B'day

B'day

by Beyonce
B'day

B'day

by Beyonce

Vinyl LP(Long Playing Record)

$34.99 
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Overview

At least one tactic or event preceding the release of Beyonce's second solo album inspired a bemused three-syllable exclamation from anyone who was paying attention. The lead single, the late-'70s-funk-inspired "Deja Vu," had the audacity to not be as monstrous as "Crazy in Love" -- its stay at the top of the charts was relatively brief, so clearly there was evidence of some drop-off there. This was quickly followed by "Ring the Alarm," an angered, atonal, and out-of-character song with an accompanying video that invited all kinds of perplexed analysis, along with debate on whether Beyonce was being autobiographical or, as the singer claimed, channeling her Dreamgirls character. All of this gave the haters plenty of ammo when anything less than 100 percent polite, ladylike, and expected was bound to do the trick. Add to this an album title that can be pronounced just like "bidet," along with the advertisement that the album's ten songs were whipped up in two weeks, and you have yourself a career-killing train wreck. B'day isn't even close to that. While Beyonce does sound like she's in a bit of a hurry throughout the album, and there are no songs with the smooth elegance of "Me, Myself and I" or "Be with You," it is lean in a beneficial way, propelled by just as many highlights as the overlong Dangerously in Love. Two collaborations with Rich Harrison swagger and preen: "Been locked up in the house way too long/It's time to get it, 'cause once again he's out doing wrong" (the blaring/marching "Freakum Dress"); "Don't give me no lip, let mama do it all" (the spectacularly layered "Suga Mama"). The Neptunes assist on "Green Light," an ambitious, fleet-footed number that continually switches tempos and sounds, as well as "Kitty Kat," a deceptively sweet, rainbow-colored track -- where what sounds like purrs are more like claws-out dismissals -- that could've been pulled from one of the first three Kelis albums. And even with an entirely bonkers line like "I can do for you what Martin did for the people," "Upgrade U" is the most potent track on the album, a low-slung Cameron Wallace production where Beyonce wears and buys the pants while making her proposition sound more like empowerment than emasculation. If the circus surrounding this whole thing -- which could take up to ten pages to document -- was an elaborate ploy to transform Beyonce into an underdog, there really is some kind of genius at play, but it's extremely unlikely that anyone in her camp could've predicted that the expectations and reactions would be less rational than any of Beyonce's decisions and actions. There is nothing desperate or weak about this album. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date: 09/12/2006
Label: Columbia / Sony Music Distribution
UPC: 0827969092019
Rank: 4425

Tracks

  1. Déjà Vu
  2. Get Me Bodied
  3. Suga Mama
  4. Upgrade U
  5. Ring the Alarm
  6. Kitty Kat
  7. Freakum Dress
  8. Green Light
  9. Irreplaceable
  10. Resentment

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Beyonce   Primary Artist,Vocals
Sasha   Primary Artist
Jay-Z   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Rap,Featured Artist
Slim Thug   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Solange   Primary Artist
Kelly Rowland   Primary Artist
Michelle Williams   Primary Artist
Alejandro Fernandez   Primary Artist
Bun B   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Shakira   Primary Artist
Sasha Fierce   Primary Artist
Larry Corbett   Celli
Bruce Dukov   Violin
Espen Lind   Guitar
Nathan East   Bass
Ricky Lawson   Drums
Andrew Duckles   Viola
John Wittenberg   Violin
Robert Becker   Viola
Hanna Khoury   Viola,Violin
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Percussion
Haim Shtrum   Violin
Boujemaa Razgui   Nay
Omar Al Musfi   Percussion
Roberto Cani   Violin
Suzie Katayama   Celli
Tim Carmon   Keyboards
Alan Grunfeld   Violin
David Campbell   String Conductor
Aaron "Goody" Goode   Horn
Mo'Horns   Horn
Gerry Hillera   Violin
Sara Parkins   Violin
Mario de Leon   Violin
Eric Jackson   Guitar
Michele Richards   Violin
Ronald Judge   Horn
Allen "Al Geez" Arthur   Horn
Kenneth Yerke   Violin
Jon Jon   Bass
Sean Carrington   Guitar
Denyse Buffin   Viola

Technical Credits

Swizz Beatz   Audio Production,Mixing,Producer
Rich Harrison   Audio Production,Mixing,Composer,Producer
The Neptunes   Audio Production,Producer
Stargate   Audio Production,Arranger,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Solange   Composer
Beyonce Knowles   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer,Executive Producer
Delisha Thomas   Composer
Reyli Barba   Composer
Ian Dench   Composer
LaShawn Daniels   Composer
Sean Garrett   Composer,Producer
Clarence Reid   Composer
Curtis Mayfield   Composer
Jean-Marie Horvat   Mixing
Jay-Z   Composer
Pharrell Williams   Composer
Brian Gardner   Mastering
Mathew Knowles   A&R,Executive Producer
Denaun Porter   Programming
Eduardo "Visitante" Cabra   Programming,Additional Production
Shane "Bermy" Woodley   Engineer
Jared Robbins   Assistant Engineer
Jason Agel   Assistant Engineer
Kasseem Dean   Composer,Additional Production
Mikkel Storleer Eriksen   Composer,Instrumentation,String Arrangements
Jun Ishizeki   Assistant Engineer
Shea Taylor   Producer
Mike Tocci   Engineer
Rob Kinelski   Assistant Engineer
Anne Preven   Composer
Chris Spilfogel   Engineer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Geoffrey Rice   Engineer
Willie Clarke   Composer
Olgui Chirino   Vocal Producer
Aaron Renner   Engineer
Riley Mackin   Assistant Engineer
Rommel Nino Villanueva   Engineer
Roberto Almodovar   Engineer
David Stearns   Assistant Engineer
Shakira   Arranger,Vocal Producer,Violin Arrangement,Additional Production
Dexter Simmons   Mixing
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins   Mixing,Composer,Musician,Producer,Horn Arrangements
Scott Cutler   Composer
Jim Caruana   Engineer
Ne-Yo   Producer
Rudy Perez   Composer,Vocal Producer
Tor Erik Hermanson   Instrumentation
Jamie Rosenberg   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Candice Nelson   Composer,Musician,Producer
Andres Bermudez   Assistant Engineer
Dabling Harward   Engineer
Dave Pensado   Mixing
Gustavo Celis   Mixing,Engineer
Henry Krieger   Composer
David Campbell   String Arrangements
Angela Beyince   Composer
Jason Goldstein   Mixing
Tom Coyne   Mastering
Makeba Riddick   Composer
Steve Tolle   Mixing Assistant
Colin Miller   Mixing Assistant
Amanda Ghost   Composer
Stayve Thomas   Composer
John Weston   Engineer,Digital Editing
Ty Hunter   Stylist
Erwin Gorostiza   Art Direction
Shawn Carter   Composer
Jeff Villaneuva   Engineer
Kareem Roustom   Violin Arrangement,String Arrangements
Fred Jerkins III   Composer
Cameron Wallace   Producer
Anesha Birchett   Composer
Fusako Chubachi   Design,Art Direction
Syience   Producer
Max Gousse   A&R
S. Smith   Producer
Max Vadukul   Photography
Robert "LB" Dorsey   Engineer
Tina Knowles   Stylist
David "D-Lo" Lopez   Engineer
Andrew Coleman   Assistant Engineer
Nathan Jenkins   Engineer
Keli Nicole Price   Composer
Tor Erik Hermansen   Composer,String Arrangements
Jolie Levine   Music Contractor
Geoff Rice   Engineer
Jon Jon   Production Assistant
Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton   Engineer
Chuck Middleton   Composer
The Underdogs   Producer
Walter Millsap III   Composer,Engineer,Musician,Producer,Digital Editing,Assistant Engineer
Solange Knowles   Composer
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