Ooo - will check them out!
That first song sounds like a killer Prince track. I’ve had it on repeat for the last few hours.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the album.
She is SO GODDAMN AWESOME, definitely my favorite musician I’ve learned about in many years. Her Afrofuturist pop is the best nerd music being made today, and any self-respecting nerd should play her on repeat.
Also, she’s starring in Jordan Peele’s next movie, and I am barely restraining my squee.
So, so much of her stuff is good. Tightrope is a good starting place, if you like insane asylums with dementors; or you can go Q.U.E.E.N for dystopian museum rebellions; or just go Dance Apocalyptic for exactly what it sounds like.
Also I hadn’t heard those two, and holy shit they’re good.
Yeah, good news, been listening to The ArchAndroid a lot lately
She’s also in the TV show Electric Dreams which I am hanging out to see. Love her music.
Janelle is amazing. Definitely looking forward to this.
I hate to be a squee-kill, but… AFAICT Jordan Peele’s “Noir Town”, starring Monae, was a photoshoot for W magazine riffing on Hitchcock-style noir movies. Not an actual movie itself.
They are both busy working on other stuff though, so silver lining all the way!!!
:smack: Jesus Christ, I can’t believe I misread that article that badly. Peele’s been interviewing lately talking about his next project, and I just assumed this was really it.
Anyway, thanks for the clarification, and boooooo.
Listened to them both. WOW! She’s swinging for the fences with this album, that’s clear. With her movie success and the “why hasn’t her music blown up yet?!” reputation in the music world, this is her time for bold crossover and she is going for it.
Make Me Feel, her paean to bisexuality, is just amazing. Pure Prince funk pop, with hints of Michael and Janet. I hear that the ‘tick tock’ rhythm base is done with vocal sounds, likely Monae’s - very cool. But the pre-chorus of this song is what stands out - the part that includes the phrase “there’s nothing better.” It has a little chromatic-step-down melodic hook that is perfect - takes a straight up funk-pop hook and draws you in with a bit of weird-but-not-too-weird - and the bursts into the chorus. So damn fun. And could Monae be any damn sexier in the video? Talk about feeling her sexual freedom and celebrating it - damn.
And Django Jane? I am in awe of her lyrics. I am Woman and I am not fucking around. One bit is something along the lines of “it will take a pussy riot, or maybe we gotta put ‘em on a pussy diet” - oh, man, punning on the Greek drama The Lysistrata AND invoking the Russian political punk group Pussy Riot? I am in love. The song is full-throated and powerful and smart.
Her level of execution and independence really reminds me of St. Vincent - dominant, intelligent musical talent that can’t be denied, embraces her physical sexuality and sheer physical beauty as part of her persona, and staying lodged in her musical roots but fully ready for crossover success. Boy I hope so - she deserves it.
I’m at work so listening to the OP tracks isn’t an option right now but, yesterday, Tightrope came up on Pandora and got a quick thumbs up from me. I saw the name in the OP title and thought “Hey, isn’t that the person I heard?” Guess so and now I know to poke around her other stuff.
Third video is out:
Are you familiar with the podcast Switched On Pop? They did an episode with guest musician Lizzo and the first 20ish minutes are on the musicality of Make Me Feel. Worth a listen if you’re into people nerd out on music.
[quote=“iiandyiiii, post:13, topic:809377”]
Third video is out:
[/QUOTE] Wow, now that's an aesthetic!Did you read that post of mine you quoted? 
That podcast sounds great - I will check it out! See the thread on song-geek podcast Dissect, which blossomed into a discussion of various great examples: https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=848917
Maybe I’m crazy, but I almost felt like there was some sort of sexual subtext in that video somewhere.
My god, that’s hilarious. Hard to stop giggling, even with her fiercest look going.
It’s no different that when I some obvious tribute to The Shaft - just giggles all around.
Janelle Monae is the best.
This is a factual statement.