Janelle Monae “The ArchAndroid”

By: Mica Powers

Janelle Monae ‘The ArchAndroid’ (2010)

Janelle Monae Robinson hails from Kansas City, Kansas, and originally planned on becoming a Broadway star. Thankfully she relocated to Atlanta, soaked up the musical culture of the city, and has just released her major label debut. One listen to “The ArchAndroid” proves there is no doubt she would have succeeded in her quest for Broadway stardom, and the world should be thrilled at her career change.

Monae succeeds in creating a visual audio experience, in the form of a genre spanning album. She goes from epic Shirley Bassey-esque orchestra songs (courtesy of The Wondaland Arch Orchestra) to pop masterpieces. Her concept album was inspired by Fritz Lang’s classic sci-fi movie “Metropolis”, and expands on it by creating the android world of alter-ego Cindi Mayweather. While this concept is more fleshed out on her a previous release, the EP “The Chase”, the loose nature of this experience reveals itself throughout “ArchAndroid.”

Mayweather (the protagonist of the “The Chase”) becomes the heroine to the android community of Metropolis. Monae has previously released “The Audition” in 2003 and was featured on Outkast’s 2006′s Idlewild soundtrack.

This album represents second and third suites of what will be a total of four ”Metropolis” themed albums and is simply put, phenomenal. From the Afrobeat “Dance or Die” featuring poet Saul Williams to the Michael Jackson-esque “Locked Inside”, Monae has realeased an album that is musically bold, includes several genres, and is just plan fun to listen to.

The first single “Tightrope” (featuring Outkast’s Big Boi) is a song about maintaining balance in life, to not get too high or too low. What makes Monae so interesting is she recalls various singers and styles but it doesn’t come across as a gimmick, just a 24 year old trying out different sounds. From the reflective Simon & Garfunkel-esque “57821″, to the Anita Baker-ish “Say You’ll Go” to what could double as a Broadway tune “Oh Maker”, Monae has mastered the art of making great music.

Monae says that her tuxedo-complete-with-bowtie look is for “the people”, ordinary citizens trying to get through life, and who aren’t glamorous. Her mother, she frequently says in interviews, was a janitor, her biological father drove trash trucks, and her stepfather currently works in a post office. She wanted to make music for people like them, and dresses in clothes inspired by them.

One thing that might surprise you is after Monae released her earlier music independently she signed on to the Sean “P Diddy” Comb’s Bad Boy label (and was given her own imprint on the label, called Wondaland Arts Society). Combs is more known for his producing and rapping, and signing rap talent, but has said this one of the most important signings of his career.

A few days before the album was released, Monae used Twitter to advise listeners to listen to the album all the way through, and I agree that the cohesive nature in which one track flows into the next is a special treat. Please do yourself a favor and pick up what I consider the best debut in years.

Mica Powers is a writer living in Seattle.