Destiny Fulfilled

1	Lose My Breath 4:02
2	Soldier / T.I. 5:25
3	Cater 2 U 4:07
4	T-Shirt / T.I. 4:40
5	Is She the Reason 4:47
6	Girl 3:44
7	Bad Habit 3:54
8	If 4:15
9	Free 4:51
10	Through With Love 3:35
11	Love 7:02

Barnes & Noble

Given her meteoric rise as a solo star, it's admirable that Beyoncé has reunited with her Destiny's Child band mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams -- perhaps the loyal young diva finds that's three's company and not a crowd. The multi-platinum-selling trio's fifth studio album picks up where their 2001 chartbuster, Survivor, left off with a likable collection of girl-power anthems and smoldering ballads. The difference is that the twenty-something ladies reveal a more mature, sensual side, particularly on songs like the frenetically-paced, marching band inspired first single "Lose My Breath," the gushing "Cater 2 U," and the racy "T-Shirt." The latter song, however, tries too hard to be sexy, with Beyoncé unconvincingly moaning ŕ la Miss Jackson for her lover to "keep it right there." Despite that misstep, and the fact that Michelle's cartoon-like vocals still sound out of sync, on the strength of Beyoncé's fiery, trill-running vocals, the ladies stay on track with classic soul-inspired tracks such as "Is She the Reason" and "Free," and the gospel-infused "Through with It." On most of the album, Destiny's Child live up their billing as the new millennium Supremes. That said, Beyoncé will surely match, if not surpass, the solo success of Diana Ross. But for now, consider Destiny's Child's Destiny Fulfilled. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

Destiny's Child have never quite seemed like a true group, possibly because Beyoncé 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 Beyoncé 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 Survivor -- 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 Destiny's Child's comfortable status quo, where Kelly and Michelle take a backseat, both intentionally and not, to the undeniable star that is Beyoncé. She can seduce and shout, she can sound strong and sexy, and she steals every song on Destiny Fulfilled. Not that Kelly and Michelle 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 Beyoncé, who sounds larger than life even when she's quiet. Destiny Fulfilled begins with an invigorating opening salvo of two hard-driving dance cuts, "Lose My Breath" and "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