I'm listening to Janelle Monae's The Electric Lady and feeling like I'm a part of history! (no, really). Thanks to a well-timed leak, I (and many others) are among the first to hear an album that will likely change the course of popular music.
In thinking about The Electric Lady, I realize now why I like it so much--because of its 20th-century feel, even down to an album cover reminiscent of Off the Wall.
Here, Monae showcases her broad vocal range, and Lauryn Hill-esque runs, soaring above chimes, gentle guitars, and the murmur of her backup "clone" singers.
"It's Code" brings me back to the crooning of groups like Blue Magic, and is one of many gems in an album that jars one with its combinations of swing and computer love. Speaking of love, there are many love songs here, and a subtle android theme, sung in plaintive notes. And that's not the best part... Janelle Monae's rapping has a way of making you start upright in your seat after its meaning sinks in.
I love everything about this album. Mostly, for touching my heart and for reminding me of songs before and after me-- I'm Janus-faced, nodding to the past and future of music.
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