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Monday, December 02, 2013

More Janelle Monáe Appreciation

"Oh Maker" from the "ArchAndroid." Another comparatively obscure track, I suppose, to continue my Janelle Monae appreciation week. Already in comparing the first two selections the richness of Monae's music is becoming clear. Here the melody is like the early Nico, the tone is like Prince psychedelia, the lyric and vocals like a second coming of Lauren Hill (tho' it looks like La Hill may be coming our way again on her own). This is not an official video, but that of an inspired fan offering up a narrative within Monae's Cindi Mayweather mythology, the character of a charismatic fugitive rebel android freedom fighter whose tale is scattered like a breadcrumb trail through all of Monae's lyrical and video work, from the unreleased "Audition" through the "Metropolis" EP in which it is central, to "ArchAndroid" and this year's "Electric Lady." About Cindi and the androids, I will have more to say later.

3 comments:

Chad Lott said...

I recently noticed you have a link to Erowid on your page and your reference to Prince's psychedelia popped a question into my head. Are you a fan on Terrence McKenna's raps?

I think he's often at his best when discussing dominator culture and the like. I've always thought of him as kind of a more rock n roll Buckminster Fuller.

Just curious.

Dale Carrico said...

Hey, that Erowid link is a public service. Smeagol always helps. Calling Terrence McKenna a rocknroll Buckminster Fuller was my favorite thing for a whole minute. I can see him sailing softly to the sun, in a broken stone age dome... (as I misheard those ELO lyrics as a kid).

jollyspaniard said...

I discovered her this summer in a car coming back from a festival. Violet Stars Happy Hunting had me bopping so hard in the car that people probably thought I was having an epileptic fit.