Destiny's Child - Survivor

Album Details

Artist: Destiny's Child
Album: Survivor
Label: Columbia
Year of Release: 2001
ME Rating:
Reviewed by: charlesmartel on 2012-08-23

Recommend

Okay, let's get a few things straight. In the late fifties, a speeded up version of the blues came along which was known as Rhythm and Blues, or R&B for short. Quickly it gained a foothold in the UK which stretched beyond the predominantly black clubs of urban America which had spawned it, into the white middle classes. In its UK heyday, it comprised bands such as Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, the early Beatles and early Rolling Stones stuff, the Animals, the Yardbirds and the Kinks to name but a few. Its characteristics were that it was rough and ready with a strong rhythm and a heavy heavy blues influence to the guitar sound.

In the late eighties, after soul music had gone up the dead end (butt end) of a dreary, dull, repetitive, mindless genre known as disco, it tried to rediscover its roots. It looked back to the original gospel music, but, deliberately or otherwise, retained the silly lyrical themes ("Move Your Body", "Groove Your Thang", "Shake Your Funky Booty" and so on). Though, with time, some moved on from those silly themes, some of the time, this new genre became dreary, dull, repetitive, mindless, and an exercise in vocal gymnastics inspired by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston who could spread a single syllable over a dozen or more notes. This meant that excessive vocalising became the principal instrumentation - the rest was just sparse, often with an erratic sounding, but still essentially 4/4 drum beat, however much the drum machines attempted to hide it. Guitars were gone - whatever music there was came from machines and any rawness in the sound was ironed out by gross over-production.

What do they call this new genre? Well, as they lacked the originality to come up with a new set of lyrics; they lacked the originality to break away from the 4/4 of dance tracks, so they lacked the originality to call it by a new name. They hi-jacked the term rhythm and blues.

R&B this ain't. This is crap. Sheer, utter, unadulterated horseshit, of no value to anyone. I don't call this garbage R&B. I call it what it is. SLS. Soul-less Soul.

Why am I writing this? Well Destiny's Child have been among the principal exponents of it and it is sooooooooooooooooooooooo damn dull!!

User Reviews and Comments

User Rating:

Currently 1.00/10

Rating: 1.0/10
(1 rating)
Sign In to Rate

Write your own review
Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.

Reviews have to be over 100 words, shorter ones are classed as comments.

on 2012-08-24 Carlita Said:

I did like Destiny's Child back in the 90's but in the pop arena. Pop is supposed to be light and danceable, appealing to the masses so that's where I put them. Disagree on disco (several songs still hold up today as fun party songs) and think there's a wealth of great R&B and soul out there.
Not Rated

on 2012-08-24 hstisgod Said:

ug, Chaz!! that is all.
Not Rated

on 2011-03-13 CharlesMartel Said:

Beyonce may have a good voice but it is seriously wasted on this garbage.
Rating: 1/10