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The Official Beyoncé Thread; New album "Lemonade"
Topic Started: Nov 3 2008, 10:40 AM (13,282 Views)
Pera
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New York Times - 9/10

That’s the theme of her superb fifth studio album, “Beyoncé” (Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia), which arrives as a feat of both music and promotion. Its songs are steamy and sleek, full of erotic exploits and sultry vocals; every so often, for variety, they turn vulnerable, compassionate or pro-feminist. And with both the songs and the videos, Beyoncé consolidates one of pop’s most finely balanced personas; she is, at once, glamorous and down-home, carnal and sweet, “Queen Bey” and a diligent trouper, polished and human. “Underneath the pretty face is something complicated,” she sings in “No Angel.”

“Beyoncé” suddenly appeared in the iTunes music store with no prior hype — though plenty thereafter — at midnight Eastern time on Thursday. That’s the latest iteration of a tactic already used this year by David Bowie and My Bloody Valentine, who also released albums with no announcement or buildup. Of course, Beyoncé one-upped them: “Beyoncé” includes elaborate videos for every song, many of them made on location — in France, Brazil, Australia — while the multitasking Beyoncé was taking her “Mrs. Carter Show” tour around the world. (It returns to Barclays Center on Dec. 19 and 22.)

She needed only an Instagram announcement to draw international attention, and the album immediately went to No. 1 in 90 countries on iTunes’ rankings. It was no secret that she had been working for a long time on the album, her first since “4,” in 2011. And it arrives at nearly the last possible moment for the lucrative Christmas season.

But Beyoncé transformed a delay into a selling point. And by not manufacturing discs until the album appeared online — they are promised to retail stores before Christmas — her label avoided the leaks that often occur during manufacturing and distribution. Neatly done.

In a year full of overblown marketing campaigns for albums that were letdowns — among them, “Magna Carta ... Holy Grail,” by Beyoncé's husband, Jay Z — “Beyoncé” should long outlast the initial stir. The songs are alert to the current sound of clubs and radio, but not trapped by it; the refrains are terse and direct, but what happens between them isn’t formulaic. And while Beyoncé constructed the songs with a phalanx of collaborators, they all know better than to eclipse her creamy, soulful voice.

After the scattershot styles on “4,” Beyoncé has chosen to stick with largely electronic R&B. She worked with longtime hitmakers — Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, The-Dream, Justin Timberlake — and relative newcomers like Hit-Boy and Boots. Mostly, they supply her with means of seduction: particularly in “Rocket,” an ultraslow tease that looks back to Prince (by way of the Prince fans Miguel and Mr. Timberlake, who are among the songwriters), as harmonies blossom all around Beyoncé's cooing lead vocal.

The even more explicit “Partition,” savoring sex in a limo, has a sparse synthesizer pulse and little swoops before a whispery chorus joins her. “Superpower,” a vow of lasting “tough love” that’s a duet with Frank Ocean, gives doo-wop a futuristic sheen, as her voice goes low and smoky. Meanwhile, “Jealous” — about promises, suspicion and potential revenge — turns into an accusatory anthem.

But Beyoncé offers solidarity alongside romance. “Heaven” is a mourning song with hymnlike piano, offering tearful comfort: “Heaven couldn’t wait for you/So go on, go home”; it may be heard at funerals for years to come. “Flawless,” with a staccato, trap-flavored track, mixes growling celebrity autobiography — “I took some time to live my life/but don’t think I’m just his little wife” — with a feminist speech from a Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and a sisterly cheer, “I look so good tonight!”

The album’s opener is “Pretty Hurts,” written with Sia Furler, which denounces “plastic smiles” and warns, “It’s the soul that needs the surgery.” Its video shows beauty pageant contestants in backstage distress, and through the album, both video and audio snippets remind us that Beyoncé has been a performer and contestant since childhood.

“Flawless” begins and ends with a televised talent contest lost by one of Beyoncé's many youthful groups, Girls Tyme (raising the hindsight question of where the winners are now). And while most of the videos show Beyoncé in elaborate designer luxury with dancers and actors, she also appears among ordinary people on Coney Island, in Brazil and at a Houston roller disco.

The full album includes a video of “Grown Woman” — a song that appeared earlier this year as a Pepsi commercial — that juxtaposes images of the wealthy, grown-up Beyoncé, drink in hand, with grainy shots of her youthful efforts as a performer: eager, smiling, diligent. Superstar and striver, impossibly accomplished without forgetting a humble start, Beyoncé has it both ways, and “Beyoncé” makes it believable.

Edited by Pera, Dec 15 2013, 12:21 PM.
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GimmeSomeRiver
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Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 11:47 AM
GimmeSomeRiver
Dec 15 2013, 07:14 AM
Riverwide
Dec 14 2013, 08:59 PM
This is "creative bliss"? Not bothering to write a single memorable tune? Wow, that must take so much creativity. :lmao:

"Exhilarating"? :rotfl:
I have no idea what these 'tunes' that you keep referring to are. Yes, it's not happy happy, clappy clappy, sing along stuff but it's a lot more textured and mature than anything she has ever put out. Many many people fell in love with this album, including myself, and this happened on listen 1, before the hype kicked in. I'll even go as far as saying that the first listen of this gave me the same feelings of exhilaration and excitement that Born This Way did, where an artist I admired took some really big risks and went places I never imagined they would.
Tune has nothing to do with "happy clappy". A tune is a melody. Music is melody. There are no melodies of any note on this album. This is "music" in its very lowest form. Complete and utter drek. How you can even mention it in the same breath as Born This Way is beyond me. This is essentially anti-music. Tuneless, urban drivel.

Just because an artist doesn't bother writing melodies does NOT mean it should be praised. Quite the contrary. It merely proves that people will buy any old tat and also exposes people who clearly know nothing about what makes music so magical.
Rap music as a rule doesn't have melodies as it's usually spoken and not sung (apart from rap/sung collaborations). Does that mean it's not music? There's a lot more to music than Dr Luke melodies that hit you over the head. Production, delivery, vocals, emotion. Different strokes for different folks I guess but it's a shame that you're missing out on a great album.
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Jimmy Mack
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Meh. I prefer Solange.
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johnnox
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Surely if a song or album resonates with a person, that's what makes it magical?
I don't like musical snobbery or being told what to enjoy and what is a good song. I can find the magic myself. And that's not a dig at anyone.
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Riverwide
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Nah, fair enough. Ultimately, it's whatever floats your boat.

Even if it is shite.
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bulgar
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Just imagine if Madonna or Gaga dared to release this type of drivel...
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Riverwide
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bulgar
Dec 15 2013, 05:56 PM
Just imagine if Madonna or Gaga dared to release this type of drivel...
I know! All hell would break loose! Beyonce releases it and it's "the greatest artistic statement by a female artist in decades".

:megamanson:
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Deelightful Bitch
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I think alot of the music is beautiful :). It's not an album of singles. It's an album's album. It's one very mellow, smooth, nostalgic, atmospheric mood. I can appreciate that too! I think it's really pretty & low key. My favorite is still Haunted.

I love Blow, Blue, Drunk In Love, & Pretty Hurts.
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Riverwide
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From Hits Daily Double:

EXCLUSIVE: Two singles from Beyonce’ s blockbuster Q4 surprise have been selected for radio, we’ve just learned: “XO” (written by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic) will go to Top 40 tomorrow, while “Drunk in Love,” a duet with Jay Z, will impact at Urban. Videos for both tracks will premiere on VEVO tomorrow. Details of physical product are being finalized as Team Columbia, Beyonce’s Team Parkwood and iTunes work together to bring the superstar’s vision to fruition. (12/15p)
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Vancho
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Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
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Riverwide
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Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
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Vancho
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Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 08:44 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
I was looking for... official links :shy: I'm paranoid about illegal downloads these days.
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Riverwide
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Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:51 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 08:44 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
I was looking for... official links :shy: I'm paranoid about illegal downloads these days.
"Official links"? Uh...have you heard of iTunes? :chuckle:
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Vancho
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Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 09:03 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:51 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 08:44 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
I was looking for... official links :shy: I'm paranoid about illegal downloads these days.
"Official links"? Uh...have you heard of iTunes? :chuckle:
I'm cheap though, don't want to pay for it :chuckle:

I thought it'd be on iTunes “First Play” or something (like Miley/Katy/Gaga/Britney did), but it's not there either.
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Riverwide
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Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 09:08 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 09:03 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:51 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 08:44 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
I was looking for... official links :shy: I'm paranoid about illegal downloads these days.
"Official links"? Uh...have you heard of iTunes? :chuckle:
I'm cheap though, don't want to pay for it :chuckle:
You really can't have it both ways I'm afraid.
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FuckBuddy
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Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 09:08 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 09:03 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:51 PM
Riverwide
Dec 15 2013, 08:44 PM
Ivane
Dec 15 2013, 08:41 PM
Where did you guys listen to this best-selling disaster? It's not on Spotify yet...
Why don't you look *cough*...BELOW.
I was looking for... official links :shy: I'm paranoid about illegal downloads these days.
"Official links"? Uh...have you heard of iTunes? :chuckle:
I'm cheap though, don't want to pay for it :chuckle:

I thought it'd be on iTunes “First Play” or something (like Miley/Katy/Gaga/Britney did), but it's not there either.
an official illegal download link does not exist for any release.

anyway, 68k sold in the uk resulting in that top5 debut. pretty amazing considering the holiday market is traditionally heavy on physical sales
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Vancho
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FuckBuddy
Dec 15 2013, 11:40 PM
an official illegal download link does not exist for any release.
I was hoping for a streaming link, like the ones we got for BANGERZ, PRISM, ARTPOP and Britney Jean. You could basically stream the entire album on iTunes through this thing called iTunes First Play.
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johnnox
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This is the first time I've listened to a Beyonce album more than three or four times. I really really like this a lot. I love the production, the accompanying videos, the fact she has something to say, and contrary to what some believe, there are plenty of hooks and melodies. There's a little filler here and there but not half as much as her previous work.

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Fembot 1
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This is the first time I've listened to a Beyonce album full stop. I quite like it.


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GimmeSomeRiver
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You should both listen to 4. It's a treat.
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