Gillingham, Kent, UK, By Mikey) - Each week I preview an album which I think deserves a listen to and if it's worth to buy, I will cater for all tastes of music from R'n'B to Rock, Hip hop and Pop. At the end of the page, you will find all future album releases.
Beyonce - Dangerously In Love
Release Date: 23 June 2003
In the history of anticipation and debuts, Beyonce Knowles first full-length album is overloading adrenal, and draining saliva, glands across the world. And probably far beyond. Furthermore, anyone who thought this sista was little more than beauty and booty is in for a surprise as the majority of Dangerously In Love was written and produced by Beyonce herself. True, she did have a little help but when you've got collaborators like Missy, Luther Vandross and Jay-Z in your roll-a-dex it'd be churlish to pass up the opportunity for getting them involved. But is it any good? Is the pope...? Do bears...? etc. This is the international queen of pop R'n'B at work so the goods on show are never going to be any less than blazing. The Crazy In Love collaboration with Jay-Z figures and the remainder of the set is a cornucopia of contemporary soul blues-outs, heart felt ballads and untrammelled party-hard club bangers. What more could you ask for? As one third of Destiny's Child, will lead singer Beyonce's album just end up sounding like another album by the group?
It starts off with the brilliant Crazy In Love featuring Jay-Z using a sample from the Chil-Lites hit 'If You Are My Woman (Tell Me So)' with a brilliant hook. Then it kicks in to the Arabic jam that is Naughty Girl, using a sample from Donna Summer's hit 'Love To Love You Baby'. This is one of the strongest tracks on the album. Another duet, Baby Boy with Sean Paul, which also has an Indian/Arabic feel. With her sexy vocals and Sean Paul's rapping, it's an instantly catchy song. The next track, Hip-Hop Star featuring Big Boi and Sleepy Brown, is one of the unusual tracks on the album. It needs to grow on you a little, but once you heard its infectious chorus and cheeky rapping a couple of times, you'll love it.
Be With You sees the album slow its pace down a little, A sexy ballad with excellent lyrics and vocals from Beyonce's itself, the album carries on like this through Me Myself and I. The album's first of two fillers, the backing track is excellent, but the lyrics aren't, depicting Beyonce telling a boyfriend to wait until she's ready to be intimate with him, followed by a track called Yes.
The album picks up after that with Signs featuring Missy Elliott, which is another grower. The lyrics are strange, but it's an alright track, followed by Speechless. That How You Like It sees the second track that features Jay-Z, this one's pretty good, but it's no filler. Meanwhile, The Closer I Get To You a duet with Luther Vandross has all the makings of a classic R'N'B tune. Another stand out track from the album.
Next up, Beyonce takes her favourite song Survivor, changes the drum beat, adds a piano, and the result is Dangerously In Love 2 one of the best stand out track on the album. Then it's onto Gift From Virgo, The second of two fillers, this sounds like something from an Xmas episode of Ally McBeal, it needs to grow on you.
Finally we have a couple of bonus tracks thrown in, Work It Out from the Movie Soundtrack Album Goldmember and 03 Bonnie & Clyde and again with Jay-Z both need no review. Then there is a hidden track called Daddy dedicated to her father. She sings about all he has done for her and how much she loves him, a good track to end the album.
So, after listening to the album all the way through, you have to ask yourself - can Beyonce cut it on her own and make that transition from lead singer of a top girl group to became a more successful solo star, without sounding too much like Destiny's Child, with Kelly Rowland hot on her heels. This album is excellent, one of the best so far of 2003.
9/10
Tracklisting
Crazy In Love (feat. Jay-Z)
Naughty Girl
Baby Boy (feat. Sean Paul)
Hip Hop Star (feat. Big Boi & Sleepy Brown)
Be With You
Me, Myself and I
Yes
Signs (feat. Missy Elliott)
Speechless
That's How You Like It (feat. Jay-Z)
The Closer I Get To You (duet with Luther Vandross)
Dangerously In Love 2
Beyonce Interlude
Gift From Virgo
Work It Out
'03 Bonnie & Clyde (feat. Jay-Z)
NEXT REVIEW: Sinead Quinn 'Ready To Run'
Future Album Releases
August 4
Triple Eight - Heavy W8
August 11
Eva Cassidy - American Tune
Kosheen - Kokopelli
Lisa Maffia - First Lady
August 18
Stacie Orrico - Stacie Orrico
August 25
Richard X - Presents His X Factor Volume One
September 1
Kelly Clarkson - Thankful
Sash! - S4 Sash
September 8
Abs - Abstract Theory
Limp Bizkit - Panty Sniffer
Lemonescent - Unconditional Love
Elvis Presley - Second To None: The Greatest Hits
TLC - Greatest Hits
September 15
Starsailor - Silence Is Easy
September 22
Siobhan Donaghy - Revolution In Me
Gareth Gates - TBA
Nickelback - The Long Road
September 29
Dido - Life For Rent
Lene - Surprise
