basically im always getting behind on R&B so i thought a thread like this would be a good way for me to stay up to date. providing the people here arent also behind in which case this thread is going to be a total waste of time. but hopefully not. anyway, the new beyonce album came out the other week. i havent heard it but i love deja vu (fuck everyone/mainstream critics who keep banging on about how its tuneless - no its not, you just cant hear it cos you only like R&B when its weird/gimmicky/screams out 'pop anthem' etc) and the album cover is pretty excellent too as beyonce looks like a sort of stepford wive/R&B fembot which IMO is a great look for her. ring the alarm is quite terrible though (the anger and screaming in the chorus sound quite pointless/hollow overall and the sirens are too OTT) so im hoping the rest of the album isnt like that. i heard the cassie album and the production by ryan leslie (who i think is signed to westbound which is strange as i had no idea that label was still active) is quite interesting overall, esp the tracks that maintain that iciness/detached childlike coolness of the first single but nothing else sadly really seemed to match the single for songfulness.