Asian version of the lead Destinys Child featuring 3 tracks not found on the US edition: Work It Out, Bonnie & Clyde 03, & Crazy In Love (featuring Asian superstar Vanessa Wu).
ReviewBeyoncé Knowles was always presented as the star of Destiny’s Child — which probably shouldn’t be a big surprise since her father managed the group. So it was a natural step for her to step into the diva spotlight with a solo album in 2003, particularly since it followed on the heels of her co-starring role in Mike Myers‘ 2002 comedy hit, Austin Powers in Goldmember. Still, a singer takes a risk when going solo, as there’s no guarantee that her/his star will still shine as bright when there’s nobody to reflect upon. Plus, Survivor often sounded labored, as Knowles struggled to sound real. The Knowles clan — Beyoncé and her father Mathew, that is (regrettably, Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool is no relation) — were apparently aware of these two pitfalls since they pull off a nifty trick of making her debut album, Dangerously in Love, appeal to a broad audience while making it sound relatively easy. Sometimes that ease can translate into carelessness (at least with regard to the final stretch of the album), with a prolonged sequence of ballads that get stuck in their own treacle, capped off by the unbearably mawkish closer, “Gift from Virgo,” where she wishes her unborn child and her husband to be like her daddy. (Mind you, she’s not pregnant or married, she’s just planning ahead, although she gets tripped up in her wishes since there’s “no one else like my daddy.”) Although these are a little formless — and perhaps would have been more digestible if spread throughout the record — they are impeccably produced and showcase Knowles‘ new relaxed and smooth delivery, which is a most welcome development after the overworked Survivor. Knowles doesn’t save this voice just for the ballads — she sounds assured and sexy on the dance numbers, particularly when she has a male counterpart, as on the deliriously catchy “Crazy in Love” with her man Jay-Z or on “Baby Boy” with 2003’s dancehall superstar, Sean Paul. These are the moments when Dangerously in Love not only works, but sounds like Knowles has fulfilled her potential and risen to the top of the pack of contemporary R&B divas. It’s just too bad that momentum is not sustained throughout the rest of the record. About halfway through, around the astrological ode “Signs” with Missy Elliott, it starts crawling through its ballads and, while listenable, it’s not as exciting as the first part of the record. Still, the first half is good enough to make Dangerously in Love one of the best mainstream urban R&B records released in 2003, and makes a strong case that Knowles might be better off fulfilling this destiny instead of reuniting with Destiny. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
2006 edition of the former Destinys Child frontwomans sophomore album, produced by her beau Jay-Z. Includes the bonus track Creole, available only on this edition.
ReviewAt least one tactic or event preceding the release of Beyoncé’s second solo album inspired a bemused three-syllable exclamation from anyone who was paying attention. The lead single, the late-’70s-funk-inspired “Deja Vu,” had the audacity to not be as monstrous as “Crazy in Love” — its stay at the top of the charts was relatively brief, so clearly there was evidence of some drop-off there. This was quickly followed by “Ring the Alarm,” an angered, atonal, and out-of-character song with an accompanying video that invited all kinds of perplexed analysis, along with debate on whether Beyoncé was being autobiographical or, as the singer claimed, channeling her Dreamgirls character. All of this gave the haters plenty of ammo when anything less than 100% polite, ladylike, and expected was bound to do the trick. Add to this an album title that can be pronounced just like “bidet,” along with the advertisement that the album’s ten songs were whipped up in two weeks, and you have yourself a career-killing train wreck. B’day isn’t even close to that. While Beyoncé does sound like she’s in a bit of a hurry throughout the album, and there are no songs with the smooth elegance of “Me, Myself and I” or “Be with You,” it is lean in a beneficial way, propelled by just as many highlights as the overlong Dangerously in Love. Two collaborations with Rich Harrison swagger and preen: “Been locked up in the house way too long/It’s time to get it, ’cause once again he’s out doing wrong” (the blaring/marching “Freakum Dress”); “Don’t give me no lip, let mama do it all” (the spectacularly layered “Suga Mama”). The Neptunes assist on “Green Light,” an ambitious, fleet-footed number that continually switches tempos and sounds, as well as “Kitty Kat,” a deceptively sweet, rainbow-colored track — where what sounds like purrs are more like claws-out dismissals — that could’ve been pulled from one of the first three Kelis albums. And even with an entirely bonkers line like “I can do for you what Marvin did for the people,” “Upgrade U” is the most potent track on the album, a low-slung Cameron Wallace production where Beyoncé wears and buys the pants while making her proposition sound more like empowerment than emasculation. If the circus surrounding this whole thing — which could take up to ten pages to document — was an elaborate ploy to transform Beyoncé into an underdog, there really is some kind of genius at play, but it’s extremely unlikely that anyone in her camp could’ve predicted that the expectations and reactions would be less rational than any of Beyoncé’s decisions and actions. There is nothing desperate or weak about this album.by Andy Kellman, AMG
He woos. He seduces. And then he celebrates — but with sincerity. That was the equation when Usher’s One Night Stand Ladies Only tour rolled in for a Wednesday “hump day” — appropriately enough — performance in Detroit, where the multi-platinum R&B singer, actor and activist had both the Motown and some dudes on his [...]
Carson Daly chatted with Eminem, Beyonce gave a show-stopping performance, girls shrieked at the sight of Justin Timberlake and hundreds of fans lined up outside in Times Square for a glimpse at superstars.
For few hours, it seemed like old times at MTV’s “Total Request Live” — back when the show was not only music’s most [...]
You can bet your last money, it’s gonna be an interesting court fight, honey.
Erstwhile Soul Train ringmaster Don Cornelius has been charged with multiple misdemeanors for last month’s domestic-violence arrest.
The 72-year-old showbiz vet faces three counts of spousal battery, one count of dissuading a witness from making a police report and one count of assault [...]
Outkast are set to release three new albums next year.
The duo plan on putting out each of their solo efforts first before regrouping to release an Outkast record later in 2009.
Speaking to MTV News, Big Boi said he’s planning on getting his second solo record, Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son Of Chico Dusty, out either [...]
Rihanna is stopping the music. And this time it has nothing to do with the temperature.
The chart-topping singer has canceled a concert scheduled to take place in Jakarta tomorrow night due to security concerns in Indonesia.
On Sunday, three Islamic militants were executed for carrying out the 2002 Bali bombings. Prior to their deaths, the militants [...]
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