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Janelle Monáe's uniqueness was not apparent from the beginning, as heard on Big Boi's second Got Purp compilation. The neo-electro remake of DeBarge's "Time Will Reveal" and the Off the Wall-emulating pop-funk of "Lettin' Go" were standouts -- even amidst nuggets like Konkrete's "Shit Ya Drawers," believe it or not -- but Monáe seemed destined to be one of those artists who appears on a glorified mixtape and either disappears or makes one under-promoted album prior to fleeing the industry. Even after spotlights on OutKast's Idlewild, it could not have been known to many outside Monáe's Atlanta circle that they were much more in line with Nona Hendryx and Afrofuturism than Ciara and 106 & Park. They probably have more time for Octavia Butler than for Perez Hilton. Inspired by Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction classic, Metropolis, Suite 1: The Chase is the first of four planned releases designed as easily processible EPs detailing the life of a rebellious soul-equipped android who risks disassembly by falling in love with a human. Strip away the concept, the packaging, and the equally entertaining and deep lyrics dealing in class/race, slavery, isolation, and love -- all of that material, as crucial as it is to the whole -- and there remains a handful of magnetic songs transferred through theatrical soul, 21st century new wave, ice-coated opera, and brassy hip-hop funk. The disc's center is made of "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!" and "Many Moons," conjoined songs that trump anything on the André 3000 half of OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. "Sincerely, Jane" is dressed up in all the fantastical instrumentation of an otherworldly Broadway production but is as grounded in grim realism as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" or 2Pac's "Brenda's Got a Baby," and like those two songs, it is fueled by despair rather than self-righteousness. Monáe's voice is knockout level throughout, likely versatile enough to handle any style with effortlessly expressive ease.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Janelle Monáe, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer - Control Z, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - The Wondaland ArchOrchestra, Strings - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Arranger - Droid Control, Snare Drums
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Janelle Monáe, Producer, Organ, Vocals, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Janelle Monáe Robinson, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Additional Vocals - Kellindo Parker, Guitar - Control Z, Producer, Engineer, Masterer - The Wondaland ArchOrchestra, Strings - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Arranger, Additional Vocals - Kellis Parker Jr., Writer - The Skunks, Vocals, FeaturedArtist - Lord Mitchell, Mixer, Masterer - Ba-Rock! Oh!-Bam!-Ah!, Percussion - Sweetfish, Bass
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Janelle Monáe, Producer, Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Janelle Monáe Robinson, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Bells, Organ, Percussion, Whistle, Moog, Mellotron - Kellindo Parker, Arranger, Guitar - Control Z, Engineer, Masterer - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Producer, Arranger - Terrance Brown, Piano - The Skunks, Additional Vocals - Walt Kramer, Writer - Lord Mitchell, Mixer, Masterer - The Wondaland String Ensemble, Strings
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Janelle Monáe, Producer, Vocals, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Janelle Monáe Robinson, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Guitar, Organ, Piano - Control Z, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Producer, Arranger - Lord Mitchell, MasteringEngineer
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Janelle Monáe, Producer, Vocals, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Janelle Monáe Robinson, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Percussion - Kellindo Parker, Guitar - Control Z, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - The Wondaland ArchOrchestra, Orchestra - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Producer, Arranger - DJ Cutmaster Swiff, Scratch - Terrance Brown, Programmer - The Skunks, Background Vocals - Lord Mitchell, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Jaspects, Saxophone
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Janelle Monáe, Producer, Vocals, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Charles Joseph II, Writer - Janelle Monáe Robinson, Writer - Nathaniel Irvin III, Writer - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Guitar, Harpsichord, Organ, Bass - Kellindo Parker, Guitar - Control Z, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - The Wondaland ArchOrchestra, Strings - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Producer, Arranger - The Skunks, Background Vocals - Lord Mitchell, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer - Jaspects, Horn - Ba-Rock! Oh!-Bam!-Ah!, Drums
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Big Boi, Producer - Janelle Monáe, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist - Charlie Chaplin, Writer - John Turner, Lyricist - Geoffrey Parsons, Lyricist - Chuck Lightning, Producer, Harpsichord, Organ - Kellindo Parker, Guitar - Control Z, Producer, MasteringEngineer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Nate "Rocket" Wonder, Arranger
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Album review
Janelle Monáe's uniqueness was not apparent from the beginning, as heard on Big Boi's second Got Purp compilation. The neo-electro remake of DeBarge's "Time Will Reveal" and the Off the Wall-emulating pop-funk of "Lettin' Go" were standouts -- even amidst nuggets like Konkrete's "Shit Ya Drawers," believe it or not -- but Monáe seemed destined to be one of those artists who appears on a glorified mixtape and either disappears or makes one under-promoted album prior to fleeing the industry. Even after spotlights on OutKast's Idlewild, it could not have been known to many outside Monáe's Atlanta circle that they were much more in line with Nona Hendryx and Afrofuturism than Ciara and 106 & Park. They probably have more time for Octavia Butler than for Perez Hilton. Inspired by Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction classic, Metropolis, Suite 1: The Chase is the first of four planned releases designed as easily processible EPs detailing the life of a rebellious soul-equipped android who risks disassembly by falling in love with a human. Strip away the concept, the packaging, and the equally entertaining and deep lyrics dealing in class/race, slavery, isolation, and love -- all of that material, as crucial as it is to the whole -- and there remains a handful of magnetic songs transferred through theatrical soul, 21st century new wave, ice-coated opera, and brassy hip-hop funk. The disc's center is made of "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!" and "Many Moons," conjoined songs that trump anything on the André 3000 half of OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. "Sincerely, Jane" is dressed up in all the fantastical instrumentation of an otherworldly Broadway production but is as grounded in grim realism as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" or 2Pac's "Brenda's Got a Baby," and like those two songs, it is fueled by despair rather than self-righteousness. Monáe's voice is knockout level throughout, likely versatile enough to handle any style with effortlessly expressive ease.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 7 track(s)
- Total length: 00:26:08
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Janelle Monáe
- Label: Bad Boy Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation ℗ 2008 Atlantic Recording Corporation
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