Beyoncé - 4 (Deluxe Edition)

No nakedness, no dead animal around her neck—why yes, this cover is much more appealing than the standard edition cover. The deluxe edition always gets the better end of the stick.

tl;dr (Too Long; Didn't Read) version—Beyoncé took some major risks with 4, and it might not rub you the right way at first (I didn't like it when I first listened to it, to be honest). But after listening to the album a few times, I must say that Beyoncé actually did a good job with this one. It's much different from her previous album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, for those looking for that type of sound, but the album stands strongly on its own two feet and is worth the listen.

Oh, Beyoncé.

When 4 first leaked I gave it a quick listen. And I will be honest, I did not like the album one bit. From the first note of "1 + 1" to the last beat of "Run the World (Girls)", the only thought that was going through my head was, "BRING BACK THE SINGLE LADIES!"

And that was the problem. I was so focus on I Am… Sasha Fierce (specifically the Sasha Fierce), that I failed to realize that I was not listening to that album; I was listening to 4, and 4 only. I can not compare it to her previous albums without listening to this album on its own first. This is especially important for an album like this, since Beyoncé spent these past couple years getting her inspiration from people and things she did not have time to check out beforehand (something she mentions in multiple interviews and even in her Target ad). This album is all about Beyoncé taking risks, and I believe people should pay attention to this as they listen to the album.

And so, after having this realization I listened to the album a few more times… and saw that this album was actually good!

There are a couple quirks, however, that still get to me. The first thing is the placement of a few songs on the album. I love the song "1 + 1", especially after watching her performance on American Idol. But honestly, unless you are really in the mood for something like this, this song will put you to sleep! I felt that it was a poor choice to make this the album opener; maybe a few slots down the track listing would have been better. Also, the placement of "Run the World (Girls)" is damn awful, no matter which edition you listen to. Simply put, this song does not fit with 4 at all. The album is too slow and mid-tempo heavy for a song like "Run the World", and this song disrupts the album's flow so much. And not just any type of disruption, either; I mean the "I was watching my TV show at the perfect volume and then the commercial afterwards was blaring like a mega horn" type of disruption. I'm surprised it even made the cut at all.

I'm sorry, but there is something about this song and the line "I bet it sucks to be you right now" that just remind me of pre-teens arguing on the playground…

Speaking of songs that made the cut, the second thing that slightly annoys me is the choice of certain songs as standard edition vs. deluxe edition-only tracks. Why why WHY was "Schoolin' Life" chosen as a deluxe edition track? This song is one of the major standouts for 4, and it surprises/saddens me to think that Beyoncé and her team thought it was not good enough for the standard edition track listing. Not only does this track help to give 4 some life (I mean, it is schoolin' it—bad-dum-sshh!), but the lyrics are much more convincing than some of the other songs on the album *cough*Best Thing I Never Had*cough*. "Schoolin' Life" would have been a nice a single for 4, and it's a little unfortunate to think it will not receive the single treatment (unless she pulls a "Why Don't You Love Me?" stunt again).

But other than these small quirks, I am really impressed with this album overall. Although I think the lyrics could have been better at spots, "Best Thing I Never Had" is a catchy, radio-friendly song that reminds me of a hybrid between her "Irreplaceable" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles". (You can not tell me the piano in the background doesn't remind you of "A Thousand Miles"!) "I Care" should have been the album opener in my opinion; while it still captures that slow feel present in "1 + 1", this song grabs your attention with the background vocals and instruments, and they help to give Beyoncé's voice more strength (not like she needs it, but it still helps). The more up-tempo tracks on the album—"Love on Top", "Countdown", and "End of Time"—make you want to bring out some two-steps and do some bouncing here and there. These are definitely some standout tracks from the album. "I Was Here" perfectly sums up Beyoncé's career, and this should have been the final track on the standard edition instead of "Run the World". You cannot deny that for better or worse (mostly for better) Beyoncé made a heavy influence on contemporary music, and her mark will last for ages. This is exactly what she talks about in "I Was Here", and her confident vocals show that whether or not you like 4, her career will undoubtedly continue to be a success. (I mean, they do call her "Queen B" for a reason.)

Also, although I implicitly bashed this song a little in a previous review, I liked "Run the World" from its release, and I still like it now. The sample was a little sloppy, but I just can't stop dancing to it! It's a good song, okay?

I recommend that you at least give 4 a few spins. I wouldn't be surprised if you find a few gems from the album. And in an attempt to convince you a little more, I'm giving you a little sample below of two songs from 4 that Beyoncé performed at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival, "Best Thing I Never Had" and "End of Time". (This performance was also live-streamed at the BET Awards.)

So the big question is—will you buy 4 tomorrow? (I will! Well, maybe not tomorrow, but it will be bought!)