Login
Before we get started , without mince words , "The Electric Lady " is a record dated tremendously . It is a pity , for two reasons. First, because the black music is experiencing a happy moment of interesting innovations , and second, because Monáe is an excellent artist , author and performer ( look around the videos of his live performances ) .
"The Electric Lady" follows the highly praised by critics as " The ArchAndroid " in 2010 and it follows the style. Although this fact is a concept disc in sci-fi theme , with lots of female empowerment and lesbian subtext . The story behind the 19 tracks is that of Cindi Merriweather - the electric lady of the title, alter-ego avatar of the same Monáe - a humanoid enhanced descended on earth to establish a new matriarchy . Very interesting , no? Ah , as in the previous disc, the narrative counterpoints are labeled by a pair of suites overture flavor that mixes cinematic Morricone, lounge music and the score of a film noir , and a radio DJ called Crash Crash. Everything seen enough : Parliament and Funkadelic we have built a glorious career ( although perhaps Monáe looks more to David Bowie) .
But let's get to the songs.
Janelle Monáe is an eclectic type and does not miss any sub-genre of American music , especially the period '70-'80 , thanks to a number of prestigious collaborations. First of all, Prince, said mentor, who performs with his falsetto voice and electric guitar in good funk -rock opening " Givin ' em what they love " guitar solos , although not always played by Prince, are a determination of the 28-year old from Kansas City, so much so that we find scattered throughout the disc, some of them almost from air guitar , Baroque and rather useless. On the record there are some good things like love song sung in tandem with the lanciatissimo Miguel where to sample the items of " Where is My Mind ? " Pixies ( ?) ( " Primetime " ) , the perfect soul pop with Solange ( "Electric lady " ) or wonderiana " Ghetto Woman" . There is much method in the execution of the songs , it seems almost a format with a lot of copyright , as in the metric rap always the same at the end of " QUEEN " ( with Badu ) and the two songs mentioned above.
There are also - as a must in black music - tributes to great , but the talent of the rampant and brazen Monae there makes them feel more like plagiarism : the bass of " Dorothy Dandridge eyes" with the good Esmeralda Spalding too reminiscent of " I can not help it " by Michael Jackson, "Victory" does so much regret that crazy of Lauryn Hill, while the ballad " Can not live without your love " seems to say " Hey Beyonce , let me space ."
Behind the majesty of the project lacks a true center , as if he had sacrificed a sound vision in favor of the ancient concept of the narrative , as in a disk of Yes , turning everything into a project rather cold and unsympathetic .
We would love to see her without all these superstructures finally see a fragment of his soul.
TRACKLIST :
" Suite IV Electric Overture "
" Givin em what they love" (featuring Prince)
" QUEEN " (featuring Erykah Badu )
"Electric Lady " (featuring Solange )
" Good morning midnight"
" Primetime " (featuring Miguel)
"We were rock & roll"
"The chrome shoppe "
"Dance apocalyptic "
" Look into my eyes"
"Suite V Electric Overture "
"It's code"
" Ghetto woman"
"Our favorite fugitive "
"Victory"
"Can not live without your love "
" Sally Ride"
" Dorothy Dandridge eyes" (featuring Esperanza Spalding )
" What an experience "
