Songs of the Future
Sometimes my initial reaction would be something like, “Maybe I won’t go to the show.”
I almost didn’t go see a music show with Janelle Monae because I haven’t heard her before. Number two, I really wasn’t in a mood for a concert. But I did go anyway Friday night to the Pabst Theater to catch the stage act of “ArchAndroid.”
I couldn’t be any more wrong about my first initial reaction. Boy, was I wrong. And this was just the opening act to the headliner Of Montreal. But it was Monae who was able to draw me into a story.
It was an excellent outing of music, direction and style wrapped into a science fiction pop art musical called “ArchAndroid: (Suites II and III)":, which was her first studio album. It is also the following chapter to the ongoing science fiction drama Metropolis (Suite I). Second part of three parts: a trilogy of music mayhem. And much more than that.
It’s a brilliant piece. May be considered the cutting edge of pop rock at this moment: an allegorical statement about a messiah android who must free the citizens from a pressures of society. She brings with her the themes of love, will, war and many other concepts often often found in music including war. And even boxing and tightropes.
The space opera is inspired by the 1927 silent movie Metropolis. Using the stark images of tall cities and repressed citizens, she was able to tell a linear story that is derived from modern concepts we are already familiar by using AfroFuturism. She does this with great style. Her musical vocal range is very broad and she is capable of maintaining a charismatic presence on stage.
Did I mention she’s a great singer?
Yeah, probably. A number of times now. But the electrifying chord of her voice is a rewarding experience. It’s not something you’re likely to forget. The singing on more familiar popular songs like “Tightrope” and “Cold War” is supported by the excellent music bands which seems to transform the music into something else entirely. If you missed this show, shame on you. I almost did.
It is almost like having a literary pop music show. By using familiar grounds from old science fiction classics such as Metropolis, Flash Gordon and other favorites, she was able to push the pop culture forward into new territorial grounds. She’s able to rework the genre into something of her own. That's no easy feat.
There’s no doubt that she is a talented woman who is achieving some status. Her songwriting shows a very complex interest in creating a story in music.
She isn’t a cynic when she is singing on stage. There’s always a positive attitude that keeps her from having an ego trip. Monae remains very energetic, creative and lively during her show. It’s obvious that she loves music. And so should you.
It’s such a novelty to see an artist doing something different with music and science fiction. I never expected “ArchAndroid” to be anything more than a fancy dressing up of theatrics. But it is so much more than that. It’s a fashion statement. It’s a statement about culture. She blends the reflections of society with her own interesting take on old themes of love and desire. When you see the people in a crowd swaying and dancing to the music, falling into a groove, you really have to wonder if she really is a messiah of music. It seems like it at the show.
The album’s release was on May 18 and it did very well during its first week reaching number 17 on the US Billboard 200, selling 21,000 copies during the initial exposure to the audiences. It has been doing very well ever since. I wouldn’t be surprise if the album may get many nominations for its number of concepts and ideas. Her alter ego in ArchAndroid would have no doubt enjoyed the immense popularity the album is receiving.
The whole idea of space travel, freeing citizens from slavery and giant android cities makes for a concept that is nearly bigger than the album itself. But Monae as a singer is able to contain her theatrics on stage very well while still delivering her ideas through her music. The entire stage act can be viewed as a stand-alone piece. But it is just a small piece out of a bigger whole. This is one of the more ambitious pieces created in music… something this extensive in music is almost unheard of. What studio would have thought that three music albums containing a single idea would be sellable to audiences? Most people would have thought Monae is nuts. But she’s able to carry it off well.
Who ways that women aren’t science fiction fans? And here is one who is a talented songwriter and singer who manages to make science fiction a very sexy outlet in the field of music. Her next and final chapter of the Metropolis trilogy would be a most welcome one indeed.
Welcome to the future.
I almost didn’t go see a music show with Janelle Monae because I haven’t heard her before. Number two, I really wasn’t in a mood for a concert. But I did go anyway Friday night to the Pabst Theater to catch the stage act of “ArchAndroid.”
I couldn’t be any more wrong about my first initial reaction. Boy, was I wrong. And this was just the opening act to the headliner Of Montreal. But it was Monae who was able to draw me into a story.
It was an excellent outing of music, direction and style wrapped into a science fiction pop art musical called “ArchAndroid: (Suites II and III)":, which was her first studio album. It is also the following chapter to the ongoing science fiction drama Metropolis (Suite I). Second part of three parts: a trilogy of music mayhem. And much more than that.
It’s a brilliant piece. May be considered the cutting edge of pop rock at this moment: an allegorical statement about a messiah android who must free the citizens from a pressures of society. She brings with her the themes of love, will, war and many other concepts often often found in music including war. And even boxing and tightropes.
The space opera is inspired by the 1927 silent movie Metropolis. Using the stark images of tall cities and repressed citizens, she was able to tell a linear story that is derived from modern concepts we are already familiar by using AfroFuturism. She does this with great style. Her musical vocal range is very broad and she is capable of maintaining a charismatic presence on stage.
Did I mention she’s a great singer?
Yeah, probably. A number of times now. But the electrifying chord of her voice is a rewarding experience. It’s not something you’re likely to forget. The singing on more familiar popular songs like “Tightrope” and “Cold War” is supported by the excellent music bands which seems to transform the music into something else entirely. If you missed this show, shame on you. I almost did.
It is almost like having a literary pop music show. By using familiar grounds from old science fiction classics such as Metropolis, Flash Gordon and other favorites, she was able to push the pop culture forward into new territorial grounds. She’s able to rework the genre into something of her own. That's no easy feat.
There’s no doubt that she is a talented woman who is achieving some status. Her songwriting shows a very complex interest in creating a story in music.
She isn’t a cynic when she is singing on stage. There’s always a positive attitude that keeps her from having an ego trip. Monae remains very energetic, creative and lively during her show. It’s obvious that she loves music. And so should you.
It’s such a novelty to see an artist doing something different with music and science fiction. I never expected “ArchAndroid” to be anything more than a fancy dressing up of theatrics. But it is so much more than that. It’s a fashion statement. It’s a statement about culture. She blends the reflections of society with her own interesting take on old themes of love and desire. When you see the people in a crowd swaying and dancing to the music, falling into a groove, you really have to wonder if she really is a messiah of music. It seems like it at the show.
The album’s release was on May 18 and it did very well during its first week reaching number 17 on the US Billboard 200, selling 21,000 copies during the initial exposure to the audiences. It has been doing very well ever since. I wouldn’t be surprise if the album may get many nominations for its number of concepts and ideas. Her alter ego in ArchAndroid would have no doubt enjoyed the immense popularity the album is receiving.
The whole idea of space travel, freeing citizens from slavery and giant android cities makes for a concept that is nearly bigger than the album itself. But Monae as a singer is able to contain her theatrics on stage very well while still delivering her ideas through her music. The entire stage act can be viewed as a stand-alone piece. But it is just a small piece out of a bigger whole. This is one of the more ambitious pieces created in music… something this extensive in music is almost unheard of. What studio would have thought that three music albums containing a single idea would be sellable to audiences? Most people would have thought Monae is nuts. But she’s able to carry it off well.
Who ways that women aren’t science fiction fans? And here is one who is a talented songwriter and singer who manages to make science fiction a very sexy outlet in the field of music. Her next and final chapter of the Metropolis trilogy would be a most welcome one indeed.
Welcome to the future.
posted by K.M. Paters at 2:25 PM
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