JANELLE MONAE at Tripod - 19th Dec (1 Viewer)

[Moods For Mallards]

Actually they're not really songs, are they? They're those patchwork things, very modrin.

 

[Lili Marlene]

complete
critical
consensus

Actually they're not really songs, are they? They're those patchwork things, very modrin.

yeah, like when someone on thumped tried to argue that biology was a bad song because it was too catchy

 

[Lili Marlene]

actually, no, most of the songs are quite straight forwardly structured but because they segue into each other the impression is that there's something odd going on.

This is not helped by the bazillion tracks on every 'cut'.

 

[ann post]

i might give the album a spin tonight, though i was supposed to learn spanish.

i never did either of these things.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

actually, no, most of the songs are quite straight forwardly structured but because they segue into each other the impression is that there's something odd going on.

This is not helped by the bazillion tracks on every 'cut'.

Yeah but they're not catchy. This is my problem. I don't think any of these spas/critics are noticing this. If they're gonna be that heavily 'manufactured', emotionless, content-free and inhuman, they had better be catchy, right? That's all this modrin pop has going for it (and it's a lot to have), but Janelle, baby, you don't have a tune to your name.*

 

[Moods For Mallards]

I'm in dangerous territory here. I'm basing my critique on one gig and a couple of YouTubes.

 

[ann post]

how many youtube's and gigs makes it ok to be critical?? we should establish a standard for this actually.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Yeah but they're not catchy. This is my problem. I don't think any of these spas/critics are noticing this. If they're gonna be that heavily 'manufactured', emotionless, content-free and inhuman, they had better be catchy, right? That's all this modrin pop has going for it (and it's a lot to have), but Janelle, baby, you don't have a tune to your name.*

Weeeeelllllll on the one hand you're just plain wrong as the songs aren't supposed to be GaGa style manufactured robo-pop (yes aware of the irony here with her whole metropolis thing) but at the same time the production is so heavy that it's missing the intimacy she probably needs.

In regards the album, I'm kind of torn between really liking it and finding it all too glossy. If Beyoncé released it I would be thinking 'wow, she's really upped her game' but I just don't think you could hear anything off it and go 'ah yes, that's unmistakably a Janelle Monae song'.

I don't think it has 'no songs' though. The real question is whether you'd be better off listening to someone else....

 

[Moods For Mallards]

The real question is whether you'd be better off listening to someone else....

Well, clearly you would.

 

[ann post]

Genre-bending pop/soul* phenomenon

I was just thinking, when you get about 60 people to make an album, this is what the descripition is going to be every time. If they managed to keep it in one genre then its a real achievement.

*soul would be interchangable.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Well that was a hell of lot better than the EP concert.

Still a few invisible instruments though, not necessary.