Last week, Janelle Monáe released her third full-length studio album, Dirty Computer. Since then, a bunch of publications have made it the best-reviewed record this year. There are many critics willing to give you a balanced appraisal of Dirty Computer. But I’m not here to criticize, just to amplify.
Because you know what’s way more fun than reviewing an album?
Sharing all the reasons you love it.
While I’m sure I’ll find more to appreciate on subsequent listens, these are some of the details that are grabbing me right now.
*Monáe has also released Dirty Computer as an emotion picture, available on YouTube and playing on BET and MTV. This post will focus just on the auditory experience.
1. Dirty Computer
With Brian Wilson’s gorgeous, ethereal vocals, the beginning of the title track is a velvety sonic treat. The entrance of the bass and drums takes it up a subtle, but delicious, notch.
“Oh if you love me, won’t you please reply?”
2. Crazy, Classic, Life
Monae is the American dream and the American cool. While the country is happy to adopt (and appropriate) the cool of black artists, it often seems less enthused about their success. “Crazy, Classic, Life” also calls out the double standard of rewarding white guys who rebel and punishing women and people of color for doing the same. It’s funny how you’re only allowed to break the rules when they are designed to serve you.
3. Take a Byte
“Wait, did she sample ‘Africa’ by Toto? Wasn’t expecting that… Hold on! Now it’s ‘Heart Of Glass?!’ I’m here for it.” — Me
Shout out to Kellindo Parker, who kills on guitar throughout the album and was also a co-writer on this track and “Americans.”
4. Screwed
It was at the seven-second mark that I knew I was going to love this song. The guitars make me want to throw a rager in the rubble of a dying city.
“You fucked the world up now/we’ll fuck it all back down”
