Well done Beyoncé for becoming a mother, but
did little baby Ivy Blue really need to make a vocal contribution on the final
track? Did we really need another duet between you and your darling husband,
Jay-Z, to show us how “Drunk in Love” the two of you are? Did I really just
hear you utter the line “Can you lick my
skittles?” on the track “Blow”?
This latest album by Beyoncé (entitled Beyoncé) is certainly not short of corny
moments. However, to call it a bad album would certainly be an insult. The
rock-loving, pop-hating part of me that values its masculinity wanted to
dislike this album. Beyoncé writes songs about women ruling the world and all
that other stuff that men fear. Perhaps it was the lack of bra-burning and the
greater focus on sexiness that made this album largely enjoyable to me. Maybe
it was the fact that musically, this album was actually pretty damn decent.
The pop shackles have been broken and this
new album sees Beyoncé taking a freer, less commercial approach to music, much
like Lady Gaga did on her recent release, Artpop.
Tracks such as Haunted break the
standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure, whilst incorporating a wide
array of R&b, hip hop and electronic instrumentals. Unlike Artpop, however this record contains
charm. Lyrically, each track is introspective and meaningful. Although the
songs lack a certain catchiness, they make up for it by employing an infectiously
positive aura that makes it impossible not to feel proud of Beyoncé’s life achievements
and proud to be alive.
It’s a sugary album, sometimes sickeningly
sugary but overall gratifying.
★★★☆☆
TRACK TASTER:
TRACK TASTER: