Shady and shadier

Even when she isn't hiding behind a drag-queeny pseudo-self, Beyoncé is a shady character. The lead single and first track off the supposedly more personal half of her third solo album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, talks not about who she is, but who she isn't. "If I Were a Boy" teaches us very little about Beyoncé other than that she's confused. "Boy" thinks it's sly commentary (Beyoncé's womanhood would make her a better man than whatever asshole she's singing to). But ultimately it's rooted in gender stereotypes (besides "being a better man," nothing in her list of hypotheses jumps out as being inhibited by her vagina). The nicest thing I can say about the song's message is that its pH is off.

And that's about as insightful as I Am gets over its eight tracks (I'm referring to the deluxe edition, because I refuse to examine the wasteful regular edition, which spreads 40-something minutes of music over two discs). Lyrically, Beyoncé's defined through her anonymous objects of desire (if they're Jay-Z, she's isn't saying -- to this day, even acknowledging her marriage to Oprah is going beyond her comfort zone, the dodgy son of a bitch). On this mini-disc that's supposed to be her most personal work yet, her words are so generic that I can't even sum them up. They're synopses of nonevents. Halos and satellites and broken hearts and layers and layers and layers of non-commitment ("The more I think about it, the less I was able to share with you," she croons in "Disappear"). The revelations are so bland, they'd get her thrown out of a confessional.

Fair enough, since she's burning down the church, anyway - her words are cloaked in a sound that feels like a conscious attempt to divorce R&B from hip-hop entirely. It took 16 years to shake What's the 411?'s influence on R&B and what remains instead of the hip-hop soul that has defined R&B for that long is...lite-rock. I Am largely favors pianos and arpeggiated guitars and string sections for synthesizers, and it just sounds so sub-Nickelback. It's aggressively Top 40. With the exception of the rocked-out "That's Why You're Beautiful" and the beat-heavy, synth-smeared, Babyface-penned "Broken-Hearted Girl," it's all this mid-tempo adult-contemporary schlock that's homogenized to the point of making very good producers (Stargate) and very precise beat-craftsmen (The-Dream and Tricky) indistinguishable from each other and the smaller names.

I Am sucks primarily because of Beyoncé, though. She lacks the grit to rise above mediocrity -- despite sloppy delivery (she climaxes way too early), her voice sounds very pretty on "If I Were a Boy." Maybe it's at its prettiest. But there and everywhere, that's all it is. Compare the way Keyshia Cole breathed life into the rolling liteness of "Heaven Sent" with everything Beyoncé's doing here, and you'll hear that by not being at odds with her music, Beyoncé fails it. As Tyra said, "Shiny material is not your friend." And, as Mary said, "It's not like Beyoncé can't sing. But what's missing is the personal. Those girls are groomed to be pop artists, to be perfect, to go to modeling school and learn how to walk and talk. Whereas we had to go through the trenches and get beat up and knocked down by life to learn how to articulate ourselves properly. And there's no school for that. There's no school for organic." All the pain and anguish just seems as put on as a gown.

And why wear a gown when you can wear a freakum dress? Just when you think it's time to start praying for her and the state of urban music all together, along comes Sasha Fierce, the double-album's final eight songs. More exciting than repeated weave-patting, but just as mind-numbing, Fierce is frenetic redemption. "I think I'm in love with my radio," she confesses on the highlight "Radio," and for once we might have genuine sentiment: since she divides her personae mostly by taste and the tempo of what surrounds them, a bond with her character-supplier is not just conceivable, it's imperative.

Just like Beyoncé submits to the blandness of I Am, Sasha gets fierce on her sonically adventurous second half. "Radio" teems with syncopation that feels like a meeting place of '90s breaky electronica and Motown, while Sasha's all sassy with Her "ehhryday"s and "radi-uh-oh"s. She, too is shady, just in the oh-no-you-didn't, fun way. "Diva" is kind of like Lil Wayne's "A Milli" with a pink bow on it (they were both produced by Shondrae "Mr. Bangladesh" Crawford); it trumps its predecessor Ms. Pacman-style. She has such command over the electro of "Sweet Dreams" that it feels like she's popping and locking with her voice. Meanwhile, she doesn't have to do anything but show up for the sonic bananas of "Video Phone," which sounds more gorgeous than all over her ballads put together and hummed as a lullaby. Its sub-bass is as tactile as sound gets. It feels heavenly on your ears. Listen to it on good headphones and know what love is. Even "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" ultimately works, though it's initially underwhelming as a melodically weaker retread of "Get Me Bodied" with a few more bleeps. What really makes it is its frantic video, which is key to Sasha's ethic: she'll sell her shit by whatever means necessary.

The existence of Sasha at all is more revealing than anything Beyoncé has to say on I Am. That she'd admit to having an alter ego at all (which, by the way, she's talked about for years, ahem) at the risk of seeming crazy is shocking for someone so guarded. But like many with identity issues, Beyoncé is her worst enemy. Sasha is such a likable, unpredictable, sometimes hilarious character ("Hello," a maudlin ballad, makes it on the second disc because of her hammy delivery and it is indeed better than anything on I Am) that she renders Beyoncé irrelevant. Sasha has chunks of Beyoncé in her stool. Even you want to be cynical and view it all as savvy marketing, fine. Money's going to the Knowles estate no matter what. Beyoncé's doing fine for herself, but I can't help but feel like she's doing her self a disservice.

Comments

[uncommonwhore]

Remember, though, shiny fabric isn't here to make friends.

[DLCS]

Um.
So...yeah. Jam, anyone? Tea? Cookies?
To (mis)quote one of the greatest Richisms ever--Bitch, you ain't Batman.

[matt]

Gawd, that Mary J. Blige, always having to be the know-it-all of life . What a tiresome celebrity.

[Dennis N.]

Tyra needs to use your gif above to properly illustrate smiling with one's eyes. That Mary quote is wonderful. I think on some level Sasha is all I really like about Beyonce; since her personal life is so easily accessible, angst-y break-up songs like "Irreplaceable" become all the more obviously fabricated. I believe the diva in Beyonce far more than the broken individual.

[Laurie]

But can we agree that she has some seriously stupid dance moves?

[laylaness]

So Sasha Fierce *is* more than Beyonce with more extensions and a whole lot of eyebrow shadow. Interesting.

[Christopher]

So, what did you think of that redefinition of 'over-the-top' known as "Halo?" There will be no more reverb on any song recorded in 2008 because Ryan Tedder and Beyoncé USED IT ALL on that one.

[Chicklet]

despite sloppy delivery (she climaxes way too early)

HAHAHAHAHA!

In other news, I'm twelve years old.

[Angelina]

i agree 100% with your review. i was disappointed with the cd, but i know i like sasha way more than beyonce.

[Gen]

I was soooo waiting for this, thank you Rich! As a matter of fact, today coming back from work I was hoping you'd comment on this, perfect timing! And I totally agree. I Am sucks, Sasha rocks. I especially love Radio :)

Maybe someone can help me out here though: For some reason, the melodies of Smash Into You (which is, BTW, as stupid as it gets: who would want to smash into someone/get smashed into, no matter how soaked in love you are?) and Sweet Dreams really remind me of other songs. I've been trying to pin point which ones I was reminded of, but to no avail. I thought maybe someone out here had had the same impression of Déjà Vu (too easy of a pun not to do it!) ;)

Thanks again, Rich!

[cee]

couldn't agree with you more rich.
my favourite off the second cd is diva... mostly cuz it's in the background of the sheena video you posted!

[Mese]

I'm so over Beyonce...I paid my $3 at ITunes for the songs I liked and she can keep the rest along with those wedding pictures she won't let us see. That's alright Bee, same time you don't know me, I don't know you either!

The sad part is 2 artists that might be up to something on their next projects, Ciara and Keri Hilson, have had their albums pushed back most likely due to this project (record industry folks are so out of touch).

I thought I might be interested in seeing her perform live in Las Vegas, but if she plans on singing those dried up ballads, I don't think so.

I'm through with her, she can have her damn PRIVACY!

[omar]

i love your review! i agree about video phone,
yet i think the best track is Darkchild's "Scared of Lonely"

[Noah]

I was rooting for this album big time but was disappointed at how flat the concept fell. Its so binary; either she's devastated and/or reflective about a man or shrieking about being single and loving it.

[kelly]

Dammit if you haven't told the truth Rich! I love Beyonce's music as much as the next gal (and trust, I am well aware of how much most of the gals love themselves some 'B'- it's fucking insane), I just feel like she'll never get to the next level as an artist, wherever that may be, if she continues down the path of mediocrity. I once read that she wants to be a true icon; this album (like the previous two) makes me wonder if I'll ever read the article naming her one. If she doesn't come up with a song that I haven't already pegged her for, I probably never will.

[Quel]

"Sasha has chunks of Beyoncé in her stool."

You're awesome.

I'm surprised not to see anything about Shane Mercado here.

[becca]

the i am side was sooo insipid... you could have swapped in ANY artist on those songs - Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus (too much?)...... I really wasn't feeling it (from Beyonce).

The Sasha Fierce side definitely rang true; the I AM side was an affectation and listeners will be able to spot it a mile away.

your review was SPOT ON!

love your site.

[john]

was "meh" on sasha fierce on first listen, but i think i get it more after reading this.

BOTH discs are surprisingly divorced from hip-hop, methinks.

[mara]

if "boy" sounds impersonal its because beyasha didn't write it, some chic b.c. jean did, which is hilarious since its her lead single to her most personal. album. ever. oh b, this is soo typical of you.

i think the review is spot on except i don't care too much for the sasha fierce side either, except for a couple of songs. i'm surprised there is no mention of "ego." sasha is still 10 times more tolerable than her alter ego, sadly.

bottom line is i'm over sean carter's broad.

[LoveMyselfFirst]

Beyonce = Boring. Bland. Bullshit.

Do NOT want. I'd take Mary J., Keisha Cole, and Mariah anyday over SashaBeyonce.

I need R&B artists with feelings and emotions, NOT millionare robots.

[Sharon]

She is over exposed and I've been over her since the other 2 girls got kicked out the group. She needs a looooooooooong break and go have a couple of babies!! So selfish she couldn't even send Jennifer Hudson condolences on the death of her family! What a self absorded bycth! Yall keepin that fake robotic trick rich!

[Jason]

You know, as often as I agree with you about film and television, and as close as we come to agreeing on music, we somehow still disagree completely:

http://sassmouth.tumblr.com/post/60390906/beyonc-radio-from-i-am-sasha-fierce-2008

But props for the MJB quote, pointing out the falsity of her claims to "being more personal" on this collection, and for reminding people that she's been rambling on about Sasha for years.

[Him]

@ Gen

What you hear when you listen to "Smash Into You" is most likely "Dancing" by an artist named Elisa.

And im a huge Beyonce fan but the similarities are unmistakable.

[gee_gee]

Thank you. I have been trying to put my finger on what prevents me from "loving" Beyonce. It's not her voice. It's certainly not her look. It's that feeling that every thing is put on. And don't get me wrong, I will blast "Single Ladies" and a whole bunch of Destiny's Child tunes in my car without hesitation. But I am reluctant to buy her cd's.

It might get a little tiresome hearing about all the crap Mary J. has gone through, but ultimately it puts the gravel in her voice and keeps her feet on the ground. She should have been singing with Tina Turner on that awards show.

['O']

I can definitely agree. The best thing about Sasha is that she know how ridiculus she is and revels in it! 'Diva' is the perfect example of this. Sasha knows who & what she is and more than comfortable with it