MUSIC REVIEW: Beyoncé "Lemonade"

In honor of the Grammy's tonight, I'll be doing some music reviews over the next week. With music being such a big part of my life, I've wanted to get back into this for a while and the Grammy's just seemed to have given me the perfect excuse! So without further adieu, my thoughts on Beyoncé's Lemonade after the jump!

PRAY YOU CATCH ME

In simple words, this was the perfect way to open the album. It was very reminiscent of 'Pretty Hurts' from self-titled, in the sense that it was a gutting intro with beautiful lyrics. It's the simplest song, production and otherwise, on the album and it's a great way to ease you into what's coming your way. 8/10

HOLD UP

This was the first track on the album that really stuck in my head for the first week or so that I completely wore this album out. This track in simple words: A laugh away from a cry. From the elegant, up-scale sample of Andy Williams' 'Can't Get Used to Loving You' as the bouncy, light-hearted undertone this song is essentially a classy way of telling someone you messed with the wrong one. 9/10

DON'T HURT YOURSELF (Feat. JACK WHITE)

Going from 'Hold Up' to 'Don't Hurt Yourself' is perfect and jarring. While 'Hold Up' is a classy way of telling someone you messed with the wrong one, this track is the tonal opposite. The intensity and the pure passion she goes into singing the final verse is one of my all time favorite moments in any song ever. I don't think I've ever heard a singer go so hard in a studio version of a song! Hands down my personal favorite track on the album. 9.5/10

SORRY

Upon first listening, 'Sorry' didn't resonate with me as much as the other tracks. As time went on, however, I was able to fully embrace the pure awesomeness of this song. Sorry that I'm not sorry for being a bossy and making you sorry that trying me ever crossed your mind is something we've all thought. This song is just a pure banger you can jam to whenever you're feeling yourself. 9/10

6 INCH (Feat. THE WEEKND)

Did somebody banger? At this point with each passing track, the songs are only getting better and I don't know how to deal with that. The production on this track is addicting, the heavy drum beat is my life. I'm not sure what it is about the bridge that pulls me in so hard, but it was at one point the most played song on my iTunes so it must have done some magic on me. 9.5/10

DADDY LESSONS

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter got me to not only listen to, but live for, a country song. The New Orleans, big band opening is enough to get you moving. It moves into a much simpler guitar with her vocals but that was pretty much all you needed. My personal interpretation of the lyrics were a girl's father being a great father, teaching her to be strong and independent, but not necessarily a perfect one or a perfect spouse or man ("or men like me come around, my daddy said shoot."). I'm not necessarily trying to make parallels between Beyoncé's life and this song but it would be a fair assumption. Whatever, this song is life and I do the square dance whenever that instrumental comes in the middle! 9.5/10

LOVE DROUGHT

I have a love hate relationship with this song. It was on replay at one point, it's primarily just been an "eh, I'll take it or leave it" type of track. The production is beautiful and the control of her voice is superb here and it's a good, solid track. 7.5/10

SANDCASTLES

There are some things you can't really describe with words and this song is a perfect example. As a song, I think it's simply gorgeous. She reminds you, after almost exclusively putting out heavy Hip Hop records, that all she needs is a piano and her vocal chords to give us all life. At one point her voice cracks and it's just a testament to her dedication to making this album as authentic and personal as she possibly could. 9/10

FORWARD (Feat. JAMES BLAKE)

This interlude is absolutely gorgeous and comes at the perfect time in the album. We've gone from grappling, to fuck you, to reflection, to acceptance and putting one step in front of the other and, well, turning lemons into lemonade (but we'll get to that later!). 8.5/10

FREEDOM (Feat. KENDRICK LEMAR)

I want to run a marathon and punch a racist after listening to this song, but it's just me. The lyrics are uplifting, the energy from her vocals (and Kendrick Lemar's natural passion from his rapping) just uplifted the song into pure greatness. 9/10

ALL NIGHT

"Found the truth, beneath your lies. True love never has to die." This song represents a full circle for the album. After ten tracks of heartbreak and grappling, this song represents an upswing and a positive look at the future. Like she said right before the track started, making lemons out of lemonade. 9/10

FORMATION

A year ago I said I was going to review Formation, finally here you all go! Haha. This song is just perfect closure for the album. It's not really a part of the story of the album but it's part of HER story and honestly just relatable as hell. Being proud of being black, being proud of yourself, getting in formation, getting INformation, and slaying. All day. 9/10

ALBUM GRADE: A

Let's take a moment to appreciate the way this album was released. You all didn''t really get a real chance to see me in full stanning mode with this album first came out but I was honestly a mess for about a week. Beyoncé said "Lemonade. HBO. Saturday night. You'll be there." And. We. Were. It usually takes me a hot minute to get into a body of work but there was something about Lemonade that drew me in from the opening track all the way to the end of the album. I remember staying up until three in the morning the night it came out. Without a doubt this is Beyoncé's most honest, personal album to date. This album succeeds in so many ways: tackling a multitude of emotions, a very strong delivery, and just having a good black ass time while you're at it! It's been nearly a year and it's still on repeat in my playlist! 

-Cover photo via gossiponthis.com
-Gifs via giphy.com