Go Back   Electric Mole Forums > Other > Off-Topic (Music)
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Off-Topic (Music) Similar/Non-Related Artists
Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 2013.07.04, 03:44 AM   #31
TurtleFu
Senior Member
 
TurtleFu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 1,592
TurtleFu deserves a fucking medal
Default

ArchAndroid was critically acclaimed but sold poorly. She's probably releasing the songs that have the best chance of showing up on Top 40 radio, which are songs with all hook and no substance (Even though I doubt it will ever happen).
Nothing wrong with wanting some financial success to allow you to continue making music.

As for the song, I have only heard it once and yet it's been replaying in my head. It's a top-notch earworm.
TurtleFu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.04, 04:06 AM   #32
karateexplosion
Senior Member
 
karateexplosion's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 372
karateexplosion is an asset to this community
Default

Yeah, it's a damn shame ArchAndroid didn't do as well as it should have. I dunno, I feel like Monae's fighting a losing battle. She doesn't really have an easily marketable demo. Too experimental for the RnB community, to hip-hop for the indie crowd. It's a tough place to be. Hopefully she has enough ego and creative control to keep doing whatever the hell she wants.

Then again, maybe I'm talking out of my ass.
karateexplosion is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.04, 07:21 AM   #33
Superficial Fan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 373
Superficial Fan raises the standards of what a community can offer
Default

Originally Posted by TurtleFu View Post
songs with all hook and no substance
"Hook is substance, subtance is hook."--Heart Sutra.

Okay, I guess I understand what you mean, but I am not entirely comfortable with that sort of opposition. I think hook-y music can have plenty of emotional substance. (I'm not that interested in concepts "behind" the music, that can be put into words. Having that stuff floating around as part of the background of the music doesn't make it better, imo.)

I think "Tightrope" is pretty good, though I like some of the ballads more; or "Faster," for that matter.

But like some other people, I am getting tired of her hyper-fun schitck.
Superficial Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.05, 06:52 PM   #34
thefro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 190
thefro raises the standards of what a community can offer
Default

Tightrope's a pretty damn good song, particularly live
Tightrope at Coachella 2013
.

The Electric Lady definitely seems to be taking a couple steps towards being more accessible and more pop than Monae's previous album, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Q.U.E.E.N. has more lyrical substance than a lot of songs off the Archandroid.
thefro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.05, 07:00 PM   #35
TurtleFu
Senior Member
 
TurtleFu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 1,592
TurtleFu deserves a fucking medal
Default

I think ArchAndroid got too focused on its concept album, and the whole concept's plot is completely nonsensical anyways. Robotic messiahs, slavery allegories, forbidden love, time travel, Janelle Monae is actually a robot Jesus except she isn't. The lyrics start off telling an actual story, but by Suite III it's just word salad.

Q.U.E.E.N. can (and does) exist completely on it's own. It doesn't need the ArchAndroid story around it.
TurtleFu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.05, 07:04 PM   #36
deadgrandma
Senior Member
 
deadgrandma's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,764
deadgrandma knows what you did last summerdeadgrandma knows what you did last summerdeadgrandma knows what you did last summer
Default

Originally Posted by TurtleFu View Post
Robotic messiahs, slavery allegories, forbidden love, time travel.
Bahahah, what is this, Rush or Steve Wilson?

How cheesy prog rock can it get?
__________________
Disco! Life is dead
deadgrandma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.05, 07:29 PM   #37
TurtleFu
Senior Member
 
TurtleFu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 1,592
TurtleFu deserves a fucking medal
Default

There's actually a tradition, like with George Clinton, of using science fiction to explore aspects of black culture (it's called Afro-Futurism).
But she has the big Space Opera in her head and she's trying to tackle every social justice issue she comes across, and I don't think she's even fully mapped out the plot.
Listen to her ramble about it here:http://www.studio360.org/2010/jan/01/janelle-monae/

She says there is eventually going to be a movie, but considering three suites is about an hour and a half long already, I don't know how she's going to do it.
TurtleFu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.07.06, 05:40 AM   #38
Superficial Fan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 373
Superficial Fan raises the standards of what a community can offer
Default

It may be a tradition that has a name (which I'd bet most of us were aware of, but maybe not), but that doesn't say whether or not this particular example of that tradition holds together. I find the whole overarching plot confusing and inconvining.

Based on comments by her I've seen here and there, and based on the tossed off, evocative but not very specific political references in her music, "she's trying to tackle every social justice issue she comes across" also rings hollow to me.

And in my opinion, her continued infatuation with Obama suggests she is more into a politics of rhetoric and hot air than in politics based on seriously analyzing how things work. (I can understand and respect people supporting Obama as lesser evil and voting for him as an act of defensive voting resulting from a fear that the Republican candidate will start an all out war with Iran, for instance, although I still couldn't join anyone in that. But I can't understand and respect enthusiastically embracing him.)

I still think ArchAndroid is great, but flawed. But its greatness has to do with more purely musical qualities.

Last edited by Superficial Fan : 2013.07.06 at 06:08 AM.
Superficial Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.09.03, 07:10 AM   #39
thefro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 190
thefro raises the standards of what a community can offer
Default

Whole album is up for streaming... this is the US link

http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/951091...le-monae.jhtml

I think there's different sites streaming it in about every country.
thefro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2013.09.11, 02:44 PM   #40
Scribble R
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,392
Scribble R can barely hear you above the sound of how awesome they areScribble R can barely hear you above the sound of how awesome they are
Default

The FUN part of her music is what I identify with the most, rather than the sentimental parts. That's why I like the first suite. It wasn't bogged down with ballady parts. With both the Archandroid and Electric Lady, it feels that she ends up padding her albums with obligatory 'that's deeeeep, man!' songs (which ultimately feel pretty shallow) in an effort to qualify her as an important pop musician.

But I like Give Em What You Love, QUEEN, Electric Lady, Dance Apocalyptic and Ghetto Woman. Her sort of pop is the kind I like. I like how she stacks different ideas one on top of the other and makes it feel natural. Suite IV Electric Overture is the only Janelle Monae overture I like, because it's a strange combination of deadly western cowboy theme and oompah loompah music.

Last edited by Scribble R : 2013.09.11 at 03:22 PM.
Scribble R is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:06 AM.