Queen Bey just shook the world up…again. As the music world and fans across the globe mourned the death of musical icon Prince, arguably the biggest star on the planet released her sixth studio album.
Beyonce’s “Lemonade” serves as a tribute to the deceased singer and the boldest musical statement of her illustrious career. Gone are the days of catchy pop songs, which were good in their own right, as Beyonce is in the midst of a career makeover that saw her go from Destiny’s Child, to Sasha Fierce, and now to a fully-evolved revolutionary artist.
“Lemonade” follows in the footsteps of her 2013 self-titled album, with a short film incorporating tracks from the new album. The short film is nothing short of artistic brilliance that sets a high bar that will be hard for any artist to match. The album also seems like another win for music stream service Tidal, which streamed the album exclusively.
As for the music, Beyonce has done her best work yet. The opener, “Pray You Catch Me” is a mix of various Beyonce vocals, stripped down production and a thematic build as she begins a loose concept about marriage, infidelity, and empowerment for a modern age black woman. “Hold Up” contains direct references to her marriage with Jay-Z that continues with the wrathful banger “Don’t Hurt Yourself” featuring Jack White.
The album contains some of her most jarring lyrics yet as she vehemently bashes infidelity and while simultaneously expressing her own strength in the face of those trials. “Sorry” contains the standout lyric, “He better call Becky with the good hair.”
Other highlights include the two-part ballad “Sandcastles” as well as “Forward” featuring English crooner James Blake. “Freedom” finds Beyonce tackling the Black Lives Matter movement directly with rapper Kendrick Lamar. Lamar delivers a typically good verse that serves as a worthy prelude to the closer “Formation”. It serves as a fitting finale that encapsulates the album’s theme of empowerment.
The only traditional sounding songs are “Love Drought” and “All Night”, the rest a step away from the Beyonce of old. The result is a stroke of musical brilliance that captures Beyonce’s growth as an artist. The production allows for the lyrics to take prominence and her power ballads are kept to a minimum.
The only misfiring on the album is the uncharacteristically weak contribution from The Weeknd on “6 Inch.” The failed collaboration ends an impressive first portion of the album with a dud of a song.
Although a deeply personal album, Beyonce represents every kind of woman, making this her most relatable album yet. Despite what recent headlines have suggested, “Lemonade” is not about Jay-Z’s doggish ways as a cheater. As the accompanying film would suggest, the album is about the plight of the everyday black woman and the overbearing tribulations they face and how they still overcome with great power, attitude and self-sufficiency.
Beyonce opens up, gets in formation, and delivers her magnum opus in the process.
