I’ve always been a devotee of Beyoncé as a celebrity, force of nature, and all-around iconic goddess, but I’ve never been a huge fan of her music.
I’ve enjoyed her singles over the years (specifically, ‘Crazy in Love,’ ‘If I Were a Boy,’ ‘Irreplaceable,’ Halo,’ and ‘Single Ladies’) but the accompanying albums never grabbed me.
That changed with the singer’s 2013 self-titled release, her first “visual album,” a contemporary R&B release that hit on all cylinders. Whether it was the erotic hip-hop of ‘Drunk in Love,’ the disco-funk of ‘Blow,’ or the ecstatic pop balladry of ‘XO,’ I suddenly understood the hype.
2016’s surprise smash Lemonade was even better. A glorious song cycle of anger, hurt, and forgiveness, it found her stretching her sound in fascinating new directions with incredible results. I named it my sixth favorite album of the 2010s.
Six years later, Beyoncé is back with a new studio album, Renaissance, one I was ready to embrace as fully as its two predecessors. But I’m sorry to report that this one falls flat for me. While it is more sonically adventurous, more brazen, and more confident than her early work, it leaves me with a similar level of disinterest.
I see this as a reflection of my own taste and interests, not any failure of Beyoncé’s. Critics seem to adore the album, which is largely a tribute to Black dance music, and fans are over the moon. I get that Renaissance means a lot to a lot of people, and that it’s doing exactly what it sets out to do.
It’s just not doing anything I particularly like.
This is the first installment in what has been described as a three-act project, and I hope the future releases sound more like the work I love on Beyoncé and Lemonade. In the meantime, for this album at least, I’ll go back to admiring Beyoncé from afar without pressing the play button.
I feel like fallin’ in love (Fallin’ in love)
I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up (Tonight, I’m fuckin’ somethin’ up, baby)
I need some drink in my cup (I need a drink), hey (Pour me a drink)
I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up (I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up)
[Pre-Chorus]
I wanna go missin’, I need a prescription
I wanna go higher, can I sit on top of you? (Oh-la-la-la-la-la-la-la)
I wanna go where nobody’s been (I wanna go where nobody’s been)
Have you ever had fun like this? Oh woah (Have you ever had fun? Yeah)
[Chorus]
We gon’ fuck up the night, black lights
Spaceships fly, yeah (Spaceships fly)
Unapologetic when we fuck up the night, fuck up the night
We gettin’ fucked up tonight
We gon’ fuck up the night
[Post-Chorus]
Bet you you’ll see far
Bet you you’ll see stars
Bet you you’ll elevate
Bet you you’ll meet God
‘Cause I feel like fallin’ in love
I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up
‘Cause we gon’ fuck up the night
[Verse 2]
What’s in these four walls? You sexy, my love (Turn it up)
Don’t miss this roll call, is you here or what? Yeah (Roll it up)
Show up, show up (Show up, show up), po’ up, po’ up, oh (Po’ up, po’ up)
You Mr. Nasty, I’ll clean it up
[Pre-Chorus]
Go where nobody’s been (Go where nobody’s been)
Have you ever had fun like this? (Have you ever had fun? Yeah)
I wanna go missin’, I need a prescription
I wanna go higher, can I sit on top of you?
[Chorus]
We gon’ fuck up the night (Funk it up, funk it up), black lights
Spaceships fly, yeah (Spaceships fly)
Unapologetic when we fuck up the night (Funk it up, funk it up), fuck up tonight
We gettin’ fucked up tonight
We gon’ fuck up the night
[Post-Chorus]
Bet you you’ll see far
Bet you you’ll see stars
Bet you you’ll elevate
Bet you you’ll meet God
‘Cause I feel like fallin’ in love
I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up
We gon’ fuck up the night
[Verse 3]
Hypersonic, sex erotic
On my body, boy, you got it
Hit them ‘draulics while I ride it
Got me actin’ hella thotty
So excited, so exotic
I’m a seasoned professional
Squeeze it, don’t let it go
Tease it, no self-control
I got time today (I got time today, I got time)
Oh, I (I got time today, I got time)
I can’t wait to come out and play
Ooh, yeah, you
Come and cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, baby
While I buss it, buss it, buss it for you, baby
Oh, baby
Anywhere, anytime
I don’t mind, I don’t mind
[Bridge]
Yeah (I don’t mind)
For you (All for you)
I’m backin’ the truck up, huh (Back that truck up)
For you (All for you, for you)
A bitch’ll get fucked up (I fuck you up)
For you (All for you)
I’m puttin’ my cup up (Put my cup up, yeah)
For you (All for you, you)
[Outro]
‘Cause we gon’ fuck up the night
Take flight (Woo), blindin’ lights (Yeah)
Fuck it up, fuck it up, fuck it up
(Unapologetic when we fuck up the night)
Bet you you’ll see stars (Night)
Bet you you’ll go far (Night)
Bet you you’ll levitate (Night)
Bet you you’ll meet God (Party people, roll up)
Ooh (Yeah, huh)
We gon’ fuck up the night (Yeah)
Spaceships fly
Fuck it up, fuck it up
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m sorry the new album was disappointing, but you still have two albums you love when you need your Beyoncé fix.