it's hard for me to STAY excited about any of the tracks on the album. but i like most of em.
― One burly voice screamed and that was one of many. (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 4 September 2013 17:45 (ten years ago) link
I've only heard the tracks on the Pfork preview and Q.U.E.E.N. seemed like the best of the lot - agree that the material is likeable but not jaw-dropping. nothing grabs me instantly the way, say, Badu's best stuff has.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 4 September 2013 17:46 (ten years ago) link
now that she's gone ahead and made a pretty normal R&B album i wonder if people will realize they got sucked in by the artifice or if they're still be a lot of writing about her being futuristic or w/e
― J0rdan S., Wednesday, 4 September 2013 18:38 (33 minutes ago) Bookmark
idk in a funny way i kinda think her straightest moments (like much of the settled second half here, in partic tracks 10-12 and 16-18) are actually when the schtick (perhaps unintentionally) works best - the normality takes on the artifice (instead of vice versa) and the weirdly synthetic effect is like offworld cheap plastic flamingo ersatz exotica, akin to dr buzzards or maybe even the little thread david toop mined with his ocean of sound comps in the 90s
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 18:31 (ten years ago) link
'cant live without your love' especially is like a single tear of saline solution from an optic module, i mean it's not a credible soul ballad or even a musical score, it's just... a sort of cognizant sad pretty thing perfectly observed
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 18:35 (ten years ago) link
don't really add up to much tho this album i agree
the tryhard stuff is only surpassed in wackness by whatever the dull damp squib of the final track is supposed to be
still, impeccably high production value pleasant as ever
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 18:37 (ten years ago) link
idk I think there's something to be said for how the whole rebel robot in love with a human narrative acts as a weird frame for the queerness at work here. I don't have fully-realized thoughts on it yet, but I don't think it's just gimmicky window-dressing trying to gussy up a simple R&B album. Also helps that the songs are good. I'm all for artifice when it's this fun. Not nearly the slog The ArchAndroid was for me. The back half is kind of lacking though.
― Greer, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 20:16 (ten years ago) link
was the interlude where a caller says "ROBOT LOVE IS QUEER" helpful at all in forming that insight
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 20:33 (ten years ago) link
Gonna be honest and say I skipped the interludes on early plays.
― Greer, Wednesday, 4 September 2013 20:48 (ten years ago) link
^______________________________________________________________^
― The Reverend, Thursday, 5 September 2013 07:28 (ten years ago) link
this woman is like catnip to me
― The Reverend, Thursday, 5 September 2013 07:29 (ten years ago) link
even "robot love is queer" or no, there's def. a queer subtext underpinning a lot of the album that didn't feel nearly so pronounced on archandroid
― The Reverend, Thursday, 5 September 2013 07:32 (ten years ago) link
last song is kind of dippy, as others have have mentioned
― The Reverend, Thursday, 5 September 2013 07:33 (ten years ago) link
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/9504295145_cb8cd35748_b.jpg
rad, i didnt realise these actually were paintings
― r|t|c, Thursday, 5 September 2013 10:29 (ten years ago) link
http://57821.tumblr.com/
got sucked in by the artifice
I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean. The artifice in the music? The artifice in the music was part of the music. I've only listened to the new album once, but I think the more ballad-like songs on the ArchAndroid were stronger melodically (and gaver her singing more room to stretch) than they are here, and what I like about those songs had little to do with the sci fi genre-smashing packaging (if packaging is what was meant by "artifice").
and the weirdly synthetic effect is like offworld cheap plastic flamingo ersatz exotica, akin to dr buzzards or maybe even the little thread david toop mined with his ocean of sound comps in the 90s
I don't think I've ever heard the Toop compilations (or if I have, I've forgotten what's on them), but there's definitely a continuity between this and some of the 90s exotica/cocktail revival stuff. I specifically thought I heard some borrowing from Esquivel on one of the later more faux Latin tracks. I don't have strongs feelings about it one way or another, but on first listen I'm not to taken with any of it. And next time I skip the skits.
― _Rudipherous_, Thursday, 5 September 2013 15:07 (ten years ago) link
I mean, I'm one of those people who don't normally listen to much R&B (though it's slipping back into my listening more via the UK this year), who like the ArchAndroid, and I don't feel I was "taken in" by anything.
― _Rudipherous_, Thursday, 5 September 2013 15:14 (ten years ago) link
i gotta say that all this android backstory shit is uninterestingall smells of nth generation retread parliament but with the oily gloss of rock opera that showiness, more=more sound is the one element of what I guess is afropunk that really doesn't work for me but it's a real live and let live genrethis shit totally capsized the new goodie mob album tho so I'm a bit gunshy.has anyone talked explicitly about the broadwayization of fringe-now-becoming-pop R&B? I get that it's a massive can of worms with class and racial divisions implicit throughout but it seems like there's got to be a good essay or two on the subject out there.
― One burly voice screamed and that was one of many. (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 5 September 2013 16:28 (ten years ago) link
like i'm sure that the dream gets invoked in there
― One burly voice screamed and that was one of many. (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 5 September 2013 16:29 (ten years ago) link
and right on cue:http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/jody-rosen-on-janelle-monae-the-electric-lady.html
― One burly voice screamed and that was one of many. (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 5 September 2013 18:54 (ten years ago) link
i kinda sadly agree with the article; none of her later songs has thrilled me quite so much as the first two tracks of the ArchAndroid EP. but damn, she is a lovable spirit and the ideas are super cool. the singles off the new album posted in this thread are OK but don't give me a ton of hope, though I'll definitely pick up Electric Lady next week.
― Nhex, Thursday, 5 September 2013 19:02 (ten years ago) link
prob my fave janelle monae song is the first one i ever heardhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9HqrPj7yqM
― One burly voice screamed and that was one of many. (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 5 September 2013 19:05 (ten years ago) link
even before "ghetto woman" hits the nail on the head, this has a new amerykah 2 vibe to it (while obv still sounding like monae)
― J0rdan S., Thursday, 5 September 2013 20:29 (ten years ago) link
rap breakdown on 'ghetto woman' is \m/ tbh
― r|t|c, Thursday, 5 September 2013 21:53 (ten years ago) link
The "It's Code"/"Ghetto Woman" twofer is Stevie as all getout
― The Reverend, Thursday, 5 September 2013 22:24 (ten years ago) link
"q.u.e.e.n." remains awesome and i like "primetime" too but this album reeeeally didn't hit the spot for me, it's still too...busy
the rap breakdown on "ghetto woman" is awesome but i find the song's entire sentiment a bit off-putting, it's like...why would janelle play the #nicewhitelady role?
― lex pretend, Friday, 6 September 2013 12:01 (ten years ago) link
like it's just so patronising
― lex pretend, Friday, 6 September 2013 12:04 (ten years ago) link
This is so much better than her previous album.
― Popture, Friday, 6 September 2013 13:03 (ten years ago) link
why would janelle play the #nicewhitelady role?
Not sure where you're getting this from? Esp. since she said she wrote it in tribute to her mom.
― The Reverend, Saturday, 7 September 2013 04:33 (ten years ago) link
Really, it's her version of "Black Man".
are any of these songs as good as "many moons"
― k3vin k., Saturday, 7 September 2013 04:37 (ten years ago) link
I p much love everything she's done except that song :/
― The Reverend, Saturday, 7 September 2013 04:38 (ten years ago) link
>:|
― k3vin k., Saturday, 7 September 2013 04:40 (ten years ago) link
guess u hate dancing
I do.
― The Reverend, Saturday, 7 September 2013 05:16 (ten years ago) link
dance apocalyptic is pretty great, imagine it might be on the radio all over the place the way Hey Ya was a few years ago, but maybe not.
― akm, Tuesday, 10 September 2013 04:52 (ten years ago) link
Wow!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_0gMYq6Odw
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 10 September 2013 16:27 (ten years ago) link
well that's way better than the studio version
― WHAT DOES SAMANTHA FOX SAY (DJP), Tuesday, 10 September 2013 16:50 (ten years ago) link
and it sounds way less busy
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 10 September 2013 16:53 (ten years ago) link
I love how she slaps her own ass at the end after Letterman's "Hardest working woman in show business" line
― octobeard, Tuesday, 10 September 2013 19:10 (ten years ago) link
that song in the studio version has the same problem i have with 'tightrope' -- its catchy as heck but its so efficient it feels basically done by 1:30 in and then it just goes and does it two more times to hit the single-length mark.
monae would be even more amazing if she had lots of pink-flag era wire funk busts.
― "Dave Barlow" is the name Lou uses on sabermetrics baseball sites (s.clover), Tuesday, 10 September 2013 19:16 (ten years ago) link
bursts, rather.
This starts off really really great, far more coherent and seemingly well thought-through than Archandroid. Have to admit my attention wavers massively after Suite V Overture - the first ten tracks work brilliantly as a short album, nothing after has grabbed me yet.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 11 September 2013 14:47 (ten years ago) link
Probably too long, but take out the skits and the overtures, and I find that this drags less than The ArchAndroid tended to, particularly towards the end. I'm only one listen in, but I expect that I'll end up liking this one a lot.
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Saturday, 14 September 2013 14:58 (ten years ago) link
man that Letterman performance made do a complete 180 on "Dance Apocalyptic"
― Bitch Fantastic (DJP), Monday, 7 October 2013 16:05 (ten years ago) link
it's a real good song but the instrumentation means i prob will never shake the feeling that i'm listening to a jingle for royal caribbean
― J0rdan S., Monday, 7 October 2013 16:08 (ten years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/YQgbMPV.gif
― r|t|c, Monday, 7 October 2013 16:10 (ten years ago) link
I'm very fond of the Prince collaboration – he still sounds great! It's the only song I kept.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 October 2013 16:13 (ten years ago) link
'can't live without your love' is my lone abider... not particularly sure why
― r|t|c, Monday, 7 October 2013 16:15 (ten years ago) link
Janelle is super-Broadway; I hear her in the same vein as Heather Hadley and Anika Noni Rose with a 70s sci-fi funk veneer
― Bitch Fantastic (DJP), Monday, 7 October 2013 16:20 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, kind of. Then you listen for a bit more and realize it's a Bo Diddley song underneath!
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Monday, 7 October 2013 16:31 (ten years ago) link