1. daniboy123

   Sep 10, 2013

   10

   Without a doubt the best album of the year. Janelle is one of the greats and time will continue to prove that. Consulting greats like Badu, Prince, and Stevie she is continually proving that she belongs in their company. She is a genius. Her maturity, fire and the cohesiveness of this record far exceeds that of her first full length LP 2010's The ArchAndroid, not to mention that impeccable quality. Janelle has truly arrived and she knows it. Just make sure you take notice.… Expand

   • 5 of 8 users found this helpful
2. cmilette

   Sep 20, 2013

   10

   it was impossible to discredit Monáe as a moving force in the R&B revival movement given her debut album, but now that The Electric Lady has bbeen released, it's clear she's become a staple in the world of ambitious, artistic music. with many critics and music-goers alike calling this album a "classic" only a week after it's release, it's clear to me that Monáe is one of the most underrated artists of the 2010s. by successfully blending genres together on this double album, Monáe not only nods at past music legends, but sort of paves her way to becoming a legend herself by pushing herself further than the genres she often finds herself locked inside pun not intended. highlights of the album include the seamless transitions between certain songs, most fluidly being the transition between "can't live without your love" and "sally ride" which takes clever use of an ocean sample to link directly to the first line of the latter song (this has also been noted on her last album with the thunder sample between "neon gumbo" and "oh, maker"). the suite overtures are also quite innovative as they contain elements of the actual songs on the album, and vice-versa. even though "what an experience" is a delightfully befitting ending track, I must admit the deluxe version of the album (only available at Target) is most certainly a force to be reckoned with, adding Cee-Lo Green and Big Boi to the album's roster. "hytb" sounds to me like a nod to "sincerely, jane" a track off her the special edition of her debut EP Metropolis in that it directly addresses the state of America, more specifically it's urban areas, while "want you back" is a severely fresh cover of a Jackson 5 favorite. Monáe proves herself once again to be incredibly versatile and unapologetically creative. one could only wonder what suites VI and VII will sound like (I'm sure I'm not the only fan ecstatic about her extending her concept project from 4 to 7 suites).… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
3. pervert19

   Sep 10, 2013

   10

   "No I don't think so". That would be my answer if someone asked me "Do you think The Electric Lady will be as great as The ArchAndroid?" a week ago. But right now it's different. After listening to Janelle's new album I think it's as amazing as her first one. Each track takes you into a journey back in the time and to the future too. The Electric Lady is, of course, the best album of this year. Janelle is one artist that I might look forward because you can't fall in love with her after listening to her songs and beautiful voice!… Expand

   • 2 of 4 users found this helpful
4. BWETMatangi

   Sep 14, 2013

   9

   This album is amazing! It's almost as good as "The ArchAndroid"! This is rap, pop, soul, and some rock on the album, and that's how talented Janelle Monae is.… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful
5. Huey_Freeman

   Oct 1, 2013

   9

   What. An. Experience. What a grand, glorious, and illuminating journey this space age odyssey of bombastic sounds, brilliant lyrics, and bold creativity is. Janelle Monae is the fierce, fearless, fantastical, feline hero that American muzik deserves. They don't know it yet (as is apparent in her first LPs universally hailed as magnificent reviews but mere 121,000 copies sold to date.) But she is. I dare someone to listen to the instantaneously timeless classic that is the Electric Lady and not be compelled to move, dance, smile, ponder, tear up, get the chills, laugh, and imagine. So many emotions and sounds fluctuate throughout this mosaic of sublime artistry but the resounding theme is apparent in every incredible second. That theme: Janelle Monae has arrived. Not in the literal sense. This young lady has been light years ahead of the field since her debut EP Metropolis. And as the music mounts so does the evidence that proves Janelle Monae is on her way to becoming a living legend. As her android rebel space craft descends to Earth I can see Cyndi Mayweather stepping out streching her arms and screaming "Power Up!". The time for her legend is now. This is readily apparent on the albums first actual song: Give Em What they Love whichs comes after the magnum opus that is the Suite IV Overture. When the enigmatic and harder to collab wit than Jesus of Nazereth legend in his own right Prince shows up for the monstrous and epic opening track that kicks the album off into the stratosphere and Monae never looks back or falls down to Earth. She stays there in orbit putting on a show of pure art for the ages. The first suite is some sort of psychedelic dance funk pop masterpiece peppered with Janelle's whimsy but devastatingly effective militancy. Janelle is the type of woman who can start a revolution with a smile on her face. For content so politically charged, fearless, and raw it's a near miracle the amount of fun that Monae has and it not whimper her bold statements on issues of race, oppression, censorship, sexuality, feminism, freedom, injustice, rebellion, and bucking the status quo. Tracks like the equally amazing Electric Lady, Dance Apocalyptic, and Q.U.E.E.N are all compulsively listenable, accessible, and fun tracks that are just riddled with powerful statements on very touchy and specific issues. Janelle lets her soul bare on these tracks and just when you think your ready to go into deep thought the base kicks in and Monae reminds you to dance and smile and carry on the rebellion. It's a very poignant message that compliments her grandiose message that has permeated each suite which is to make love not war. Monae knows she's fighting a Cold War. But she also knows that her weapon of choice is muzik. Not guns, fists, or bloodshed. This is evident in the albums sure fire smash hit "Primetime" featuring Miguel which is the mother of all slow jams. And a song everyone will instantly fall in love with. It's beautiful, lush, and just what the doctor ordered. If this magnificent album doesn't see the commercial success it deserves it will be criminal. On the second suite Monae has endless amounts of classic r&b/jazz tracks and alot of these tracks possess some of the best lyrics Monae has ever written. Ghetto Woman, Victory, Dorothy Dandridge Eyes, Sally Ride are key examples of the sheer depth and maturity in Monae's lyrics aside from her funky playful militant side. She has it all. If Lauryn Hill had a baby with Michael Jackson and Andre 3000: Her name would be Janelle Monae. This is easily the best album of the year. And one of very best albums of the last ten years.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. ZacharyMatson

   Sep 14, 2013

   8

   If you were to ask a pretentious snobby music critic like myself, "What is your opinion on pop music?" You might hear in reply, "it's nothing but top 40 sh*t from Katy Perry or Lady Gaga." Which in a sense is true. Pop these days is represented by female artist like Perry, Gaga, P!nk, etc. Who's lyrics are lackluster and formulas are almost identical to one another. Luckily for us pretentious kids who still like to shake our hips and not hate our selves for doing so, there's Janelle Monae.… Expand

   • 2 of 3 users found this helpful
7. Fidicinal

   Sep 15, 2013

   4

   'Meh' is about all I could muster after a first listen. I suppose it could grow on me but with regards to first impressions it falls laughably, pathetically short of her previous work on The ArchAndroid.… Expand

   • 1 of 5 users found this helpful

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