Album Review written by ToyaLeak date: 24th August 2006
B'Day is a trendy party pooper of a CD. There are a lot of fun tracks on the album, a lot of attitude-inspired songs, but that's all it is. Hot for the moment, but ten years from now it will become a faded art of obscurity. There aren't any masterpieces on the album or anything that can be considered classic. If anything, this is more of an upgraded version of Dangerously In Love, except DIL was a much more polished album and at least the single choices were on point and the video's were hot and masterful. Songs like Freekum dress are ones you laugh at and can't take too seriously but is just there for fun. She did a wonderful job on the very soulful Resentment, power-ballad Listen and the acoustic-driven Irreplaceable which is no surprise that the slower tracks are the ones that mainly stand out on B'Day. Other tracks worth listening to are Kitty Kat (one of my favourites), Upgrade You, Get Me Embodied and Green Light. I wasn't feeling Suga Mama when the 30 second clip was leaked but after hearing the song in its entirety, I love the song because it has the same 70's soul instrumental as Work It Out. The album has its nice moments. However, such attire will expire and quickly so.
Rating: 3/5
26 Comments:
The only song I'm still not feelin' at all is "Freakum Dress", it's lyrics are still way too juvenile to me. I'm not too crazy about "Suga Mama" either, but I love the beat! I take back anything I might have thought or said about this album. It's pretty hot! Definitely on the level of Dangerously In Love in my opinion (there are couple I've never gotten into on that album as well), this is just a different sound entirely. Dangerously In Love was more laid back, B'Day is hard hitting beats throughout. I give it a 4 out of 5. I definitely plan on buying it!
Oh and "Kitty Kat" is definitely my favorite song on the album. Go Bee!
I feel the same way. I don't like how she's adlibbing all over the songs though.
I love the adlibs. It's a party record thats for sure.
It's great for working out, I played it while I was working out today and I was pumped up.
totally disgree, i would give this record 4/5,coz bee's vocals, beats and production r on point.folks need to stop campring it to,"dangerous in love", i mean that was a different time, and quite frankly most folks r not really in the mood of listenning to album with just ballads.she definately did a good job in try cover all grounds and exploring other grounds.she didn't try exploting or copying other folks style of music(justin and christina aguilera),this album is definately fun and enaging to listen to.
i luv irreplacable!!! That is the song!!! This album is hot!!! But I think Check On It wasn't needed. It's already on 3 other albums (Pink Panther, Speak My Mind and #1s). I had enuff of Check on it and 2 me it somewhat ruins the flow of the album
I disagree Toya, I think she will be around...she's Beyonce...& I feel it was a lot of songs that are works of art...it's kind of a "fun" album & cannot be compared 2 DIL cause that album had more ballads...she does sound nice on that area but I wanna see sumthing new & different & Beyonce definitely did that....But ppl will have their opinions I know some ppl that absolutely love sum of the tracks & think it's different 4rm her others & "New," she has that ear U kno? We will always love Beyonce kno matter wat venture she goes into cause we kno it's not easy...Beyonce is such a beautiful, appealing, & talented women...I wish her the best!!!
-By the way I luv Green Light alot!!! There is also Upgrade U ft Jay-Z & Irreplaceable; that record is REAL, I feel that 4real, the lyrics to Irreplaceable....
-I will always remember Beyonce she brought a new style to music now with "fast" singing, arranging different harmonies, & adding new sound & substance on different records...I hope she lives a wonderful life, marry Shawn (Jay-Z), have kids & reflect every once in a while...I think she is, still is & will forever be, the Hotest Chick In The Game!!! I appreciate This woman so much!!!
GOOD LUCK B!!!
I love "Suga Moma" but What does she say in the begining of "Suga Momma?," when she says "Dam that was so good I wanna........." She is so silly!!! I think she acts more in music than movies..Music will always be her area, cause I notice she does different things with her voice & even in live performances U notice she's an ENTERTAINER!!! She was born for this!!! Look @ all her performance she "acts"!!! I love B!!!
i think the album is out of place but some some are good.
B'Day is unlike "Dangerously In Love" because whereas that album, along with other Destiny's Child fare, chronicles a woman falling in real love and experiencing all the ups and downs that are often associated with a relationship.
B'Day is pure energy, and pure infatuation. She speaks for Deena Jones, her "Dreamgirls" character and how she falls in love and gets stuck in a situation that was never real to start with. She hallucinates in "Deja Vu," splurges on her man in "Suga Mama" and "Upgrade U," and realizes her folly in "Ring the Alarm," "Kitty Kat," "Irreplaceable," and "Resentment." It's really a conceptual album, regardless of what snippets may lead you to believe.
Putting this album at 10 tracks was an excellent decision. With DIL containing 35% uptempo tracks and some considerable filler, B'Day shines with approximately 70% uptempos (only tracks 6, 9, and 10 classify as midtempo or slow) that keep the (emotional, but energetic) party movin'. Cop this! I know I will on the official
Hey Toya, it's ya boy Felipe (Tori's here, too!) I will be emailing you soon - been busy. Anyway, on to the subject...
I think what you have said is pretty true. Beyonce seems to have put together a very "current" CD. I love it, really. Most of the songs are the kind you have to listen to a couple of times to really 'get' but they are very interesting and intriguing...kind of like some of the tracks on "Survivor", so I am definitely seeing that comparison.
I think B WAS trying to prove that she can make a hit record like nothing at all because Rihanna is jockin her style, LeToya is showing that her star is a bright one as well, Fergie and Christina are bringing their A-game...AND Janet is "coming back". I think she WAS trying very hard, but...I also think she succeeded. Her tracks are progressive, and very forward. However...they are not timeless AT ALL.
B has always considered herself a performer AND an artist, and I think that she has for a moment gotten caught up in the hype and lost a little bit of insight on her goals, but then again her goals may have just changed.
Besides all that, her voice sounds really amazing, I think. Though she may be yelling a little...she has proven her vocals to be some pretty amazing displays. I've always loved her voice, but I think now you can really hear her emotions...something that sometimes lacks because she is too concerned with her phrasing or the way she is riding a beat.
That said, I'm feeling it.
Oh yeah, and somebody said Beyonce "brought a new style to music with fast singing"?
I hope folks don't really have this conception.
She didn't even REALLY bring it to the mainstream, people.
What R U talkin about? She did bring that to the game...they even say it & Wyclef frekin Jean said it too! What a compliment, he's the one who discovered that style she had of singing...Now, as U can see everybodys doin it...but I other than that part I agree.....
I DONT KNO WHY THEY PUT "CHECK ON IT" IN THIS ALBUM, I GUESS ITS JUST BECUZ NOW SHE CAN SAY "B-DAY" HAD A NUMBA 1 SONG TOO LMAO CUZ IT WILL BE THE ONE AND ONLY SONG TO GET THAT SPOT
Album is not that bad that I think at first. But not as good also and of cause not great..
Realy like just 2 songs - Upgrade U(that's what she better be realising and not DV as a 1st single with Jay-Z - everyone like it ) and Freekum Dress (seems like I'm the only one who's feelin' this song).
Anyway wish her good luck with it because for 2 weeks of work(if it was really 2 ;)) it's maybe really great, but next time she should work way longer.
This album isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. So I take back SOME...I repeat...SOME of the harsh things I said about it. But it still sounds rushed. Some of the songs are too frenetic. On some tracks it's like she's try'na hide the lack of instrumentation by ad libbing and harmonizing constantly.
The one thing I can't fault is the vocal production. The chick can SING and her harmonies and vocal arrangements are awfully tight - but it's just the production isn't as rich as it shoulda been. "Green light" (IMO) is the best track on the album, because the production is tight, The Neptunes show they can create a song with an actual melody, it's catchy and the lyrics are cool. It borders just right. Even "Irreplaceable" isn't as good as it coulda been. It's a hot track, but it seems so rushed. I can't help but think Kelly coulda handled that track better because of her voice.
The album also has this feel like she recorded them one after another. (Which is what she probably did to complete it in 2 weeks!) It's like she's just singing through a track so she can hurry and record the next.
"B'Day" isn't a complete wreck, ("Upgrade U", "Green light" an "Got me bodied" and "Irreplaceable" would make hot singles and "Kitty Kat" is damn smooth!) but Beyonce could've come MUCH better than this.
Even "Listen" isn't all that. Her voice doesn't stand out because on every track other than "Kitty Kat", she's blowin' anyway...proper blowing - so it's like "Urgh!" I wish she'd try something new with her voice. "Naughty girl" was hot because of how she sang it. Destiny's Child's "Dot" and "Love" were hot because of how she sung it. She has such a phenomenal vocal range, but she doesn't exploit to creative effect enough.
She can come better than this...
Regardless of what everyone says this is a classic for her. I can see why the name is b-day because it's like a big party album. It's something for years your going to ride out with your girls ,and you'll be getting ready for the club ,and say pop on that upgrade u. I can not hate at all because it's not many females who can sing over the beats that she has crushed. I am most def buying this album on the 5th
I totally agree with u Denna not to many females could have song over these beats and I do find that yrs from now I am going to say put on kitty kat or freekum dress
Don't 4get "Resentment"!!!! Yrs 4rm now Ppl will Remember dat Toya!!! Best TRACK EVER!!!!!!!! It's like a "Movie," if I may say, she is so RAW! I Luv Her...It is like a party album *hint* B'Day, & she even said it, & it's part of her character 4rm Dreamgirls...It relates soooooo well!!! Do ya thangh B!!!!! I will be gettin the 1st day!!!! & Kudos 2 ALL The Anonymous' comments!!!!!! Lmao!!!!
Some of the opinions in here are very questionable???? Too me her vocal performance on this album was horrible. Wayyy too many ab-libs in places they shouldn't be. This album being better than DIL is pure laughter and only a Beyonce fan or undercover will agree. This album being a Classic is a flat out joke. The beats are not that good as people are making them out too be. Nothing glabs your attetion except the beat too upgrade you. If this album is a big ass party I guess the party turned out too be a huge flop. The only songs worth listening too are. Upgrade U (which is mediocre and the beat carries the song) Irreplaceable, and Ressenment. I went too the mall the other day and had the album on my iPod was bored with it within a hour.
Finally, someone with some damn sense made a realistic and rational post. I honestly think some of these people who post on here work for Beyonce/Columbia, or they have to be kids/teenagers. Because there is nothing great about this album...and only a child who didn't know any better could think this album stands a chance of being a classic.
Finally, someone with some damn sense made a realistic and rational post. I honestly think some of these people who post on here work for Beyonce/Columbia, or they have to be kids/teenagers. Because there is nothing great about this album...and only a child who didn't know any better could think this album stands a chance of being a classic.
SHUT THE FREAK UP ANON.. U JUS MAD CUZ U'LL NEVER BE EVEN CLOSE 2 THE TYPE OF SUCCESS THAT BEYONCE HAS U SORRY S.O.B.... U PROLLY HAVE BEYONCE SH*T ALL IN YO CRIB & U PROLLY GON BE DA 1ST B*TCH TAKEN DA LINE UP IN DA MALL TRYIN 2 SCOOP HER CD....
I'm stating ONE obvious example of someone who sang in the faster phrasing before Beyonce: Mariah.
"Butterfly", the album featuring the track 'Breakdown' was released before Destiny's Child even came out. Despite the track not placing high on the charts, the video was quite successful, and the song made its impact.
On Beyonce (as well as others).
She's really NOT what you're trying to make her out to be. She did not invent ANY singing style at all. She may have a different image, and [slightly] different music from many female R&B singers, but her singing, as beautiful as it is, is not original. It's quite commercial, actually.
I do love Beyonce's version of that lovely track Resentment but you have to give credit where credit is due and Beyonce is doing my girl Jazmine Sullivan proud but BE can't get with it like Jazz did....
http://www.zshare.net/audio/jazmine-sullivan-resentment-mp3.html
I absolutely love this album. My favorites are 'Irreplaceable', 'Kitty Kat' and 'Ring the Alarm'. 'Listen' is a POWERHOUSE as well. She could have kept Frekum Dress, though (and Suga Mama too) And why are people saying that 'Check on It' is on the album? Do you all have a special edition or something?
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