Are you ready for this jelly? Santa better be, because, just in time for Christmas stockings all over the world, the recently demised Destiny’s Child have kindly collected their Greatest Hits together onto one handy CD.
The question is, have the R&B queens left a legacy other than encouraging grown adults to excitedly ask each other if they’re ready for dessert?
Undeniably, '#1’s' proves Beyonce Knowles and her revolving door of bandmates (there have been six DC’s in all) have bequeathed us half a dozen great singles.
'Independent Women', 'Bootylicious', 'Survivor', 'Jumpin’ Jumpin’, 'Bills, Bills, Bills', 'Say My Name' and 'Bug a Boo' all perfectly showcase Destiny’s Child’s magic ingredients; great R&B songs with catchy, often surprising hooks, big, bold production and feisty lyrics - sassily delivered with gospel-influenced panache.
Endearingly, this is all mixed up with a sense of fun and a celebration of sisterhood solidarity. These girls stood up for themselves and each other, but didn’t take it all too seriously - remember Survivor’s leopard-skin cavewomen routine for example?
However, these standout tracks are all culled from just two LPs – 1999’s' Writing’s On The Wall' and 2001’s 'Survivor'. Unfortunately, the remainder of '#1’s' mostly demonstrates how the rest of their career failed to match this purple patch.
Early tracks hardly get a look in, whilst the contributions from their final effort, 'Destiny Fulfilled' (released just a year ago), merely emphasises the aptness of the album’s title - although, the Rodney Jerkins’ produced 'Lose My Breath' - a dirtier, fresher take on 'Bootylicious' - is a notable exception.
The latter songs also feature Beyonce morphing from Independent Woman to Dependent Girl. In the shockingly submissive 'Cater 2 U', she wails, “I’ll keep it tight, keep my figure right/ I'll keep my hair fixed, keep rocking the hottest outfits/ I'm here to serve you.” That Jay-Z must have her wrapped round his pudgy little finger.
Any Destiny’s Child fan still clinging onto the belief the group had anywhere left to go apart from Beyonce’s stellar solo career, should check out their final recording, 'Stand Up For Love' (2005 World Children’s Day Anthem). It somehow manages to be even more queasily cheesy than the sub-title suggests, and the worst choice possible to kick off the album.
So, whilst you definitely should be ready for some jelly in your stocking, don’t expect to be scooping the whole thing onto your shiny new iPod.
The question is, have the R&B queens left a legacy other than encouraging grown adults to excitedly ask each other if they’re ready for dessert?
Undeniably, '#1’s' proves Beyonce Knowles and her revolving door of bandmates (there have been six DC’s in all) have bequeathed us half a dozen great singles.
'Independent Women', 'Bootylicious', 'Survivor', 'Jumpin’ Jumpin’, 'Bills, Bills, Bills', 'Say My Name' and 'Bug a Boo' all perfectly showcase Destiny’s Child’s magic ingredients; great R&B songs with catchy, often surprising hooks, big, bold production and feisty lyrics - sassily delivered with gospel-influenced panache.
Endearingly, this is all mixed up with a sense of fun and a celebration of sisterhood solidarity. These girls stood up for themselves and each other, but didn’t take it all too seriously - remember Survivor’s leopard-skin cavewomen routine for example?
However, these standout tracks are all culled from just two LPs – 1999’s' Writing’s On The Wall' and 2001’s 'Survivor'. Unfortunately, the remainder of '#1’s' mostly demonstrates how the rest of their career failed to match this purple patch.
Early tracks hardly get a look in, whilst the contributions from their final effort, 'Destiny Fulfilled' (released just a year ago), merely emphasises the aptness of the album’s title - although, the Rodney Jerkins’ produced 'Lose My Breath' - a dirtier, fresher take on 'Bootylicious' - is a notable exception.
The latter songs also feature Beyonce morphing from Independent Woman to Dependent Girl. In the shockingly submissive 'Cater 2 U', she wails, “I’ll keep it tight, keep my figure right/ I'll keep my hair fixed, keep rocking the hottest outfits/ I'm here to serve you.” That Jay-Z must have her wrapped round his pudgy little finger.
Any Destiny’s Child fan still clinging onto the belief the group had anywhere left to go apart from Beyonce’s stellar solo career, should check out their final recording, 'Stand Up For Love' (2005 World Children’s Day Anthem). It somehow manages to be even more queasily cheesy than the sub-title suggests, and the worst choice possible to kick off the album.
So, whilst you definitely should be ready for some jelly in your stocking, don’t expect to be scooping the whole thing onto your shiny new iPod.
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