Destiny's Child
have never quite seemed like a true group, possibly because
Beyonce Knowles
always took the spotlight in the group's hits and videos. When the group went their separate ways in the wake of the blockbuster success of 2001's
Survivor
, it was easy to assume that the split was permanent, a suspicion that only grew when
Beyonce
became a superstar with her 2003 solo debut,
Dangerously in Love
. As it turns out, she was reluctant to leave the group behind -- an attachment that might have been telegraphed by the fact that her solo album shared a title with a song from
-- because she reunited with
Kelly Rowland
and
Michelle Williams
for 2004's
Destiny Fulfilled
. To put it mildly, this is not quite like
Diana Ross
returning to
the Supremes
, nor is it like a
New Edition
reunion; it is not the reunion of a supergroup, nor is it a case of the sum being greater than the parts. This is a retreat to
's comfortable status quo, where
Kelly
Michelle
take a backseat, both intentionally and not, to the undeniable star that is
. She can seduce and shout, she can sound strong and sexy, and she steals every song on
. Not that
are bad singers. They are sweet, classy vocalists, cooing their leads nicely and providing warm harmonies on the choruses, but they're overpowered by the powerhouse of
, who sounds larger than life even when she's quiet.
begins with an invigorating opening salvo of two hard-driving
dance
cuts,
"Lose My Breath"
"Soldier,"
then slides into a series of nine slow-grooving tracks. Throughout it all, the harmonies sound good, and a few cuts stand out --
"Is She the Reason"
glides by on a sexy
Melba Moore
sample, and the nimble
"Free"
wins points for being livelier than the rest. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine