4

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles is one of my top 5 favorite Female entertainers of all time! I hold much love and admiration for her, while remaining a true fan throughout her years in Destiny's Child, and as a solo artist. I have been anxiously awaiting her new 2011 album. And finally, my copy arrived today, and has been playing in heavy rotation since, respectably!. "4" has blends of '80s and '90s Old School Hip-Hop and R&B, also including pure Pop excellence! The soothing, newly settled mood of this material provides total satisfaction, and offers a mature insight into several genere's of feel-good music. Part ballad-heavy and partly dominated by mid-tempo tracks, "4" shines through the window of perfection with a surprisingly, confident turn into the future of Ms. Knowles. "4" is, without a doubt, her greatest work to date! I am confidant that true music lovers will appreciate her new touch and, without hesitation, will begin strutting toward the new direction of which this 2011 debut will surely take you in! Track listing for 4: Track 1) 1+1 - 4:33. Let me get right down to business. "1+1" is such an exquisite piece of perfection! And I must say, vocally, Beyoncé has never sound better, as she lifts high above, and casually descends in pure delight. There is a bit of everything on this track, including the calm touch of the rock-guitar, the piano, the cymbals and more. Track 2) I Care - 3:59. With all seriousness, this is one of my absolute favorite songs featured! "I Care" serves a generous share of drums and percussion, all tied together with a nostalgic tempo. I especially adore the ending, in which the song rides out with Beyoncé repeating "I still care,"..followed with an "owww" at which point, crashes simultaneously with the flaring rock-guitar. Track 3) I Miss You - 2:58. I am completely spellbound by Ms. Knowles' vocals here. I get chills from start to finish! Her tone stirs emotions deep from within me, due to her raw, radiant and mature vocals. Edging on haunting, her tone gives off vibrations of a cold and lonely echo drifting through the Universe, soaring around full circle, straight to your mind, body and soul. For those of you who have ever loved someone, whether that might be family, a lover, a close friends, a confidant...trust me, you will wear this song as if it were an honor badge. Beyoncé said it best - "it don't matter who you are, it is sooo simple." "No matter who you love, it is sooo simple." Track 4) Best Thing I Never Had - 4:13. With this song, you get an important message of empowerment, presented with the tickling of the classic piano. Beyoncé takes the listener through the trials and tribulations of a one-sided relationship, and does a wonderfully convincing job of making vulnerability seem like a form of bravery, with class and sophistication! Beyoncé never fails to bring the truth to the table; as evident with past successors such as "Me, Myself & I," and "Irreplaceable." "Best Thing I Ever Had" provides you with the same level of security and comfort, with a unique song-title and an uplifting rhythm to soften the blow. Afterall, this is her 4th album, with a minor return of past love issues on the surface, only this time, in the form of new timeless material. Track 5) Party feat. Andre 3000 (contains samples from "La Di Da Di" performed by Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew feat. MC Ricky D, written by Douglas Davis) - 4:04. I always BuMp-bA-BuMp this track every time I play this album. "Party" will go down as one of her most distinguished songs, ever! Andre 3000 provides the Hip-Hop aspect, and does his thing quite well, as usual! There is a faint essence of '90s girl-group SWV, held down by Ms. Knowles, as she turns it out in her own right. The return of '80s synth and puttering percussion makes for a...well...a party! Track 6) Rather Die Young - 3:42. Starts off - "Boy you'll be the death of me, you're my James Dean, you make me feel like I'm 17," and soon after "You drive to fast, smoke to much, but that don't mean a thing, 'cause I'm addicted to the rush." What follows after is an in-your-face chorus, intertwined with an explosion of retro instruments. Again, songs like this make you think about your significant other, and even stirs up past memories of that special someone, leaving you with personal intimate feelings once shared together. Track 7) Start Over - 3:18. Once again, Beyoncé comes with all (vocal) barrels blazing, as she points out the possible reasons for a fading relationship. On this track, Beyoncé delivers heartbreak with purpose: to remind us just how overwhelming love can be. There is everlasting strength in her vocals, pushing out feelings of anger, despair, and regret, with a hint of optimism all melted into one. Track 8) Love On Top - 4:27. This song is heavily doused with early '90s Old-School flavor, and gives an instant refreshing sigh of relief for all whom, like me, remember those genuine days of R&B! The trumpet and percussion blast out with early '90s pride and continue down that path to completion. Material such as this proves exactly why Ms. Knowles is positioned alongside greatness as an amazing Legend! It's very pleasant to hear her sing overtop a smooth retro rhythm, all while taking (you) the listener back to the good ol' days when music stood for something..when music had true meaning. Again, this type of laid-back dated material is greatly appreciated, and personally, wholeheartedly, I Thank you very much Beyoncé! Track 9) Countdown (contains samples from "Uhh Ahh" performed by Boyz II Men, written by Michael Bivins) - 3:31. Yet another favorite of mine, and I am in love with the instruments used throughout. The beat is contagious, and rides along with blends of caribbean heat. Beyoncé starts out this fun-filled countdown with a moment of harmonizing, then quickly, the song morphs into a trumpet blirting, drum-marching celebration. The verse: "damn I think I love that boy, do anything for that boy" automatically makes me think of my guy, as is true about the song itself. Track 10) End Of Time - 3:43. A GOLDEN entry on "4" indeed! With vocals as flawless as a cut diamond, "End Of Time" proves to be yet another classic. The marching drums re-emerge, and the bass pushes along with such venturesome rhythm. You simply can't help but to move your entire body, from your neck, down your spine, straight to your feet! This is easily my favorite summer song of 2011! Track 11) I Was Here - 3:58. Only one word I can use to sum up this song - Real! Ms. Knowles' words are deep and from her heart. You can feel the agony and conviction with every note. I can't say it enough, there is so much power in her vocals here...so mighty...so serious...so precise! Ms. Knowles expresses how much of an impact she hopes she has made throughout her early career to the present. The hope that she has made her mark throughout her career is really non-arguable, as I truly believe that she has accomplished that and then some! Her longevity expands with every breath she takes! Track 12) Run The World (Girls) - 3:56. The very 1st song and video that were both released as the album's front runners. You will feel and hear total instant maximum energy on this track, all laid about with a hyperactive beat, and wrapped together with female empowerment. "Who Run The World" condones you the freedom to dance your butt off with zero regret. "4" is a plethora of mid-tempo cuts, rich with echoes of late-'70s/early-'80s Pop, cascading with powerhouse-balladry and early '90s soul. The listener will get a bit of everything, from personal slow jams, to grinding drill-beats, as well as a few marching two-step anthems, all of which keep you fixated. A bundle of instruments are in play and give a gigantic boost to each track, instruments such as the bass guitar, the rhythm guitar, the snare drum, the saxophone, keyboards, the trumpet, the synth...even the cello, as well as many more. While never allowing herself to repeat the same formula, Beyoncé has, once again, proven to the world that she is here to give us (her fans) nothing but the best. And as a perfectionist myself, I know the feeling of wanting nothing but the best, for the best! Rather than becoming a duplicate of today's music scene, Beyoncé has taken a left turn head on into the future of music! And of course, with progression comes miserable, negative naysayers, all whom have absolutely nothing to say as "4" will put them all to silence in shame! - Beyoncé Evolution - either you're with her or without! p.s. I was born September 13th 1981, and Beyoncé on September 4th, 1981 - Happy early B. Day Beyoncé (my spiritual Virgo twin).

Ok, so let me just begin by saying I'm shakin my head at all of the Beyonce haters....it's sad that whenever someone has attained the magnitude of commercial success that beyonce has, some people just cant take it. ...She's a sell out, she aint got no soul, she's not original, blah blah blah. Now we're all entitled to our own opinions, but quite frankly, how people can say that this album is a failure or not her best work is baffling! Ok...moving on to the actual review...I'll just go track by track: "1 + 1" Beyonce opens with the most powerful ballad I've heard her sing in a long time (since "Dangerously In Love")...she definately has soul, energy, power, grace (the way she controls her vocals is amazing). "I Care" This is one of my favorite tracks on the album...her voice is undeniably strong, powerful, and she has that beautiful control again. I love the drums in the background, and she kills it when she matches chords of the the guitar solo...she sounds angry, frustrated and fed up on this one...AND I LOVE IT! Definately blast this one when I'm in that kind of mood...I love how B can convey emotion so well in her music. Plus, I thought the "la la la" was a great touch. "I Miss You" Love this one...she's so vulnerable...communicating a simple message "I miss my man" in a beautiful way. "Best Thing I Never Had" Love it! Beyonce sings about how she "dodged the bullet" on giving her heart to a man she thought was THE one. "And to think there's a time when I almost loved you/ you showed your ASS and I saw the real you.../I wanted you bad/ I'm so through with that!/ Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had/ I bet it sucks to be you right now!" A beautiful production by Babyface, great strong vocals by B; overall a great song that many women can relate to. "Party" Out of all the tracks on the album, I'm feelin this the least. The beat is good, got a nice groove to it...but it seems out of place and immature among the other tracks; It sounds like something that would be on an old Destiny's Child album and it doesnt showcase her strong vocals at all. "Rather Die Young" Another solid track...very self explanatory; she'd rather die young than live without her husband. She starts off soft and sweet, but sings the chorus strong and bold. Love the bass on this one too. "Start Over" My favorite track on the album. Where to begin...the lyrics are so...powerful: "Maybe we've reached a mountain peak, and there's no more left to climb/ Maybe we've lost a magic piece, and we're both too blind to find/ Let's start over..." Of course, B's delivery is strong and on point...production is amazing...just an overall beautiful, amazing, well done track. "Love on Top" Such a feel good track...one reviewer said it reminded them of something a young MJ would've done...totally agree...maybe that's why I like it so much :- But B's vocals are just as strong as ever on this one (are you noticing a pattern here???) and she makes the song her own. As an aside, she performed the hell outta this song on the VMA's this year! "Countdown" My favorite dance track on the album. It's so damn creative...the beat is hot, she just plain kills it singing about her and her boo. "End of Time" Another hot dance track...I'm very much into African music, and so the drums on this track sold me. Just a great song all around. "I Was Here" Sighs...AGAIN, B kills it on vocals...she delivers a simple message: I want people to know that I've made my mark in the music industry....and with this album she most certainly has. One reviewer said that she should've closed the album out with this track...I agree. "Run The World (Girls)" Ok, everyone is sooo hype about bashing this song...oh it barely charted, then fell off quick, Beyonce is too old to be singing about how girls run the world, the song doesnt show growth cuz it sounds like something that should be on IASF, blah blah blah. Beyonce said so herself that her niche is empowering women...it's something she does well and she knows this. Again, I jus smdh at the haters...I dont care what NO ONE says, the song is HOT. The beat is HOT...again, the drums do it to me...and ok, so the concept of women dancing in the desert taunting a bunch of dudes has been done by Janet and Mya already, but whatever...choreography is still on point and the video is still a great production. If you couldn't tell, I LOVE THIS ALBUM...but I'm not just saying this cuz I want to be a rebel and go against B's haters. Beyonce IS very commercial, but not because she sings empty, immature pop songs with no depth or meaning; she appeals to a world wide audience because she's a damn good vocalist, writer, and entertainer. If people would just put their prejudices about this woman aside and actually LISTEN to the album, you cant deny the fact that she has grown so much vocally and lyrically as an artist; She really is the MJ of her generation.

1+1- This potential timeless track is the epitome of "less is more". The lyrics are simple yet effective, and the melody easily plays in your head over & over again. Beyonce's passion for behind the words brings the song alive, in a genuine way, the Dream failed to succeed. 9/10 I Care- From the haunting synch drops at the beginning to her raping the guitar riffs with her vocals, this is easily a highlight from the album & maybe her entire career. It is where she wanted to go with "Forever to Bleed" but didn't go all the way there... but she WENT THERE with this track. The aggression & conviction give Beyonce the edge displayed in "Ring the Alarm," however she took it to the next level! Anyone with relationship experiences should be able to relate. (AM I THE ONLY PERSON WAITING FOR A LESBIAN AFFAIR SHOWDOWN BETWEEN BEY & BIBI DURING A LIVE PERFORMANCE FOR THIS?) 10/10 I Miss You- If Sade, Sinead O' Connor, & Phil Collins had a baby together... this would be the result. A song that could represent those lonely nights Bey has while on tour, or an unwanted breakup. What makes this song special is how mysterious it is... no exact answers to the subject matter. It could be interpreted in so many ways (death of a loved one, distance love, or a break up). Her lower register is the main star of the track, and the syncopated harmonies bring the simple lyrics to life. My favorite track!!!! 20/10 Best Thing I Never Had- This is the `empowering' Beyonce everyone has come to know & love... with a chattering line following the chorus "It Sucks to be you right now". At first listen, it sounds like a combination of "Irreplaceable" & "Halo" with the earthy orchestra. But it really does separates itself from her earlier hits, although it isn't as strong as the rest of the album. 7/10 Party- Door-knocker earrings, Adidas tracksuits, Neon colors are the images I see every time I hear this song. It is reminiscent of the girl groups from early 90s and classic black films like "House Party" & "Do the Right Thing". It's hard to not be addicted to the infectious funky sample in the background. 8/10 Rather Die Young- A sexy throwback that reminds me of the Saturday nights in my grandmother's kitchen listening to the Isley Brothers or Earth Wind & Fire. The harmonies, piano, guitar... screams 70s and this is the music era Bey has been obsessed with since her Austin Powers days. 9/10 Start Over- The tribal music in the intro soaks you in like a scene from "Pocahontas", and her beautiful tone paints pictures of building mountains as she tells her lover to start over. This is a song that can get lost in between its predecessors, but it strong in its own right. The message is self-explanatory & many lovebirds could relate to it. 9/10 Love On Top- This happy Motown inspired number is another main attraction. From the M.J. like vibrato to the modulations near the end as her voice climbs four octaves within the less sixty seconds... this is Beyonce at her best. Telling the world "No one is f---ing with my vocals today". When I hear this, I am reminded of my mother's love for groups like Blackstreet, After 7, & even the Supremes. And did I hear part of a whistle note near the end?! 10/10 Countdown- I have noticed that this is a highlight for many people. It has hilarious catch phrases, but the song comes off as very corny to me. 8/10 End of Time- One of the most innovative songs I've heard in a long time. The drums & skipping of the beats when she says "Say you say you say you love me" is reminiscent to the bands on a hot summer day at the Mardis Gras. It makes me want to book a flight to Africa, and even watch M.J's "Remember the Times". I cannot wait to see a video & live performance for this. 10/10 I Was Here- The sister of her unreleased song "Save the Hero". This song makes me sad because I don't want to imagine life without Beyonce, just like I'm sure people never wanted to imagine music without Michael, or even Elvis. Cry 9/10 Run the World (Girls)- This is my favorite lead single by Queen Bey. It is the ballsiest song she has ever recorded, and I will never understand why people never quite latched onto it. The message, the beat, the video... everything about this song is AMAZING!!!! I think a year or two from now, people will reflect back on song & feel bad for not initially understanding it. AND THOSE GOD FORSAKEN HARMONIES... *BOWS DOWN* ONLY BEYONCE CAN MAKE AN UPTEMPO ABOUT WOMEN SOUND LIKE A CHURCH CHOIR! 10/10 I give this album an A++ for Bey taking a risk & doing what she wanted to do. And pulling it off!!!

Beyonce's albums have so far been filled with songs that sometimes are mere snippets of melody, spare frames of songs hung on monster beats that somehow work. "Single Ladies" is essentially all hook, so much so it implants itself in your skull like some earworm, there for eternity whether you like it or not. Then you have stadium-sized ballads, like 'Halo", which soar straight out of your headphones into the stratosphere. Her fourth album is a terrific addition to her body of work, with plenty of what we like Beyonce for, adding just enough surprises to keep us hooked from start to finish. There's four or five songs that will be on her eventual Greatest Hits album, and only a few you could skip over without missing much... The first song on the album is a classic ballad, "1+1". It's got a great, old school vibe to it..."old school" came to mind a lot when first listening to the album, and in mostly a good way...and I LOVE the guitar solo at the end. If you told me this was a lost epic ballad from the early 80's, I would believe you. She doesn't always do the obvious in her songs (to her credit), which doesn't always work. Here, the way she ends each line with that octave jump, it totally works. This song could END her concert, and it'd be awesome. "I Care" is a pulsing, mid-tempo tune, where the snippet/hook isn't good enough. Not bad, but it pales with the songs yet to come. "I Miss You" has a minimal Casio-keyboard drum track with near subliminal synth washes draped behind her pleading vocals. The nice thing is that it doesn't stick around more than it has to. In an era where songs go on FOREVER, this is great to see/hear. I imagine a lot of people sending this song to their loved ones...maybe with different interpretations though... "Best Thing I Never Had" is a big, glossy pop epic...and with over a half-dozen writers and a half-dozen producers...including Babyface...it had better be. Big piano chords, smashing drums, ecstatic strings, tempo shifts...but they needed seven writers to come with a line, "Sucks to be you right now?" I kid: I thought this was a great song. Single written all over it. "Party" with Andre 3000 and Kanye West comes next, but it is surprisingly low-key and conventional...not exactly what comes to mind when you picture those three in a room. I hate to say this, but this was a little yawn-worthy... "Rather Die Young" has a breathtaking 70's sound...like a classic late Motown girl-group, or maybe a little Roberta Flack? Still working on finding the right analogy; it's driving me a bit nuts. After the sleepy preceding song, this mid-tempo ballad-with-hand-claps-and-finger-snaps will snap you to attention. The little synthesizer noodling at the end punctuates it perfectly. I'd like to mention how Beyonce uses instruments here in spectacular fashion. The guitar solo in the first song, piano shows up clear and strong on several tunes. There are some SERIOUS horns on a few songs, and there are string/orchestral flourishes and synthesizer lines that add detail and harmony and it all works. "Start Over" is a sub-"Halo" power ballad. Perfectly adequate. Oh my God what a ray of sunshine is "Love On Top"! A sunny R&B/pop gem meant for convertibles and beaches and backyard BBQ's...when you picture Beyonce singing this, she's smiling. Irresistible. Absolutely irresistible. Happy music pure and simple. The ascending key changes to run out the song is one classy touch. Sassy horn section here. "Countdown" kinda starts with a "Rocky"-ish horn intro, then a little Boyz II Men countdown, then this repetitive staccato melody fragment. A weird amalgam...again, she doesn't make obvious musical choices all the time. I like the "killing me softly" quote...maybe I wasn't so off with the Roberta Flack comment. First time around, I really didn't like this one...but it makes me smile now, and that's worth a lot. Hooks with humor. "End of Time" is another new classic, bound to be done at cheerleading/stepping competitions for decades to come. Bouncy, proud, booty-shaking with sizzling horn charts...this could be a show-stopper on tour. "I Was Here" is a ballad written by Diane Warren, who has written pretty much a song for every artist ever in the history of ever. It's another "big" ballad that Beyonce does well, and Warren writes well. But I think it suffers in comparison to the rest of this album, and that's saying something. It would make a great soundtrack song for the right romantic scene in a movie... The album ends with the worst song of the whole record. That whole snippet/fragment/melody thing WAY doesn't work...and I don't think it's because I'm just not a girl and I don't "get it." It's kinda awful. Irritating to sit through. So, you got some of the best singles of the year, surrounded by some pretty sweet filler and really only one clunker. Few people will be disappointed...this is an easy recommendation.

Thematically the unabashedly immature songs are relatively low in number (including the ladies anthem "Run the World (girls)") but tend to be perfectly innocent fun loving club anthems that don't adversely effect the aural integrity of the album. Beyonce has always been an performer/entertainer and not a Kelly Price or Jill Scott that avoids the clubs and lays the emotion and soul on heavy. I don't understand the apparent desire for a sudden change of persona from a portion of her fan base, even with the changes in her personal life. Especially given the immense success of past club single "Single Ladies". Beyonce is certainly in her comfort zone in this album. The album has an incredibly diverse sound but manages to blend well and maintain an identity. The 80's influenced "Party" relies heavily on a thick vocal harmony and a catchy saw synth pad/bass combo with simplistic synth drums providing the rhythm in the background. Beyonce keeps it in the 80's realm with the upbeat groovy jam "Love on Top". Sexy horns accent her vocals for much of the song while Beyonce croons about her love being the priority in her lovers life. "Rather Die Young" continues the trend of throwback old era influence with production and vocal arrangements stripped straight from the 70's. Beyonce takes it to the club with the catchy "Countdown", "End Of Time", and "Run The world (girls)". All with a minimalist production with militaristic, bombastic, marching band appeal. Of these I'm partial to "End Of Time" with it's melodic sing songy chorus and blaring horn arrangement. "Run This World" while bound to be a hit in clubs wasn't the best choice for single as it's not as immediately appealing as her past singles. The album slows down with the vocally ambitious "1+1", "Best Thing I Never Had" and "I Was Here". "1+1" doesn't quite live up to the ambitions set forth as the vocal inflections begin to sound slightly annoying, especially during live performances but it provides a decent but somewhat forgettable ballad. "Best Thing I Never Had" is the most commercial of the bunch(and hence her 2nd single). A vengeful but very likable celebratory ode to a love that never was. While "I Was Here" has Beyonce proclaiming her desire to be remembered and having a great legacy. A mournful, plodding delivery leaves something to be desired but certainly a meaningful and heartfelt ballad. Other favorite is hard to pin down but very catchy "Start Over" with it's powerful and moving chorus. On the other hand "I Care" and "I Miss You" bring up the rear. While not bad they just prove to be filler material or to put it more politely, the most likely to be forgotten. As a whole I was very satisfied and impressed with this album. Vocally Beyonce brings it while only faltering on rare occasion. The production is great with throwback soul sounds, bombastic club anthems and melodic ballads. If you're expecting a transformed Beyonce that departs from her howling, bootylicious, hair swinging ways then you might look elsewhere for your R&B fix. But if you know the larger than life artist and performer Beyonce is and enjoy hearing her doing what she does best than I would completely recommend this album.

Beyonce has been growing ever since she debuted as leader of Destiny's Child and went into her solo career with the solid " Dangerously in Love ". She went above and beyond my expectation when she released one of the most important Contemporary R&B/Pop albums of all time, " B'Day " (her most critically acclaimed work up until that point) in 2006 covering a relationship from the dazzling beginning to the miserable end. It also documents the growth of a(young)woman. 2008's " I Am...Sasha Fierce " saw Beyonce covering several different genres effortlessly and effectively. It was a transitional album leading up to the arrival of "4". "4" is a gumbo of different sounds, emotions, and tempos on one album by one woman. It's an album a pop star of Beyoncé's caliber makes when she is ready to give you her complete self without the pressures of commercial performance. The set finds Beyonce, the best rhythmic singer since Aretha Franklin, diving into several heartfelt ballads about love, lost, and longing. It also has its fair share of uptempos one being the swagged out "Countdown", the Afrocentric (my absolute favorite track) "End of Time" and the amazingly aggressive "Run The World (Girls)" (her most aggressive and unique single to date). "Party" is a throwback track that seems to be written from Beyonce-of-the-90's point of view which happens to be one of my favorites. "Best Thing I Never Had" which is a Babyface/Beyonce penned midtempo lies perfectly in the middle for the "fresh out of a relationship" crowd. One of the stand out ballads, "I Care", is blatant homage to Prince with high staccato adlibs over an intense, almost emotional guitar break. Preceding "I Care" is the heartfelt "1+1" which hears Beyonce giving one of the best vocal performances of her career. "Rather Die Young" is a throwback 70's track where Beyonce belts out her devotion for the one she loves. The set also contains the haunting "I Was Here" which sums up what Beyonce hopes to achieve with her career outside of amazing music. "4" is easily the best album of 2011 as well as one of the best ones in her discography. The main reason being that it is so different from her others. Some other reviewers are blatantly whining about how queens reinvent themselves (and misquoting Beyonce herself). Beyonce has done just that unless they are referring Beyonce's hair and clothes which are irrelevant to the music itself. The main rule in Beyonce's discography is not to expect another "Single Ladies" or "Crazy in Love" but do expect the first "End of Time" and "Run The World (Girls)" which are just as great. Let's be honest though, no matter what kind of album Beyonce created out of her musically unique mind, she was never going to please some reviewers that review an album citing chart positions and a false sense of "maturity" as a basis for their underhanded compliments and outright lies. "4" is Beyonce at her strongest boldly telling her audience that she is here and she has IT. What she offers with "4" is an honest, diverse, and unique set of tracks that will be remembered as the best in 2011 pop music.

I admit when I first heard Run The World I was not at all optimistic. I just thought that she was about to make Sasha Fierce all over again and claim that as an album. I should've known better. Beyonce has come back on the scene in a major way with her new release 4. This is finally the album where she gets back to her roots of singing R&B tunes. After all, she does have the chops to go toe to toe with anyone willing to challenge. As with many artists, they always come around full circle to what made them famous in the first place. From background singing in Silkk The Shocker videos to becoming a trendsetter and one of the most important artists of her time. "4" brings the vocals back to the forefront and leaves the dance tunes in the rearview mirror (for the most part because you have to play the game to change the game). The album carries more of a vibe or a groove. It's not a high octane adrenaline rush like some of her albums in her younger years...it just....flows. It's obvious that she could perform most of these songs for the rest of her career and not throw her back out trying to do the moves. Love On Top is the crown jewel of the album and it sounds like she is having fun over this summertime feel good record. The song is so organic in instrumentation, beautifully written and sung (sang?)....an instant classic. She manages to find Andre 3000 on PARTY as he rarely shows up on anything nowadays. It's another feel good groove perfect for a summer BBQ rather than a club type song. I really can't praise this cd enough and could go through every song but just know that Beyonce has without a doubt delivered one of the best R&B albums of the year and arguably her best solo effort. Her Pop/dance fans may be a little disappointed but they better get used to it because she is getting to the age where she'll be making more midtempos and ballads anyway. I don't care how much radio plays songs from this album nor how much it sells because this is a superb effort on all levels; songwriting, instrumentation, vocals etc. 5 Stars.

I love this album when I was younger. My and my sister would listen to album 24/7.

Ho iniziato ad acquistare gli album di Beyonce dall'ultimo cd "Carter cowboy", fino a questo. Amo Beyoncè. Ogni è un viaggio che ci fa capire la complessità. Da avere.

Excellent

Buen material, por el precio al que lo adquirí todo muy bueno, de mis favoritos

This was a great album for a girls party in the garden, I think this is my favourite album of Beyoncé's. Great to dance to and my daughter managed to sneak this away for her own use. 4 is the fourth studio album by American singer Beyoncé, released on June 24, 2011, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Following a career hiatus that reignited her creativity, Beyoncé was inspired to create a record with a basis in traditional rhythm and blues that stood apart from contemporary popular music. Her collaborations with songwriters and record producers The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, and Shea Taylor produced a mellower tone, developing diverse vocal styles and influences from funk, hip hop, and soul. 1. "1+1" 2. "I Care" 3. "I Miss You" 4. "Best Thing I Never Had" 5. "Party" (featuring André 3000) 6. "Rather Die Young" 7. "Start Over" 8. "Love on Top" 9. "Countdown" 10. "End of Time" 11. "I Was Here" 12. "Run the World (Girls)" Total length: 46:33

Produto em ótimo estado... Uma das melhores compras que já fiz