippy, Disney Movie-esque atmosphere. And I actually really like the off-kilter and sort of all-over-the-place 'Make The Bus'; despite its relentlessly '2000s indietronica feel, it's a vibe with a killer chorus. '57821' is another ethereal cut here, and continues to showcase this album's knack for exploring every possible music style under the sun - a gorgeous harmony-filled guitar ballad that's about as lush as it gets. 'Say You'll Go' is yet another incredible ballad here, and the album sends itself off perfectly with the ginormous horns and orchestra of 'BaBopByeYa', a theatrical and dramatic closer. I don't say it lightly when I call this one of the greatest pop albums ever. It's such a great fusion of styles, and an excellent showcase of Monae's very dynamic vocal and musical range. Not sure how influential this album really is, but the entire sound of 2010's and even 2020s pop was in some way touched, and in a lot of cases, perfected on this album, well before the fact. Love this thing to death.
Interesting
After the intro it goes 6 for 6 with heaters then gets weird but is always fun an interesting, high effort high concept and while there are some duds its worth a listen for sure
Did not know this album.
Maybe if I was working out? I liked the one w Big Bou
Really good, little long. Not scoring it down for it because it was interesting throughout
Among other unbelievable things about this album is that it came out when Monae was just twenty-four, because how could somebody still so young possibly know enough to be able to put out something this omnivorous in terms of its influences, much less be able to juggle and pull from and comment on all of them so skillfully? I mean, after a while I gave up trying to catalogue all of them - Janet, Donna, Prince, Stevie, George and Bootsy, Outkast (earning her the Big Boi Seal of Approval on "Tightrope"), Carole, Nina, Lauryn, Erykah, Bowie, Madonna, Freddie (by way of his stand-in Kevin Barnes on "Make the Bus"), Massive Attack, Danny Elfman. And yet at the same time her youthfulness makes sense; she's so exuberant precisely because she doesn't yet know what she *can't* do, doesn't know that trying to pull off this kind of balancing act on your *first* album is utter hubris. But what's equally fascinating is that, for a brash as the idea of this album is, Monae herself cuts such a benevolent, transcendent figure - beyond age, beyond time, beyond gender in some ways - that what she's doing is intriguingly easy to accept. She comes across as without beginning of days or end of years, not imposing but always in control. *I AM THAT I AM*, divine creation embodied. If we still believed in gods walking the earth she'd be my first choice - and the impossibly gorgeous "Say You'll Go" would be the equivalent of a burning bush.
Variety
3.5
Love Janelle Monae. I could have done without Suite II Overture as lead into Tightrope, but I figure there was some artistic reason I’m missing. Lyrics are fun and good concept album that has a range of musical styles but manages to be cohesive.
8/10. The album blends so many genres from different decades it creates a very anachronistic vibe that is very unique. Rock, Soul, RnB, Classical, Electronic, Pop they all get mixed into this vaguely 1920s soup that transports you to the world of the ArchAndroid. The album then is the soundtrack to a movie taking place in that world. And while I love the soundtrack, I don't think I love the movie. The storyline of the love and separation didn't really speak to me as much as it probably would've at other points in my life, and I sometimes feel like the music is sacrificed for the sake of storytelling. Or maybe I just dont favor this particular type of storytelling. Fav songs were Oh Maker (FANTASTIC track), Dance or Die, Locked Inside, Wondaland and BaBopBye Ya. Very disjointed review i suppose. ill cut it short and say i like the music and i like the aesthetic but i dont think im invested in the storyline of the album. Maybe i would be moreso if i started with her first EP. still great tho.
Monae tries to make rock, rap, soul, pop, sometimes on different songs, sometimes more than one thing at the same time and she has the talent to make a very interesting product while she tries but at some moments she doesn't achieve that during this album. She gets better results on the next one The Electric Lady. A good album that dares to try but doesn't succeed as much as it wanted to.
79
What can be, unburdened by what has been.
Interesting. I had never heard any of her music.
Super cool. Very interesting. Definitely something different and out there in all the right ways.
I like Janelle Monae
There's so much going on with this album that it's hard to know where to start. With the theatricality, the eclectic mix of sounds, the high-concept storytelling, this album is dense in a way that's difficult to communicate in a short, paragraph long review. The absurd amount of care and craft that Monae and her collaborators put into The ArchAndroid is truly staggering, pulling together strands of pop, soul, funk, electronic, jazz and more to communicate a story so epic in scope that it took multiple albums to finish. Despite this, the story doesn't feel incomplete at all, and the fact that this album stands on its own as well as it does is a feat unto itself. Very few vocalists would be able to tackle so many different sounds and styles, but Monae manages to do it all with an upbeat sense of wonder and theatricality. Maybe the most impressive thing is how, in all of its denseness, this is still a ridiculously fun listen, with the music providing a ton of propulsive energy to keep you engaged with the story. If there's one minor issue for me, it's that I think the more pop-oriented first half is stronger than the more experimental half, but like I said, it's a minor issue, one that can't keep this from being one of the most unique and ambitious albums ever.
- I liked her until she went to Bezo's Met Gala, so now I'm boycotting, but I only really knew her Dirty Computer era. - I like the album, overall - especially her voice. Wow, it's so beautiful! I also like the orchestration - it's sweeping and feels symphonic. - The Of Montreal feature was a nice surprise - the song sounded VERY Of Montreal and nothing like any of the rest of the album... like they actually wrote it. And, that is the thing that I didn't really enjoy as much about the album - it felt disjointed, like there wasn't one main point of view. It felt like there were random songs thrown in that didn't really make sense to me in the context of the album. - Also, I didn't really find that any of the songs stayed with me after the album was over. - Last, this album is also way too long.
7.5/10
Janelle Monáe has just never clicked for me.
Mind you, I’ve listened to a couple of Monáe’s more recent albums. In general they were solid but too poppy and focused on stereotypical, uncreative mannerisms of the modern R&B genre to really wow me. This one feels more varied, more experimental, more alive. Absolutely incredible way to begin an album labelled as R&B. The opening of a symphony with alien sci-fi thematics? Sign me the heck up. Frustratingly, Monáe quickly abandons that classical/romantic feel – for the time being, anyway – with the much less approachable melody and weird synth quirks of Dance or Die. What this song does have going for it are mildly overenthusiastic nods to big band music and a pretty cool percussion part. Then a swift, seamless transition to Faster (aptly named) and you know this gal’s taking you for a wild ride. Towards the end, we hear hints of Stevie Wonder with the vocal delivery – something I never thought I’d find myself typing. Those hints continue with the peppy semi-disco track Locked Inside. Again, we hear another absolutely seamless transition. Good case of varying the mood at the right time in Sir Greendown; three consecutive high-calibre disco bombs were about my limit. A pretty yet forgettable track that mainly acts as a buffer between Locked Inside and Cold War. Speaking of which… Cold War. That singing is, well, fantastic. It’s so clear and headstrong that it almost reminds me of some kind of J- or K-pop you’d hear in a rhythm game. (Not that I play those.) The overwhelmingly thick, fast arrangement really speaks to me though. Love it. What I don’t love is that incredible voice being used in the very next song for a bad melody. The chorus is pretty good, I guess, but those verses make me want to tear my ears off. I can understand Tightrope’s pop value, and I like the overall energy and arrangement. But those verses can scoot right away. There’s a reason that tracks which are reversed from start to finish (finish to start) don’t gain much traction. Alas, Neon Gumbo is a stinker which, for good reason, shall never be re-approached. I feel like I hear Where Is My Mind everywhere nowadays. Including in Oh, Maker. The riffs resemble each other, of course, but that can’t be all. Are they in the same key as each other? Regardless, solid song. The stuff after the fade-out-fade-in is kind of cool on paper but doesn’t really add anything. I wonder if Monáe considered Oh, Maker her own Strawberry Fields Forever. We get a fun fast-paced rock number in Come Alive, with nods to Blondie, Courtney Love, and others. A bold choice, perhaps, to use the vocal effect that worked out so well (/s) in Led Zeppelin’s Hats Off To (Roy) Harper. Here, it’s pretty cool, actually – better than an unfiltered vocal – but I wonder if the song could do away with the singing entirely. Still, I love the way the song explodes into colour and then fades out again (several times). Definitely reminiscent of Bowie and (to an extent) Prince, as per the album’s Wikipedia article. The second act of the album, I assume, begins with Suite III Overture. And what an utterly great song it is, just like the similarly-titled opener. Fun chord changes, fun choices of instruments, an ethereal atmosphere that sort of enables the song to waltz between different melodies without a care in the world… No idea what to do with Neon Valley Street, except adore it, and also recognise that the singing pays homage to female jazz vocalists from back in the day. (The same goes for the final track, BaBopByeYa. Ella Fitzgerald-esque. Lovely.) In contrast: what the hell is Make the Bus? When this album was going so well? It’s like the very worst of 80s self-indulgent Bowie. Are humans supposed to enjoy this mess? Fortunately Wondaland brings it back, though this time to a strange, bubbly atmosphere that sort of represents what people in the 80s thought the future would sound like. The song 57821 takes a completely different approach (this album is so versatile, it's kind of insane) by making use of a thick choral arrangement that conjures images of Baroque, even medieval, European choirs. Say You'll Go... another excellent piece, and I don't mind the length at all. Conjures images of Joni Mitchell mixed with Brian Wilson, the Carpenters, and countless other greats. Monáe knows what's up in the music world, that's for sure. I love how this penultimate track morphs seamlessly into an intense, emotional piano ballad in the last couple minutes. With a few misses here and there, I can't in good conscience give this album a perfect rating. But make no mistake – it's a damn great piece of art. 4/5 Key tracks: Suite II Overture, Faster, Mushrooms & Roses, Suite III Overture, Say You'll Go
전체적으로 꽤 노래 느낌이 좋았다. Overall, the song had a really good vibe.
Nice
While I like this challenge as a way to check out older albums I would have completely missed otherwise, I was so happy to get something more modern today 😂 Doubly excited because I remember listening to Dirty Computer a few years ago and really liking it. Now I wish I had listened to all her stuff then, because this was excellent! Pretty much everything about this album is up my alley; from the sci-fi vibes to the Of Montreal feature:) Come Alive got added to my playlist within the first 30 seconds and just got better from there!
Never trust a non-classical album that starts with an overture.
While this album contains some catchy tunes and interesting mixes of genres, overall it is rambling and chaotic. I lost interest towards the end.
This album came up on the 50 greatest concept album list. I was obviously less discerning at that point (and looking back, that list was a bit shit). On a second listen, this album was mildly interesting at the start but then drifted off into drivel.
My music app says an extravagant 70 minute album with lots of creativity. I say actual proof that being a good musician doesn't mean you make good music. 1*
Disco interessante. Desconhecia a artista, melhor do que a média do mesmo nicho.
Alot of good ideas that unfortunately never got a chance to grow makes for an inconsistent vibe throughout the album
Interesting blend of musical styles, but doesn't quite reach me.
I thought the album cover looked cool and wasn't let down, album itself was exciting and loved the variety. Fav tracks were Dance or Die, Faster, and Come Alive (War of the Roses)
Well that was a big one. For me, it had its moments.
6 keepers, 33% 2 bangers, 11% 3 stars
671/1001 2026.08.03
I can tell it’s incredible but tightrope reminds me too much of walking around a Macy’s
In terms of new music out there this was better than most.
Maybe I needed to pay attention more, but this felt less cohesive than I was expecting. I was really looking forward to listening to this album but was left feeling a bit "Meh".
Really beautiful variation a lot of classical in the beginning to some hip-hop great for a drive and jam
I've never listened to Janelle Monae before, but this is going right to the top of favorites that I will be listening to on rotation from now on. I'm obsessed with this album. It's so good.
Certainly a well made album with impressive production and vocals, but not one I can bring myself to care much about. Everything is just too slick and perfected. A couple songs sounded like Disney music for adults.
Holy shit! That was a wildly fantastic ride. I'm glad I listened to most of it before reading other reviews. But dang all those positive reviews are spot on, this album is all over the place in such a good way, quite a delicious genre-bending snack. I'll be keeping this one accessible in my library. Wowsers!
While often advertised as an afro-futurist album, this was more show-tune like.
I feel like I haven't given this album all the time and attention it deserves, though I feel confident enough to give it a rating. Eclectic, avant-garde, and memorable, it's a daring progressive pop-soul record. Janelle Monae is such a cool artist—almost too brilliant to ever become massive.
There are some albums that are eclectic just to be different, and then there are some where the eclectic nature makes the whole album work. This album is the latter kind. Janelle's voice ties together a very fun album that flirts with many genres to tell its story. I also love that there is a throughline/story in this album. It elevates the album from a collection of songs sold together to a cohesive whole album that many of the ones I've heard so far on this list are lacking. This is an excellent addition to the project.
5/10
Beautiful compositions and voice. Great diversity of style and subject.
Love
Cool love the theme, the visual aspect, the old time jazz with soul and hip hop. Wish I'd been more cognizant when it came out.
I really enjoyed this album, it was really interesting to listen to because there were so many layers and Janelle Monáe’s voice is heavenly.
This was a lesson of don’t judge an album by its cover for me as i thought this would be an overly artsy album that’s hard to listen to. But was happily surprised to have a lot of fun listening to this album, it’s unique and catchy and a lot of the songs grabbed my attention. It’s unique and has a pop feel at the same time, in an enjoyable way. I knew her as an actress but didn’t know she made great music too
Echt shit man
Came into this one not knowing what to expect. Left pleasantly surprised. The label of psychedelic soul seemed very fitting. I like the themes throughout. While I enjoyed the majority of the songs, one song "Come Alive", made the playlist as the most unique among them.
This is an Interesting artsy piece. Not my style, but I think it's worth a relisten when I can really pay attention and soak it all in. Given that it's an artsy concept album, I don't think there's anything to complain about - the backwards audio segment was jarring, but, as an interlude it builds some intrigue. I think this album is probably an epic masterpiece but it warrants further investigation.
Reminded me of mall music.
que jornada. disco maneiro, apesar de tentar ser pop tem um som muito foda. as 3 primeiras musicas sao muito boas.
When I was in college, I halfheartedly agreed to go with my friends to a show by a band I had never heard of (Of Montreal) at Terminal 5. The best thing that came out of that night was hearing Janelle Monae for the first time. Even though that was 15+ years ago, this is the first time I am listening to this whole album. Not everything was my jam and I sort of conceptually object to having extra reading when you can give me lyrics, but making something so eclectic and enjoyable throughout is a feat. She's undoubtedly wildly talented. Loved Faster, Oh Maker, and Say You'll Go (Tightrope, too).
Top 2 androids of all time alongside Paranoid.
Ambitious concept album. Didn’t hate it, however it has some big problems: her voice is a bit robotic and polished without conveying feel. The production is often very run of the mill, and cery commercial sounding- which is odd for a concept album. the drums sound very generic for example, and there is simply too much going on. It’s a big hot mess. There are lots of bad guitar solos.
Ummm. Really?
Intricate and layered.
One of those albums that had a profound impact at just the right time. Janelle Monae burst onto the scene with this futuristic genre-bending album that rarely lets up throughout its whole runtime. Suite II is more my thing than Suite III but overall it's one of the great 2010s albums. Standouts: Dance or Die, Cold War, Tightrope, Mushrooms and Roses, Wondaland
feels like ive watched a movie favorite songs: "Come Alive (War of the Roses)" and "Locked Inside"
This takes two of my favorite genres - progressive rock and hip hop - and mixes them together in a very cool, funky way. Also love Janelle Monáe for being an innovator, fashion icon and representing ATL! 3.5⭐️
Wow! A little hard to follow at times. But truly unique, I love the range from abstract sci fi sounds to heavy metal to folk songs to soft ballads. The story was interesting and left on a delicious set up for her following album.
370/1001 Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Futuristic soul and r'n'b all based around a Futuristic concept and a really versatile voice to boot. This really works for me and feel as though Monae should be better known than she is.
Шляпа
soy muy basic para este trip. it grew into me pero como que no es tanto mi estilo, un 3.5 pero como no puedo le pongo un 3 :p
5/10 - Some interesting songs on here btw a few lackluster ones bring it down
Where did this come from?! I knew Tightrope, but I had no idea it was part of a dystopian concept album. There is so much to admire about this album, its flow is incredible, Monae’s vocals, the lyrics and the story, the energy, the grooves. I’m not big into r&b, and that is a loose foundation for what this album is, but I really enjoyed this. Would have liked to hear more instrumental breaks, it was very vocal heavy. 7.5 / 10 Best track/s: Oh Maker, Wondaland, Tightrope
5/5
LOVED this album!!!
Start is a strong yet electric one instantly got me hooked, Slows things down tastefully at sir green down, great point for change of pace lovely and soft yet memorable Overall great album
Excellent.
This is such an interesting album because it's both kind of dated and ahead of its time. A surprisingly good album, this is why I use this website
Double albums are hard to do well, to keep interesting. This album not only succeeds, but it also is an act of glory and art-- akin to SW's Songs in the Key of Life, which influenced this work. I am awed. I have a new favorite. 5/5
I've heard it before. It's got 2-3 jams. Flows like a continuous song. Good all together. Individual songs are harder.
I loved this album back in the day and was my first exposure to concept albums. I don’t think it holds up though.
TL;DR: This is "prog-hop"!! It's a Postmodern, Millennial-coded progressive hip hop album!! It's like a less focused "Tommy" for Millennials. ****** This is ambitious. I'll grant it that. There was a lot of care and thought put into the production that is clearly evident, as well. I knew nothing of Ms. Monae prior to an hour ago and she has surprised me with a rich, compelling voice that is highlighted throughout this endeavour. So, at first, this has all the right elements of a good -- possibly great -- album for me. Where this starts to derail is in its confusing scope. The ambition has taken over and made this a bit of a mess. It is **all over the place**. Every track swings WILDLY from one style and tone to another as you progress through the record. Add to my criticism it's length. It's an hour of this crazy back and forth and up and down all over the place. The hits/standout tracks are great, but I don't think this justifies much more than a (3/5) from me. It's just too sprawling and eclectic for my tastes. If she had narrowed in on the more soul or hip hop pieces of this, it likely would have ranked higher with me. It's inclusion here? Possibly. A concept album (loosely) based off of a movie from 1920's in the 2010's? That's unique and I'll concede the inclusion as well. For the first time in a while, DIMERY gives us something that was interesting and challenging.
My introduction to Janelle Monae was with Dirty Computer, so I found the opportunity to explore more of her stuff pretty exciting, and this one did not disappoint. If fact, as debut albums go, I found this to be a very cohesive and impressive outing, blending a ton of different elements (orchestral, electronic, hi hop, soul, pop and the occasional face melting guitar solo) into a wide ranging symphonic experience that pays homage to a variety of imfluences. Had a friend describe her as "pro-hop," and I don't think that assessment is far off the mark. Locked Inside, Cold War, and Tightrope were highlights, but there wasn't much on here that I didn't like. It's a 4.5/5 for me that I look forward to giving repeated spins, and may return to bump up.
148. The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monáe (2010) Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 4 = 4.4 rounded down to 4 "War is in the street and it's an eye for an eye/ Run on for your life or you can dance you can die" This is a CD that got a lot of play in my house when it came out. I see that that most of the tracks are still in my old iPod, which is usually a good sign. I remember being very impressed that Monáe seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and dropped what, at the time, was a very impressive debut. And it didn't rest entirely on the laurels of its big singles either. It has been a good decade though since I've heard anything but those two big hits, which still get regular play on the satellite radio stations I listen to occasionally. On the downside, I don't recall visiting much of her other stuff after this ( though I know she quickly became a well respected artist who was able to rope some huge names into collaborations - Prince for example), though that period dovetailed into a period when I largely was uninterested in new music anyway, and began a long nostalgia trip that lasted probably far too long, with only the very occasional recommend from highly trusted sources making it through. This is one that has been on my shortlist of albums I hoped popped up sooner than later though, so happy to revisit. A note on the interlude material: The good will reserves I have for Monáe are high enough that I can forgive a bit of self-indulgence. I get that this is supposed to be part of some concept album or whatever, and this is pleasant enough. Much rather this sort of thing than a bunch of tired skits. I will be listening to these but unless it veers over into actual song territory, I won't be mentioning them. THE TRACKS "Dance or Die" (featuring Saul Williams) - TON of energy to start things up, with a strong up tempo afro-latin beat with some strong electronic flavor. Other than the sci-fi story stuff, the messaging here seems to be about not letting the darkness pull you down. In other words - choose life. Very solid opener. "Faster" - The last track bleeds into this one, which is WAY catchier, and one of the bigger highlights I recall. The blush and trepidation of new love are in no way new material when it comes to pop songs, but it's handled well here, with an explosion of lyrical content packed into a pretty tight 3:19 package. Monáe's voice gets a bit more of a playground here as she stretches out into some 60s R&B inspired flavors. Bonus points for the hand-claps. Awesome stuff. "Locked Inside" - More handclaps! This time, her influences jump forward a good decade and a half and we get a candy coated mix of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson vibes, without completely aping either - AND managing to throw in some Santana-ish smooth guitar licks for good measure. Catchy as hell, and proof that she can bring the quality deep cuts. "Sir Greendown" - Monáe reaches deep into the bag of influences to draw upon some more 60s sounds, this time a hip lounge kind of Astrid Gliberto meets James Bond score sound that she weaves into a medieval romance fantasy, with an very pretty, and mysterious sounding organ lead. There's more than a little dream-pop influence on this track as well. "Cold War" - And we get our first all-time, massive banger. This one still gives me goosebumps guys. A driving fully melodic ode to determination and action. It works just as well to hang her tale of android revolution upon as it does as a universal metaphor for getting off your ass and getting shit done. Whatever that shit may be, And man, does this one make you want to get up and out of your seat. I remember this one had a video that seemed like a very obvious nod to the Sinead O'Connor "Nothing Compares 2 U" video, complete with a tear even, which is interesting given the Prince-ish guitar solo ( presumably from her producer/ collaborator Kellindo Parker. "Tightrope" (featuring Big Boi) - How can you follow that? With an even BIGGER and BOLDER swing. And she more tan pulls it off, as we get maybe the most toe tapping, move your ass track since "He Ya" - maybe not an accident that this reminds me of that, as Big Boi is a producer here and features on this track in particular. We get a blazingly catchy treatise on rising up above the haters and killing them all by staying on target. Just like "Hey Ya" there's a darkness here that is subsumed by the boundless energy and upbeat sound of the music itself, and if you pay close attention to all the references the people and things that will try to drag you down, but ultimately it's more positive than that other one as it doesn't leave you with the taste of sour grapes by the end. The litigation of wrongs done is not the point. Monáe doesn't have time to focus on the rearview. This might be the track she will be most remembered for, and it earns that spot well. "Oh, Maker" - A very pretty, acoustic folk-inspired love song, with a super catchy chorus that gives Monáe a chance to spread her 90s R&B diva wings on the verses. When you're this deep into a double album and the deep cuts just keep slamming you upside the head with how great they are, you start to realize that you might just be good hands for the remainder. This is feeling in no way like the marathon I thought it might. Fingers crossed that the quality can be sustained. "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" - We get to jump, hive and wail for a bit here as we get some crunchy garage guitars over top of a swinging sound that would not be out of place on a Stray Cats album ( albeit in a stripped down form). "Mushrooms & Roses" - Monáe pulls back on the reins on the pace with some electro-psychedelic work that seems as influenced by the Beatles( Monáe's underwater vocals, the strings and some of the imagery), as it does by Prince ( the buzzy guitar work), and acts like Air and Stereolab ( the electronic touches and the general dreamy atmosphere). "Neon Valley Street" - Appropriately for the final act of her tale maybe the first track on the album that goes full optimistic, while still nodding to the past troubles, this one is full of hope, good vives, and positivity. Another very pretty track, it might be the first one to overstay its welcome by a bit though, and suffers in comparison to all of the other, more melodically superior stuff around it. "Make the Bus" (featuring of Montreal) - Not completely terrible on its own, but the first track that loses me. It feels like it's from a completely different album, by a completely different artist, and for a good reason - apparently it was almost entirely written, produced and performed by the dude from Of Montreal ( who I'm not crazy about). This was an odd mis-step. "Wondaland" - Whew... I was worried there for a minute, but we completely course correct with another great entry, with Monáe dipping into the funk well, and pulling out a bit of twinkly electro dreaminess in the same bucket. There are few who could take inspiration from both Missing Persons-style electro-pop and medieval church hymns on the same track and pull it off so successfully. "57821" (featuring Deep Cotton) - We get another bit of medieval balladry, this time much with much more explicit musical references to that style. This time a tale of loss and yearing, with some heavy Enya vibes. Airy and beautiful, but shrouded in a bit of sadness. "Say You'll Go" - The lovers prepare to reunite with a soulful bit of electronica that carries a strong jazz influence, that seems influenced a bit maybe by Sade. This is one I don't recall as much as most everything else on here. It's very listenable, but very subdued and doesn't color too far outside the boundaries of the verse. "BabopbyeYa" - Things end on a very cinematic note with a John Barry inspired piece that almost seems like her audition piece for a Bond theme. A closing one at least maybe. This melts into a bossa nova inflected musical theater section where the back and forth tension plays out in a very palpable sense of distress and confusion before floating down into the showy finale where Monáe delivers a talk-singing monologue of sorts that leaves the story almost up in the air before belting out he goodbyes. Not my favorite stuff, but I am now wondering what a full produced stage musical of this album would look like... HIGHLIGHTS - "Dance or Die" - "Faster" - "Locked Inside" - "Sir Greendown" - "Cold War" - "Tightrope" - "Oh, Maker" - "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" - "57821" - "Wondaland" MIDLIGHTS - "Mushrooms & Roses" - "Neon Valley Street" - "Say You'll Go" - "BabopbyeYa" LOWLIGHTS - "Make the Bus" FINAL THOUGHTS Other than those interludes ( not as many as I remember) and the one bizarre left turn ( still confused why this guy needed to leave his weird, ill-fitting footprint on this) I found this to be as listenable of an experience as most anything we've had yet on the list. I was thinking going in, based on just memory, that this would be an easy 4. I didn't count on all the "Oh yeeeeaaahhh...." moments when pretty much EVERY track started, and the memories all came flooding back in and I was reminded just why this album got as much play as it did way back when, and why I held on to it. All of that bumps it up slightly, but then the one weird out of place track, and some of the more inessential stuff balances things back down. Really glad I got to revisit this, and it's definitely made me want to go back through her discography. I've heard random tracks from a few other things that were big enough to make a mainstream splash, but I'm glad there's more that will be new to me. This was such a confident swing for the fences that one can't help but be impressed buy the effort, of not the music itself. The production is top tier, and other than trimming a good 9:07 or so off the run time, I think more than earns its run time. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Turns out all the missing tracks form my iPod were the interludey stuff and "Make the Bus" Which is fine. The overtures certainly don't negatively affect the listen by any means, but I won't miss them upon any re-listens. "Make the Bus" can get fucked though as it's easily the fly in the soup here. FURTHER LISTENING - Diamond Life by Sade - Deltron 3030 by Deltron 3030 - Around the World in a Day by Prince - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by Outkast - Hawaii Part II by Miracle Musical - Underneath the Pine by Toro y Moi - Broken Bells by Broken Bells
"At no particular place or time, neither in the present nor in the future" - Thea von Harbou describing the setting of Metropolis When I was a freshman in college I took a Science Fiction Movies class as a communication/arts elective. One of the first movies we watched that semester was Fritz Lang's "Metropolis." I found the film to be stunning as well as deeply ponderous. It had enough to make for lively discussion in class. Furthermore, it was considerably visionary in its ambition for a 1927 film. One can easily see why nearly 100 years later it still sparks conversation. Also, anecdotally, the novel of Metropolis may or may not be set in 2026 so writing about it in 2026 gives a weird vibe. Janelle Monae has made an album here of outstanding ambition. I'll give her that. It almost matches the movie in that regard. Her voice has a rich and affecting quality, one she casts across a wide range of styles. The surprise comes when you find out she is up to the task of each. Yet, this one was almost a 4 outta 5 for me. The spacey sci-fi sound and elements of progressive Afrofuturism work for quite well. Not all the elements are hits though, there are some lulls among the lengthy runtime that stall the momentum. Still, I see myself adding a few of these to the playlist and maybe giving the album another spin on another day and see how it takes. Who knows we may end up talking about this album nearly a 100 years from now too.
Really surprised this one didn’t get popular honestly There’s two absolutely great songs on here, Cold War and Come Alive; those stood out as particularly excellent, though the rest of the album was more than passable. The variety on this one’s off the charts, with every genre under the sun like rap, rock/punk, psychedelic rock, funk, and just more standard pop all included in some fashion. I think Monáe’s got a great voice that somehow works in all these styles. Also the theming in this is pretty cool, very memorable The last 4ish songs really drag on this one unfortunately; the album runs a little long. Say You’ll Go was just really boring for me and although the next song’s a little better, it does kill the momentum a ton. The first half being so damn good probably makes it a little easier to hate on the second half but that’s the biggest problem I have with this one Very pleasantly surprised with this one though, I thought I knew music of this era better than anyone but obviously not (though I forgot she was featured on the mega hit We are Young by f.u.n.). She’s also a great actress, though that doesn’t have a whole lot to do with her skill as a performer. Either way, bring on more like this
bro this is the coolest thing ever how have i not heard of her???
13 minutes of establishing mood and narrative in mediocre contemporary dance and R&B styles is quite a gamble when you have one of the most exciting, most ambitious, sci-fi art pop albums of the decade on your hand. ArchAndroid is a cornucopia of musical styles (classic soul, trad pop, vocal jazz, McCartney ditties, space rock opera, dance funk, psychedelic rock, chamber pop extravaganza, the list goes on) and more are most visible as influences. ArchAndroid is also a cornucopia of personality. Monáe keeps this album from boring with a squeaky clean production that is a tight fit with the metropolitan concept, maybe to a fault. Personally, I’d wish for more sweat and grit to some of the songs here (the supposed psych freak out of “Come Alive” is a good example of being sold a bit short by its sheen), but if you have songs like the operatic “Sir Greenwood”, or the funky “Tight Rope”, there is really no argument not to peg this among the album of the decade candidates. There are more highlights and the album would work better as a double album (manifesting its deserved place among sci-fi operas), but when it comes to virtuosity, boldness and ambition in a big pop context, Monáe hit it out of the park here
High energy, funky
fajne robotyczne pare dodalam do playlisty
I love the cinematic nature of her composing and how she Bridges several different genres and styles. What a creative artist and beautiful polished fun to listen to. What a treat!
This album is somewhat Bipolar. It is mostly pop and theatrical, but in the middle there are few songs that are indie, post punk and even Psychedelic rock. For the most part though it is straight pop. I did enjoy the collab with Of Montreal which makes Make the bus my standout song. 3 stars
love her
Got this album on vinyl last year because it was a must own for the collection. Super happy to see this album on this list, as it’s absolutely amazing. It has a pretty long runtime, but never once overstays it’s welcome.
Muy interesante
This one was kinda fun def an interesting vibe to it but didn’t exceed my expectations
I was wary, but this was decent. Not my genre of choice but made it through with no skips which is a win.
This album made the 1001 Albums list because it is wildly ambitious: part funk/soul record, part sci-fi concept album, part Broadway musical, part Prince/OutKast/James Brown/Stevie Wonder/Metropolis-inspired world-building project. Monáe isn’t just making songs here; she’s building a whole mythology around her android alter ego, Cindi Mayweather, and using that sci-fi framework to talk about identity, otherness, race, class, freedom, sexuality, and rebellion. What to listen for is how much range the album has without completely falling apart. It moves through orchestral overtures, funk, soul, rock, psychedelic pop, hip-hop-adjacent grooves, cabaret, and big cinematic arrangements. The album is divided into “suites,” so it is meant to feel theatrical and narrative, not just like a playlist of singles. Sounds exciting. Man this opening track is dope! So symphonic and theatrical. Says it's broken up into suites. That's pretty creative. This has really been a treat. It's hard to categorize this under one genre, and I love that. The orchestral element to this really gives it such a fascinating dynamic to it. The mash up of sci-fi, afro-futuristic, themes is genius. So unique. There are a couple tracks that have a 60s psychedelic vibe to it. For example 57821 Man Sail Away is beautiful!! I like the way she incorporated Claire de Lune, and also that beautiful soul honey voice. BaBobByeYa is amazing! What a great way to end the album. 5 stars!!!
Love how maximalist and ambitious this is, but it feels a little bloated too. Starting with an instrumental intro called "Suite II Overture" is so crazy - never want an album to feel like a sequel. And it's so long I was checking the time a lot while listening to this album which is not a great sign. She's obviously very talented - great singer and really strong rapper, backing tracks are very interesting and prince-y. There's something about that 2010s production though it's so smooth and put-together that it never really feels very emotional or expressive even though she's wailing and hitting great high notes. Maybe that's the android part. Tightrope is a great song though.
4,6/5
oooo this one back half is looking mighty long tho yep 💥dance or die 💥faster 💥cold war 💥tightrope
Banger
Great album, I liked it
Same problem as most other double albums, but the good stuff is very very good.
One of those albums that makes me happy I'm doing this - I'd never choose to listen to this normally, but it's a really pleasant experience. Janelle's voice is really nice and the musicians involved are pretty great. It's a really good pop album with a fairly eclectic range of influences. I hear a lot of Beatles influence, there's some rock sections, some more straight up soul, some solid synth pop, a bit of rap, the orchestral sections... Wild but it all works pretty well. It's long but listening isn't a chore. Not a whole lot stands out to me specifically, but I'm enjoying the album overall.
I greatly enjoy this album! I have it in my personal library. One or more lyrics haven’t aged well, and I trust Janelle to have learned from this because their art just keeps getting better and better.
Es un proyecto bastante ambicioso bastante teatral dramático, con una mezcla de varios ritmos, bastante creativo, diría
Just judging by the album cover alone, I thought this would be another shitty pop album. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
A journey to another, funkier world where the goddess is all.
This album is possiblt the most mixed bag of styles out of all of the albums that I have listened to on this list. At its core it is a smooth soul/pop/hip hop album. But "Suit II Overture" is orchestral, "Dance or Die" is Samba/Rap, "Sir Greendown" is wurlizter organ 1950s pop, psychedelic tones in "Neon Gumbo", rockabilly in "Come Alive" and golden age of musicals in "Suite III Overture". I have never checked that I am still listening to the same album, as much as I did with this one. And the risk with doing that is that you run the risk of doing all these styles badly. Artists typically try and try for a perfect version of their chosen style of music for their whole career. But somehow Janelle Monkeys has managed to produce a good version of all of these styles. I am very impressed. (4.000)
I’ve given this album multiple shots in my life and I just can’t do it. Corny, bombastic for its' own sake, and a product of its time. There’s other R&B and modern pop that I like a lot better than this
dayum girl <33333
Garbage
This is great! The album opener is so strong. Cold War is one of my faves too. Omg tightrope is on this album!! This album is genreless, its impossible to pin down. I made it to Come Alive and now it's like hair metal? Crazy.
Omg Janelle I didn’t know you bag was this deep she SO VERSATILE on this album wtf every next track I heard was a different genre of music this shit actually surprised tf outta me I only thought she did r&b. You just fully got my respect Janelle just off of this album alone and it’s not even her best.
I have a feeling that if this album had been released 20 years earlier, it would be much better known. It's very good, but it sounds like thousands of other albums. 3 stars
This is a real case of my recency bias, this may be a good newish album, I think it is but I just struggle with pops production now, it's so shiny, so formulated when the actual songs here aren't, well after the homogeneous first few where I didn't know we had changed tracks and actually shut it off for a few hours, and was going down the 1 star route. I came back and This is a good album I can hear that but it just leaves me cold, and that's production and all those algorithm-friendly choices that are so safe. If i was as said into modern music this would be higher but I am not but it's still good, 3 star
*2010. R&B, soul. *Never a dull moment in this album - R&B, pop, funk, classical/opera, psychedelic... we're all over the place in an interesting way. *She has a very nice voice. *I wouldn't listen again, but she's an obvious talent and I get the appeal. RATING - 6/10
This was really different, glad to have given it a listen. Definitely worthy of this list, as it blended quite a few different genres and felt almost like a theater production. Not something I’d go out of my way to listen to again, but it was a unique listening experience. (4)
Wow, there’s a lot to take in here. I had only a passing familiarity with Janelle Monae, having really only knowingly heard one of her songs because it got airplay at a job I had that mostly played bland and inoffensive pop music that mostly bled into itself. She seemed talented, more so than a lot of the other things that were played, but I didn’t expect this album either. This is a dense, frantic album with a loose science fiction theme, somewhat dystopian, and musically there’s a lot going on here. It’s based mostly in hip hop, soul, and funk, but there are bits of cabaret music, psychedelic rock, and really a bunch of other stuff too. A couple of listens isn’t enough to take it all in. Even though it’s dense, it’s not a difficult listen; everything flows well, it’s catchy. Pretty astounding this was her first full length album because it sounds fully realized. What a treat.
This was a very interesting album. Janelle has a wonderful voice and she came up with a great theme for an album.
# Album Name: The ArchAndroid # Artist: Janelle Monáe # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Couple of good tracks but surround by a lot, and i mean a lot of bland tracks. Album is way too long which marks it down for me. # Top Tunes: Tightrope / come alive / neon valley street # Would I listen to it again? No
07/06 Banger of an album. Need an animated movie of the story set to the music
Meraviglioso. Finalmente un album pop di qualità e diverso da tutto il resto di roba commerciale che fanno uscire. Bellissime le parti orchestrali, apprezzatissimo lo spazio lasciato alle parti strumentali. Voce pazzesca e in perfetta linea con il genere e con il sound unico dell'album. Non sono uno che ascolta pop (escluso Michael Jackson), ma non credo che si possa fare di meglio. 5 stelle tutte meritate.
Nothing like what i was expecting, very cool
You know how some artists can just make music that sounds smart? That's Janelle Monae and that's on full display on The ArchAndroid. It's catchy as all hell and tight production, if not running a little overly long. Her real masterpiece is Dirty Computer and hope it's a must for this project. Let's hope it makes an appearance soon.
Best wel leuk, helemaal met de lage verwachtingen door de afgrijselijke album cover
Cold War Tightrope
Cool Like this. Remember hearing tightrope and Cold War at Glastonbury and being really taken with her. It’s a fun album, and her voice is amazing. Favourite track: Cold War
4/5
No idea who this lady is, unless she's one of the Cosby kids? Lots of invention and styles which is good. On first listen, no single song stood out for me but I imagine I'd enjoy it more if I listened and followed the lyrics and the concept.
Suite III alone is worth 5 stars. Beyond that, I like the thing she has going on in the first half of suite II where every song transitions into the next one. She’s kind of like a more talented female Michael Jackson. Was The ArchAndroid better than yesterday’s album, Destroyer by KISS? Yes.
Janelle Monáe’s “The ArchAndroid” can easily be described as the soundtrack for a “Metropolis” musical in the style of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” - including the song played in reverse (“Neon Gumbo”). However, it’s important to note that Janelle Monáe has a much broader stylistic range - the second half of “The ArchAndroid” in particular is quite diverse - and her album is five years older than the premiere of “Hamilton.” It’s a real shame that I hadn’t heard of her before - this lady really has what it takes!
This was atmospheric as hell. I cant lie, it lost me in the second half, but I stayed for the journey. That connection between the 2nd and 3rd tracks is done so well. This kind of conceptual album is usually something you'd see out of the 70's, but it fits right in with a modern audience. Great lyrics and the vocals are on point, a great variety of sound and mixing of genres, some work better than others, but the end result is something that I think should be experienced. Again, the vocals here are fantastic.
Surprisingly robust album. So rich and textured. The storyline is pretty basic but man there are so many bops. The first 4 songs alone are all killer. Plus we get a Debussy sample at the end to cap it all off. I really dug this one
Every genre, style, & type of music all mixed together in one album, sometimes even in one song! It was a bit much for me. It was everything mixed all together in unique ways, but I didn’t love it. I don’t think I’d ever give it another listen.
Really strong funky and enjoyable introduction into the album with songs perfectly flowing into one another with an interlude here and there to carry the album on. Centre half of the album has a great groove and the features so far have been really interesting choices - beautiful contrast of slow and fast rhythms and grooves. Later half of the album starts to slow down the album with the one dud song with "of Montreal" which was a shocking misstep I feel in the overall direction of the album and was unlistenable. Closing out the album however redeems this with slower and angelic-like deeper cuts. I would definitively revist this album again and relive the groove of the first half of the album, overall a really interesting listen and album concept.
crazy vocals, catchy, not my regular genre but could get behind it. didn't finish the whole album. nb queen
2.5. As eclectic and weird as Janelle Monae has always seemed to me from the outside. Some of it I like and some of it I do not.
I remember listening to this when it came out and kind of bouncing off of it. I liked it much more this time. It may be a bit long but the songs I like I like quite a bit.
4 - I love Janelle and the fact that she made a concept album about Metropolis still blows me away.
Nice voice. Some songs reminded me of the lead in songs for James Bond movies. She also threw in done disco and rap tainted songs. Was wort a listen.
The ArchAndroid is a musically creative endeavor with futuristic sounds and wide range of vocals. “Dance or Die” has a rhythmic spoken prose with Monae’s driving high tempo verses. “Sir Greendown” has a slow worthy of a 007 movie intro. I was waiting for the drawn out lyric of “Goldfinger” to pop out at some point. “Cold War” seems to have influences from OutKast and its driving drum machine of “Bombs Over Baghdad.” This connection becomes clear in the next track “Tightrope” and featuring Big Boi. This old school funk number gets head bobbing and feet taping, and the back and forth between the horn section and Monae is playful and highlights what Monae call “classy brass.” “Neon Gumbo” is a prime example of her futuristic experimentation of sound: backwards playing synthesizer and electrified guitar. Now for the big band swing rhythm number of “Come Alive.” It creatively weaves back and forth between an old school number and a riff heavy electric guitar jazzing it up. It also showcases her vocal range. ”Mushroom and Roses” is a slow scintillating jazzy awakening. One has to wonder, what is the power and draw of Blueberry Mary? For act two, Monae carries over the melody from “Mushrooms and Roses” and Neon Valley Street feels like a continuation of a budding romance in this bluesy jazz piece with wonderful wailing guitar riffs. Taking a break form the modernistic themes, “57821” opens with a simple acoustic guitar and continues with dream like vocals. It all comes to a conclusion with “BaBopByeYa.” Much like a last big number of a Broadway musical, this lounge music piece lets the instruments tell the story of love and longing just as much as the vocals.
I’ll give this one the “Christmas Morning” award. It’s full of greatness and surprises I never even knew I wanted.
very psychedelic, less vocals than i expected, or at least less singing. i like it.
I'm listening to this and having my mind blown somewhat. The scope, the ambition, the variety, the music. It's beautiful, profound, epic. Isn't this what we want from our artists?
"Tightrope" is the hit single off this album, but I found it's an album you really do need to listen to all of. The arc of the story was interesting, and I really enjoyed "Neon Valley Street."
Bizarre album, feels to me like a bunch of songs thrown together, not sure if that is the intention/influential part. Top songs: Locked Inside, Tight Rope, Wondaland
One of my favourite albums of all time
Janelle Monáe is one of a kind. This will never be my style, personally, but I can’t deny how great the production and the songwriting is. Makes for an especially fun listen even if I probably won’t be back, there are some serious earworms here that have aged like a fine wine.
Is it bad that I didn't know Janelle Monáe was a singer? 🫣
I had to come back to this album because I listened to it, then didn’t write a review right away, and I felt like over time the more I couldn’t write an accurate review as I forgot what it had sounded like. I’m so glad I listened again because I think I actually appreciated it more the second time. The first few songs were actually so jamming and the transitions were so good in between songs. As the album went on I still thought it was good however the album was just very non-cohesive in my opinion. The themes just kept jumping around making it a little confusing. Don’t get me wrong, I see the range and the talent in being able to dominate different sounds in music however I just don’t think they went together well. This woman does have an absolutely beautiful and strong voice and at one point she belted out a whistle note for like 20 seconds that made my jaw drop. Overall this album was giving showtunes mixed with rap and sci-fi and classical elements all jammed together which was odd and exciting and idek. I have a feeling she is an eccentric person in general lol.
Not for me
Not bad. Just not my thing.
Dance or Die
There were parts I loved, and some parts I wasn’t as hot on. But nothing boring. To me, just makes it to 4 star territory.
Really weird experience
It just did so much right, "Cold War" and "Mushrooms and Roses" are the favorites
I love this record! Every once in a while a young artist comes along and just bursts onto the scene in a way that is nothing short of delightful. Janelle Monae’s style and performance, the joy she radiates, the artful combination of old jazz styles with elements of James Brown and Michael Jackson mixed together in a modern Afro futuristic performance that is pure joy. The album a bit long and the last couple tracks go in a slower jazz style direction that I don’t love as much but are still good.
Beautiful voice, excellent production, varied and inventive arrangements, big scope and ambition ... this album has it all. It just doesn't click for me. There are parts I like (the bass on Neon Street, the bubbly marimba synth on Wondaland), but ... it's just not doing it for me. It often sounds like something between tribute and pastiche lies at the heart or seed of many songs (Make the Bus ... Prince meets Queen ... ? Before giving way to ... something else, not sure what ... ?) The energy level picks up notably on Come Alive, though that sounds like it might have a working title of Grunge Song, and the grungy guitars are a little much. I can admire this, but not very interested in listening to it.
Wow! I was so happy to get this album. Never listened to it before, but always felt like a potential fan of Monae--I just only knew a couple of her songs and I know she has a big catalog. I loved this record musically, especially the first few tracks, and I have a lot of respect for artists who go really hard into a concept album.
2 - TERRIBLE
really interesting and varied, 3 stars for me but may try and revisit it. i want to watch the movie now!
How can virtually every song be of a different genre, and the end product turn out so solid? The first half especially feels so fluid you don't ever want the suite to end. Plus, the musical references are tasteful and add to the experience. Not sure I ever heard an album like this before.
Debut album. Very high production values but to me meaningless pap. Good voice but not really memorable. Feels very much like a product. Highest rating song has the obligatory guest vocalist/rapper. Instantly forgettable.
Enjoyable but a bit too out there for repeat listens.
2nd half of this album is Phenomenal
First impressions! Nice as background while reading. Didn't care too much for the first half, but it got catchier later on. Fave songs! "Make the Bus" "Come Alive"
I tried. I really tried. It's not for me.
I wasn't looking forward to listening this album but I was pleasantly surprised. Well worth a listen and id happily listen again.
Not what I was expecting! It’s a magical mix of music and I liked some more than others. 3.5 for me
Good Rap/crossover album from Janelle
Pretty cool album I liked it. Will I listen to again: 87%
a relisten. her vocals are really nice. ive never been as big of a fan of her as some other people are, but thats alright. shes still solid. really dont like the lyrics for Come Alive, but what can u do. favorite tracks: Tightrope
Okay I read a lot of reviews saying that this wasn’t original. How they were bored. They didn’t finish. It seems the only time I read these types of reviews it’s around black artists as if they can’t create great music. The two parts of this album are distinct. The first part is definitely more upbeat. The second part is slower and more introspective. But it would take patience to actually listen. This is good music. It’s an extension of others that you may recognize in her voice but it is wholly Janelle Monae. She put work in under Big Boi. His guidance and even the future guidance of Prince has shaped her into a brilliant artist. I’m glad I heard this. It fits in with the 17 Bob Dylan and countless folk albums.
I don’t get it honestly but I can see why it’s here in the instrumentals
Álbum extremamente aborrecido, não sou o público-alvo, definitivamente. Desconheço a artista como cantora, mas conheço-a como atriz.
Holy hell I didn’t expect to love this.
Love the blend between futuristic, modern, and 1950s-cabaret on this album. A chord progression throughout Locked Inside reminds me of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing". Sir Greendown is so sweet. Love the adrenaline rush of Cold War. Incredible guitar solo too. LOVE how catchy Wondaland is. Love the Disney fade-out on Say You'll Go.
Fundamental y única. Una artista que sería el reverso femenino de Prince si realmente tuiviera un sexo definido. Este y sobre todo Dirty Computer son esenciales. Con Cold War y sobre todo Tightrope como puntas de lanza, conforman un debut alucinante.
oye pues está agradable
variato e variegato
I found this annoying
Pleasantly surprised
Fantastic
not bad.... interesting...
Tämä oli aika hyvä, vaikkakin kokonaisuutena vähän epätasainen. Joitakin biisejä voisin vielä joskus kuunnella uudestaan.
Ecclectic mix of music. Less of a fan of the R&B songs. Some bangers on it! 4/5
not a bad album, I enjoyed a number of the songs. A few were duds for me but overall a nice album
This was the first time I ever heard of this artist. I enjoyed her album. I liked that you never really knew what the next song would sound like. One of my favorite songs was "Oh, Maker".
This is everything I wanted and more. An album that sounds amazing on first listen and will continue to grow through all the listens yet to come
The biggest strength is that Monáe understands theater without losing discipline. She is not just performing songs; she is staging them.
Tenía mucha expectativa de este álbum porque me lo vendieron como una obra majestuosa. No es malo, pero tampoco me pareció una maravilla. Sí me gustó como mantiene a lo largo del álbum ese sonido androide/futurístico, pero lo combina a su vez con géneros actuales e inclusive antiguos, eso me da la vibra de utopía retro. Probablemente lo vuelva a escuchar en un futuro y quizás me guste más.
Comme dui Anderson Paak, en meilleur. Rempli de surprises, de virages abruptes.
Ça tire dans tous les sens, c'est bien exécuté, mais sans jamais vraiment être excellent. C'est impressionnant mais je vois pas le jour où j'aurai envie de donner une deuxième écoute.
Not typically a dance pop guy, but I do love soul music and a concept album…even more so when it’s sci-fi themed. An enjoyable listen for sure 3.5⭐️
I thought I was gonna hate this after having the (lesser) Portishead, and then the Goldfrapp album, but this was a pleasant surprise. Much better than I expected based on what little knowledge I have of Janelle Monae and the godawful album title.
Number: 167 Date: 06/20/26 Artist: Janelle Monáe Album: The ArchAndroid Year: 2010 Style: Neo Soul Familiarity: Aware (2) Rating: 3 Before: ======= Never heard of this one either. Or maybe I have. Some of her album covers look familiar and it looks like I've previously Liked one of the songs on this album, Mushrooms & Roses. During: ======= 3 Suite II Overture 3 Dance Or Die 3 Faster 3 Locked Inside 4 Sir Greendown 3 Cold War 3 Tightrope 3 Neon Gumbo 3 Oh, Maker 4 Come Alive (The War Of The Roses) 4 Mushrooms & Roses 3 Suite III Overture 3 Neon Valley Street 3 Make The Bus 3 Wondaland 3 57821 3 Say You'll Go 4 BabopbyeYa ----------------------------------------------------- 3.29 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= Interesting album but most songs are a 3 for me. My favorite was Come Alive, followed by Mushrooms & Roses. 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4 composite rating
An ambitious piece of work and one she pulls off pretty well. I applaud her for going for a full concept album like this and in most places she executes it in a way that’s entertaining and not too thinky or overbearing. There are a few times where I thought man I’d like a real song right now but overall I’m impressed.
the vocals on "come alive (war of the roses)" are insane. this was my first time listening to Janelle Monáe and i like the variation, range and vocals. will def listen to some songs again. absolutely in love with "57821".
4/5
3 stars Half this album is pretty damn good. The first half. I actually first listened to this in 2013. But I never made it more than halfway through. Like I legitimately had no idea there was an of Montreal song on this album. But in listening to it all, I caught the better half already. I know the album is long because it’s supposed to be cinematic and all. But it’s just too long. Cut it down to 40 minutes and you’ve got a nice album. But this was a double album for no reason. Still, the good is good.
It’s a funny time to get this, since Amazon is using one of her songs in an ad that plays every five minutes. Anyway, I think this did well with critics but not the general public, which is a shame. Maybe I’m wrong, though. It was quite enjoyable!
Certainly a lot going on here, and the highs were very high. There were points that I didn’t enjoy quite as much but that’s the nature of such an eclectic record I guess.
This was a pleasant surprise. Very unique and varied influences across the album. There's consistently great rhythms, funky bass and impressive vocals. Cold War, Tightrope, Come Alive, Mushrooms & Roses and Wondaland were all fantastic but I enjoyed almost the entire track list.
Enjoyed
Janelle Monae is one the great pop artists of the past 20 years and this record demonstrates her mastery of myriad styles, but I don’t think she had really yet coalesced her own distinctive aesthetic voice at this point, as she did later with Dirty Computer and The Age of Pleasure.
LINDO álbum. a janelle é incrivel em tudo que se propõe.
Amazing singer. Stylistically all over the map, but always interesting.