Janelle Monae's debut full-length album The ArchAndroid continues the adventures of the android Cindi Mayweather from The Chase EP. I read in an interview that the album, which actually consists of parts II and III of her four part Metropolis epic, needs to be listened to all the way through in order to get the full effect and while several artists often say this but have songs that can stand alone, Monae's words ring true. A sort of hip-hop symphony (or suites, as she actually calls them) begins with the "Suite II Overture" which starts with a tuning orchesta and string intro that sets the tone for the rest of the album and transports you to Monae's futuristic world filled with mystery and intrigue. "Dance or Die" is the album's first movement, setting up Metropolis as a world plagued by violence and fear while foreshadowing Cindi's role in inspiring some sort of change. The track leads directly into "Faster" keeping the same energy and even remaining in the same key and tempo. In it, Cindi realizes her love for the human Anthony Greendown and how it goes against Metropolis law. The funky "Locked Inside" has Cindi pleading her human lover to stay with her despite the risks of their love being discovered and questioning the rules that govern the citizens of Metropolis. "Sir Greendown" is a slow balladic track in the 60s doo-wop style delivered like an intimate love letter setting up a secret rendezvous. "Cold War" and "Tightrope" kind of work together as in "Cold War", Cindi resolves to fight against the system, keeping herself alone so as to protect herself and others and "Tightrope" with its references to balance reflects the revolutionary Cindi Mayweather efforts to remain grounded and features Monae's mentor Big Boi and the Dap Kings on brass. "Neon Gumbo" is a short avant garde interlude in a similar vein to experimental electronica which manages to enchant with its lack of real words much like the made up languages of Sigur Ros or Yoko Kanno composed of reversal samples from Suite I's "Many Moons". "Oh, Maker" is another slow track sung both to Cindi's human lover and her Maker, the God-like figure for androids in Metropolis, in it Cindi questions if the Maker forsaw her dilemna and programmed her that way. It is both melancholic in its description of a failed relationship (which can be gathered through Monae's use of past tense) but also uplifting in that Cindi is truly grateful for the love she shared that inspired her to rebel. "Come Alive" (The War of the Roses) is Janelle's biggest genre-bending masterpiece, shredding rock guitar lines, bluesy bass riffs, punky scream vocals, all combined into a song that works well in so many ways. The track itself describes Cindi's response to oppression: to cultivate your plans in your mind before performing any actual action to truly be prepared to go up against it. It may also detail Cindi Mayweather's stay in Metropolis sanitarium The Palace of the Dogs with its numerous references to schizophrenia, meds, and the mind. "Mushrooms and Roses" is the end of Suite II and is another delve into experimentation, this time on Monae's voice, and a 70s rock sound not unlike Hendrix, Grateful Dead, etc. It describes a place where androids in love can go to live without persecution. Whether this place is real or imaginary remains to be seen as the heavy layering and vocal manipulation give the song a dream sequence like feel.
The Suite III Overture is rather unlike the one for Suite II, instead far brighter and lighter sounding than the latters feeling of foreboding. The beginning of the suite feels like a continuation of "Mushrooms and Roses" However there is a brief period where the overture takes on a darker tone hinting at potential strife before returning to its optimistic sound. "Neon Valley Street" is the next song from Suite III, where Cindi has reached some sort of safe place she can reflect, and one more describes Cindi's feelings for her human lover and her dangerous situation in the city. Whereas Cindi appeared to push her feelings aside in "Cold War", we see that she still has them and hopes they can be rekindled when all the dust settles. "Make the Bus" features Of Montreal, incredibly dissimilar from the rest of the album, sounds like Scissor Sisters. While a good song outright, I feel it detracts from the album's cohesiveness and the story it was trying to tell. "Wondaland" continues the quirkiness of the previous track, with Monae adopting a small childish voice. Monae seemingly departs from the ficitional futuristic world of Metropolis to a much more fantastical, joyful place which is left completely up to the listener's imagination. "57821" returns the album back to the futuristic realm, folksy in style details Sir Greendown's quest for Cindi Mayweather after she left in an attempt to save her and support her in her cause. The song is both tragic in its depiction of his trials but also heartwarming in that the lovers are reunited. The track also sheds light on Cindi's fate since Suite II and the absurd departure from reality that occurred around the time of "Come Alive" until this track. Cindi has been a prisoner (probably at The Palace of the Dogs) and Greendown appears to come rescue her and set her free so she can achieve her goal, telling her to "Fight like Achilles in Troy" because he feels she's the only one who can achieve what she's attempting to do. "Say You'll Go" follows Cindi and Anthony's reunion, another slow track describing the truth of their deep love for each other and also, with its various references to different religions and asking "who will lead?/and who will follow?" seems to represent Cindi's continued self-realization. The track is different than most of the others in its simplicity, eventually becoming a pure piano ballad where Monae's vocals can just soar over without fear of being drowned out by synthesizers or heavy bass beats. "BaBopByeYa", at nearly 9 minutes, is the album's longest and most epic track. Beginning with a jazzy brass and string intro before Monae's vocals soulfully cut in. The song evolves with a pseudo-Spanish/African flavor away from a sentimental song, into a declaration made all the more distinct with the full vocal power not unlike gypsy melisma before becoming an instrumental track similar to the overtures until reaching its ultimate peak where Cindi finally and completely choosing to fully dedicate herself to her cause aided by the strength of her love to Anthony Greendown even if it's confined to just memory.
While Monae's Arch-Android has a program to it, it's by no means any less relevant. In the album, Monae addresses socio-political issues, gang violence, and several of her lyrics wouldn't be out of place outside of her fictional world like "Dance or Die"'s "We ought to protect the mind from degradation, sowing the seeds of education". Her tales of oppression, self-realization and identity, love and loss are all themes that can be applied to life. While functioning as entertainment, it also makes you realize and wonder when it's okay to rebel. Monae's Cindi had previously followed the rules of Metropolis until they infringed upon rights she thought she deserved. The afforementioned interview stated the listener would be changed by this album, and while originally a skeptic, I now fully believe Monae's declaration. Her album, with its fusion of genres and influences, doesn't just tell a fictional story but chronicles our own and while it might not inspire every listener to go out and right ever wrong, it certain does make them think and really that's all a good album needs. If you're looking for an album that's truly going to speak to you, look no further than Monae's The Arch-Android. It doesn't matter if hip-hop is your thing or not because Janelle Monae's genre-bending makes it an album that can appeal to pretty much everyone. And don't cheat yourself! If you're gonna listen to the album, listen to it fully through from beginning to end. You'll be surprised how you feel on the other side.
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