Stream Janelle Monae’s Sprawling ‘The Electric Lady’

Carl Williott | September 4, 2013 7:40 am

We’ve got one more album to add to the flood of new music streams this week, with Janelle Monae‘s The Electric Lady streaming in full. The Suite IV-V continuation of her Metropolis/ArchAndroid tale is cinematic and sprawling, equal parts James Bond and Shaft. After a 007-esque intro, the album gets right into the long-awaited Prince collab, “Givin Em What They Love.” That first song is all falsetto wails, sharp guitar lines, horns and, oh yes, a righteous Prince guitar solo (unless it’s Monae’s house guitarist Kellindo Parker…either way, righteous).

Interestingly, Monae doesn’t unload a solo track until “We Were Rock N’ Roll” in the #7 spot. In addition to the many, many guitar solos, the album delves into space funk, quiet storm, rap and swinging ’60s London. It’s all over the place, but it’s all trademark Janelle. Stream all 67 minutes below, courtesy of VH1.