Beyoncé 4

3.5 stars out of 5 -- "It's a big-budget pop album with an A list of guest stars....Half the songs are ballads, but all kinds of sounds filter through the mix -- vintage soul, hard rock, reggae, [and] adult contemporary..."
Ranked #25 in Rolling Stone's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "The world's shrewdest diva turns on her star power full blast..."
Ranked #39 in Spin's 'The Top 40 Albums Of 2011' -- "[A]n album of '70-inspired soul and funk tunes alongside baby-making ballads."
"Vocally, she's never sounded better -- throaty and precise....The terrific 'End of Time' seethes with off-balance harmonies..." -- Grade: B
4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he final third is full of the tribal stomp of M.I.A. and Missy Elliott....Overall, 4 is a very strong record indeed."
3 stars out of 5 -- "'Best Thing I Never Had' delivers a fabulously breezy kick in the groin to he who dared wrong-do her..."
Paste (magazine) - "Even when grabbing a fistful of vitriol on 'Best You Never Had,' a boiling throw-down of invective and bitterness, it's her voice that stands out strong and clear, exploring the potential of the delivery."
Pitchfork (Website) - "'1+1' is that rare wonder: a wedding song that pleases but doesn't pander..."