well I've listened 3 times and don't remember much outside of the general vibe and some lyrics, compared to her other stuff which sometimes was just bursting with melody
tbh I don't really know what her creative process is, she doesn't talk much about it and the one article I've read about it makes it sound like a bunch of people are involved. indeed all her songs have like 5-7 writers credited on them. maybe it's like a Taylor Swift situation but who knows could just be a different songwriting team
― frogbs, Tuesday, 13 June 2023 03:36 (ten months ago) link
I listened to this back to back with the Amaarae and boy does this suffer by comparison. It's fine, but a lot of it to me feels like outlines more than songs — like, "this is the banger," and "this is the sex jam." Nothing jumped out like the best 3-4 tracks on the last one.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 04:08 (ten months ago) link
nate wonder is still her main collaborator on this but chuck lightning is less involved than previous albums, and nana kwabena and sensei bueno are newer collaborators (kwabena only previously contributed to a few tracks on dirty computer)
― ufo, Tuesday, 13 June 2023 05:40 (ten months ago) link
I'm enjoying it enough, but I agree that it suffers from having been released on the same day as the Amaarae album which I'm much more inclined to reach for at present.
― monotony, Tuesday, 13 June 2023 06:44 (ten months ago) link
i like the reggae and afrobeats stuff better than the disney-fied trap (why even try this sound in 2023?), but it still feels like a xeroxed version of music made by contemporary artists who live and breathe those genres. "lipstick lover" sounds somehow worse in album context.
― ludicrously capacious bag (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:20 (ten months ago) link
One of those not-uncommon artists whose records get worse each time. The first two kind of stand up, but I never go back to them.
― paulhw, Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:28 (ten months ago) link
Strong disagree, I think Dirty Computer was great and filled with bangers. I grow to appreciate it more with each passing year.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:30 (ten months ago) link
^^ this
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:33 (ten months ago) link
I miss the droid shit tbh
― your original display name is still visible (Left), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:37 (ten months ago) link
maybe it represents the closet or whatever but it was fun
― your original display name is still visible (Left), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:38 (ten months ago) link
if I was having a better time like I hope she is now I'd probably be more into this one
― your original display name is still visible (Left), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:39 (ten months ago) link
The record's a party! The next pool party I attend I'm going to ask to stream it.
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 15:41 (ten months ago) link
i'm with you, miss the Android stuff but she was bound to change styles/gimmicks at some point
― Nhex, Tuesday, 13 June 2023 18:36 (ten months ago) link
I like this more than the earlier stuff myself. The Android thing was never very convincing to me and actively detracted from my enjoyment of those albums. Maybe I am boring.
― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Tuesday, 13 June 2023 18:43 (ten months ago) link
I like this album, its low stakes-ness seems like part of the point? It is like a (more) poolside ready version of Meshell Ndgeocello’s Comfort Woman.
― Tim F, Friday, 16 June 2023 12:51 (ten months ago) link
yeah I've come around to it too. No great songs, but she masters a groove where make believing is the real thing.
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 16 June 2023 12:56 (ten months ago) link
I dug it ok, can't remember how any songs go though. but sounded good.monae just has theater kid vibes she can't ever completely shake is the thing.
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 16 June 2023 13:02 (ten months ago) link
low stakes albums are cool and all but it's kind of a weird choice at this point in her career. her last one was 5 years ago and it got a lot of hype, she's landed a starring role in a fairly big movie since and is starting to become sort of a household name, so now would be the time to drop a big magnum opus with a dozen guest spots and a bunch of singles. I mean I get it she probably just didn't have time for it but idk it feels like right now could have been her moment
― frogbs, Friday, 16 June 2023 14:29 (ten months ago) link
so now would be the time to drop a big magnum opus with a dozen guest spots and a bunch of singles
would this be preferable though?
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 16 June 2023 14:36 (ten months ago) link
the guest spots on here are largely wasted imo
― ludicrously capacious bag (voodoo chili), Friday, 16 June 2023 14:38 (ten months ago) link
amaarae sounds great, ckay okay, but grace and sister nancy seem to be here because monae admires them, not because she had any great ideas about how to collaborate with them
― ludicrously capacious bag (voodoo chili), Friday, 16 June 2023 14:39 (ten months ago) link
I think so. idk maybe that Off the Wall thread is making me think of how MJ absolutely seized the moment, because that's what superstars do. and I think Monae wants to be a superstar. so yeah putting out an album that's been mostly received as "it's nice but I don't remember any of the songs" seems kinda bad
― frogbs, Friday, 16 June 2023 20:28 (ten months ago) link