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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
It may not seem restrained, but trust when I say that nothing less than a dissertation or thesis will suffice for such a mind-bogglingly massive album.
90
One can but marvel at the impressive range, ambition (realised) and detail of this deeply polished, professional yet utterly, brilliantly bonkers album. An album destined, surely, to take its place among the classics of its age.
90
Suite II boasts a range of moods and musical styles that could be released on its own. Suite III, while maintaining the quality of the other Suites, wouldn’t be my choice for a standalone release—largely because it’s really strange.
85
Where many concept albums run a high risk of being pompous, cryptic, and self-important, Monáe keeps things playful, lively, and accessible.
80
She's turned out a landmark debut that contains a full LP's worth of excellent songs and almost no bad ones, and she's done it entirely on her own highly idiosyncratic terms. And where her ambition just barely gets the better of her abilities, she puts on such a relentlessly entertaining show that you can certainly understand why she thought she could pull the whole thing off.
Do Androids listen to The ArchAndroid?
Jokes aside, this is really an excellent album, it’s full of character and energy that it makes it a really entertaining experience. This album blends pop, funk, and soul so well together, as we see some poppy songs (Tightrope, Wondaland) and then see more funkier songs, ( Mushrooms & Roses, Neon Valley Street). This album has to be one of the most cinematic albums I’ve heard along with Good Kid, m.A.A.d City and The Wall, I’m ... read more
Jokes aside, this is really an excellent album, it’s full of character and energy that it makes it a really entertaining experience. This album blends pop, funk, and soul so well together, as we see some poppy songs (Tightrope, Wondaland) and then see more funkier songs, ( Mushrooms & Roses, Neon Valley Street). This album has to be one of the most cinematic albums I’ve heard along with Good Kid, m.A.A.d City and The Wall, I’m ... read more
Janele Monae takes a huge risk on her 2010 LP "The ArchAndroid" with a thoughtful and stunning concept. There is a mix with some many genres mashed into this enormous record such as psychedelic soul/rock, rnb, funk, art-pop, jazz and more. This is perhaps one of or if not the best rnb/soul records to come out this decade only and i wouldn't disagree to anyone if they said this was a classic.
A stunning and cinematic masterpiece that expertly blends genres such as soul, psychedelia, pop, and hip-hip in a way that instantly captures the mind and keeps drawing you back in.
END OF YEAR LISTS
| #1 | / | PopMatters |
| #2 | / | Paste |
| #3 | / | musicOMH |
| #3 | / | Slant |
| #3 | / | Treble |
| #5 | / | NOW Magazine |
| #5 | / | Rhapsody SoundBoard |
| #5 | / | Under the Radar |
| #6 | / | A.V. Club |
| #6 | / | No Ripcord |
| #6 | / | One Thirty BPM |
| #6 | / | Spin |
| #8 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
| #8 | / | Sputnikmusic |
| #12 | / | Cokemachineglow |
More Lists
MISC LISTS
| #8 | / | Amazon (Mid Year) |
| #24 | / | NPR Listeners (Mid Year) |
| #59 | / | The Guardian (21st Century) |
| #116 | / | Pitchfork (2010s) |
| #177 | / | Pitchfork: The People's List |
Track List
- Suite II Overture
- Dance or Die (feat. Saul Williams)
- Faster
- Locked Inside
- Sir Greendown
- Cold War
- Tightrope (Feat. Big Boi)
- Neon Gumbo
- Oh, Maker
- Come Alive (War Of The Roses)
- Mushrooms & Roses
- Suite III Overture
- Neon Valley Street
- Make The Bus (Feat. Of Montreal)
- Wondaland
- 57821 (Feat. Deep Cotton)
- Say You'll Go
- BaBopBye Ya
In Library (116)
pitchfork.com
Watch Janelle Monáe’s New Film 'Dirty Computer' stereogum.com
Stream Janelle Monáe’s New Album 'Dirty Computer' stereogum.com
Video: Janelle Monae – “I Like That” 
