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The Carters // Everything is Love
Power couple releases album as pair
July 18, 2018 at 2:45 PM
The Carters
Everything is Love
Columbia Records
4.5/5 Stars
Aseemingly fitting conclusion to a trilogy of albums released by The Carters separately (Beyonce's Lemonade and Jay-Z's 4:44) revolving around family, infidelity, and redemption, Everything is Love arrives as a marriage of high-art and bravado only The Carters and their peers are capable of. Accompanied by artwork and a high-profile video shot in The Louvre, the album plays like a spiritual sequel to Jay-Z's luxurious and indulgent 2011 collaboration, Watch the Throne. Blending the sonic sensibilities of both of its predecessors, Everything is Love manages to feel invigorating and timeless all at once, allowing the pair to skillfully bounce from the modern trap of "APESH*T" to the inspired throwback of "NICE" and "713." Now in his 50s, Jay-Z continues the effortless renaissance he started last year, but it's no surprise when his wife runs circles around him, even rap-wise; "If I gave two f*cks about streaming numbers, I would've put Lemonade on Spotify/F*ck you," she states matter-of-factly on the aforementioned "NICE." If we're lucky, this won't be the last collaboration we hear from one of pop culture's most valuable couples. — Aaron Mook