Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Solid album but not my favorite genre
I had never listened to Janelle Monae before but I will continue to now. Some of these songs are so much fun with so much energy, it was a great driving listen stuck in LA traffic to keep me energized. There were a couple of duds, like I was not a fan of Oh Maker. The intro song felt very theatrical, not something I'd listen to again. There was a lot of variety which I appreciated- I liked the horns in tightrope, the swing of come alive, the vocals on make the bus. I think if every song was one I would add to a playlist it'd be rated higher but because of many new bangers I found, it's earned it's rating.
Crazy eclectic style and plenty of bangers
thought it was gonna be just instrumentals at first lol actually so fun love Tightrope kinda whimsical
Okei, intro sai mut luulemaan että tää on jotain instrumentaalimusiikkia mutta ei onneksi. Rakastan albumeita, joissa biisit vaihtuu saumattomasti toisesta toiseen ja siinä jos missä tämä albumi on onnistunut erittäin hyvin. Välillä kappaleen vaihtumista ei edes huomaa ellei seuraa tarpeeksi tarkkaan. Soundikin on ihan kiva. Energistä musiikkia ainakin alun biisien perusteella. Sisältää myös biisejä joita ei meinaa jaksaa kuunnella mutta kokonaisuudessaan ihan hyvä albumi. Monista biiseistä ihan oikeasti tykkäsin.
Really interesting
From moment one I knew it was going to be a wild ride.
This was a breath of fresh air. Really interesting album, beautiful production, and Janelle's vocals are wonderful. I've only listened to her most recent album from 2023, so I'm partially familiar with her work. I've been wanting to check out more of her albums, so I'm glad I listened to this album. Awesome album cover too! Really enjoyed this!
Reminds me of Alicia Keys in the best way; I like how it weaves together classical music and r&b into something else
This album did not feel nearly as long as it was. Excellently crafted and extremely catchy.
A new discovery for me.. its not really my jam but I did really enjoy it. Its a eclectic mix of styles that hangs together well and grooves along. Very accomplished for a debut. Its a very high 4 - that could turn into a 5 if I listen a few more times (which I probably will)
8/10
Soothing sound, variety of styles, accomplished, really liked it
Very good start but dies down
Fun!
song by song: ----- Suite II Overture - 3.5/5, it's giving film soundtrack Dance or die (ft. Saul Williams) - 3/5, it grew on me underveis Faster - 3.5/5, catchy Locked Inside - 3.5/5, the *clap clap* was perfect Sir Greendown - 4.5/5, very good but I probably won't listen to it again Cold War - 4/5, chours on point Tightrope (ft. Big Boi) - 4/5, "Do damage to your cabbage?" Avatar reference?? Neon Gumbo - 2/5, oh, a song-shaped object in my headphones Oh, Maker - 4.5/5, this close to clicking 'liked songs' Come Alive (War of the Roses) - 4.5/5, the villain song from a musical that goes viral Mushrooms & Roses - 1/5, and then she turned into a robot Suite III Overture - 3/5, instrumental's just not my style Neon Valley Street - 3.5/5, she should rap more Make the Bus (ft. Of Montreal) - 4/5, If Marina and ___ had a baby this would be it Wondaland - 4.5/5, "Take her back to Wondaland / She thinks she left her underpants" HELL YEAH 57821 (ft. Deep Cotton) - 4.5/5, ethereal Say You'll Go - 2.5/5, so much potential BaBopByeYa - 3.5/5, another musical song she's a theatre kid fr overall score - 3.5/5
I really enjoyed how some of the songs blended together really well. Definitely an enjoyable listen.
weird feeling idk how to explain (not bad feeling)
So fun and futuristic
I like :)
Gotta toss this one on in the bg next time I watch Metropolis
I don’t love it as much as dirty computer but I know it was a critical darling when it initially came out in 2010
A great debut album by a very talented artist. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. My one complaint is that it did go on a tad long. There were a few songs at the end that should have hit the cutting room floor.
Album No. 0108 on my list. Woah, what an overwhelming album - I had no idea what I was getting into! I had never heard of Janelle Monae before, but I was very surprised about how great this album is. I love the eclecticism on this. Mixing so many different genres is not always good, but it worked out very well here. You got pop, jazz, soul, hip hop, even classical influences, but they work very well together. There is a large variety between the songs, but there is still a very high degree of coherence between them. The album feels very ‘complete’ in that sense. It’s not just a collection of songs, it is an album indeed. Beyond that coherence, the songs themselves are mostly pretty good as well. Monae and her fellow musicians really showed a lot of talent here. I’ll add “Dance Or Die”, “Locked In Here”, “Cold War”, and “Tightrope”, to my playlist, though I rather think these are representative of the variety of the album. Good album. Really overwhelming in the best way. 4/5 stars!
Experimental. Daring. Fun. Challenging. This should have been much bigger than it was. I enjoyed it and I know many critics lavished praise on it but it should have hit the stratosphere. Maybe that's a good thing because it wasn't overplayed. This was a nice discovery of an artist I've been meaning to check out.
Hat mich überrascht uns gefreut, dass das Album hier auftaucht. Geht wahnsinnig stark los und ist in seiner stilistischen Vielfalt beeindruckend. Hatte die schon 2-3 mal gehört und gedacht, dass sie zu lang ist. War diesmal anders, vielleicht bald 5 Sterne.
Pleasing discovery of progressive soul and alternative R&B, sublimated by the voice range of Janelle Monae.
Päris põnev kõla on paljudel lugudel, hea produ juures (mis on piisavalt vahelduv ning võtab erinevatest žanritest šnitti). Samas mingi asi tundub selle albumi puhul lihtsalt... veider või mitte nii hea. Lood ei ole just meeldejäävad, aga äkki peabki lihtsalt rohkem kuulama. Reitinguks 3.5/5, aga hinde mõttes pigem 4.
This was a fun album from start to finish and I had no problem staying engaged despite the album’s length. I’d have to listen again to really know how it works as a concept album, but I have a feeling I’ll enjoy it more the second time. I worked at a Ruby Tuesday for 4 years in the early 2010’s and Tightrope was apart of the restaurant’s shuffling playlist the whole time. I’ve heard that song 100’s of times and always thought it was pretty cool though I never knew who/what it was. Hearing it again today after so long was unexpectedly wonderful!
Not really my thing but I appreciate the artistry and skill put into it.
Gets a +1 for being a pretty unique entry on the list. 4/5
Ganz schönes Konzept eigentlich. Mir gefallen die mehreren Abschnitte des Albums sehr gut.
Es ist sehr lang und eigentlich nicht mein Genre, aber ich m muss anerkennen, dass es trotzdem sehr kurzweilig und spannend war. Hier sind genug Ideen drin, der Gesang ist toll, der Sound groß,.nur mein persönlicher Geschmack steht der 5 im Weg
Listened to this a lot--inventive, lush, and a lot of fun
Suite II Overture - 4/5 Dance or Die - 4/5 Faster - 4/5 Locked Inside - 5/5 Sir Greendown - 4/5 Cold War - 5/5 Tightrope - 5/5 Neon Gumbo - 3/5 Oh, Maker - 4/5 Come Alive - 5/5 Mushrooms & Roses - 4/5 Suite III Overture - 3.5/5 Neon Valley Street - 4.5/5 Make the Bus - 3.5/5 Wondaland - 4/5 57821 - 4.5/5 Say You'll Go - 5/5 BabopbyeYa - 4/5 A nearly effortless blend of genres for an incredible debut album. This would be a 5 except it kind of loses me towards the end but the ending two tracks pull me back into what I loved about it. The run-up to that middle stretch managed to blend together soul, funk, R&B, and more that loosely fits into her whole sci-fi concept the album is trying to portray, but I feel its a bit too loose of a concept that I may not have fully got. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Locked Inside, Cold War, Tightrope, Come Alive, Neon Valley Street, Say You'll Go
have listened before janelle is so so so talented. still sounds so futuristic. fav: locked inside, cold war, neon valley street
A genuinely fantastic album filled with different genres but unfortunately suffers for being too long.
Repeat
Very pleasant surprise.
Underlig, Bra, Rolig. Behöver lyssnas på igen
High-concept and dynamic, but it boogies so hard. It would make sense to pattern a race of androids after Janelle Monáe. I have a hard time giving something a 5 on first listen but I thought about it; definitely coming back to this one.
To think this has just been around since 2010. Standout songs: Locked Inside, Cold War, Mushrooms & Roses, Neon Valley Street
Don’t know if I love this as much as the funky Prince-inspired material off Dirty Computer, but the concept, stylistic variety, and overall performance here was a commendable cinematic experience. A visionary record for 2010.
so good.
Wow, very eclectic and a ton of different genres and styles at play. Everything from rap to rock to Prince to Bowie to OutKast and everything in between. Looking at the background, apparently a solid 60% of Janelle Monae's discography is dedicated to this concept narrative about a sci-fi movie from 1927? Wild stuff! Anyway, this record is dynamic, ambitious, excellently produced and sung and written and it sort of explodes out of the speakers. Did I really connect with it, and do I like it? For me, not really. I would love to love this album but there's something that just doesn't do it for me. That being said, I recognize the talent on display here and I'm impressed. I don't know if I'll listen much again but I'm glad I heard it.
There’s definitely more than one listen in this album, definitely worth a deep dive but first reaction is great.
The ArchAndroid is a wildly ambitious and vibrant album where something new is constantly happening. It moves effortlessly between funky, edgy, almost theatrical passages and more dreamy, experimental, and cinematic moments. Janelle Monáe plays with genres, moods, and structures, without the album ever falling apart, on the contrary, it feels like a creative overflow. At times it’s extremely groovy and energetic; at others, almost floating and abstract. It can feel overwhelming, but that’s also what makes the album so fascinating. You never get bored, and new details reveal themselves with every listen. An album full of imagination, personality, and courage. Not flawless, but impressive, alive, and highly entertaining. 4/5
Never heard of Mrs Monáe before. Her debut is a wild mix of different styles and genres, which are masterly connected and celebrated by Mrs. Monáe, who has a beautiful voice. Really surprised and delighted. Fav: BabopbyeYa
Wait, that actress? She can sing?
- I like the artwork and aesthetic. Immediately wanted to like this project as it seems cool and much more than just an RnB album. - It's quite outside the realm of my taste but it's impressively ambitious and cinematic. I couldn't help feeling totally drawn into it. - Objectively she's a good singer and the production is pretty amazing. Loads going on instrumentally. While it's not really in my wheelhouse, I'm really glad to have given it the time of day and a couple of listens. It's a shame it's a little longer than in needs to be in my opinion but I get why, and I'd gladly listen to this when I have time to soak it all in again.
Loved this album. Blending of sounds into evocative sounds escapes, great vocals and samples. Relaxing upbeat vibes.
Very fun album, seems to hit a couple different genres. Favorite songs were dance or die and tightrope. Only one skip which was the of montreal feature
I love the upbeat tracks on this album. Great vocals, very artistic and melodic. The overture interludes are cool and melodic but I will never listen to them again. Songs that stood out to me: Faster, Locked Inside, Cold War, Wondaland
All of the songs are fantastic but to me it doesn't feel like a cohesive album. Probably still gonna buy it though.
Very nice album, impressive variety of sounds, genres and a good range of vocals too. Was skeptical at first but left impressed. Highlights for me were Faster, Cold War and Oh, Maker
This is probably more like a 3.75, but I'm rounding up because there are several good to great songs
Sehr spannendes Album, guter funky Sound, schöne Stimme.
Hmmkey dålig på att sjunga 🥴
This album was a quandary for me. I was not familiar with Janelle Monae prior to listening to this. I really enjoyed several aspects of the album making me feel it deserved a 5 star and really disliked others thinking it deserved a 1 star. With that said I pretty much listened to the album in its entirety which says something. I also felt the song transitions on the first half of the album were excellent. She has an excellent voice and brings many genres of music together from electronic, swing, jazz, funk and Hip hop to name a few. She does this relatively seamlessly in my opinion making for an interesting album. With that said, I felt like I was listening to two separate albums from songs 1-10 and 11-18. My initial thought was to go with a 3 but gave it bonus marks for her voice, transitions and the fact I listened to the whole album despite this not really being my musical wheelhouse. Neon valley is a hidden nugget in my opinion with great jazz vibes.
Have to listen to this again, it might be a little too GRAND for my taste, but of course it’s good. Low 4
excelente na real entrei cheio de preconceitos e sai embasbacado.
caraio eu to embasbacado. DEFINITIVAMENTE não eh o que eu tava esperando. uma super pedrada, cê é doido ela vai pulando de gênero em gênero e não erra nunca, como pode. tem de tudo po, hip hop, soul, eletronica, musica classica, rock, folk, a porra toda fi. e todas todas as músicas são gostosinhas demais e super bem feitas. só num eh 5 estrelas porque eh um pouco longo, mas eh definitivamente um album dos anos 2010 que vale a pena DEMAIS ouvir hein
I'm a bit of a sucker for a concept album; I'm impressed by anyone who can cast and execute a coherent vision like that. This would take me several closer listens to decide if I love it, but I was definitely intrigued, surprised, entertained, and delighted. I couldn't pay enough attention to the lyrics to follow any themes she was developing, but the album art and the music itself seemed clearly enough about imagining alternate futures for black folk -- and all Americans, really -- and they are futures I would be very open to at the moment.
It's a little overlong but endlessly creative. On a different day I may have inched this toward 5 stars. She's a special performer.
This one surprised me. I had never listened to Janelle Monae before, and i had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly taken aback. So much to love. A huge variety of genres and styles. One moment, an epic, cinematic, orchestral track. Next moment, an explosive, hip-hop / rap number. Both equally proficient. Creativity levels off the charts. A mad, eclectic experience. Pretty sure every instrument makes an appearance at some point. It is a long album, and some moments are certainly weaker than others. The straight up pop songs dont hit quite as hard for me as the more experimental moments but the vocals do stand up. For example Locked Inside is a straightforward modern pop classic, but i much prefer the inventiveness of the experimental closer BaBopByeYa. Thats perhaps my favourite track although this album was more about moments than songs for me. Going to give it another listen as i know lyrically and thematically there is a lot i have still to enjoy and appreciate. 8/10
Not what I expected at all! Very cool!
Accidently put my score for this for album 227. A very interesting mix of musical styles. Really quite enjoyed it.
4/4.5. solid vibe
This is a hugely ambitious debut, with the sprawl inherent to such an undertaking. Is it all essential? No. Does it need to close with six- and eight-minute songs? No. But like her hero Prince, Janelle Monáe doesn't do anything small. As with her other stuff, I'll save the songs I like and skip the rest, while appreciating the ambition that created all of it.
Can't say I could have told you anything about Janelle Monae before listening to this. Epic. Sprawling. Kind of weird. All very expertly done. All of which I very much approve of.
8 / 10
What an ambitious soul / contemporary R&B and pop record. The first half of this thing is incredible. It has the best tracks of the whole project and they are incredible vibrant and energetic, with impeccable singing and super rich instrumentation. Every song in this part of the album absolutely slaps, I'm telling you. The second half I would say is a bit weaker. I always find myself losing my focus once I reach the last songs. Nevertheless, I can say that it offers some of the most experimental cuts of the whole project. 'Come Alive' feels like a Disney villain song, and it is super fun. In tracks like 'Mushroom & Roses' and 'Neon Valley Street' she uses autotune to apply effects on the voice. In the first one her singing feels very trippy and in the second one it seems like a robot is singing. There is also the song 'Make the Bus' which features the band Of Montreal and she doesn't sing at all while the singer of the other band takes the spot. Overall, very enjoyable, ambitious and uplifting.
I like this she has a stunning voice
The types and styles of songs seem to change from song to song. There were two with a symphony. some sounded pop, some really grabbed my attention. I can't get my head around it in one listen. Very good.
Wow. Talk about an album that really surprised the hell out of me. I have no idea who Janelle Monáe is, but now I want to hear more of her. My first listen through and I thought it was a lot. Fast paced, sounded like an upbeat women’s haircare commercial, and insisted heavily upon itself. Kind of gave me anxiety. Wasn’t bad, just a long album that didn’t really do anything for me. On the second listen, I was absolutely hooked harder than I could possibly have imagined. Janelle is an incredible singer, and she brings a certain energy to these songs that I haven’t heard a lot of for this project. Now, this is a long album, and not every song is perfect, but god damn does it sure feel like it ends quickly, even at 1 hour and 8 minutes of runtime. Every song does a great job of blending into each other, and there is a good bit of variety in the songs. Occasionally, there’s even a killer breakdown, like on “Cold War”. The filler on this album is mostly just short intermission tracks that are still actual, real songs and not annoying skits. Picking a favorite song is actually really hard. The hit is “Tightrope”, and that’s probably the song I’m going to pick, otherwise it would take me hours to decide on what my favorite song on the album is. The feature is very good, and it’s definitely the catchiest song on the album. Man, this might literally be another contender for a 5. It’s close. The production is just insanely well done. I think by the time you hit a certain point, you kinda get the point. I don’t have many aspects to fault this one on, length included. Not only would I come back to this one, but it might fall into my usual rotation. A huge compliment for someone I’d never heard of before. It’s a very, very very very high 4 for me. I didn’t add any one specific song to my playlist, but god damn it’s all so good as a whole. This was catchy.
For once, a concept album that actually works as a full concept, songs working and flowing together. And Monáe shows her skill at any style of genre you can think of. It’s not transcendent and maybe not something I’ll go to listen to a lot, but it’s undeniably well done and bonkers how well she puts it all together.
This was a surprising album. It got better as it went along. It's not my style of music, more my daughter's but it was very good.
I love the breadth and ambition of this album. It's like a movie soundtrack with so many different styles and stories. And Tightrope is just a massive banger.
Pretty blown away with this. Rich production, varied and stylish. Saved nearly all the songs to my library.
Great album. First track was a great mood setter and had me intrigued which direction the vibe was heading. I now have this in my rotation.
This is a tightly produced pop album. The open with "suite 2 overture" is a great way to start an album. There's a few decent if unmemorable tunes, and then you get thrown into Cold War which is an absolute banger. Then Tightrope happens which isn't that amazing but does hit all the typical notes of a typical 2010's pop song. After that we get back to Neon Gumbo which is more pleasant, tightly produced but unmemorable pop. Oh Maker was another enjoyable song. Come Alive has great energy as well. Then Mushrooms and Roses is another great tune. I'm not usually one for these types of pop albums, but this album is way more enjoyable than I expected.
This was a big album when I was in college. It’s beautiful and complex from an artistic standpoint, but I feel like she really excels more in live shows. I like the Saul Williams track and War of the Roses. I saw her play Eastside Drive-In ca 2010. Of Montreal opened for her, if that gives an idea of how progressive her music was at the time. We were there to see if Kevin Barnes would ride a live horse naked on stage. Her live show was incredible and I was blown away by it. She also did a great Austin City Limits taping.
I loved this album. no songs in particular stood out, but the whole thing flowed well and it was honestly pretty mindblowing. i love a sampling of a hymn, and the bit of "All Creatures of our God and King" was a nice little easter egg
Janelle Monae is so impressive as an artist and performer, and this is a hell of a statement of a full debut album. The concept, the breadth of styles, vocal prowess, the instrumentation, it all works. Embodies cool androgyny more than anyone since Prince (which makes sense as I think they were close). The orchestral suites just add to the grandness of it all. I loved it, would go 4.5 if that were an option :)
Definitely not my usual style, but def enjoyed this.
Excellent listen, could be a 5 on relisten
Wild
Sounds like a broadway play soundtrack.
Appreciate her talent.
So fun. Have spent a lot more time with Dirty Computer but this is just as good. Fav tracks: Dance or Die, Faster, Locked Inside, Cold War Saved a song: Y RYM: N
Never heard of them, but this album was very fun and pretty unique.
Genuine surprise
The startling ambition on this debut full length is almost totally realised. I suspect CD listeners might find it a touch intimidating, but in more palatable chunks over 4 sides of vinyl, the album feels strong throughout. What might be seen as a drop off towards the end, to me sounds like a natural, calming conclusion to a whirlwind story that I will one day understand. Impressive variety from one of this generation’s genuinely important artists.
Really funky and interesting, very good album, not 100% my vibe tho.
Interesting
Not my kind of music - but man she is good. 4
Je connaissais certaines chansons sans savoir d’où elles provenaient, et j’ai adoré écouter cet album dans sa globalité!
Great pop
awesome
Pretty great start to finish. Lots of different things going on which it made it quite interesting. Refreshingly unique artist and album.
Gets an extra point for being a cohesive concept album. Cool :)
A new decent find! Really enjoyed the variety of genres within the songs and a lot of them were very catchy. Definitely listening again
Awesome album, very dynamic. Janelle’s got RANGE
Nice album. Appreciate the changes. Plays like a Disney soundtrack for a grown folks movie.
Very talented, bit long. Couldn't quite connect with this though, not sure why. Felt very polished and a bit distant? But it's good, so I'm being silly.
Great album
Labai patiko. Kiekviena daina unikali ir įdomi.
Really liked a few of the songs and overall the whole vibe of the album but didn’t love a couple songs
Admittedly, I'm a pop hater. Also admittedly, some pop albums are very good, which is annoying to me because they don't fit my narrative. People CAN make good corporate music, which makes the fact that they usually don't even more disappointing. It's so rare to hear a pop record that sounds fresh while maintaining accessibility and doesn't make me drowsy four songs in. Fortunately, they do exist, and this is one of them. This album is just so nicely produced and flows so well you barely notice it's over an hour long. I prefer the catchy and danceable first half (with these satisfying Stankonia drums), but the more laid-back second half is not half bad either. Songs like Dance or Die, Faster, Cold War, Wondaland are so fun to listen to. This album features a big range of vocal and instrumental styles throughout its runtime, which definitely helped me feel engaged the whole way through, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the approaches. The futuristic vibe was also very nice. This was the first pop record in a while I was genuinely exciting to listen through. One big problem, though: on this cover, they look a lot like a certain Kanye supporter.
(86/100)
Fairies dragged you to their place, and now there’s nothing to do but vibe with whatever wild mix of music they throw at you. Inescapable joy.
An incredibly consistent yet varied album musically.
Big album! Big sound, big ideas, big creativity.
Clearly well produced, genre bending and interesting, just not something I feel like I'll revisit.
Wasn't expecting to see this album here but I'm very happy it made it. It covers so many different sounds and styles: soul, r&b, pop, rap, jazz, rock, all while maintaining this cohesively futuristic sound. Every song has a strong message and purpose and contributes to the album somehow. The production is very vibrant and the songs are very catchy, and the way they transition into each other so well is super cool and creative. I love Cold War because I'm a sucker for some drum and bass in the production. Dance or Die features her rapping and she's somehow better at it than half of the rappers. The progression of Faster is just so good and Tightrope sounds like one of those super eccentric Outkast songs in the best way possible. Then there is 2 random psych rock songs, kinda random but it works. And there is a duet with the of Montreal guy! The last part of the album is super all over the place but mostly good still. Really fascinating album and one that I can see myself coming back to for sure.
Well this was a sparkling offering, varied and driven by strong songwriting and musicianship. This is where the list works. Had no knowledge of the artist prior to this.
Very interesting music and varied style through the album. It feels a little bit like a demo tape. I did not know her, she's worth to be listened to.
V diverse
Metropolis. I knew the singer from her featuring in we are young but I never knew she had such a conceptual album. Brilliant.
funky
Metropolis turned into an album.
Probably the second craziest album I've gotten from the generator. Have little to no knowledge on this kind of music and was quite enthralled early on with this concept album. So much going on but by the end it was dragging on. Hard to rate this, but because it was pretty unique compared to the rest, I'll give it a four. Would be great to listen to baked also.
I think Dirty Computer has more standouts, but this album has a cohesive feel and creative production.
I really liked this album. The beats were cool and her voice was solid
Monae will be spoken about like Prince and Bowie and the queens of punk. Wholly unique.
Very operatic, almost. Good flow between songs in the album. Definitely the strongest of the albums so far, but maybe thats modernity bias. Ding a couple points on the lack of any strong standout single/singles, but overall pretty damn good.
8.5 A lotta stuff goin on here and I liked it muchly!! One of my fave albums I’ve not listened to before and will listen again for sure
This is pretty cool sophisticated pop music. Diverse range of styles in each track.
I like how upbeat this album is but it gets slightly boring after a little while. Fav songs: locked inside, sir greendown, oh, maker. Kind of too long imo. Individually though each song on its own is really fun and interesting.
Ultra GOD. Esperaba 0, pero me dejó loco
Dirty Computer is the best Janelle Monáe album so I’m really hoping it is in this list. This one is pretty damn good too. I love how her music is simultaneously futuristic and old school
Good to very good album. Love Janelle’s voice and some interesting music.
An R&B/Soul Sci-Fi concept album. The description sounds pretentious, but the album is quite good with a good solid musical base. My favourtite track was "Tightrope" (featuring Big Boi).
The Overture is a dumb into but the two songs after it are good. This feels both futuristic and like a throwback to 60s R&B at the same time. You can hear the Outkast influence throughout the album...beyond just the Big Boi guest spot on Tightrope. Tightrope is a great song. I'm really liking this album. You really realize what a pretentious ass Robert Christgau is when you listen to this album and read his review of it. At the start Oh, Maker had me thinking it was the beginning of a downward slide, I was wrong about that. But starting with Come Alive (War of the Roses) and Mushrooms & Roses has me thinking I was just one song too early. The overtures feel like a nod to this being an "art&B" album more than an integrated part of the album. The balk half of the album is not as good as the first half. It's hard to get 9 songs right, let alone 18. Also, concept albums are almost always, hat tip to Ziggy Stardust, an annoyingly contrived restriction on quality rather than an invitation to tell a compelling story. Say You'll Go is an improvement. An almost 9 minute closing effort...I do not understand why artist after artist insists on having an irrationally long final track on what in some cases is already a long album.
What a great choice for this list. The sequencing on this album is textbook and perfect. Grand and sweeping and jumping seemlessly from r&b, hip-hop, funk, neo-psych, and rock. Where some tracks would typically come off corny when this varied the heart that Janelle Monae brings to every track shines through. My only knock is the production on a few of the tracks is a little of its time, and it dips just a little in quality in part 3, Still a phenomenal listen. 8/10
Very eclectic. Swing, classical, jazz, blues, hip hop, Madonna. Not really my cup of tea but we'll done
I got whiplash from all the different genres of music on here. One minute there is soul, then R&B, even some rap-ish tendencies, then what sounds like some folk music and even a rock song that the Stray Cats would have made back in the 80's. They have a guitar, synthesizer, as well as a drum machine, and they are not afraid to use it. I knew Janelle Monae from their acting more than I knew them from the music they made. I am glad I got to listen to this one, as I probably would have never, ever heard it. I probably won't listen to this every day but it is really a fun listen and deserves the recognition from being in the book. My favorite songs were: Faster Locked Inside Cold War Tightrope Come Alive (War of the Roses) Oh, Maker Make the Bus Wondaland Say You'll Go
Broad and sweeping. Not bad, although not necessarily a go-to for me.
At first she annoyed me then I listened to it again later and realized how talented she is
This is honestly a 4.5, I have to state this to make it clear how much I adore the sonic sounds and creativity in this album. Janelle Monae is a musician who is by no means underrated but I believe doesn’t get credited enough for how much of an influence she has been on the music scene.
Siisti artwork ja konsepti ylipäätään. Tykkäsin kanssa kyllä noista sinfonisista välisoitoista. Siisti sekoitus modernia soulia, r&b ja poppia. Ja klassista musiikkia. Parhaat: Wondaland, Tightrope, Oh Maker
Fairly recent and different, cool! Not really my type of music perhaps, but I thought this was quite interesting and good at most times! Didn't feel like it slotted into one specific genre, and the formula didn't get old over the course of the album. There was much variety and you were constantly taken by surprise. Album high-point was 'Tightrope', and absolute lowpoint was 'Make the Bus'. I definitely enjoyed this more than lots of 3 star albums, but I'm not sure I feel like it's a 4 star one. Tricky. I'm going to be generous and give it a weak 4 though, much more interesting than loads of stuff I've heard on this list.
Od Janelle poznam sam par kasnejših komadov, ampak tisti so fakin amazing, tko da, let's go! Kul klasičen začetek. "Dance or Die" je najs in brez, da sploh opaziš, si kr naenkrat v naslednjem komadu, tempo ne popusti, imenu primerno: "Faster". (Zmer mi je ful impresivno k nekdo ful hitr repa/poje.) Medley se nadaljuje v "Locked Inside", je pa končno mal bolj umirjen tempo, ampak res minimalno. (Ok, že zj pri drugem poslušanju sm ful bl into it.) Aaand, end of medley. En zasanjan komad, po pa sam šopamo naprej. U, znan glas! Yep, Big Boi iz Outkast. "Tightrope" mi je na splošno znan, verjetn je bil single? Hud je dost. (Preverila: je bil, ja.) "Oh, Maker" je drugačen, in a good way. Ostali komadi se mi že združujejo v en velik blur. (Ker nesramn first take. Vzamem mal nazaj.) "Come Alive (War of the Roses) je zelo new wave, rock-y. Hudi vokali. Na splošno mi je všeč kako ima ta del albuma mal rock oddiha, ki se prelevi v še eno klasično overturo - tokrat s pridihom vokalnih grup iz 50h - sklepam, da bomo zj spet šopal? To glih ne, "Neon Valley Street" je bl chill, Lauren Hill-like komad. Sledi mu prvi komad, ki mi aktivno ni všeč. Preveč naenkrat mi je. Funky komad, potem pa kr naenkrat haleluja? In christian hymnal vibe. "Say You'll Go" je čist kul balada, k ma na konc not znan klasičen komad, k ga bom mogla poguglat, ker it's not coming to me (o moj bog, "Clair De Lune", posipam se s pepelom). In zadnji komad "BaBopByeYa" je skor 9 minutno epsko potovanje skoz žanre, in the best way. Na splošno eklektičen album, ki se ne drži enega žanra, je pa definitivno koheziven. Will probably listen again.
4.5 Fun, beautiful cinematic ride.
Es dut mer ufrichtig Leid für de Schlag in Solar Plexus mit minere MGMT Bewertig, aber wie gseit het da mal wider e hitzigi Diskussion müsse ahgregt werde zum de Album Klöpp am Lebe z phalte. Also gerngscheh und bedanket eu spöter. Jetzt zude Janelle, who I did not know at all. Und wiiiie ich sie jetzt kenne, lagomio! Min zurziitige musig mood vo sexy R&B mit chli hiphop und au chli Soul & funk direkt is Herze troffe! Und mit Come Alive no is Punkige ine? Bravo! Aaaber ach ischs jetzt es 5i wert? Ihres neuste Album het mi meh abgholt, muss mer also bi dem tüüfer gah? Aber die abwechslig vo genres i dem album und jedes Lied macht uf sini eigni Art spass. Scho Meisterwerkpotentoal. Klassisches 4.5. Aber mood samstig im Zug uf Basel: abgrundet uf 4 böx in solar plexus vo MGMT
Really enjoyed this. Fantastic vocals, great grooves. Definite Beyonce vibes. Enjoyed the use of Clair de Lune in Say You'll Go - not at all contrived (honestly).
I really enjoyed this, not an artist I have listened to before. Good mix of genres and felt the album flowed well together. Faster and Tightrope were my favourites. The only negative from me is that I felt towards the end the album started to tail off. However, going for 4 stars.
Complete unknown to me but exceeded expectations. First half much stronger than second
Very good
La música es formidable, llena de originalidad. No sabría decir a qué se parece. Es algo realmente original y exuberante. La única dificultad es que el disco es realmente largo. Se me hizo como un disco triple. Pero todo está muy bien interpretado y compuesto.
Interesting listening to this just after Thriller. You can see where she gets a lot of her inspiration. Good album, better than Thriller in my opinion.
Yeah I don't hate it, not normaly the kind of thing I gravitate towards, but it was an interesting kind of anti-pop pop music , Cold War is kinda catchy, 'Come Alive' is really good actually, Mushrooms & Rose's is pretty wild also, I think it might grow on me, 3.5 but I'll go for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Solid album, I assume it was from a musical, a diverse range of genres here.
Wow! I was not familiar with your game Janelle Monáe! I had such a good time listening to this. The first half of the album was flat out amazing (as you can tell by the songs I included in my favorites), but like many other albums, the second half started to drop off a bit and I really feel like the album could’ve benefitted from dropping 2-4 songs With that being said, this is easily the most versatile album I’ve heard so far and I see why it appeals to so many different audiences Not only is it full of great songs of different genres, but it includes a few interludes (which are usually hit-or-miss for me) that I feel add to the overall experience I also very much appreciate how the songs naturally blend together, which adds to the cohesiveness of the album Hats off to you Janelle Monáe, this album rocks Favorites: Locked Inside, Wondaland Honorable Mentions: Sir Greendown, Cold War
Positive suprised thought I was gonna hate it but no
That was surprising. So far, I haven't found much on this list post 2000 that interested me. This album is definitely interesting. There are so many genres here that it shouldn't work as an album, but it does. Everything fits together well. There were a few tracks that stood out, but most are above average. It's a very good album, but not quite a 5.
i thought i had already listened to this but ig not ? so so good though janelle monae is a literal visionary. love how she does so many genres just on this one album.
Поважаю Жанель і за цей альбом зокрема. Класна артистка, правда щось останні альбоми мені її скоріше повз мене. Свого часу на моменті виходу цього альбому я дуже багато слухав першу його половину і достатньо прохолодно ставився до другої. Не те щоб вона погана чи прохідна. Скоріше музична палітра в ній мені менше імпонує. Альбом великий і на великих альбомах мені здається дуже важливо мати не просто класні пісні по всьому треклісту, а й мати їх послідовності з 3-4, які мають якорити. Тут для мене, знову ж таки, в другій половині я не можу виділити для себе такого стріку. Класно, що все це досі свіжо слухається і набагато краще великої кількості навколо-поп музики на межі 00х-10х
Didn't expect much, was really impressed. I'd bet she puts on a great live show.
was a lot more of a cinematic experience than i thought it would be! enjoyed the album, thought it went on for a tiny bit too long? started strong, many iconic songs that will be enjoyed years from now.
Quite good! The first half is great fun with several hooks
I know Janelle only as guest vocals on many of songs I dig, and have always wanted to dive into her solo stuff. Was happy to see this pop up on the project. She sounds like nothing else of the time. Super interesting and unique, with velvety vocals. I love how creative and genre bending this album is. Makes me want to dive into the rest of her catalogue. Also high kudos that this was her debut album.
Love her voice and creative lyrics. Would rate it a 5 but got tired of the androids.
Janelle is one of the most creative and beautiful voices going today. I have a huge crush on her. I don’t like this as much as her more recent albums but it’s a seriously strong concept and shows great variety.
This was a wild album; can’t explain the eclectic sound of it. Def neo-soul, but can’t put my finger on what else…
A very nice surprise!! I didn’t love all songs, but most of them are really good and there’s a few amazing ones as well.
Surprised
By luck of the draw, this is the first album that I'd actually heard before. When I first heard it, I was dazzled by the rapid-fire tumble of genres but on revisiting, I'm not sure how the genre hopping supports the themes she's going for. The James Brown homage on Tightrope is such a natural fit for her talents that it doesn't really require any further justification, but what about the Beatles/Donovan/psych pastiche on Mushrooms & Roses?
I liked bits of it a lot, but I also thought you could tell who her influences were, but you couldn’t tell who she is.
Really cool
This thing vibes. A lot. It has feeling, good songs, it's elegant. Reminds me of a mixture of Sade and Beyoncé. Very positive surprise.
This album is a very good album. It's creative, well-produced, and impressively executed from start to finish. It’s dynamic and consistently listenable, with a clear artistic vision behind it. That said, it’s just not really my style of music.
Surprised by how much I liked this. First few songs drift into one another seamlessly, a bit long but a good album
shitty album name and art lets a really interesting and fun album down. Dance or die and the tightrope are great tracks. first half is really strong. its really eclectic. mushroom and roses is an awesome epic tune. make the bus is great aswell. its really fun. not perfect and abit long, some songs feel a little bit like filler. enjoyed though
Been a while since I gave this a spin. I remember there was a lot of buzz, folks thought she was the next big thing. Lots of good tunes, we don't do this enough.
There are some some really powerful tracks here that show a diversity of influences and there are some self-indulgent tracks on the deluxe version.
I really appreciate the cohesiveness of the album and how it samples many genres. She has an incredible voice. I could see her doing Disney soundtracks. Clearly an entertainer. Not sure anything stood out I got hooked on but all above average for an hour long album.
This was actually good to listen too, added it to my liked album
Pretty cool
The ArchAndroid is absolutely incredible. I've no idea how this passed me by as it's one of the most acclaimed albums of the last decade, but the first listen was a bit of a revelation. The variety (rooted in soul but has full on classical, psychedelia, proggy shit, the lot), the instrumental and vocal performances, the song writing, the structure of the album is all top rate. Was honestly tempted give it a 5 but I think I need to listen to it some more first. Would definitely be getting a 9.
Argh
the name made it sound like it was gonna be another one of those mid electronic albums but no this was amazing
Definitely of its time, it has a very 2010s sound to it. Suite three is overall more enjoyable than suite two.
Good
Great voice. She sings several different styles from jazz to R&B to classical to pop to contemporary....
Loved the start of this album with a beautifully orchestrated piece into fast paced lyrics that immediately grabbed my attention and held it as the first couple of songs blended into the next ,which created a really cohesive experience.
Honestly was pretty blown away by this one. This album has it all! Soul, pop, hip hop, funk, rock, jazz, etc. Its also got some terrific features such as Big Boi and Of Montreal. There's just so much going on here that I will definitely be returning to! Favorite track: Cold War
refreshingly different. Claire de lune samples
Pretty cool mix of sounds, funk, classic, hip-hop 7/10
Favorites: Faster, Cold War, Tightrope Monae at their peak, and while they continue to be a strong force in music today (yes, I liked The Age of Pleasure), it's always fun to go back to The ArchAndroid and admire the work that went into making such a cohesive concept record.
8.5/10 very interesting
4.5/5 seriously impressive album, every track sounds fresh and janelle's performance blows me away. if you told me this released this year i would believe you Fav tracks: Dance or Die, Faster, Cold War, Tightrope, Neon Valley Street
Extremely wide range of noises and styles. A few standout bangers but strong throughout!
I'd listen to it again
Such an entrance. Ambitious, diverse and beautiful. Though could have maybe done with some tightening up.
Yup pretty grand this and considering it’s a debut album even more impressive. I knew and always loved the single Tightrope (shadows of OutKast) but a deep dive into this album revealed a massive mix of different genres which really surprised and pleased me.
4/5
Powerful, mysterious, fresh, exciting
Ihan hyvä, ennenkin kuultu ja tuttu artisti. Teema pysyy hyvin.
Not too bad
Shit va grym. Total överraskning. Såg albumet å tänkte, "åh, nej". Men det är riktigt piggt och lattjo. Ibland ett skimmer av musikal, men ack så liten. Cold war är fet! Kommer lyssna mer. Blir en enkel fyra iaf.
Otroligt kul överraskning, vilken jäkla genreöverskridande, mångfacetterad och säregen skiva. Lyssnat igenom den 4-5 gånger nu och den har växt för varje gång. Älskar Michael Jackson-influenserna. Hur kan inte Cold War ha varit en större hit? Stark fyra och skulle säkert kunna bli en femma med fler lyssningar.
holy clair de lune
This is very diverse, basically all over the place, but in a good way. Her fantastic voice keeps it all together. Four!
Ambitious and adventurous. Applause for the amazing ArchAndroid.
Väldigt high key produktion utan att det känns överdrivet. Intressant melodiskt och ackordmässigt stundtals. Svängigt.
Definitely sounds like 2000s art pop, but this album bounces around pop, r&b, and sci-fi enough that it’s hard to label. I definitely enjoyed listening to it but would have preferred something a little more grounded.
This was great, very diverse, ambitious in it's scope and had a clear concept.
3.8 Very interesting and technically complex.half to have four. That added to liked albums
Wow. Totally unknown name for me, didn't know what to expect and it was a really exciting listen. It is complex and eclectic, diverse, conceptual work of art. I only give it 4 out of 5 because although my brain understands how great it is, my soul doesn't fully align with the vibe.
so great
Inexplicably opens with a gorgeous orchestral track and (for the most part) continues that creativity and spontaneity throughout the record.
I like this…original and all tracks different
Classic for me
Janelle Monae is like a funky black female Bowie. I'm here for it.
A lot of variety and really great songs
Such a great voice and style. Album is varied, yet cohesive. Love it.
This was good but my wife summed it up perfectly. It's good because she makes it good, but there's no individual song that you think "that's a GREAT song"
I’ve liked a few Janelle Monáe tracks off Dirty Computer, but this was my first time listening to her debut album—and honestly, it didn’t quite land for me. She’s incredibly talented and theatrical, with a strong visual style. I can appreciate the creativity conceptually, but I just didn’t connect with the music on this one as much.
Beautiful voice and a lovely, fun blend of pop and r&b. The front half and the back half of the album felt like two different albums, but maybe that was the point.
What an electric record, Monae leaning into what could have been the most obnoxious Prince/theatre kid idiosyncrasies and somehow creating a singular pop epic. The first act is particularly stunning, a string of perfect songs running into one another. Even the stuff that doesn't work as well is such a bold swing — none moreso than the Of Montreal song that appears 50 minutes into the record — that you have to respect it. The first seconds of Cold War are as good as pop songwriting has been this century, the urgency of Outkast's B.O.B. maintained but its paranoia morphed into jubilation. Oh, Maker.
Had some crazy range of different styles, and all of them slap
-waow very cool, requires another listen and soon but i’m very impressed by the versatility Janelle showed as a singer and artist just in this very first concept album -i’ll have some of these tracks stuck in my head for days, i really liked most of the features too. glad i finally got to listen to this -Favorites are Dance or Die, Tightrope, and Say You’ll Go
I remember when this came out and I never really got into outside of the song Oh Maker. But coming back to it now, it's better and has more range. I wrote it off as an R&B album but it's more than just that.
Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid is an ambitious, genre-blending journey where funk, sci-fi, and time travel apparently got very drunk together and made an album. It dazzles with visionary sound, operatic ambition, and enough costume changes to bankrupt a Broadway show. It’s like Prince and Fritz Lang co-hosted a party in space. Four out of five stars—because even androids need room to upgrade.
Quite enjoyed this
This album has a bit of everything! I appreciate a musician who is willing to flex a bunch of different muscles. Janelle Monáe takes you from pop/hiphop, to jazz, to sci-fi, to what feels like music from the Wiz? It was a lot to take in, but by the time the last song finished playing, this album exceeded my expectations.
A great mix of R&B, Hip Hop and Pop that a debut album was capable of be. This album gathers Suite 2 and 3 of her initial work, but the Suite 1 is on the EP, so is a listen recommended for context.
Love the classical influences, I feel like I should have known about this artist already
This album really surprised me, some of the songs almost has a Japanese jazz kinda vibe to it. Also love the way she incorporates classical music. Don't know I if it quite deserves 4 stars though. Maybe I'm just stoked about it not being punk or rock and actually something a bit more original.
Big shoutout to the KC native Janelle Monae. This album is incredibly unique and was well worth a listen. It was an interesting blend of genres that I mostly enjoyed. At some points it felt like I was listening to a play soundtrack, while other times just a nice contemporary mix of soul/R&B. I'm not sure I'd listen to it again, which is a must for all my 5 star rated albums, but good stuff nonetheless.
c:neon valley street
yllättävän kiva ja monipuolinen
I was introduced to this album shortly after it came out, when my coworker found out I am a fan of German Expressionism Silent Films, Progressive Rock, and Concept Albums in general. She said this album was definitely for me. Even though the album is only inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang film Metropolis, and not actually based the picture, it's the fact that this is Monae's debut album, and the audacity to come out the gate with a concept story, is pretty bold and amazing in my book. The Lang Silent Film, is one of my all time favorite movies, but the concept of the two stories are vastly different, yet share some of the same themes. For this listen, I decided to also include Janelle's EP Metropolis, which is the first suite of the entire series. As I am listening, I also have the Fritz Lang film playing in the background (just for a fun Pink Floyd/Wizard of OZ vibe). But enough geeking out, let's talk about Archandroid. In my opinion what makes a great concept album, no matter what genre of music, is that it plays out as one piece or in Suites. This album starts with Suite II and just takes off from there. By the time we get to four songs in you don't even realize that you have listened to three different tracks, as the transitions are seamless. The songs do eventually start to feel individualized as we work our way deeper into the album, but it doesn't take away from the momentum and flow of this album. I was very happy to see this album pop up today, as it's been over 10 years since I have listened to it, and now I am already shopping around to see who has it on vinyl. Fun album, great concept, and definitely belongs on this list. Favorites: Dance or Die, Faster, Come Alive (War of the Roses), Neon Valley Street, and Wondaland.
Really liked this album, I love how varied it is although it sometimes felt a little too busy. Fav song: BaBopByeYa - had a few picked out as favourites but I think this one really shows the variety of the album as it changes multiple times throughout the song. Least fav: Neon Gumbo - is this backwards? I think it’s backwards. I love that she’s experimenting but it just doesn’t do it for me (although I like the thunder at the end)
This album is better than a few albums I gave 4 stars. But It's not quite a 5. There is a few tracks that could be removed completely. It's very interesting and certainly worth a listen.
Operatic! Janelle!!! So much better than the way i was introduced to her thru singles. Has that atlanta spirit, feels very 2010 but in a well aged way. FOUR!
I guess it is a concept album, but it feels like a soundtrack to a movie I would love to see. Janelle Monae is an extraordinary talent.
At the first song I thought it would be classical music, but that was not the case. Very nice music to listen to with songs that flow seamlessly into each other.
This album came to me in 2014 and put my on my first ever attempt at running. I associate it with Newcastle, misty mornings, and being out of breath but peaceful.
Unique sound and voice. She’s trying to be interesting and different, and I agree. A bit over the top with some songs
Incredible flow between songs, multiple genres covered and blended together seamlessly. Catchy af. Slightly disappointed with the of Montreal collab, would have sounded a million times more at home on an of Montreal album. Favourites - Dance or Die, Cold War, Oh Maker, Locked Inside Least Favourites - Make the Bus
Shockingly good
Never heard of Janelle Monáe before, but was very impressed. Fantastic voice, great lyrics, song really good songs.
it's very long and in parts annoying but also so ambitious and creative
Really interesting album. Great jazz influences. Faster, Locked Inside, Cold War, and Come Alive were stand out songs.
It was better than i expected.
i love any album that starts with the sounds of an orchestra being tuned and the chatter of a symphony hall. the archandroid comes in promising vibes and it delivers. there are some moments that strain or feel a bit bloated, but at it's best (neon valley street) it feels like listening to lauren hill transported to the future and that's an excellent best.
This is a coldddd war, you better know what you're fighting for. I like a handful of tracks enough to bump this rating up.
La intro, que tienen los raperos con las intros? Dance or die mother is mothering COMO ENLAZA CON FASTER En uno de los temas samplea bateria de rock with you, muy buen disco
I was only familiar with her acting but this album has some nice grooves. Top half of the album is certified. I was excited to see the of Montreal collab but it's unfortunately disappointing. It's all Kevin Barnes and no Janelle Monae.
Enjoyed. Would listen again. Surprised by some 60’s vibes. Stand out track Come Alive.
Operatic and funky, I didn't get bored listening to this. The features fit in with the dimensions of her personality that are being explored, and I appreciated the variety.
Wow, this was a highly enjoyable listen. On top of having some strong tracks that have good vibes (Tightrope, Cold War, Dance Or Die to name a view), there are also some interesting slower jams that work really well and add depth to the album (Neon Valley Street, Mushrooms & Roses). Just a great mix of songs here. Super well-produced. I think this is a pretty solid 4 for me and might creep towards a 5 on repeated listens.
I remember enjoying this when it came out, but haven't spent much time with it since then. Listened to this twice through this morning and am left with a familiar impression. Front to back the album is well-produced and varied, with a soulful-pop backbone (Dance or Die, Locked Inside, Tightrope, Cold War, Wondaland) laced with folk, psychedelia (Sir Greendown, Mushrooms & Roses), and an operatic vibe. The fusion makes for a very enjoyable listen, made all the better by Monae's absolutely delightful vocals. Songs I keep coming back to are Neon Valley Street, Wondaland (such a fun song), Cold War, Sir Greendown, Tightrope (also just a lot of fun), and Mushrooms & Roses. Solid 4 / 5 for me. This one is made for bright and sunny days where you don't have any real obligations.
Was certainly a really unique album that I am happy I listened to before I die. It was a touch long at 68 minutes but I did not mind at all with how much variety was on it. Some of the guitar that came in was really cool as well as the other sound effects. I liked the song with Big Boi as well. Very solid 4
6 songs in and I am enjoying the hell out of this. Extremely refreshing listen so far. Cold War is a banger. Dope feature with Sir Lucious Left Foot on Tightrope. She was on his solo debut too which came out the same year. Loving the psychedelia in Mushrooms & Roses, this song is top tier. Kinda reminds me of some Childish Gambino. Make The Bus reminds me of MGMT a ton. Pretty fun track. Not sure how I feel about Wondaland on the first listen. But the second listen I'm kinda bouncing. Has a weird 90's vibe to the vocals. Say You'll Go was beautiful. Loved the Claire De Lune part at the end. Really great album but had some songs that dragged on. Super high 4 though.
3.5 rounded down
R & B prowess On a smorgasbord of styles All serenely sang
Not one to be pigeon-holed. Really varied and creative ideas
It was good. Not for me.
Incredibly opulent from start to finish; this album sounds expensive. Nobody can do what Prince did, but Janelle Monáe gives it a damn good go. I hadn’t listened to this album in a while and had forgotten just how great it is. Some superb features by Saul Williams and Big Boi, but Monáe could have carried this album all on her own; she is an extreme talent and this album was a joy to revisit.
what an interesting album
A retrofuturistic amalgamation of genres, tying together sounds from the past, present, and future of soul, pop, hip hop, rock, psychedelia, funk, and probably More. I felt the concept more than consciously following it - The album is very cohesive despite its wide ranging sound. There’s enough diversity to maintain interest across the longer run time, though I prefer the energy and excitement of Suite II to the more relaxed and sensual Suite III. The music and vocal performance are consistory strong. Lots of rich instrumentals and arrangements to explore. Enjoyable on a first listen, and an album you can dig deeper into each time.
This was great. A mix of r&b, jazz, hip hop, and more. Very well executed.
8/10 Well, well, well. My heart sank when this came up. I didnt know it and I was all set to be granting it 2 stars. But I was wonderfully wrong! It's funky, funny and clever. It's superbly varied. It has SONGS that evolve and are coherent. It has some guitar!! The point of doing this is to challenge oneself to listen to things I wouldn't normally in the hope of finding things that are fresh. Hooray
Very much not like I expected, very bipolar album, some boring songs, some really amazing tracks and all the in between, however I feel like there is more positive than negative to say about this
Wow this album is such a unique experience. Very eclectic, exploring many different genres from pop to funk to rap with influences from an even more varied roster of genres. It's well produced and executed, such a cinematic experience and her voice + mic presence are great.
The ArchAndroid is an ambitious, wildly creative album that refuses to sit still for even a second. Janelle Monáe blends funk, soul, hip hop, rock, orchestral pop, and even touches of folk into a sci-fi concept record that somehow feels both futuristic and timeless. Songs like Tightrope, Cold War, and Locked Inside burst with energy and invention, while the suites and interludes tie everything together with an operatic sweep that’s rarely seen in modern pop. It’s a dense album, packed with ideas, but it never feels bloated—Monáe’s charisma and vision guide you through every twist and turn. Even when it risks getting a little too sprawling, the sheer imagination and musical craftsmanship win you over. The ArchAndroid isn’t just a debut album, it’s a full-blown mission statement, and one that still feels thrillingly ahead of its time.
Great album, really bouncy songs with great vocals, guitar stood out in some songs
Good and genre bending. Might have to come back to this album and listen more closely
An interesting mix of musical styles and genres that offers a glimpse into the unique perspective of the artist. It is successful in blending various references to create interesting tracks, and the vocals are solid. There are a few moments where the project gets a little lost--some of the styles shift drastically between tracks and some of the longer tracks get repetitive. Overall, it is an interesting concept.
Loved it. Glad to have seen her in Houston a few years ago, quite a show. And this album made me goo look for more! She's good!
Hell yea, this album was a bop.
I didn’t think I was in the mood for this when I first started listening but by Locked Inside I was grooving.
Yeah, this is truly excellent. Beautiful production and arrangements. Nothing but skill and talent on display here. It’s a fun concept. Pretty daring for a pop star. Don’t love all of it, but there’s very good work on this record. It’s fun finding all of her musical references.
I really like this and took my time before writing a review because felt it had five star potential. But after a few listens, it just feels a bit too long. Not as good as ‘Dirty Computer’.
Saw her live last year and the production was like something from a primary school play. That is why I had really low expectations for this album and because of that It really surprised me in a good way.
I recognize the cover of this album, but I'd never been inspired to listen to it. Initially, it seemed like another commercially over-rated pop and R&B release, so I wasn't really looking forward to checking it out. However, I was surprised by how much it offers. It's definitely a progressive pop album with influences that include hip hop, electronic music, jazz, rock, and alternative. I may not revisit this album in the future, it was a pretty good listen for something with a more commercial pop leaning.
Very cinematic sounding album. Works very well as a suite of no particular song would make it onto a playlist. Will definitely check out more of her stuff
For some reason I was hesitant to listen to this album but when I did I was pleasantly surprised - especially the second half
Wow. What a wild way to start this adventure. Not my typical taste in music, but this album is on another level. Definitely worth another listen to.
Chill album with great background music. Perfect for some work at home days
Pare un bel servizio, vediamo quanto lo userò! Il primo è un ottimo suggerimento, artista che non ho mai ascoltato e album molto vario pur rimanendo coeso.
It was okay. Maybe need to listen more. Maybe just not my cup of tea
Offbeat and interesting pop music. Janelle Monae has a great voice too
Very enjoyable
Impressive range and virtuosity, but not always my thing. Sometimes totally my thing.
Didn't know what to expect with this album, thought she was the fella that was married to Jason Momoa. Anyway this album is class
Impressive debut, hits multiple genres, which is a pro and con, probably too long. 3.5/5 if possible but will round up to 4.
Funky af
Dance or Die - Yooooooooo this is sick. Opens with 3 bangers before a slower tempo song that's good but not great. Cold War - alright but a little too pop. Tightrope was ft. Big Boi. Come Alive - Cool classic US rock style. A lot of the later songs are more chill, kinda movie musical-esque and classical themed. Pretty good.
She’s very talented and has a beautiful voice. But I don’t like dance/pop music
I can't believe this record is already 15 years old. I dabbled in it when it first came out because Janelle Monáe is an undeniable talent, but don't remember it super well at all. Taken aback to hear Kevin Barnes doing a very of Montreal-y feeling song on the back end of this album. Fun for sure, but not her best by any means.
Sometimes, there's musicians who remind you by their sheer talent why they make you feel feelings between "absolute respect" and "Oh, my God, do I have a crush?". Janelle is absolutely in this category for me.
87/100. The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe is a fantastic art pop debut that showcases her bold creativity and genre-defying style. The production is sublime, her vocals are powerful and dynamic, and the way she seamlessly shifts between genres—from funk and soul to rock and orchestral pop—is nothing short of impressive. A rich, imaginative, and cohesive album with nothing to complain about. An incredible debut that still feels fresh and groundbreaking.
Great old school indie vibe
This album goes anywhere it wants to, every following song on the album is a surprise. I liked the EDM touches that keep it modern sounding. The last 2 songs were a bit of a dud but otherwise I enjoyed everything that was on here. The concept is really cool and I like the album cover a lot as well.
Good for a Monday!
Very well-produced albeit a little too long which hurt the latter half of the album. I wish there was a half star or a three quarter star, because this is the only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars. All the different styles and rhythms showed me that Monáe is a very talented and broad artist. I had no idea who she was and I want to hear more from here.