Rated 4

Beyonce surprised me when she released the epic ass shaker ‘Run The World (Girls)’. I then surprised myself by leaping from a venomous hatred for the song to an epic love that has me imitating the shoulder shudder on every dance floor I grace. You would think, going by what the lead single suggests, that the forthcoming 4 would be an album in much the same vein as past material. Lots of uber feminist and patriotic booty bumping a la ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)’ and some sexually charged grind like ‘Video Phone’. If you’re expecting any of the above then you’re about to be surprised, shocked and maybe even disappointed. However, what it lacks in sass and sex appeal, it makes up for with passion, aggression and determination.

Don't use 'Run the World' as a basis for judging this album, this is the best advice I can give you in relation to 4. It's the closer and although would have been nice as the introductory track, when you grasp the structure of the album you appreciate it as an ending. The tempo begins at zero but reaches climax when the Major Lazer sampler beats the doors of love down. So just sit back and relax and gird your loins for the epic finish. Don't do as I have done and listen to the critics who are saying the album is "horrific", "messy", "worst album ever". I have been pleasantly surprised by the final product and although there is one weak moment, by Beyonce's standards, this is a damn solid album.

 Opener ‘1+1’ is an acoustic sounding ballad about love in a time of war and as soppy as it is, it’s actually the best love song since the age of the Mariah Carey ballads. The song is slow and stripped, leaving space for Beyonce’s, air traffic stopping, vocals to take control. Her raw talent is undeniable when you get sucked into the roaring of this track, ‘I don’t know much about guns but I, got shot by you’. The theme is carried with ‘I Care’, an 80s inspired song about caring for someone who doesn’t reciprocate. Powerful, almost epic and quite moving, the song lets Beyonce go wild once more, with one of her most convincing and aggressive performances to date. You’d think she’d run out of love, but no, this woman is a lovemaking machine. This isn’t a side of her we see too frequently. It’s nice to experience some aggressive rage for a change.

It’s clear that ol’Jay isn’t getting any sleep these days with B crooning in his ear and humping his leg. ‘I Miss You’ and ‘Rather Die Young’ are lovely songs about being intensely, well, in love. The former being an album highlight, with a haunting echoey hum and a consistent beat laid underneath Beyonce's gooey, chocolatey vocals. Second 4 single, ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ is the album’s ‘Irreplaceable’. “I bet it sucks to be you right now”, growls Beyonce as she thanks her ex lover for enlightening her on the mistake that was their relationship. “I wanted you back, I’m so through with that, cos honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had”, she blasts. Like ‘Irreplaceable’, anyone with experience in life and love can relate to this and take a moment to satisfactorily lip synch in the kitchen.

No doubt these shoes will garner Gaga comparisons.
There's only one Queen B.

  ‘Party’ features Kanye West and Andre 3000, a collaboration made in heaven one would expect? Probably my least favourite song on 4, this is lackluster and as punch-less as a tree stump sitting in a ravaged wood. A slight boost in tempo yes, but overall it’s a pointless and oomph lacking song. You’d think with such massive stars in one recording studio that something a bit more teeth shattering would be crafted.
 Things get back on form with ‘Start Over’, echoing late 80s balladry, with a hint of the haunting bells of ‘Halo’ that made the song so epic. As with the other ballads on the album, there’s a distinct lack of vocal manipulation, a refreshing trait as Beyonce’s voice becomes a living entity in itself. ‘Love On Top’ is Whitney Houston style, 80s soul, pop tartestry that on first listen is a total “WTF?” but proves itself quite original in the age of synth overload. ‘Countdown’ is a success, sampling the countdown of Boyz II Men’s ‘Uhh Ahh’, proving to be classic Sasha Fierce revamped for 2011. It could almost be a bonus track from B’Day, with its rap-harmony structure. ‘End of Time’ kicks off with a ‘Run the World’ style, military drum beat and lives up to the introductory promise. Horns then accompany the drum and the tempo goes through the roof, being a perfect build up for the closer ‘Run The World’. Of course there’s one last ballad, ‘I Was Here’. It sounds like classic B. and would slot perfectly onto I Am…Sasha Fierce.  Beyonce belts out a lovely chorus, “I was here, I lived, I loved, I was here, I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would be, I will leave my mark so everyone will know I was here.” Sticking a ballad right in before the epic closer could have been a mistake, but this ego-centric ode to herself is bashed out with so much passion it’s impossible not to get involved.


Of course, the sore thumb of 4 needs a mention. ‘Pon De Floor’ sampling ‘Run The World’ is about as suited to this album as a cover of Britney’s ‘Slave 4 U’, but it’s just so bloody good that you can’t resist falling for it. In classic hyper feminist Beyonce style, she chants “Boy you know you love it how we're smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bare the children, then get back to business”.

So much rides on this album, but nothing at the same time. If it’s a disaster on the charts, Beyonce’s decision to manage her own musical affairs will be seen as questionable. Should it do well, and following her upcoming festival performances I have every faith it will, her status as the biggest star in the musicverse will be cemented forever more. The frustrating thing about this album is how great it is. Impatient critics slated it from experiences only fractured demos online (idiots). Well, thankfully, 4 is a consistent, refreshing album that could may well be one of the top 5 albums of 2011 and potentially the best album of Beyonce’s career thus far. It doesn’t have the edge that B’Day had, but it’s not about edge here. It’s experimental and daring when the airwaves are littered with the electronic beats of Gaga and Britney, and it’s a showcase of an immense talent in an age where anyone can be a ‘singer’. With an original and well presented album like this, Beyonce isn’t going anywhere soon (except maybe to grace the world with a mini Beyonce?).

If you’re unsure, download these tracks and you’ll be convinced: ‘1+1’, ‘Run The World’, ‘Start Over’, 'I Miss You', ‘End of Time’.

4.7/5