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Q MagazineAug 16, 2011At Glastonbury she dazzled; here she plays it safe. [Sept. 2011, p. 105]
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Jun 29, 2011It's not an album that's as surprising or forward thinking as Dangerously in Love or B'Day, but it is for the most part a fun listen at worst and for her legion of fans it will probably translate to much more.
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Jun 28, 2011It's more Glee Club than cutting edge pop queen, and, as is so often the case with big pop albums, too many production teams spoil the froth.
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Jun 27, 2011Beyoncé's strident triumphalism is displaced by muted heartbreak and the cookie-cutter R&B of her mega-sellers ditched for a subtle, stripped-down sound that suggests someone's been listening to Janelle Monae.
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Jun 27, 2011There ain't too much here that's going to add to her legacy. Rather, there's the unmistakable sense of someone treading water, with even the OK bits here sounding uninspired.
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Jun 24, 2011On 4, she's still missing a real sense of vulnerability but steps out from behind the club jams with beautifully nuanced mid-tempo production.
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Jun 24, 2011Overall, the weaknesses far outnumber the strengths. Not, of course, that that will prevent huge sales figures for 4: because those numbers, ultimately, are what it's all about.
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Jun 24, 2011The highpoints offer hints of what it might have been: it's hard not to feel that what it might have been sounds better than what it is.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 638 out of 801
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Mixed: 57 out of 801
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Negative: 106 out of 801
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Jun 28, 2011
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Jun 28, 2011
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Jun 28, 2011This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view.