B'Day (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

世界的エンターテイナー=Beyonce(ビヨンセ)
2006年9月4日 自身の誕生日にリリースされた『B'DAY / ビー・デイ』 20周年記念盤 『B'DAY (20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION)』

世界的エンターテイナー=Beyonce(ビヨンセ)。2006年9月4日、自身25歳の誕生日に世界同時発売され、初週売上54万1,196枚を記録し、米Billboard 200チャートでの首位獲得に加え、日本を含む世界各国でもチャート1位を記録。日本では発売からわずか3日足らずでインターナショナル・アルバム・チャート首位を獲得するなど、日本でも大ヒットを記録した世界的アルバム『B'DAY / ビー・デイ』。
その 『B'DAY/ ビー・デイ』発売20周年を記念し、『B'DAY (20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION)』がリリース。
本作には、ビヨンセとファレル・ウィリアムスがプロデュースを担当し、7月4日のアメリカ独立記念日にサプライズリリースされた 約2年ぶりの新曲「MORNING DEW(DONK)」が収録される他、未公開写真を含む16ページのコレクターズ・ブックレットが付属。

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

昨年の大ヒット作から楽曲を抜き差しし、シャキーラと美の火花を散らした話題の競演曲“Beautiful Liar”などの新録5曲を加えた新装盤。彼女が客演したジェイ・Z“Hollywood”のビヨ版や、ニーヨの書いたダビーなミディアム、ネリー・フーパーとの共同制作曲、ロドニー・ジャーキンスによるパワフルなアップ……と新曲は目玉だらけ!　曲順を新たに組んだことで元盤とは違った聴き心地も味わえるし、やっぱ買い!
bounce (C)佐藤 ともえ

グイグイせり出してくるようなジェイ・Zとの“Deja Vu”にデジャヴを感じた人は相当多かったはずですが、それと同じくこのセカンド・アルバムもビヨンセのビヨンセたる所以を濃縮した仕上がりに。カーティス・メイフィールドをネタ使いした“Resentment”などは、デスティニーズ・チャイルドが終作で試みたオーセンティックなソウル志向の延長線上にあるものだし、ロドニー・ジャーキンスやリッチ・ハリソン、ネプチューンズら縁の深いクリエイター陣によるプログレッシヴ路線も盤石。守りに入ることなく、いくつもの評価軸を準備しているあたりは流石のバランス感覚です。母方の祖先にあたるクレオールの文化をレぺゼンして、ルーツ回帰を示唆することでソロ・シンガーとしての新たな〈誕生〉を告げるやり口も上手すぎるし、今回も無敵!　なかでも文句ナシにヤバいのは、“Check On It”で証明済みのスウィズ・ビーツとのコラボでしょう。
bounce (C)轟 ひろみ