Janelle Monae-Metropolis (The Chase Suite)

Does that picture make any sense to you?

Neither does Janelle Monae.

Janelle grew up in Kansas City, but quickly ran away to New York and studied musical theatre. However, she wasn't to keen on that either, so she moved again, this time to Atlanta. When she got to Atlanta, she gathered a band and started playing old James Brown-ish soul music, touring around college campuses and such, gaining hype from the likes of Big Boi and even P. Diddy who signed her to the Bad Boy label, still allowing her complete artistic control, which she uses liberally. She has one EP out, but she is already being talked about all over the country. So what puts Janelle Monae above the rest of the new soul artists?

Janelle's EP is about an android who falls in love with a human and is hunted down by her people as punishment. How's that for original? The seven song album tells the story of the poor it in its comprehension of love and death. Drawing, once again, from the late great James Brown, with her big band soul-singing, as well as her get-up. check her out.

Yea. Crazy stuff. I like the cumber-bun.

The first song on the album, "March of the Wolf Masters", isn't exactly a song at all. It's like when the principle announces over the intercom for somebody to meet there mom at the front of school, except the subject is about killing the android with chainsaws and electro-daggers. Same voice infliction though. The ethereal Nazi marching music in the background is very fitting with the whole Big Brother aura the album gives off.

Suddenly, the attention is shifted to the poor cyber-girl where frenetic drums pound as she is on the run. The hectic music is very upbeat and honestly makes me dance, or bob my head. I always do something like that. The song ends with a gradual shift to "Many Moons", which gives Janelle the feeling that she has run far enough to slow down a little. Suddenly, this very open poem is said:

Cybernetic Chantdown:
Civil rights, civil war
Hood rat, crack whore
Carefree, nightclub
Closet drunk, bathtub
Outcast, weirdo
Stepchild, freak show
Black girl, bad hair
Broad nose, cold stare
Tap shoes, Broadway
Tuxedo, holiday
Creative black, Love song
Stupid words, erased song
Gun shots, orange house
Dead man walking with a dirty mouth
Spoiled milk, stale bread
Welfare, bubonic plague
Record deal, light bulb
Keep back kid not corporate thug
Breast cancer, common cold
HIV, lost hope
Overweight, self esteem
Misfit, broken dream
Fish tank, small bowl
Closed mind, dark hold
Cybergirl, droid control
Get away now they trying to steal your soul
Microphone, one stage
Tomboy, outrage
Street fight, bloody war
Instigators, third floor
Promiscuous child, broken dream
STD, quarentine
Heroin user, coke head
Final chapter, death bed
Plastic sweat, metal skin
Metallic tears, mannequin
Carefree, night club
Closet drunk, bathtub
White house, Jim Crow
Dirty lies, my regards

I cannot make anything about what it means, all thought parts of it look like they could apply to Janelle's life. I don't know. I hope she's not a crack-whore. Nevertheless, random.

The rest of the album is just as unique. "Cybertronic Purgatory" is a quiet lullaby with transcendent Korg chords floating behind Janelle's soft voice. "Sincerely Jane" has the same feel as a Ben E King, or Duffy song. The big band arrangement really features Janelle's beautiful voice on every part, sometimes in three and four layers.

Out of nowhere, "Mr. President" completely steps out of character and pleads for the president (George Bush) to stop his evil presiding. "Can we talk about the education of our children? A book is worth more than a bomb any day." The song is full of little zingers at Dubya.

The album ends with what could be another out of character rant, or the androids last words. It really works either way. Mellow electric guitars are the only backup on the track, sending the android, or Janelle into a state of joyous acceptance, rather than sorrow.

The album is weird, and it is certainly not for everyone. I'm not nearly as crazy about the slow melodic cuts as I am for the huge cyber-soul. I've heard that Janelle puts on an amazing show, and if she is ever anywhere close, you should go see her, if you like her or not. It would be pretty intense. I'll leave you with a random video, to close out the night.