Janelle Monae's debut album The ArchAndroid has received critical acclaim. It has been cited as one of the best albums of 2010, and has also produced what has been called one of the best singles of 2010, Tightrope. The album also dabbles in a wide variety of genres the make it quite an exciting piece of work. My question is, will The ArchAndroid be considered a classic in the future, much like Thriller, What's Going On, and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band? Or will it fade into the dust along with the other ordinary albums of today? Discuss.

It may be treated like Erykah Badu's first one or Lauryn Hill's solo album, but I think it's more musically diverse. I don't like it start to finish, but think she is very talent and Wondaland is one of the best songs I have ever heard.

I think it's a great album...but it seems 2 b under the radar. It will gain stature, I think, if Puffy continues to subsidise their endeavors untill they become completely sustainable on ther own. If not their/her lack of popularity wont allow it.

her best bet is to tour like she has been...work that stage till u're nauseaus Janelle, then work it some more. She has the energy and fire.

Critics may not want this, but she might look into making the next record more commercialy accesable. The android concept is too much for some people I think.

[Edited 7/31/11 1:58am]

my fav of the album is Mushrooms & Roses. WOW!

the vocals KILL me!

"we're all virgins to joy of loving without fear"

makes me cry

BlueberryMary needs to give some of that luvin over my way.

i dont know y but im not too impressed with her not even the stuff she did with outkast.normally when prince hype somebody i fall under the spell but she havent done it 4 me yet. some of her songs r good though

cbarnes3121 said:

i dont know y but im not too impressed with her not even the stuff she did with outkast.normally when prince hype somebody i fall under the spell but she havent done it 4 me yet. some of her songs r good though

I'm not a fan of every note either But the songs I dig about 7 between her 2 releases...i DIG, they hit my soul. Sincerely, Jane., Cold War, Tightrope, Many Moons, Dance or Die, Mushrooms & Roses, Oh Maker, Neon Valley Street....

the ones I don't like, I really DON'T like

BobGeorge909 said:

I think it's a great album...but it seems 2 b under the radar. It will gain stature, I think, if Puffy continues to subsidise their endeavors untill they become completely sustainable on ther own. If not their/her lack of popularity wont allow it.

her best bet is to tour like she has been...work that stage till u're nauseaus Janelle, then work it some more. She has the energy and fire.

Critics may not want this, but she might look into making the next record more commercialy accesable. The android concept is too much for some people I think.

[Edited 7/31/11 1:58am]

I agree. It's an excellent release that is musically rich and highly ambitious. Janelle's voice and sound really stood out more than the previous effort, the Metropolis: The Chase Suite EP. Critics stood up and gave it praise, making it one of last year's most acclaimed albums.

However, I think it's too early to call it a "masterpiece" at this time. That word is thrown out too much nowadays it's just crazy. Like BobGeorge909 said, it will gain much more status and viability as years go on. I do consider it to be one the brightest beacons of pop/urban music released this decade since Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and The Miseduation of Lauryn Hill. That's saying alot.

[Edited 7/31/11 6:31am]

It will be regarded as a classic by me.

I don't give a shit whether anyone else thinks of it as such.

Three or four songs less and yes.

I'll call it one. Fuck what anyone else thinks.

BobGeorge909 said:

my fav of the album is Mushrooms & Roses. WOW!

the vocals KILL me!

"we're all virgins to joy of loving without fear"

makes me cry

BlueberryMary needs to give some of that luvin over my way.

Mushrooms & Roses is great too

prolly not, but i still think it's pretty good. hope she gets the chance to do more stuff

alphastreet said:

BobGeorge909 said:

my fav of the album is Mushrooms & Roses. WOW!

the vocals KILL me!

"we're all virgins to joy of loving without fear"

makes me cry

BlueberryMary needs to give some of that luvin over my way.

Mushrooms & Roses is great too

what's that guy's name from pootie tang?

[Edited 7/31/11 11:30am]

I like it but I hope that the next album will be even better. I think there is room for improvement in her songwriting. Obviously it is tough to keep the quality up for over an hour and I do not believe that she managed to do so. If I am right and her best work is ahead of her then, no, I do not think the album will become a masterpiece but hopefully the next one will.

As I said I like the album and consider myself a fan but I think that maybe people are so hungry for something new and different that they may be lavishing a bit too much praise on this particular album.

Timmy84 said:

I'll call it one. Fuck what anyone else thinks.

This

It's already an Org classic. Wasn't it our album of last year? I know "Cold War" was voted our song of the year.

smoothcriminal12 said:

Janelle Monae's debut album The ArchAndroid has received critical acclaim. It has been cited as one of the best albums of 2010, and has also produced what has been called one of the best singles of 2010, Tightrope. The album also dabbles in a wide variety of genres the make it quite an exciting piece of work. My question is, will The ArchAndroid be considered a classic in the future, much like Thriller, What's Going On, and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band? Or will it fade into the dust along with the other ordinary albums of today? Discuss.

If it's not a masterpiece when it was created, it's not going to become one.

I may be a highlight of 2010, but that may not be saying anything.

rialb said:

I like it but I hope that the next album will be even better. I think there is room for improvement in her songwriting. Obviously it is tough to keep the quality up for over an hour and I do not believe that she managed to do so. If I am right and her best work is ahead of her then, no, I do not think the album will become a masterpiece but hopefully the next one will.

As I said I like the album and consider myself a fan but I think that maybe people are so hungry for something new and different that they may be lavishing a bit too much praise on this particular album.

Yup.

AlexdeParis said:

It's already an Org classic. Wasn't it our album of last year? I know "Cold War" was voted our song of the year.

Yep. It's definitely one of the recent greats on this org. I now think it's safe to call it a masterpiece, even though it's too early give it that position. But how can you resist when every track, melody, segue and note sticks together perfectly? A thrill indeed.

[Edited 7/31/11 13:48pm]

silverchild said:

AlexdeParis said:

It's already an Org classic. Wasn't it our album of last year? I know "Cold War" was voted our song of the year.

Yep. It's definitely one of the recent greats on this org. I now think it's safe to call it a masterpiece, even though it's too early give it that position. But how can you resist when every track, melody, segue and note sticks together perfectly? A thrill indeed.

[Edited 7/31/11 13:48pm]

It does not.

BobGeorge909 said:

I think it's a great album...but it seems 2 b under the radar. It will gain stature, I think, if Puffy continues to subsidise their endeavors untill they become completely sustainable on ther own. If not their/her lack of popularity wont allow it.

her best bet is to tour like she has been...work that stage till u're nauseaus Janelle, then work it some more. She has the energy and fire.

Critics may not want this, but she might look into making the next record more commercialy accesable. The android concept is too much for some people I think.

[Edited 7/31/11 1:58am]

I agree..... I would love if the hype Gaga gets was given to Janelle who IMO is actually worth it and deserves it.

PlayboyOriginal said:

BobGeorge909 said:

I think it's a great album...but it seems 2 b under the radar. It will gain stature, I think, if Puffy continues to subsidise their endeavors untill they become completely sustainable on ther own. If not their/her lack of popularity wont allow it.

her best bet is to tour like she has been...work that stage till u're nauseaus Janelle, then work it some more. She has the energy and fire.

Critics may not want this, but she might look into making the next record more commercialy accesable. The android concept is too much for some people I think.

[Edited 7/31/11 1:58am]

I agree..... I would love if the hype Gaga gets was given to Janelle who IMO is actually worth it and deserves it.

THIS!

[Edited 7/31/11 16:50pm]

PlayboyOriginal said:

BobGeorge909 said:

I think it's a great album...but it seems 2 b under the radar. It will gain stature, I think, if Puffy continues to subsidise their endeavors untill they become completely sustainable on ther own. If not their/her lack of popularity wont allow it.

her best bet is to tour like she has been...work that stage till u're nauseaus Janelle, then work it some more. She has the energy and fire.

Critics may not want this, but she might look into making the next record more commercialy accesable. The android concept is too much for some people I think.

[Edited 7/31/11 1:58am]

I agree..... I would love if the hype Gaga gets was given to Janelle who IMO is actually worth it and deserves it.

I'm sure this is not a popular opinion, especially in this thread, but I would argue that song for song Born This Way is superior to The ArchAndroid. Janelle has an interesting sound and I like her ambition but as a listening experience I think Lady Gaga has her beat, at least at the moment. Janelle definitely has more variety, to me that is the main flaw in Lady Gaga's music, but her songs are not quite there yet. I'm definitely interested to hear what the two of them will give us on their next albums.

rialb said:

PlayboyOriginal said:

I agree..... I would love if the hype Gaga gets was given to Janelle who IMO is actually worth it and deserves it.

I'm sure this is not a popular opinion, especially in this thread, but I would argue that song for song Born This Way is superior to The ArchAndroid. Janelle has an interesting sound and I like her ambition but as a listening experience I think Lady Gaga has her beat, at least at the moment. Janelle definitely has more variety, to me that is the main flaw in Lady Gaga's music, but her songs are not quite there yet. I'm definitely interested to hear what the two of them will give us on their next albums.

Interesting....another thread? Born This Way vs. The ArchAndroid? I'm on it

rialb said:

PlayboyOriginal said:

I agree..... I would love if the hype Gaga gets was given to Janelle who IMO is actually worth it and deserves it.

I'm sure this is not a popular opinion, especially in this thread, but I would argue that song for song Born This Way is superior to The ArchAndroid. Janelle has an interesting sound and I like her ambition but as a listening experience I think Lady Gaga has her beat, at least at the moment. Janelle definitely has more variety, to me that is the main flaw in Lady Gaga's music, but her songs are not quite there yet. I'm definitely interested to hear what the two of them will give us on their next albums.

yeah...it's not an opinion I agree with...at all...

I like gaga's first album. It was fun and wreckless. Her second album tho, in an effort to sound important and grand, just falls flat in a puddle of disco. The kind of disco that appears at the end of Burbon Street and the kind of disco I don't enjoy. It all seems one demmensional. It's like all the "wiring" is hot and all, but not from there being a fire, it's just overheated.

I don't think she's over for me though. Her next album will probably catch my eye. I do think she is talented.

If Janelle makes a true sophmore effort, I don't anticipate she'll succumb to this. Her first release was an EP and was more of a Prologue to The Arch Android than a release standing on it's own. There's a genuine fire here...If I was AZ or TX, I wouldn't allow her in the state.

Janelle's next album...I'm scared it'll explode my head. Cuz this one already fractured my skull pretty good.

I honestly feel that Gaga is nothing but an overrated Cyndi Lauper clone. Her songs are all dumb and superficial to me. But I never was big into dance pop or any of that cheesy 80's pop that Gaga seems to embody and wants to beat this generation over the head with. I just think she's an artist for the gays like a Sylvester so to speak. Her voice grates against my nerves, she can't dance worth shit plus she's attention seeking and over the top for no reason. Everything about her is what I despise in music and pop culture.

Janelle on the otherhand is refreshing for MY generation. To see someone with intelligence and vision and apply that to making music that expands and runs the musical gamut in such a way that you believe and feel whatever it is. Not only is her music high creative but so is the visual along with her performances. The only bad thing about her is that I'm ready to see her do more than just the James Brown footwork. By far, the biggest promising female talent since Jill Scott hit the scene.

Just my thoughts.

I smell another Gaga/Monae fight coming on! Why must folks compare them? They are clearly distant from each other. Shall we just focus on The ArchAndroid please?

PlayboyOriginal said:

I honestly feel that Gaga is nothing but an overrated Cyndi Lauper clone. Her songs are all dumb and superficial to me. But I never was big into dance pop or any of that cheesy 80's pop that Gaga seems to embody and wants to beat this generation over the head with. I just think she's an artist for the gays like a Sylvester so to speak. Her voice grates against my nerves, she can't dance worth shit plus she's attention seeking and over the top for no reason. Everything about her is what I despise in music and pop culture.

Janelle on the otherhand is refreshing for MY generation. To see someone with intelligence and vision and apply that to making music that expands and runs the musical gamut in such a way that you believe and feel whatever it is. Not only is her music high creative but so is the visual along with her performances. The only bad thing about her is that I'm ready to see her do more than just the James Brown footwork. By far, the biggest promising female talent since Jill Scott hit the scene.

Just my thoughts.

Adele would beg to differ.

I don't want to throw around superlatives, but it's one of the more exciting albums to come out in recent years, IMO. It takes me on a lush, winding, musical adventure. I can't wait to see what she does next.