Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Written by: Amanda Denett
The Queen is back, and she is back in full force. For a long time there has been a lot of speculation to whether or not Beyoncé can stay on top. The public had their eye on the Queen B because 1.) this was her very first studio album without her father, Matthew Knowles, as her manager. 2.) People wanted to see if she is capable of topping her last album "I Am...Sasha Fierce", which won six Grammy's in 2010, and 3.) Beyoncé's first single "Run the World (Girls)" was a major flop only selling 77,000 units the first week. But of course Beyoncé proves with "4" that she is not ready to give up the thrown just yet.
On this album she worked with a few fimilar producers such as: The Dream, Kanye West and Babyface. But she also gave a few underdogs a chance to shine like OFWGKTA's very own Frank Ocean and Ester Dean (who also wrote "What's My Name?", "S&M",and "Super Bass"). Beyoncé says her album "4", represents all the different types of genres that inspire her. This album is filled with tracks that sound nothing like each other. Some might sound strange at first, but according to Miss Knowles that's exactly what she was going for. Beyoncé says when she recorded the track "Countdown" she was starting to feel like a mad scientist in the studio. But this "madness" definitely produced a preeminent song filled with a mix of reggae and sass. Along with the instrumentals being unique and somewhat unexpected, her vocals sound more raw and rough, which is usually something you only get to hear live.
On this album she worked with a few fimilar producers such as: The Dream, Kanye West and Babyface. But she also gave a few underdogs a chance to shine like OFWGKTA's very own Frank Ocean and Ester Dean (who also wrote "What's My Name?", "S&M",and "Super Bass"). Beyoncé says her album "4", represents all the different types of genres that inspire her. This album is filled with tracks that sound nothing like each other. Some might sound strange at first, but according to Miss Knowles that's exactly what she was going for. Beyoncé says when she recorded the track "Countdown" she was starting to feel like a mad scientist in the studio. But this "madness" definitely produced a preeminent song filled with a mix of reggae and sass. Along with the instrumentals being unique and somewhat unexpected, her vocals sound more raw and rough, which is usually something you only get to hear live.
A few songs that certainly shine are the mid-tempo drum lovin' "I Care", and the upbeat stadium anthem "End of Time". Surprisingly, there is no feature with her hip-hop hubby Mr. Hov a.k.a Jay-Z, but there is one feature with Andre 3000 in "Party". This track is something to look out for! The beat has an 80's feel with amazing layers of her vocals. Very diva-ish. And Andre just adds swag.
Overall, Beyoncé produces a solid 4th studio album. She doesn't need to fit in to maintain her thrown. The album maybe filled with tracks that sound completely different, but that Beyoncé persona is still there. What makes her so great is that she is not afraid to experiment. She is willing to always challenge herself and is never too risky. "4" has the love song, the break-up song, the being independent song and the booty-shaking song. And while some songs on this album might be considered as "mediocre" its Beyonce's live performances that really adds quality to each track. So if you listen to "4" and aren't pleased... Just wait till she starts touring. Beyoncé will most definitely change your mind.
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