[Pitchfork] Beyoncé - Renaissance (9.0)

[StarstruckIllusion 41,978]

oh wow 

 

[Ziggy 10,359]

3 hours ago, Edonis said:

It’s this and I’m surprised more people on this site aren’t getting this  I understand that it may not translate well, but that’s what I’m getting from the lyrics. You convince yourself that you are that girl until it finally clicks. 
 

The other thing is that a lot of these tracks are inspired by B*tch tracks, which were a popular staple in a lot of the underground gay bars and ballrooms of the early and mid 90s. That style of dance tracks was pervasive with innuendo and bravado, and you can see the influence on some of the tracks as well. Probably one of the more underappreciated bitch tracks, Miss Honey,  was sampled at the end of Pure/Honey. 

Mhmm like not getting that and you’re not getting g the album lmao she dug DEEP with the inspo on this album and very much embodied a certain character in a scene whereas I think her other albums didn’t have this

[HIM820 1,594]

1 hour ago, Mister G said:

I think the fact that it involved the concept of an alter ego was also something a lot of folks weren’t really buying at the time. 

The alter ego concept also was the cause of the album being split, ballads as the first part and dance pop radio songs last. Too many consecutive songs sounded similar, so album wise it’s her poorest. The songs plucked from it though are some of her most iconic which is ironic. 

[Edonis 25,992]

1 hour ago, Ziggy said:

Mhmm like not getting that and you’re not getting g the album lmao she dug DEEP with the inspo on this album and very much embodied a certain character in a scene whereas I think her other albums didn’t have this

There’s a lot of queer subtext to the album, even in the writing style. It’s weird to see so many on this site say the stuff they’re saying without considering the meaning. 

[alsemanche 87,364]

1 hour ago, StarstruckIllusion said:

oh wow 

 

 

[RichAssPiss 4,110]

I am already dreading having to watch Adele accept AOTY at the Grammys over Bey, again. 

[rinasawachanta 2,094]

I am not surprised. We are in an era of trying to counteract the hatred and lack of recognition that female artists have been subjected to over the decades by EXACTLY the same media that are now trying to praise them. What's the problem? That the figures who receive acclaim are usually the "safer" or less "risky" ones, while others continue to receive the same misogyny as always. In this case, and something similar happened with Rosalía's Motomami, the rating is absolutely inflated and does not correspond to the quality, commitment and novelty of the work. It is a pity that arbitrariness and lack of criteria continue to be a constant, and that one of the main victims of this unfair logic STILL IS our Gaga.

[Stephen 29,415]

OMG that's so exciting I love how gay this album is!

[BlingNotTheMusic 25,966]

14 hours ago, ALGAYDO said:

I guess I’m the only person on this planet that thought the album was boring af huh 

Omg I'm shook bc our tastes normally align and I cannot get enough of this album. It's gold to me. Do you want me to give you a COVID test babes, because your taste is questionable. I think there's an an*l option 

[BlingNotTheMusic 25,966]

I'm not surprised there is Beyonce hate here. I grew up in a southern metropolitan area that is predominantly Black, and has a fusion of Black culture. The album, to me, sounds exactly what a Black woman from Houston, Texas would release. The production sounds a mix of traditional African-inspired beats/ballroom/r&b/southern rap/etc. CHURCH GIRL embodies this flow within the record. If you get it, you get it and if you don't, you don't. No shade to anyone, but perhaps it's just not for you, which is okay.

[Roughhouse Dandy 4,909]

28 minutes ago, WheresMy911Alice said:

I'm not surprised there is Beyonce hate here. I grew up in a southern metropolitan area that is predominantly Black, and has a fusion of Black culture. The album, to me, sounds exactly what a Black woman from Houston, Texas would release. The production sounds a mix of traditional African-inspired beats/ballroom/r&b/southern rap/etc. CHURCH GIRL embodies this flow within the record. If you get it, you get it and if you don't, you don't. No shade to anyone, but perhaps it's just not for you, which is okay.

Very that. Ofc people have different tastes and opinions and most are valid, but it feels like a lot of the criticism this album is getting comes from an unfamiliarity with the inspiration Renaissance is referencing. Ima get flamed for saying this but the vibes, language, attitude, beats, and flow of this project are all honestly a ✨️masterclass✨️ in BLACK ballroom culture. The girlies that know? KNOW. 

[BlingNotTheMusic 25,966]

3 minutes ago, Roughhouse Dandy said:

Very that. Ofc people have different tastes and opinions and most are valid, but it feels like a lot of the criticism this album is getting comes from an unfamiliarity with the inspiration Renaissance is referencing. Ima get flamed for saying this but the vibes, language, attitude, beats, and flow of this project are all honestly a ✨️masterclass✨️ in BLACK ballroom culture. The girlies that know? KNOW. 

So much! I feel like BLACK IS KING + The Lion King: The Gift was a more blatant, obvious ode and wasn't as... accessible for everyone. Where as RENAISSANCE she was like ok, here's the same vibe of pride and culture but transformed into a dance record. The album felt very familiar to me, but I can definitely understand why even this album, may not feel.... accessible to everyone.

We would have music festivals and where I'm from is known for Blues and southern rap (the dirty south) {like Nelly, Project Pat, Three Six Mafia, Gucci Mane, etc} so the album instantly made me think of my youth tbh. 

[julz 3,455]

I really like this album. It's celebratory, it's replay worthy, and goddamn those vocals and production. I think she deserves this score, it's a great, well executed, coherent album. 

Makes me excited for the music videos and the live performances 

[Tiny Purse 1,142]

This album is a masterpiece. Honestly  was hoping for a 9.5 but I guess I can't complain 🤭

[SarahYuko 1,002]

I'm not familiar with how scores work like this. A few months back I started listening to a lot of Afrobeats, and when that minor kerfuffle with the Beyhive regarding whether Break My Soul was influenced somewhat by Chromatica came about on Twitter, I did dig just a little into house music's black roots. I mostly understand and appreciate the inspiration from black and queer musical history on this record.

I was thrilled by track continuity almost throughout the album, which felt really organic. I did think, though, that it sounded like a DJ setlist more than an album of independent songs, which seems to be the point anyway which I don't mind. I've enjoyed that kind of continuity in Pink Floy albums, for example, and distinctly remember how exciting those transitions on Chromatica were. I definitely noticed the seeming lack of depth in lyrical content, which is honestly fine because I don't think we could have expected something akin to Chromatica or Lemonade on an album that's clearly following a very particular theme, aesthetic, inspiration, what have you.

All in all, the album is growing on me, and on a lot of listeners in general, I think. I feel like ultimately, whether it's a 9.0 or not is more a test of time than anything else, be it in terms of cultural impact or industry impact.