Destiny's Child "Destiny Fulfilled" Album

	Title: Destiny Fulfilled Format: Album Label: Sony Released: 2004-11-15
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Tracklisting & Lyrics

Reviews

Destiny's Child have never quite seemed like a true group, possibly because Beyonce Knowles always took the spotlight in the group's hits and videos. When the group went their separate ways in the wake of the blockbuster success of 2001's , it was easy to assume that the split was permanent, a suspicion that only grew when Beyonce became a superstar with her 2003 solo debut, . As it turns out, she was reluctant to leave the group behind -- an attachment that might have been telegraphed by the fact that her solo album shared a title with a song from -- because she reunited with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for 2004's . To put it mildly, this is not quite like Diana Ross returning to the Supremes, nor is it like a New Edition reunion; it is not the reunion of a supergroup, nor is it a case of the sum being greater than the parts. This is a retreat to Destiny's Child's comfortable status quo, where Kelly and Michelle take a backseat, both intentionally and not, to the undeniable star that is Beyonce. She can seduce and shout, she can sound strong and sexy, and she steals every song on . Not that Kelly and Michelle are bad singers. They are sweet, classy vocalists, cooing their leads nicely and providing warm harmonies on the choruses, but they're overpowered by the powerhouse of Beyonce, who sounds larger than life even when she's quiet. begins with an invigorating opening salvo of two hard-driving dance cuts, "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier," then slides into a series of nine slow-grooving tracks. Throughout it all, the harmonies sound good, and a few cuts stand out -- "Is She the Reason" glides by on a sexy Melba Moore sample, and the nimble "Free" wins points for being livelier than the rest. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide.

Some thought it would never happen, but after solo successes and a three-year hiatus the ladies of Destiny's Child have reunited for the eagerly-anticipated Destiny Fulfilled. The Houston-based trio of Kelly, Michelle and some girl named Beyonce follow up their mega successful Survivor with another album full of infectious dance grooves and melancholy tales of women done wrong. Lead single "Lose My Breath" is their first offering of the former. Backed by a kinetic marching band sample, they sing with an urgency that bolsters the Rodney Jerkins-produced track. Current single "Soldier" is more of the same. Featuring T.I. and Lil' Wayne, the song allows the trio to sing the praises of the kind of men they like. Despite this one-two uptempo punch, DC does do ballads. They go old-school on the moving "If." Michelle, who has several impressive solos throughout, and Beyonce trade lines about finding and holding on to love. However, on "Bad Habit" the trio goes for the paint-by-numbers woman finding her inner-strength theme. Other highlights include the 9th Wonder and Beyonce-produced "Girl" and the midtempo gem "Free." ~Rashaun Hall, Amazon.com.

In five years Destiny's Child have conquered R&B and pop like an army of Amazon warriors. They are now a global brand with MacDonald's sponsorship and perfume spin-offs. They've produced a string of classic hit singles, combining edgy ideas from rap with classic female vocal harmonies. This album contains yet another example: "Lose My Breath". But one great single does not a great album make.
"Lose My Breath" has exciting military drumming and nasty keyboard stabs. It name checks Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise". It sounds like Missy Elliot's "Pass the Dutch" pumped up with oestrogen. It sounds like The Supremes having sex with a robot in a dark alley. It's fantastic.
But after this, the rest of the album seems tame. "Soldier" with rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne is good fun, but the rest is a series of slow grooves. The best of them is "T shirt" which uses a backwards loop to conjure up a dreamy atmosphere of 3 a.m. pillow talk. The angry "Through with Love" adds a rough edge, and "Free" has a mid seventies funk vibe and a good hook, and is reminiscent of Denise Williams' classic hit of the same name.
On "Cater 2 You" they reinvent themselves as domestic goddesses for some lucky man. They sing lines like "I got your slippers, your dinner, your dessert and so much more..." It's not a good track, or very convincing. I thought they were supposed to be independent women?!
They sing immaculately, with Michelle Williams' vocals sounding particularly strong. But compared to "Lose My Breath", "Crazy in Love" or "Bootilicious", most of the album seems routine.
The title 'Destiny Fulfilled' hints that they have no more fields left to conquer. But when you're number one you have to try harder. This album is pleasant but not a triumph. But that 'Greatest Hits' album will be amazing... ~Nick Reynolds, BBC.