The Top 20 Albums of 2011
#13 Beyoncé: 4
Words by Dirk Calloway
Preface: I listened to more than a hundred records last year. I kept track of each one, and tried to listen to them all in a variety of settings. After much deliberation, I've finished a list of The Top 20 Albums of 2011. I'm reviewing one from the list each day, and this is the 13th best of the year. You'll find the other reviews here.
So, she's no longer - explicitly - the character Sasha Fierce that the last album used as its inspiration. Is that change symbolic? "Xtina" went back to being Christina; "Sporty Spice" became Mel C; and "Jenny from the block" eventually reverted to plain old Jennifer, the Paula Abdul replacement. Dorky monikers often go the way of the Ctrl+Z, so does it matter that Ms. Fierce is no longer the star of Beyoncé's show? I'll let the video for the lead single Run The World (Girls) answer that:
This is mainstream pop, but it's bold as hell. Whereas Britney Spears' 2011 album sounded like she'd been ground through the usual producer-as-author pop factory, Beyoncé's 4 consistently gives me the impression she is in the driver's seat. Sure, she's got a world-class pit-stop crew, and she didn't build the car she's driving, but she's the one at the helm making the tight turns. She has conveyed thematic consistencies from album to album now (surely a sign of authorship) and 4 is a remarkably coherent collection of songs. She is telling the tale of a young woman who is aware that "mid life" is coming.
It's not quite a 'last hurrah', but it's surely a moment to savour the experience of being young and able to grind your hips. Countdown, the video above, ties into that theme:
Of all the albums I could compare 4 to, I'd say it shares the most in common with Michael Jackson's Dangerous. That was MJ's fourth solo album as an adult, and his umpteenth since his early days in a familial pop group. It was also his first record released since he turned 30. Long ago, he'd released a groundbreaking music video, and he needed to continue being on high rotation in MTV. Are you seeing some parallels yet with the 30 year old Beyoncé's 4? I surely do. She's at a marvellous turning point in her career that has only been seen by long-serving pop royalty, and this album is explicitly about that. Most importantly - more important than anything else - her voice has blossomed to the best point its ever been. Just like MJ's was for Dangerous, she can channel 'sweet', 'raspy' and 'brassy' (that gutteral howl she does so well) all at perfect pitch and tempo... even live:
So, she's no longer - explicitly - the character Sasha Fierce that the last album used as its inspiration. Is that change symbolic? "Xtina" went back to being Christina; "Sporty Spice" became Mel C; and "Jenny from the block" eventually reverted to plain old Jennifer, the Paula Abdul replacement. Dorky monikers often go the way of the Ctrl+Z, so does it matter that Ms. Fierce is no longer the star of Beyoncé's show? I'll let the video for the lead single Run The World (Girls) answer that:
Beyoncé is one smart cookie, and Kanye wasn't wrong: her videos are amongst "the best videos of all time". She is, without doubt, one of the greatest entertainers on the planet right now. Everyone I've played Run The World to looks at me with a crazed look in their eye, like "what the hell is this?!" But... I'm not sure they understand the above video has been viewed 120,000,000 times. In 9 months. That means that it's been watched around 300 times per minute globally. Beyoncé, four albums in, is a super-superstar. And the cherry on top? 4 is a great album. She's taken bold steps with her voice, production style, lyrics, and tone:
This is mainstream pop, but it's bold as hell. Whereas Britney Spears' 2011 album sounded like she'd been ground through the usual producer-as-author pop factory, Beyoncé's 4 consistently gives me the impression she is in the driver's seat. Sure, she's got a world-class pit-stop crew, and she didn't build the car she's driving, but she's the one at the helm making the tight turns. She has conveyed thematic consistencies from album to album now (surely a sign of authorship) and 4 is a remarkably coherent collection of songs. She is telling the tale of a young woman who is aware that "mid life" is coming.
- The song's lyrics are about a woman who is pleased with her monogamous and contented relationship.
- She was pregnant while filming the video (life's most elegant milestone to separate "care free" from "careful").
- And, to lend me even further weight to my argument, the song samples the group Boyz II Men.
Of all the albums I could compare 4 to, I'd say it shares the most in common with Michael Jackson's Dangerous. That was MJ's fourth solo album as an adult, and his umpteenth since his early days in a familial pop group. It was also his first record released since he turned 30. Long ago, he'd released a groundbreaking music video, and he needed to continue being on high rotation in MTV. Are you seeing some parallels yet with the 30 year old Beyoncé's 4? I surely do. She's at a marvellous turning point in her career that has only been seen by long-serving pop royalty, and this album is explicitly about that. Most importantly - more important than anything else - her voice has blossomed to the best point its ever been. Just like MJ's was for Dangerous, she can channel 'sweet', 'raspy' and 'brassy' (that gutteral howl she does so well) all at perfect pitch and tempo... even live:
You get the idea, right? Good. Let's call it a day, and come back for more awesome pop music tomorrow.
Check out past reviews here.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Before you comment here, remember... sic transit gloria.