Beyoncé, Homecoming: The Live Album | Album Review 💿

Beyoncé delivers a once-in-a-lifetime live album with ‘Homecoming: The Live Album,’ which captures performances from her stint headlining Coachella.

Question: Does Beyoncé ever fail to surprise? The answer is a resounding HELL to the NO.  While unannounced, unexpected, surprise albums have become the norm for Mrs. Carter, the excitability factor every time a release does materialize is quite high. Sure, few get really amped-up for a live album, but Homecoming: The Live Album just isn’t any live album.  It’s the performances from Beyoncé’s historic performance at Coachella, where she became the first African American woman to headline.  Even without being present at the performance or seeing the visual, Homecoming: The Live Album is quite a treat to say the least.

What makes Homecoming stand out?

Ah, there’s so much to love about Homecoming: The Live Album. Rather than go track-by-track, we’ll examine some general things that make Homecoming the bop that it is. Beyoncé smartly integrates HBCUs into the mix, including drum lines and step show skits.  This all adds even more personality to these big-time hits from the Grammy-winning R&B artist.  Beyond the punchy brass of the marching band, there are also a number of samples from artists other than Carter herself.  This includes Kendrick Lamar (“Humble”), Wiz Khalifa (“Black and Yellow”), and even hubby Jay-Z (“Higher” from 4:44).  Furthermore, only select songs are full-length, and ‘Yoncé doesn’t go by the script of the studio versions, which eliminates predictability and amplifies the theatrical.  Most of all, it is how accurate Beyoncé’s vocals are throughout the course of the album – her pitch is quite impressive to be performed and recorded live.

Highlights 

If you are a Beyoncé fan, then Homecoming is the album for you.  She features hits from her days with Destiny’s Child (“Lose My Breath,” “Say My Name,” and “Soldier”), bringing Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams into the mix.  During this segment, the nostalgia is at an all-time high.  Beyond the Destiny’s Child set, the queen also gives us some of her biggest triumphs from each studio album. ✓ “Crazy in Love” (Dangerously in Love, 2003) sets the tone following the “Welcome,” while a brief take of “Baby Boy” appears as the 23^rd track. B’Day gets more attention, with a rousing rendition of ✓ “Déjà vu” featuring Jay-Z by her side.  Also hailing from the 2006 album is “Kitty Kat” and a notable performance of ✓ “Get Me Bodied.”

The representation from I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008) is led by a stellar rendition of the Grammy-winning ✓ “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”  Had “Single Ladies” been missing in action, it would’ve been a travesty.  Otherwise, only ✓ “Diva” appears from the first album that earned Beyoncé a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.  The songs that appear from 4 exceed expectations, particularly “I Care,” the 19^th track.  The vocals are high-flying, particularly as Beyoncé nails those high notes.  “Party,” “Countdown,” ✓ “Run the World (Girls),” and “Love on Top” also represent 4 with “Run the World (Girls)” arguably coming in second only to “I Care.” It is during “Run the World” that Beyoncé cites the historic nature of her role as headliner.

The meat of Homecoming arrives post-4.  Beyoncé (2013) is represented by ✓ “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” “Bow Down,” “Yoncé,” “Flawless” and “7/11.” That’s sounds about right, considering none of Homecoming is focused on ballads, so “Pretty Hurts” and “Haunted” wouldn’t fit the vibe.  Lemonade (2016) gets the most love. ✓ “Freedom” arrives as the third song in all its glory, while ✓ “Formation” (track five) is show stopping, blending elements of the studio version, live horns, and finding Beyoncé turned all the way up.  Listeners get a particularly liberal take on “Sorry,” which fully embraces the HBCU culture – horns, step show skits, chants, etc.  Perhaps my personal favorite is ✓ “Don’t Hurt Yourself” where the horns truly kick things up a notch on this rock standout. Beyoncé sounds ripe with distortion added to her already powerful, raw pipes.  Unfortunately, “Hold Up” isn’t long enough, sigh.

Beyoncé also has some other tricks up her sleeve.  “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (track four) is a nice touch, and one of the few slower moments from Homecoming.  The DJ Khaled single “Top Off” also makes an appearance. ✓ “Mi Gente” is a more notable moment, bringing J Balvin into the picture brilliantly.  Even her solo record, “Check On It” from the Destiny’s Child compilation #1’s makes an appearance.

Final Thoughts 

Analyzing the greatness that is Homecoming: The Live Album would take a very long time, not to mention far exceed the length of a standard album review.  That said, the big takeaway is that Beyoncé totally delivers, choosing the crème de la crème of her robust catalogue to perform at this historic edition of Coachella.  Everything is sound from the arrangements, production, vocals, and even the select few, but worthwhile guests.  If there were ever a time to get excited about a live album, let alone a live R&B album, Homecoming: The Live Album is the one.

✓ Gems: “Crazy in Love,” “Freedom,” “Formation,” “Drunk in Love,” “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” “I Care,” “Mi Gente,” “Déjà vu,” “Diva,” “Run the World (Girls),” “Lose My Breath,” “Say My Name,” “Soldier,” “Get Me Bodied,” & “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”

Beyoncé • Homecoming: The Live Album • Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia • Release: 4.17.19

Photo Credits: Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia