New Janelle Monáe album 'Dirty Computer' (Release date April 27)*

Looking to pick this up ASAP - is there ANY chance the HDtracks version will be a different, more dynamic master than the CD?

Target has the CD for 10.99, HDtracks has it for 17.98 (minus the 15% discount, or 20% if you buy 2 downloads) which would make it around $15. The hi-res is 24/44.1, which seems kind of pointless if it's the exact same master as the 16/44 version.

No DR numbers posted yet for Dirty Computer, but it looks like the HDtracks was the same for Electric Lady - Album list - Dynamic Range Database

 

The HD Tracks is DR6

 

Thanks. Disappointing, but not surprising. Guess I'll go with the CD then!

 

Hey, I didn't say anything about deficiencies. The processing is very evident on the opening track (which is the only one I was referring to) and I did say that is typical of modern music.

 

In nearly all ways, really. The Archandroid was like a trip through the Museum Of American Pop Music, which was a large part of it's charm. It was super-slick, wildly ambitious but also a bit contrived and studied-sounding. The work of what seemed to be a super-talented, smartest music geek in the room trying to show she could do it all and not without a fair bit of success.
The new album is , for all it's pop moderne sheen, a lot looser sounding and captivates without trying to overwhelm with its prowess. It's more real-sounding in that you feel as though she's actually coming at you from the heart rather than playing a character. Both records are fun but in different ways - I listen to The Archandroid and catch myself playing Spot The Influence ( Ooh - that bit reminds me of The Supremes ! ....) where as I can just let myself get caught up in the warm, summery pop succulence of Dirty Computer and go with it and wish I was seventeen and in the park on a hot July day again. And that's an odd feeling for this record to have brought forward for me as I'm not big on nostalgia. Such is the power of music to evoke and prevoke.

All the talk of Prince surrounding this album is not off the mark. It sounds to me like an album that wouldn't have been made if Prince hadn't existed. Sadly, it also sounds like a better album than Prince had been able to muster for a very long time - certainly more consistent front-to-back.

I really like this album - I like the songs, the production, the whole package... and I think it's an interesting transition from what came before. I was trying to think of an analogy for this and it makes me think about how Blur transformed from the jangled, kinetic, almost too clever Parklife purveyors into the warm and woozy Blur period but the transition is a lot more successful in Monae's case and likely doesn't involve heroin... Having said all this, I read with interest the comments about how mainstream this record is by modern standards compared to Monae's previous work and have to admit that I caught myself listening to it and thinking "Hey, Katy Perry would not sound out of place on that tune ! " or that it was the kind of record Taylor Swift wishes she could make instead of Reputation. Still, I think it's a strong effort, not merely Lemonade-Lite. The best may be yet to come...

D.D.

 

From this morning's airing of the CBS News Sunday Morning... For The Record: Janelle Monáe.
Janelle Monáe's performance in the 2016 film "Hidden Figures" earned rave reviews. But it was her music that first put her on the path to stardom ... a path that started with family, as she explains to our Tony Dokoupil, For The Record:
...

 

Very good background, interesting story.

 

Loving this album so far - haven't dissected the lyrics or analyzed it too much, but after 2 casual listens I'm very impressed. It's some extremely groovy and soulful ear candy. More slick and refined than Android or the other stuff I've heard from her. Nice production and nice mastering (for a modern, compressed album anyway).

I agree with whoever said this sounds like an album Prince might make if he was still around & still making good albums.

 

I've heard the album about 4 times now, and after listening to her others again yesterday, I feel pretty confident in saying this is my favorite of hers. The shorter playing time really helped. It's all killer, no filler. Guess I'm the odd man out in that I'd put The Electric Lady at #2. I never warmed up to The ArchAndroid as an album, that much, even though a lot of the individual songs are fantastic.

 

I'm obsessed with "Americans." It channels rockabilly mode Prince in the best way.

I'm with you on Electric Lady--I definitely thought it was a step up from ArchAndroid. And the new one is at least as good as Electric Lady.

 

Janelle Monáe: Dirty Computer Album Review | Pitchfork

These people really think this album is worthy of a 7.7

Anyone with good musical sense knows it’s worth BNM and an 8+ rating (honestly, I would rate it higher than that but whatever).

 

I don't know WTF has been happening at Pitchfork in the last few years, the stuff that's been getting BNMs has been largely inexplicable, and extremely good and progressive work has been totally ignored. Out of everything that's been given the distinction in 2018, the only records I've thought were exceptionally good were the U.S. Girls and Jean Grae x Quell Chris albums, and I may yet be sold on Cardi B and Kali Uchis... but so many of the best things I've heard this year, they just kind of scoff at and file away, and I don't get it. Dirty Computer has almost definitely unseated the new Yo La Tengo as my favorite of this year; I understand YLT's current tactic being divisive, but this feels like some of the most universal music I've heard in a long time. Anyway, whatevs.

 

WHEN can i get this on vinyl????

 

Oh please. It's a 4.0 at best. Emotion Picture with the audio down gets a 6.0.

 

Oh please yourself. I know this is all subjective, but as modern pop/R&B goes, this is creative, vital music. I'm sorry you don't like it much.

 

I'm very disappointed. I've championed Janelle for years... and now this

 

I like the album enough, but I Got The Juice is... not good. The rest ranges from good to great. I don't quite know how to view it as an album overall yet, but it still has some awesome stuff on it.

 

My, aren't you interesting?

 

Even my dog ignores me

 

There's virtually no chance of that ever being the case for new releases.

 

I've listened through the whole thing between 3 and 4 times, and all 12 songs are all stuck in my head at once. It's really stuck with me!

 

Having listened to the album for quite a few times over the last couple of days I find that I like it a lot. There is some good to great stuff on it and it's still growing on me. I also like the way the album flows (especially the first half), which makes the album greater than the sum of its parts. When I first heard "Django Jane" I only liked it ok, but now it works as a kind of coda to "Screwed", which is my favourite track on the album at the moment.

So far I don't love it as much as the previous albums, but when I stop comparing I just enjoy listening to it over and over again and probably will do so for quite a while.

Oh me, oh me, oh me,oh my...
I like that.

 

Get him.

 

I feel like they’re handing out BNM to albums that really don’t deserve it. I can’t get into Kali Uchis neither. I never really understood what people see in her, but different strokes for different folks. Dirty Computer is my favorite album of the year this far and it definitely deserves higher than a 7.7. Pitchfork has definitely fallen off. *covers face in shame*

 

I really love I Got the Juice...until Pharrel comes in. But the groove makes me kinda forgive that part.

I didn't like Django Jane very much as a single, but I had the same reaction as you and I really like it now, as an extension of Screwed.

If anyone hasn't watched the Emotion Picture yet, and you like Pynk, just know that there's a rapped section that's only in the movie.