The Electric Lady

In so many ways The ArchAndroid was a debut that raised the game....hearing janelle Monae reall ydebut hard with that album the summer of 2010 was a breath of fresh air and it made impact...and truly became a modern masterpeice...how could she follow it up...and after having it a day only....The Electric Lady is another masterpiece in the making....the sonics, the messages, the flow of the songs...yeah Miss Monae has outdone heself again and in so many ways she deserves the worldwide attention and acclaim she needs i mean the material here showcases she NEEDS to be out there moreso than many of her "contemporaries".The concepts, the idea of androids used as a social propaganda and the underlining themes across it is so mature and dealt with delicately and with humour too...the fusion of the SOul, Funk, Neo sounds continued from her debut...meshed with new Punkier sounds and Electronica vibes as well as her signature Orchestral/Classical music backing...and a Neon Psychedelia there.This album is a beautiful follow up and truly is a LEAP ahead....not to mention the collaborations on here with Solange, Erykah Badu, Miguel, Esperanza Spalding and the one Formerly Known As Prince ;) delivering a genius piece reminiscent of his collaboration with Madonna on her masterpiece Like a Prayer album and his work with muse Sheila E. Wonderful echoes back and pushing forward.10/10 modern class act! Well worth investing.

I am hooked on this young lady and her distinctive art. I say "art" because the music is only part of the equation. Sure, that makes Janelle a little obscure to start with, but when your mind finds the right gear the take-off is sublime. Musicality, invention, style, drive, performance, massive talent, beauty, narrative, poise. Janelle has got all that, and, ultimately, the lady is so electric.If you are thinking about moving into Janelle's world, and allowing her into yours, get this cracking album. You will pleasantly pass hours and hours getting all of Janelle's gifts into and around your mind.(BTW: I am an old Tamla Motown fan of a mere 65 years of age, and Janelle "speaks" directly with me just as she does with people one third of my age. Janelle's quality defeats age!)

Sexier, queerer, more soulful but less eclectic than The ArchAndroid, Electric Lady is also less immediately charming but the rewards are greater. With all the imagination present in her work so far, Monae's voice has been overlooked but songs like Primetime and Can't Live Without Your Love demonstrate what a great instrument it is. Other highlights are the singles Q.U.E.E.N. and Dance Apocalyptic, Sally Ride (named after the first American woman in space), Giving Em What They Love and Victory.Even the little spoken word links work for me, which is rare enough. Janelle deserves to be huge, but it's wonderful that she and her band don't compromise - a little bit quirky, a little bit 'other', it might keep them away from the mainstream but it lifts them towards genius at times.

I've been a bit out the music scene for the last couple of years because I haven't found much to go gaga over. I've found my reason to start listening once again, this album is just fabulous all the way through so much depth and excitement and raw energy spews from Ms Monae's vocals as well as clean yet surprising production. It's even better to see her live which I was fortunate to get a chance last week. A true artist on all forms. This will be a classic in many years to come.Thank Ms Monae for restoring my faith in music.

I didn't think anything could top Janelle Monae's debut album the Archandroid, but somehow she has done it! This is very much an album of two parts, the first suite is a guest-star laden collection of hits (and future hits) with some funky grooves and synths reminiscent of very early Prince (who is one of the guest musicians). The second suite is more of a slow burner, and the influence of Stevie Wonder shines through in the jazzy chord progressions of several tracks, in particular Ghetto Woman. All in all, a wonderful album which leaves me eager with anticipation for Ms Monae's next album!

I am a huge fan of Janelle Monae, so maybe I am a bit biased. However, I really got into this album upon the first listening. As with The Archandroid, a lot of the songs are on a continuum and there are a variety of different musical genres. There are also a few sketches with DJ Crash Crash, adding to the story and world of Cindy Mayweather (Monae's android alter-ego).If you want to listen to something a bit different to your standard dance track that is auto tuned, download this album.

The first album signalled a significant talent was here and the second one puts that matter beyond doubt. There are so many styles and influences on show but she makes it all her own. From jazzy funk to French style balladeering she effortlessly shifts from song to song.There are a number of high profile guest artists but all of these are just a bit of garnish and to be honest the songs would have been just as good without them. Looking forward to seeing what she does next.

I can't say that I love every single track - I do skip through some of them but Electric Lady, It's Code and Can't Live Without Your Love are definitely ones that I sing our loud in the car.Janelle has talent and I may well buy one of her earlier albums to see just how good she is.