Sometimes a change in concept makes magic. «Beyoncé» the self titled brand new album release from the artist known as Beyoncé – was hush released without any pre-promo ahead of it’s release. The biggest surprise is that this release is her best album in her career so far.
Beyoncé is laid back and her voice is cooler and more amazing than ever. I first heard this vocal change on her husband Jay-Zs latest album. It’s an adult album, full of sexual references – at times explicit without being pure porn ala Janet Jackson’s albums releases “All For You” and “Domita Jo”. On her new album Miss Beyoncé is experimenting and flirting with several genres, the music is eclectic flirting more with hip-hop than she has done earlier – a trick also the controversial Miley Cyrus did on her latest “Bangerz” album.
I bet Mr and Mrs Carter has boomed albums like Drake, Jay-Z, D’angelo, Prince,Miley and Ocean on their stereo before deciding the sound of her brand self titled 2013 album.
You can actually draw a line between Miss Janets «Velvet Rope”, to Miley Curys «Bangerz» to Beyoncé latest album. D’angelo around Voodoo and Prince lurks in the shadow, especially on the track «Rocket» which sounds just like a twin-sister or part II to D’angelos «Untitled» and the purple Prince´ bluesier soul moments like «Call My Name» or «The One», the song is really soothing and god damn sexy! Had to check the liner-notes both once and twice…to see if Prince is doing a guest appearance on the track (or is it a secret appearance by the Man? Maybe a payback for her guest appearance on «Purple Rain-medley» on 2004 the Grammy awards? Just speculating, or dreaming if you like!
The album production is close to Drake and Frank Ocean and she even sounds like she’s ripping off Miley Cyrus here and there, especially on the tracks where she raps. Yes, you read correctly – Miss B is even rapping on this album!
…She works on the album with song-writer extraordinaire Sia, Timbaland and Ryan Tedder. But the real gem here is the, until now, unknown producer Boots (take note of that name). His production skills is probably the best of the years since Mike Will Made It duties on Jay Z “Magna Carta Holy Grail” and Mileys «Bangerz». Boots, just like Mike Will, sings, produces, and plays a lot of the instruments used on his productions. 9 out of 14 tracks are produced by Boots.
Is Boots a pseudonym to Mike Will? Just speculating again.
I have mentioned both Drake and Frank Ocean earlier, as a possible musical influence, they both visits “Beyonce”. She also lets her hubby Sean Carter aka Jay-Z guest the album, no album without his participation these days and they even lets their little daughter Blue Ivy feature on the last track named «Blue» coincidencially? I don’t think so!
The album sleeve is all black, with just her name on it. Is this her “Black Album” back in 1988, and like Metallica did on their “Metallica” aka The Black Album, and is it a reference to the Beatles self titled album “The Beatles” aka the legendary «White Album»?
By not including her self on the album sleeve, as she normally does, she makes a fresh start, she makes gives her album a bit of a mystique. A secret, just like the sudden not-promoted, just like whoooph there it is! And there it was! She somehow erase her own former musical concept and starts a new one!
Beyonces «Beyonce» is a game changer, a new start
The album is an up a modern affair, a grown up 2013 style, modern and funky – a coffee table album, the music answer to coffee table book, an album you would love to play to your friends, and will follow you and your life. I recommend it everyone around me ´cos this is a real grower of an album!
Read and Hear 