The sleeve photos on B'Day include shots of Beyoncé holding a drink, posing with a cigarette-holder, hanging on to the leashes of two rather small alligators and pushing a bike (perhaps the Sony BMG vice-president in charge of bling was off sick that day). The music is a similar mix: some tracks brim with effortless confidence, others lapse into self-parody and a few just never work. The Neptunes are among the producers, providing the frothy and fun Kitty Kat, but they're outclassed by Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, who supplies the imaginative Ring the Alarm, the excellent Check on It and Get Me Bodied, which features the album's best vocals. Upgrade U deteriorates into a list of luxury brands, Freakum Dress is dull and Resentment is just awful, but the successes outweigh the failures.
Sony