Janelle Monáe

[Lament]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

[harmless]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

[Lament]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

Wow, that's a big pool. Umm, you kinda can't go wrong starting with Purple Rain. That's probably where most people do, because it's so iconic (and is absolutely good enough to warrant its stature). Sign "O" the Times is his MASTERPIECE, but it's a double album, so it might be intimidating to start with. 1999 is another good place to start; commercially focused (and has songs you know), but still very sonically adventurous while being darker and most vast than Purple Rain. Everything from Dirty Mind through Lovesexy is pretty much killer, though, so even Dirty Mind or Controversy are good starting points (those are the two albums where his "Prince-ness" comes into it's own).

[harmless]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

Wow, that's a big pool. Umm, you kinda can't go wrong starting with Purple Rain. That's probably where most people do, because it's so iconic (and is absolutely good enough to warrant its stature). Sign "O" the Times is his MASTERPIECE, but it's a double album, so it might be intimidating to start with. 1999 is another good place to start; commercially focused (and has songs you know), but still very sonically adventurous while being darker and most vast than Purple Rain. Everything from Dirty Mind through Lovesexy is pretty much killer, though, so even Dirty Mind or Controversy are good starting points (those are the two albums where his "Prince-ness" comes into it's own).

Awesome, thanks.

[Lament]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

Wow, that's a big pool. Umm, you kinda can't go wrong starting with Purple Rain. That's probably where most people do, because it's so iconic (and is absolutely good enough to warrant its stature). Sign "O" the Times is his MASTERPIECE, but it's a double album, so it might be intimidating to start with. 1999 is another good place to start; commercially focused (and has songs you know), but still very sonically adventurous while being darker and most vast than Purple Rain. Everything from Dirty Mind through Lovesexy is pretty much killer, though, so even Dirty Mind or Controversy are good starting points (those are the two albums where his "Prince-ness" comes into it's own).

Awesome, thanks.

If you'd like to take any of those records for a test drive, PM me and let me know which ones and I can try to email them to you later.

[harmless]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

Wow, that's a big pool. Umm, you kinda can't go wrong starting with Purple Rain. That's probably where most people do, because it's so iconic (and is absolutely good enough to warrant its stature). Sign "O" the Times is his MASTERPIECE, but it's a double album, so it might be intimidating to start with. 1999 is another good place to start; commercially focused (and has songs you know), but still very sonically adventurous while being darker and most vast than Purple Rain. Everything from Dirty Mind through Lovesexy is pretty much killer, though, so even Dirty Mind or Controversy are good starting points (those are the two albums where his "Prince-ness" comes into it's own).

Awesome, thanks.

If you'd like to take any of those records for a test drive, PM me and let me know which ones and I can try to email them to you later.

Definitely will do!

[harmless]

It's too late, you're hypnotised. Lament's got Dorothy Dandridge eyes.

[Lament]

I thought you'd never notice.

[harmless]

That's why I wear the shades.

[Lament]

::swoon::

[Jorge]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

I don't know. The Archandroid is pretty great. I don't know that Electric Lady would come out on top for me.

The Pitchfork review addresses the difference in tone between both albums, and hazards a guess on the reason behind Janelle's (relatively!) limited commercial success:

The facts of Monáe's emergence have occasionally made it difficult to embrace her music: She arrived so thoroughly anointed by so many key figures in the entertainment industry that it has sometimes felt pointless to try and touch her. At the heart of her ornate, impressive music, a hint of chilliness kept us at arm's-length; she was a conqueror, undoubtedly, but maybe she glossed over the whole "winning the hearts of the people" thing.
With The Electric Lady, she finds a way to give us more of herself. Together with her tight-knit Wondaland collaborators-- Kellindo Parker, a magnificent guitarist who singlehandedly gooses several songs into transcendence; her college friends Nate “Rocket” Wonder and Chuck Lightning, and Roman GianArthur-- Monáe supervises and synthesizes a parade of golden touchstones (Sly, Stevie, Marvin) into a show-stopping display of force and talent. And at the heart of it, she embeds some of the most personal pain she's allowed to leak into her music.

[harmless]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

I don't know. The Archandroid is pretty great. I don't know that Electric Lady would come out on top for me.

The Pitchfork review addresses the difference in tone between both albums, and hazards a guess on the reason behind Janelle's (relatively!) limited commercial success:

The facts of Monáe's emergence have occasionally made it difficult to embrace her music: She arrived so thoroughly anointed by so many key figures in the entertainment industry that it has sometimes felt pointless to try and touch her. At the heart of her ornate, impressive music, a hint of chilliness kept us at arm's-length; she was a conqueror, undoubtedly, but maybe she glossed over the whole "winning the hearts of the people" thing.
With The Electric Lady, she finds a way to give us more of herself. Together with her tight-knit Wondaland collaborators-- Kellindo Parker, a magnificent guitarist who singlehandedly gooses several songs into transcendence; her college friends Nate “Rocket” Wonder and Chuck Lightning, and Roman GianArthur-- Monáe supervises and synthesizes a parade of golden touchstones (Sly, Stevie, Marvin) into a show-stopping display of force and talent. And at the heart of it, she embeds some of the most personal pain she's allowed to leak into her music.

I think that's it. For innovation and reach, it's the first record, but for humanity and warmth, it's the second. I'm a sucker for the intersectional feminist message, too.

[Lament]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

I don't know. The Archandroid is pretty great. I don't know that Electric Lady would come out on top for me.

The Pitchfork review addresses the difference in tone between both albums, and hazards a guess on the reason behind Janelle's (relatively!) limited commercial success:

The facts of Monáe's emergence have occasionally made it difficult to embrace her music: She arrived so thoroughly anointed by so many key figures in the entertainment industry that it has sometimes felt pointless to try and touch her. At the heart of her ornate, impressive music, a hint of chilliness kept us at arm's-length; she was a conqueror, undoubtedly, but maybe she glossed over the whole "winning the hearts of the people" thing.
With The Electric Lady, she finds a way to give us more of herself. Together with her tight-knit Wondaland collaborators-- Kellindo Parker, a magnificent guitarist who singlehandedly gooses several songs into transcendence; her college friends Nate “Rocket” Wonder and Chuck Lightning, and Roman GianArthur-- Monáe supervises and synthesizes a parade of golden touchstones (Sly, Stevie, Marvin) into a show-stopping display of force and talent. And at the heart of it, she embeds some of the most personal pain she's allowed to leak into her music.

My problem with that Pitchfork assessment is that it would make sense if it were the indie-underground crowd that wasn't warming to her, but it's not. She's been pretty embraced by them. It's the casual, mainstream crowd. And I don't think things like being anointed by key entertainment figures or a exuding a hint of chilliness means anything to the tweens and teens and soccer moms that turn a star into a STAR. I really have no idea as to why Tightrope wasn't a super duper mega hit, and I don't think there's a good answer out there to be had.

[VinylGuy]

Just getting to the end of The Archandroid. It certainly is more vast and intimidating, less warm and inviting. But another undeniably excellent album. I hear a bit of Bowie in this one.

The Archandroid is definitely a bit on the intimidating side. I do love it though. I would imagine when my excitement around The Electric Lady settles & I look back I'll still prefer The Electric Lady, but The Archandroid will always be a record I enjoy listening to.

It's interesting: The Electric Lady seems to be more commercially-focussed, without sounding more commercial. I'm not sure I've ever said that about a record before.

The only record I could maybe think about describing that way would be Parade by Prince, in the context of coming after Around The World In A Day.

You know, I've never listened to Prince other than some of the singles. I would never have liked it years back as it was very theatrical and I wasn't into that. But I'm all about the camp now. Where should I start, if I wanted to dip my toes in?

Purple Rain/1999/Lovesexy/Musicology/Sign o the times.

[harmless]

I really enjoyed Purple Rain.++```

[Lament]

I really enjoyed Purple Rain.++```

[harmless]

I don't know what those extra symbols are for, sorry.

[Lament]

I don't know what those extra symbols are for, sorry.

I was hoping you were trying to make a O(+> symbol and messed up.

[harmless]

I don't know what that is.

But yeah. So 'Darling Nikki' is pretty hilarious. I could definitely hear the things that have influenced Monae in Prince's style, particularly the spoken-word / dramatic intro. And the guitar tones and stuff.

[Lament]

It's supposed to be this...



That's how we wrote his name online in the 90's. Yeah, we were that lame.

Darling Nikki is pretty funny. I love the music in the outro.

The Beautiful Ones though, that's my favorite Prince song of all-time. The outro is the most intense two minutes of music for me in pop history. I still get goosebumps every time. What a vocal performance. Unreal.