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CD Review:
Destiny Fulfilled, Destiny's Child
DESTINY FULFILLED
1. Lose My Breath
2. Soldier
3. Cater 2 U
4. T-Shirt
5. Is She the Reason
6. Girl
7. Bad Habit
8. If
9. Free
10. Through With Love
11. Love
After the overwhelming success of Beyoncé's debut album, I would not have predicted that there would have ever been another Destiny's Child CD. Her CD was so huge that it seemed highly unlikely that she would want to return to the group. It was as likely as Justin Timberlake returning to his boy band days as a member of *Nsync. But lo and behold, the third Destiny's Child album was released in November 2004.
Destiny Fulfilled is the trio's latest album and it lets us know a few things about the group. First, the girls are older and wiser, and they are more than willing to talk about the things that grown folks do. This is apparent in the multitude of sexy ballads scattered throughout the CD, as well as in the sisterly advice that they offer to their audience. And secondly, Destiny's Child appears to consist of Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland (more so Beyoncé). Michelle Williams is very much a part of the group in theory, but she is barely present on the CD. Although Beyoncé is plastered all over Destiny Fulfilled, Kelly actually gets a chance to show us her vocal range by taking lead on a number of songs (by the way, Kelly has a really nice voice). Michelle, on the other hand, seems to be relegated to entering most of the songs on the last few bars. Poor Michelle. (I think it's because Michelle's voice doesn't seem to work well with Kelly's and Beyoncé's at times. Is it me, or does she sound like a cross between Fantasia and Macy Gray? Listen to track five and let me know!).
Their first release, Lose My Breath, is an upbeat, sexually charged song (sample line: Two things I don't like / When I'm tryin' to get my groove / Is a partner that meets me only half way / And just can't prove) that will leave you sweating on the dance floor. This song landed itself at number one on the charts for a couple of weeks, which basically let everyone know that the girls from Houston were back.
Soldier, which was the second release, is very typical of Destiny's Child (read: it gets very repetitive at times). It is the weakest song on the album, and it shows absolutely no growth lyrically or vocally. The girls enlist the help of two thuggish rappers - T.I. and Lil' Wayne, just to show us that they are down with bad boys. Perhaps Kelly and Beyoncé are, but Michelle...please!
The rest of the album gets better with each listen. I am kinda skeptical about the song Cater 2 U. The girls sound good, the beat is nice, but the lyrics would make any self-respecting female cringe. The girls inform us what they do to keep their boo happy. It goes beyond telling your man how much you love and appreciate him. On this song, the girls take it one step further. As sprung as I have been in the past, you will never hear me utter: "I got your slippers / Your dinner, your dessert / And so much more / Anything you want / Let me cater to you," which Beyoncé croons. Even though I would like to individually slap the girls for this Stepford Wife-ish song, its an extremely infectious song that I cant help singing to.
The track that immediately follows "Cater 2 U" is called T-Shirt. This song achieves what "Cater 2 U" set out to do. It is a sexy song that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. The lyrics make you recall the times when you aren't with your man, but you are longing for him, his smell, his touch, but all you can do to satisfy your desire is wear his t-shirt. I must mention that Michelle's contribution to this song is the best. Her soft, husky voice lends another level of sensuality to this track.
The next few songs that follow are inspirational and powerful. The girls share their words of wisdom on Is She the Reason, Girl and Bad Habit. However, their attempt to recreate an old skool R&B vibe on the track If seems a little awkward. It's all right, but the song requires a vocalist with an older voice and someone who has been around the block a few more times.
My absolute favourite song on the album is track ten, Through With Love. I love the lushness of the arrangement, and the powerful impact of the chorus. The song speaks about the frustration that you feel when you are consumed by a toxic relationship. You are not just angry with the guy for being an ass, you are angry with yourself for allowing his crude behaviour. But by the end of the song, they are able to break free from the pain by learning to love themselves.
On the whole, this CD is not just a must-have for the hardcore Destiny's Child fan. It's for anyone looking for a collection of great R&B songs. I can honestly say that I was not sure what to expect with this album, but I will admit that I enjoyed it and the overall message of love that the album promotes. ¤ Michelle
DESTINY FULFILLED:
