![]() ![]() There are songs named after champagne cocktails, and recordings of Monáe and friends toasting each other as they embark on an evening of bar-hopping. And its lyrical focus shifts dramatically from future dystopias to partying and having it off. It clocks in at a trim 31 minutes, less than half the length of either The Electric Lady or The ArchAndroid, and its songs, interludes and fleeting guest appearances – Grace Jones speaking French a brief burst of toasting from venerable Jamaican DJ Sister Nancy – segue into each other. Rather than a stylised illustration of a heavily coiffed and costumed Monáe complete with a wordy subtitle, the cover of The Age of Pleasure features a blurry snap of the singer topless and underwater, swimming through a succession of people’s legs. The high concepts and Afrofuturism appear to have gone out of the window. On her fourth album, however, everything has changed. But the records sold well rather than spectacularly, spawning hits that slow-burned to gold status without actually making the Top 40. And you couldn’t fault Monáe’s sense of commitment to her roles, which extended to apparently giving interviews in character. (Purchasers of 2013’s The Electric Lady could take their pick from the standard edition, featuring a cover titled Concerning Cindi and Her Sisters and the Skull of Night Thrashings, or a deluxe version called Concerning Cindi and the Glow of the Drogon’s Eyes.) Equal parts Afrofuturism and the sexually ambiguous personae of 70s Bowie, Monáe’s albums to date posited her as a part-human, part-cyborg figure in a dystopian future. ![]() (For extra difficulty, do two rounds of four sets.F or over a decade, Janelle Monáe has carved a niche for herself as a purveyor of R&B so high concept that even her album covers came with subtitles. After completing one set of the selected exercises, you can take extended recovery as needed or continue onto the next set. Do each exercise for 45 seconds each (with all-out effort), then rest for 15 seconds. Instructions: For an efficient, full-body workout, select four to five exercises from the below list. Time: 15 to 30 minutes | Equipment: Resistance band(s) | Good for: Total body (If you love it, try the 30-day resistance band challenge for more ways to sweat with mini-bands.) Stretch your strength training routine with this quick, do-it-anywhere resistance band workout, programmed by Earnest. And BTW, it’s best to have a minimum of three resistance bands on deck-light, medium, and heavy-since different muscle groups might require varying levels of resistance, Earnest says. That also means you can easily adjust your workout intensity by either choosing a band with more resistance, or rather, moving the band to different tension points on the body (such as lower or higher on your legs to increase difficulty), Earnest notes. She offers hundreds of on-demand classes at Kristina Earnest on Demand. Meet the expert: Kristina Earnest, AFAA, NASM, is a New York-based certified personal trainer, with a decade of training and teaching under her belt. “This challenges you to maintain the speed and power you use to execute a movement through its full range of motion,” Earnest says. (Really!)įor starters, resistance bands use oppositional force to train your muscles, meaning the band will feel heavier the more you pull on it, says personal trainer Kristina Earnest, AFAA, NASM. Plus, resistance bands have so many benefits that can make them a better option than dumbbells or kettlebells. You can use them to work pretty much every muscle head to toe. These small-but-mighty tools build serious strength. ![]() That is until I added a set of resistance bands. As much as I'd love to tote around my entire home gym on every getaway to keep up my strength routine, that's simply not possible. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |