If you happened to hear collective shouts of near-orgasmic adulation and delight echoing from sea to shining sea last Friday, it was because Beyonce released a new album. The screams were coming from music critics and others in media who want us to know that “Black Is King” is quite possibly the greatest artistic achievement of all time, equaled only by Beyonce’s other albums, together comprising a catalog of music so breathtaking and awe-inspiring that Beethoven, if he wasn’t deaf and also dead, would be plunged into despair upon realizing that he could never hope to produce anything as heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
The latest offering from Queen Bey — released as a visual album on Disney+ as a companion piece to last year’s abysmal “Lion King” remake, and also as a traditional album on iTunes — is, according to NPR, a “sumptuous search for divine identity” that “resonates deeply.” Critics at the New York Times were beside themselves with joy, using words like “overwhelming” and “extravaganza” and comparing Beyonce to “the rising sun.” The AV Club exclaimed that the pop album inspired by a Disney cartoon is “an unfettered celebration.” Mashable declared that Beyonce is “the only artist to exist at her level.” She is, in a word, “magical.” Phrases like “a tribute to her artistry” and “supreme black art” have been wielded by gobsmacked critics. Everyone seems to agree that “Black Is King” is a masterpiece.
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