Our Thoughts on the Surpise Beyoncé Album
Beyoncé shocked the world when she released her visual album on December 13th. A collection of 14 tracks centered on themes of feminine empowerment. Its flow is hypnotic, sultry and pulsates sounds that are enthusiastically warm and inviting. After a few listens, here is our review of the Beyoncé album.
The opener, “Pretty Hurts,” emphatically captures the album’s theme. The instrumentation is anthemic with Beyoncé’s vocals simmering within the beats. “Ghost/Haunted” finds Beyoncé speaking on the record industry, staying alive within it and not becoming just another notch on the roster while the Neptunes laced “Blow,” the album’s first single released to pop radio takes listeners on a retro voyage through the diva’s well – Blow.
“Drunk on Love,” moves into the speakers as a Southern swag cut with Jay-Z proving yet again that he can tailor his flow to any beat. “Rocket” is reminiscent of a poignant quiet storm song that goes down smooth where “Mine,” switches between two distinctive tempos that reflect the Sasha Fierce/Beyoncé persona that the singer gravitated between on I Am…Sasha Fierce.
“XO,” set to be released as the second single is impeccably delivered—not because it is a nod to the fans from the singer, but due to the production that is equally powerful and defying, a combination of soul and pop. The album’s finale “Blue” is a song written about Blue Ivy with a piano driven beat that is infectious and impressive.
There is difficulty in finding anything wrong with this first Beyoncé album with the exception of the fact that there are no fiery songs such as the vociferous “Diva,” the exquisite nuances of “Me, Myself & I, or irresistible fluidity of “Party,” which will more than likely make it a listen at home or the iPod recording, as opposed to a dominating presence for the club and radio. The visual album is a presentation of a toughened singer now wiser than she was years ago and intent on evoking discussions on feminism and enjoying life, amidst an exploration of a multiplicity of rhythms accompanied by music videos that make it one of the more flawless contemporary R&B albums to emerge in quite some time.
Beyoncé receives a PARL
Rating:
P…Horrible
PA…Tolerable
PAR…Good
PARL…Kinda Great
PARLÉ… Classic
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