Review #81: Beyonce, Beyonce
#81: Beyonce, Beyonce
This album happened to come out during the first time in my life I’d ever had friends who were professed pop fans, which was very lucky for me because when Lemonade came out, I already had my ears tuned to the Beyonce machine. The RS blurb points out that this was a surprise-drop album, and was also was a “visual” album, with a different video for each song. This album set us up to knock us down with Lemonade three years later, which was honestly a revelation in a way this album isn’t.
I always think about that Lady Gaga SNL skit where it’s the future and nobody knows who Lady Gaga is, but the maintenance guy finally gets excited about the fact that she performed a song with “Empress Beyonce” on it, “All hail.” To a degree, Gaga’s popularity really did wane as Beyonce’s waxed. I like to think their careers have since equalized.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Haunted” — This song scares the crap out of me. I wish this was the first song on the album.
“Drunk In Love (feat. Jay-Z)” — The ruler’s back! This is a great song, but SERIOUSLY, what is with the Ike and Tina Turner references?! Beyonce, you can stop Jay-Z from staying stupid shit, this is YOUR album!
“Blow” — Fine, this is a bop.
“No Angel” — Another one that kinda scares me.
“Partition” — This is my favorite song on this album by far. I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker. What a gross thing to say, and how delightful that it’s on a Beyonce song!
“Jealous” — I liked the lyrics in this one.
“Mine (feat. Drake)” — I liked the lyrics in this one a LOT. Beyonce is kind of like flashy Anne Sexton.
“Blue (feat. Blue Ivy) — “HELLO, CHILD LABOR LAWS? HAVE YOU CHECKED ON BEYONCE’S KID?” I’m just kidding, this song is very sweet.
“7/11” — Not technically on the album but this one WOULD be my favorite if it was. I just love when Beyonce raps.
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“Pretty Hurts” — I already know I’m gonna get hate for this, but I just hate this song. I just hate the title! It sounds like a second graders’ essay about beauty standards. Sorry, I can’t help but speak my truth.
“XO” — Yes, yes, yes, Beyonce and Jay-Z have a love that spans all of time and space. Congrats to them.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
I don’t really know. Sean, what do you think?
Review #80: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, The Sex Pistols
Review #82: There’s A Riot Goin’ On, Sly and the Family Stone
