Klipsun writer Connor Hanna reviews “Lemonade,” the latest album by Beyoncé

STORY BY CONNOR HANNA

(Above) Screenshot from Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” official trailer

(Below) “Lemonade” official trailer

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB5zLq1zcdo[/embed]

Beyoncé kicks off her sixth full-length album, “Lemonade,” by immediately instilling a sense of distrust. “You can taste the dishonesty” are the first lines of the album and they hurt. “Pray You Catch Me,” the first track of the album, sets an ambiguous stage for what lies ahead. It’s one of the most emotional, pained and dark songs of her career. Beyoncé’s marriage with famous rapper Jay Z has been plagued by rumors of infidelity for the better part of the last decade and she seems to confirm all of that with this new album.

“Lemonade” shouldn’t be mistaken for an album built solely on infidelity. The buzz surrounding the album focused on this Beyoncé/Jay Z relationship tension, feeding into the tabloid fascination with dissolving relationships. As “Lemonade” progresses, it moves from an examination of infidelity into an album reflecting the distrust in society stemming from social rights, sexism and the perception of it all. Beyoncé’s previous, self-titled album was the first step in establishing a narrative of female defiance, but in “Lemonade” she weaves that narrative into a wider, angrier view.

Aside from the issues tackled on “Lemonade” it should be mentioned that the album sounds great. The production is mesmerizing and while “Pray You Catch Me” begins the album on a more somber note; its simplicity brings the pain of the lyrics to the forefront. “Hold Up,” produced by EDM hit-maker Diplo, booms with polished bass, and the subdued Afrobeat guitars are the perfect combination for Beyoncé’s infectious hook. “Don’t Hurt Yourself” features Jack White from The White Stripes and sounds almost like a reunion of the band, with Beyoncé covering for Meg White. “6 Inch” concludes the first five songs with an excellent verse from The Weeknd and a Beyoncé vocal performance so Lana Del Rey-esque you can consider for a moment whether it’s possible that Del Rey simply developed a better singing voice.

Almost immediately after this run of songs, “Lemonade” takes a sharp turn lyrically. “Daddy Lessons” propels forward with southern bluegrass flair as Beyoncé details lessons taught by her father, Matthew Knowles. Throughout the song, Beyoncé’s father warns her of troublesome men, referring to his own unfaithfulness in relationships. From here on out, the defiance of “Lemonade” becomes more prominent as the infidelity, sadness and anger come to a boiling point.

After the spacey “Love Drought” and absolutely stunning piano ballad “Sandcastles,” “Lemonade” explodes into full protest, with some of the best tracks of the year. “Freedom” actually sounds like it explodes when it hits the chorus as Beyoncé belts, “Freedom, freedom, Where are you? / Cause I need freedom too / I break chains all by myself.” She addresses social movements in the eyes of black women with so much conviction. It sounds like a song about to bring genuine change. And it has the force to do so.

Kendrick Lamar, on a high since 2015’s stunner of an album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” joins Beyoncé with a verse that touches on institutionalized racism while continuing to bring women to the forefront. He urges his own mother, “But mama, don’t cry for me, ride for me.” Kendrick delivers a smooth performance essential for rap fans that may be on the fence about trying a new Beyoncé album.

“Lemonade” concludes with “Formation,” a stand against police violence against minorities that caused a stir when she performed the song at the 2016 Super Bowl. It’s one of the best album closers in ages, standing as a black power anthem that has the edge, delivery and kickass beat needed to turn it into a massive hit. With this song, and many others on “Lemonade”, Beyoncé uses her superstar status (and if you think she’s not the biggest star in music, you’re in denial) to provoke change and conversation. It’s evident that “Formation” will be one of the most talked about songs in years. Beyoncé knows this, she has made sure to spit fire and forcibly bring people’s attention to larger societal issues.

“Lemonade” is one of the best, and most important, albums of the year. Beyoncé is a huge, ubiquitous artist and she creates conversation. But this is the face-value material of “Lemonade.” It uses this “Jay Z cheated on Beyoncé” storyline to suck the pop culture into a much-needed conversation about social rights. “Lemonade” is full of insecurities, broken promises, and weariness at the same time it pushes a defiant message. Cheating has just as much to do with relationships as it does the current state of America’s social rights.