Janelle Monae

[bleedingshrimp]

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope [feat. Big Boi] (Video)

Correcting the clear oversight that is the lack of a Janelle Monae thread.

[oistheone]

Thank you for creating this thread! I'll take any opportunity I can get to talk about just how immensely talented Janelle Monae is. I've spent many an inebriated night tossing on some headphones and getting lost in the layered beauty of ArchAndroid, probably one of my favorite records from the last decade. "Faster", "Cold War", "Sir Greendown", "Oh, Maker", hell, pretty much the whole album is amazing. Janelle's songwriting, her voice, her BAND (Kellindo Parker is one HELL of a guitarist -- check out the funk rhythm licks in "Faster"), the ultra-digestible production, even the whole "robot in love" concept works well.

The album is a maddening one though -- if it were two or three tracks lighter, it'd be an unquestioned pop masterpiece. As it is though, it's a little long, and "Make The Bus" is by far the WORST song I have ever heard, ever. I can't believe they put this aural turd on the record.

BUT ANYWAY, I recommend any fan of good soul pop to check out Janelle and especially ArchAndroid. She's no cookie-cutter pop star, and impossible to pin down stylistically, which makes her career a fun one to follow.

[CC]

love Janelle!

saw her in a tiny place about 2 years ago, amazing show

some pics I took:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsieurarkadin/sets/72157624882641888/detail/

[el_chode]

Why does this name sound so familiar? Does she have ties to any other bands, even as an opener?

[FiddleCastro]

Why does this name sound so familiar? Does she have ties to any other bands, even as an opener?

She is in a commercial for a wireless stereo thingy, so it may be that?

Listening Is Back - Janelle Monáe's house party

Saw her in 2009, She's awesome!

[el_chode]

Why does this name sound so familiar? Does she have ties to any other bands, even as an opener?

She is in a commercial for a wireless stereo thingy, so it may be that?

Listening Is Back - Janelle Monáe's house party

Saw her in 2009, She's awesome!

Nope, though when I saw the songs commercial I had the same thought. Maybe one of you fools mentioned her here in the past

[oistheone]

Anyone else diggin' the hell out of Electric Lady?

This will be a contender for album of the year for me. It's composed of two "suites", the first of which is pretty much musical perfection. The first six tracks are the funkiest, most groovin', original shit I've heard in a long time. And "Primetime", the first slow groover on the album, so damn hot! I'm no Miguel fan, but goddamn is that one smokin' duet.

Kellindo Parker doesn't disappoint either, funkin' away and ripping several awesomely-over-the-top solos throughout.

However, as with ArchAndroid, it's a little bloated, and has some songs that don't quite jive with me as much later in the record. I'm more than willing to overlook that considering the ultra high quality of the first half of the record though.

Can't wait to see her live in a few weeks!

[oistheone]

Saw Janelle in concert last night and GOOD LORD! She does NOT disappoint! Her and her band are just entirely on another level. Takes the "performance" aspect of a show to new heights. One of the best shows I've seen in LONG time!

[Northern Neighbour]

The album is quite good, especially the first half.  The title track is outstanding, but the second side has some misses.  I agree that the album is a little bloated, and probably 2 or 3 tracks easily could have been removed.

Nonetheless, a really solid sophomore album.