THINK Beyoncé, and "mellow" isn't the first word that comes to mind. But on "4," the singer stifles Sasha Fierce -- her hip-hop alter ego -- for a collection of mild-child R&B tunes.
This slow-rider attack doesn't lend these tunes more depth, but does allow Beyoncé to showcase singing skills that range from soprano highs to her knack for shifting from growl to purr. As flexible as her voice is, it's wasted on songs that wouldn't stick in your head even if they were smeared with "Crazy in Love" glue.
"4" opens with the love ballad "1+1," a sleepy R&B piece that floats on subtle neo-soul strings and horns. If vocal elegance is the goal here, Beyoncé ruins the mood by jumping to high notes at the end of each verse, as if somebody had goosed her.
Beyoncé's latest album will put you to sleep -- even the Kanye track! -- but a new electro-pop single by Selena Gomez (inset) will wake you up.
Kate Turning
Beyoncé's latest album will put you to sleep -- even the Kanye track! -- but a new electro-pop single by Selena Gomez (inset) will wake you up.
The CD snores on with "I Care," "I Miss You" and "The Best Thing I Never Had." By the time you get to "Party," featuring Kanye West and Andre 3000, you're ready for fireworks. But it's another dud, as Beyoncé breezily sings, "We like to party" without conviction. When you think "4" couldn't get worse, Beyoncé lays down "I Was Here," which can only be described as cheesy listening.
The lady finally puts a ring on "4" in the hip-pop jam "Countdown," and later with the Prince-esque "End of Time." Unfortunately it's too little, too late.
So now some reviews deserve a thread by their own while all the rest are posted in the "review" thread? Why are Bey's haters trying so hard? And I'm really sorry for some bitter Xtina's stans, but this album won't be a bionic II, misery lmoves company but it is just not happening. Fortunately all of them are not like that.
Sorry, stans, the OP has simply posted a review. Don't be so annoyingly insecure and defensive.
So according to you, we might aswell post a thread for each positive review of "4" and they are a lot of them? You're the annoying one for not getting why the thread is not needed and none of the post before you were rude toward the OP. So what are you talking about?
