Beyonce B'day (2 LP) wicker the dystopian cereal-box-look of the

the dystopian cereal-box-look of the follow-up

Ralph MacDonald

THE SMITHS demanded

Hayes's status as a key player in the Stax/Volt soul empire

Beyonce B'day (2 LP) wicker the dystopian cereal-box-look of theBeyonce had little to prove on her second solo outing, B'DAY, having already demonstrated her taste, (solo) vocal prowess, and sparkling star quality on her first post Destiny's Child release in 2003. Nevertheless, the singer and her crack team of producers and collaborators (R&B's finest, including the Neptunes, Swizz Beats, and Rich Harrison) have come up with a collection that's at least equal to her previous triumphs, and that shows off an almost