I don’t get to talk about popular music too often, mostly because the bands I am drawn to are never all that . . . popular. Most of the musicians whose careers I decide to champion go immediately from relative obscurity to complete oblivion. (A certain local club-owning friend used to joke that as soon as he saw me walk in the door he knew he was going to have a bad night. He was not wrong. Earl Greyhound anyone? Division of Laura Lee? See.)
The lovely Janelle Monáe does not need my help — I can do her career no harm — but I want to make sure everyone knows how great this album is. (Anybody been missing Prince? James Brown? Check out “Make Me Feel.”) She opened the recent Global Citizen Festival and nobody could touch that set. And the outfits!
So what is the Providence connection? This enigmatic album cover was designed by Providence artist Joe Perez. We wrote about Perez last May when he was releasing his new apparel line, Mason. He has executed many cool album covers including that bodacious “Queen” for Nicki Minaj.
But for now I am promoting Janelle Monáe’s “Dirty Computer” which is doing quite well thank you. Oblivion is not in her future.