Review #32: Lemonade, Beyonce

Karla Clifton
3 min readFeb 12, 2021

#32: Lemonade, Beyonce

This is probably the first album that I’ve listened to on the list which had a pretty direct impact on my life immediately after its release. Beyonce released Lemonade and then the world was a little bit different.

Lemonade pretty much changed how I listen to music. I was a very staunch rock/punk rock fan, and then this album came out and suddenly I could listen to other kinds of music. I bought this album on iTunes, because it wasn’t available on Spotify, in the year 2016. In fact I’m pretty sure this is the last album I bought on iTunes.

So thanks, Beyonce, for opening up my musical world.

FAVORITE SONGS:

“Pray You Catch Me” — Yeah this album is really a masterpiece. This redefined angry breakup albums, and Beyonce is still married! Imagine!

“Hold Up” — This is my favorite video definitely. That yellow dress! Also did you know that Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have writing credits on this song, all because of that one Tweet Ezra did in 2011? Positively wild.

“Don’t Hurt Yourself” — Jack White! Jack White is on the coolest song on this album! I had a roommate in college who didn’t like this song because it was “basically a screamo song.”

Sorry” — I always forget that every single song on this is incredible. Oh my God, Becky with the good hair! Remember when this song ruined Rachel Roy’s life? No, not Rachael Ray.

“6 Inch” — Oh look, it’s the Weeknd, headliner of America’s Okayest Halftime Show! But I don’t care — Beyonce’s voice on this — it haunts me.

“Daddy Lessons” — This is I think the best song on the album, which is crazy because it’s a country song!

“Sandcastles” — This type of song is usually too slow for me, and it’s about forgiving a cheater, which, eh. But Beyonce’s VOICE, man.

“Freedom” — The Kendrick feature! I also love the little snippet from Jay-Z’s grandma.

“All Night” — YES. I love when she skips up a thousand octaves on LOO-OOVE.

“Formation” — Thank God Beyonce knows not to end it with a slow song. I LOVE THIS SONG. After watching America’s Okayest Halftime Show this year, I went back and watched Coldplay & Bruno Mars & Beyonce’s AMAZING halftime show, which happened right after she released this album. She plays this song! Go watch that and remember the Time Before the Plague, and weep.

LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:

“Love Drought” — I actually think this song is very cool and interesting, but for whatever reason it just doesn’t sound pleasant to my ears.

“Forward” — Who the hell is James Blake?

IS RS FULL OF IT?

Yes. How many of Beatles albums have we reviewed so far? Four? Just checking?

Review #31: Kind of Blue, Miles Davis

Review #33: Back to Black, Amy Winehouse

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