Janelle Monae – Archandroid
Yes, for some of you out there that listen to Post 80’s Indie-Lo-Fi-Pre-Post-Punk bands this album will not be for you, although whatever genre you are listening to Janelle Monae has probably had a chance to listen to it.
Her debut full-length album ‘ArchAndroid, Suites II and III’ pulls off one of the more ambitious records in memory, finding a way to make a proverbial tour through the history of Rock and Pop music.
When I started paying attention to music, it was artists like Prince and Michael Jackson who were offering crossover appeal, music that was as much Rock as R&B and often the tents of one genre would not always cross over into the other.
However, it is bold moves such as albums like Monae’s which offer to reawaken what is possible in the era of pop music.
This is not just an album but a statement. It is a statement not to the music industry but rather to the listeners out there that are stuck in their boring rut of music and once again ask themselves why in the hell does this pile of fuzz really mean anything? I mean I am asking myself this question all the time. This album does not fit my nice little comfy niche of music that I appreciate and yet it is everything that I appreciate about music.
Consider the subject of the album: This is actually the 2nd and 3rd parts to a 4 part play. What is the play about? A rebellious Android from the future that risks disassembly by falling in love with a human. Er. . .wait a minute. Am I serious? Yes, I am. The first part an EP: ‘Metropolis: The Chase Suite” was released in 2007 and while this opening act did not get the same appeal, it does give a glimpse at what Monae was positioning herself from.
What I have caught myself doing is trying to find as much as possible about this 24 year old artist from Kansas. What are her influences? What are her desert island discs? What is playing on her iPod currently?
The single, ‘Tightrope’, which piqued my interest of her music brings back the old school funk and grove from the 70s with equal parts James Brown. If you think that her performance is a bit smoke and mirrors check out the debut live television performance of her performing the song on David Lettermann.
For some of you that might read my blog on occasion and question my love for an R&B artist I wish to offer this quote from her.
When you’re transitioning to a different stage in your life, there definitely is a fine line you have to walk. At the end of the day, I’m an artist– I love ideas over politics and fame. At the same time, as a black woman in today’s music industry, it’s important that people understand that we’re not all monolithic. It’s time that we just break past this notion that if you’re an African American female you have to stick to one genre. One boring genre, at that.
What a breath of fresh air.
When I began my journey of studying the music of R.E.M., I found that R.E.M.’s “Teachers”, i.e. the music they appreciated was a wide and eclectic group and part of the treat was not finding old singles and B-Sides but also exploring their influences. Listening to this album we realize that Monae’s influences are far beyond the genre she is part of. She is a black woman that is breaking the invisible barriers of her peers and offering a new and diverse musical offering that should make everyone excited.
But what actually makes this even more exciting is how she is able to link the premise of her character as Cindi Mayweather is that they are both attempting to break through the traps of their existence.
I warn you that there is a bit of theatrics to this album. There are moments of classical music, others when you think you are listening to an old classic soundtrack from a black and white movie with the and on the other side of the spectrum there is Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal, offering up a track.
The album is not an easy sell and there are moments where you will feel that the album drags on a little long, but the treats are worth it if you are willing to listen to it. What I am so impressed with however, is that this 24 year old artist is going to be a star.