The term classic album is thrown around all too much these days. However, there is finally an album which truly deserves this tag. The artist in question is a 24-year-old American, Janelle Moane. She first came to the attention of Outkast’s Big Boi and featured on their 2006 album Idlewild. In 2007 after releasing her first EP ‘Metropolis Suite I (The Chase)’ she was signed up to Sean Comb’s record company (aka Puff Daddy? No wait, P.Diddy, wrong again! Just Diddy now isn’t it? Ah, who cares?) Finally we are treated to her first full length album entitled ‘The ArchAndroid’, parts two and three of her intended four part suite.
Underpinning the whole album is a story based around the 1927 movie Metropolis. Janelle Monae adopts the alter ego of Cindi Mayweather, an android sent back to the present day from the 28th century with the directive to liberate a fictitious community from a society of oppressors. Lost already? You’re not the only one. At 70 minutes long and 18 tracks in all, it’s a giant of an album harking back to the prog rock epics of the 1970s. The first suite deals with self realization and identity; the third suite deals with love. Having listened to this a few times I still can’t fully comprehend this tremendously audacious and eclectic album. The genres switch every track from neo-classical, Broadway, screeching punk, jazz, big band, soul, and hip-hop to name just a few. It’s literally a kaleidoscope of sounds.
So up until now it seems like a highly pretentious, pompous if you will, attempt from a young person trying to sound self-important. This is also reinforced when she starts talking about each song being a soundscape of different colors. What does that even mean? However, this album somehow remains accessible throughout as well as playful. Forget the rather complex narration and just enjoy the great music which is on offer.
It’s rather tempting to just cast her as the next Beyonce, or Erykah Badu, Lauryen Hill, or Grace Jones. The truth is, she’s not really the new anyone. She is truly an original artist, clearly with strong influences but has used them to create something truly unique. So who are these influences? They range from the classical; Tchaikovsky, Debussy to the modern, Outkast and everything in-between; Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Funkadellic.
Big Boi (a true musical genius in his own right) was probably the best choice of producer on this album and he even uest stars on vocals along with Saul Williams and Of Montral. However, the guest artists are merely the underlayers to Monaes commading presence. There is no querswitoning who is in charge here, except for probably on one track ‘Make The Bus’ which although is a great high camp track, not to dissimilar to an R&B Lady GaGa, is only one which feels out of place on this album.
Vocally, Monae seems capable of anything. She can do smooth midrange soul, understated balladry, staccato licks, and punk growls with ease. However, rather than this album showcasing her range, it never appears over the top. There is versatile but everything appears to be done for a reason. All of this is supported by what is quite a stunning band in itself and varied instrumentation to fit the talented leading lady.
Suite two starts with some neo-classical piece rather fitting to the start of a ballet performance before we are thrown into the first of a strange combination which shouldn’t’ work but does, ‘Dance or Die’ which pitches rap vocals over tribal drumming and Daft Punk style guitars hocked up to vocoder, innovative and impressive! Next is the wonderful Faster which brilliantly uses a a 1920s jazz style but is undoubtedly modern in its sound. ‘Locked Inside’ is homage to Michael Jackson’s ‘Rock with you’ and is just as impressive also. After that we get something truly innovative;’ Sir Greendown’ with its 1950s Hoolywood movie melody and downbeat synth drenched backing which is one of the albums highlights.
All this before, we get to the two monster tracks; ‘Cold War’ and ‘Tightrope’. The first is the best song Outkast never made and the second is the best James Brown song he never made fit with punching brass and energetic vocals.
Most of these songs are upbeat, however she clearly delivers on the slower tracks such as ‘Oh Maker’ and ‘57821’ which seem like medieval English folk songs. In fact she just delivers on everything. The synth pop ‘Wondaland’ is stunning, as is the punk belter ‘Come Alive’ The album closes on two songs which clearly showcase the vocal abilities of Monae, ‘Say You’ll Go’ and ‘BaPopByeYa’ which is a sprawling nine minute smoky jazz club infused odyssey which wouldn’t be out of place on a James Bond Soundtrack.
This should be a mess, the constant genre hopping, the vocal gymnastics, the cryptic story. It reads as an artist clearly overreaching herself. Yet somehow it works and flows. It’s futuristic yet retro, complex yet accessible, it shouldn’t work but it does. It’s a modern day classic, a genre defining masterpiece. At 24 years old, she has made what many artists can only dream of making in their lifetime. It’s different and certainly the best release of 2010 so far and in many a years, be prepared to be wowed!
Rating:10/10
