Fun theme and some really good tracks, but held back by some generic songwriting (O Maker, Sir Greendown), boring soundscapes (Wondaland, 57831), and the occasional grating vocal effect (Mushrooms and Roses, Neon Valley Overature). Vocal performances by Monae are mostly great but the features are very hit or miss. When it comes together (Dance or Die, Faster, Come Alive, Babopbye) it works fantastically, and the instrumental tracks are nice too. 3/5.
I like the looser production of this album, though that's likely a product of its time. Unfortunately, despite a few fun moments, it's mostly background music. Minor Chant is a standout. Nothing unpleasant, and it sounds like it was fun for the performers. 3/5.
Not really my style of music, but the production is nice (apart from the ear-piercing Student Demonstration Time.) Maybe I could find more to enjoy from this if I listened a few more times, and the detail makes it seem like that might be rewarding. It manages to do a 'generic sound' in a less predictable way that I anticipated.
Ranges from insufferable to occasional fun. Jump and I'll Wait are truly horrendous tracks that deal physical damage to my ear canals. Girl Gone Bad and Hot for Teacher are more creative at the cost of being more explicitly sexist. It never really comes together, but there's some bombastic guitar work as a flashy distraction. 2/5
Honk shoo mimimimi (2/5)
Could've been a single. Very little substance and completely forgettable.
I didn't know I had internalized enough blues rock tropes to recognize everything on this album. Very predictable, boring, and occasionally annoying. "Precious and Grace" is actually pretty good though, and most of it is inoffensive enough.
Pretty uneven, I just as often find the synth tones grating as I do neat. It's at its best during the adaptations with fuzzy bass lines and gliding synth passages.
Imaginative and dynamic, mostly great but occasionally drones on for too long.
Has a great opener and a lot of creativity but just as often slips into cliches. 3/5
When it works, it's amazing, but I found many of these tracks to be too repetitive, and a few of the effects to be more grating than seems intended.
Great soundscapes/tones and occasional brilliance among overly repetitious and sometimes obnoxious grooves.
Quite good! Some real gems here (especially the title track), but many songs are held back by sparse instrumentation and production.
A bit one-note but makes up for it with a rich soundscape and great performances.
Sleek production can't save repetitive, droning sludge. The guitar tone is nice, though near identical on each track, and the solo vocals are great. There's something I really dislike about the harmonies I can't put my finger on. (2/5)
A couple good tracks ('Alone, Together,' and pieces of a few others) but a pretty boring record overall. Good vocal performances can't save stale songwriting.
This album has all the qualities on paper of greatness (lush instrumentation on dynamic songs performed well, in a (mostly) varied track list,) but somehow I didn’t vibe with it. 3/5
Some bright spots but none of them are strung together into a full song. The back half of the album is particularly weak, except for ‘Midnight Show.’ (3/5)