It's not a surprise; Who didn't know that the debut album of Destiny's Child lead singer, Beyonce Knowles would be fabricated with sappy pop-vocals & oh-so-tired lyrics? Beyonce was always known to hog the spotlight. So that gave me the impression that she would have something more to give on a solo album. Unfortunately, the only thing she gives us is generic Pop-R&B.

Of course, you can always count Jigga to appear on his girlfriend's album. Now, I'm not afraid of admitting that I do find "Crazy in Love" catchy, and I don't have much problem with "That's How You Like It" (although the song is basically based on repeating the hook), but I don't find either innovative or fresh; They're basically the remixed versions of J's -'03 Bonnie & Clyde-. "Hip Hop Star" is completely scarred with dumb-rhymes by Big Boi & Sleepy Brown. But even with that said, the song isn't much on it's own either. "Signs" lacks substance in lyrics. It's like being taught a lesson on astrology; it doesn't take much talent to just recite the zodiac signs. "Speechless" is 6 minutes of Beyonce rambling about loving somebody & repeating, "you got me" here and there. "Me, Myself and I" is "Survivor (Part 2)"; YET ANOTHER "my boyfriend cheated on me, but I'll be strong" song we've heard so many times. The duet with Luther Vandross is, I'll admit, the best performance of Beyonce on the album... but that still isn't saying much; Luther is the one we're really listening to on this track. "Dangerously In Love 2" isn't much of a difference from the Destiny's Child version (big surprise...). It's just a slight variation in the beat. And I hope there's a good return policy for the "gift from Virgo"

Although this album has MTV stamped all over it, I can't help but admit that the hooks are catchy. "Naughty Girl", although the song fails to go anywhere, has an addictive chorus and sexy beat. "Baby Boy" also has an addictive chorus but with a middle-influenced beat and features Sean Paul.

There is one song, however, that's catchy, sexy, not necessarily innovative, but defiantly not immature, the mid-tempo "Be With you".

Well, when it comes down to it... this album is based on catchy choruses and collaborations. I think Beyonce is rushing the songs. She (or whoever is writing them) needs to put more substance into the lyrics of the song because most of them fall bland. And I've noticed that her voice appeals only when she harmonizes... doesn't that say something? Well anyway, this album is just what I'd expect from Beyonce. I can't say I love the album, but I'm not satisfied either. She has the potential, but I'm afraid she too "crazy in love" with being popular...

Beyonce shines through as a woman without her group around her, and surprise ... it's a retro-fitted hip hop affair with a lot of sensual laid back grooves. The first single "CRAZY IN LOVE" is the most uptempo sampling a 70s groove from "Are you my Woman". That is followed by "NAUGHTY GIRL" which Beyonce uses a hook from "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer. We all knew she has a reverence for the 70s, but most surprising are the Middle Eastern influences found in both NAUGHTY GIRL and BABY BOY. Belly dancers rejoice! The second half of the album slows down, but never to a ballad speed. Low funky beats keep the entire album afloat, and rap stars like Jay Z, Missy Elliot, Sean Paul, and Sleepy Brown color almost every other song. It's ghetto fabulous from the cover photo (diamonds and jeans) to the spoken "BEYONCE INTERLUDE" where she coos into the mic about love. Will she tromp Kelly Roland's solo album numbers in sales? Maybe. But each member of Destiny's Child has proven they can stand on their own. And have their own identity musically. Beyonce has emerged as the sexy 70s cool hip hop girlfriend. Suddenly you realize Foxy Cleopatra would love this CD!

I love Beyonce's first two singles, "Crazy In Love" and "Baby Boy"! So I decided to download this and hear the rest of the album, as I had high hopes for this release. Really, I did! And boy, was I disappointed. The only other song that's single material is "Naughty Girl". "Baby Boy" is where the list of good tracks ends!! The rest of the album is slow and repetitive. I can't tell one song from the next, which is why I'm not doing a song-by-song analysis. Instead of singing like with Destiny's Child and her first two singles on the solo album, she pulls a Mariah Carey and whisper sings the entire album! Bottom line: Wait for the next Destiny's Child album!!

There are few artists in the music industry that have been the subject of such intense hype - in this respect, Beyonce is in a class all by herself. Her record label, along with mass media outlets, made Destiny's Child seem like the second coming from the moment their debut album was released - apparently the listening public bought into this but I personally didn't hear anything from them that hadn't already been done by 702, SWV, and more importantly, Diana Ross & The Supremes.

This is the debut solo release from Beyonce Knowles, diva extraordinaire, and it hasn't even come close to justifying all the hype that has surrounded its release. The first single "Crazy In Love" drives a tired horn sample into the ground (whatever happened to using live instrumentation?) juxtaposed with an irritating, repetitive chorus that Beyonce only talks her way through - Jay-Z might state that it's "history in the making" but I don't buy it for a second. Then we have "Naughty Girl", which has some dopey cringe-inducing lyrics and a shameless cop of Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby". Then, in the track that follows, "Baby Boy", we get more uninspired lyrics - Beyonce yearns for the child that she sees in her dreams and thinks about all the time over a lifeless pseudo-sitar hook (popularized by Missy Elliott - does Beyonce have any original ideas in her head?). After this, the album falls into slow jams with comatose arrangements and all the passion and energy of a snail, not to mention overwrought vocals from Beyonce (doesn't anyone know the meaning of restraint these days?). Maybe I was expecting too much, but all the publicity that this album received set me up for something greater than what I heard.

In summary: A disappointing debut from the ubiquitous Beyonce. She does have talent, but isn't applying it correctly - she needs to utilize better control over her voice and while her attempts at songwriting are admirable, they're also weak ... perhaps she should turn to outside songwriters for stronger material. There's better stuff out there - the hype for this album turned out to be hollow.

This CD sucks!! Who told her that whining and screaming is singing? Jay-Z got the right beats on some songs. But, overall Beyonce CANNOT sing. She won awards because there wasn't any competition at the time. I guess any girl dancing like a naked go-go dancer would get one too!!