Beyoncé, 'I Am...Sasha Fierce'

The buzz: What do you get the multi-platinum pop star who has it all? An alter ego! Following in the restless, overindulgent path of Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines and T.I./T.I.P., Beyoncé Knowles uses her new split album to get in touch with her secret self—a strong, sexy, sassy diva named Sasha Fierce. In digging into this dichotomy, she promises fans that she’s “finally revealing who I am.”

The verdict: Beyoncé’s alter ego is certainly more fun than Beyoncé. On the first disc, the “real” Beyoncé sings overcooked R&B ballads about romance and personal plights that, contrary to how the album is being pitched, don’t seem very personal: the catchiest song (“Halo”) was originally written for Leona Lewis, while introspective lead single “If I Were a Boy”—supposedly so revelatory—is the one track that Beyoncé didn’t co-write. To her credit, she still sings with the urgency of someone trying to prove herself, balancing the drama with a warmth and vulnerability that keeps her likable even when scaling the hysterical heights of Streisand and Dion.

Changing gears, Sasha Fierce kicks off her club-oriented half with the boisterous co-lead single “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” driving ahead with sing-song melodies, herky-jerky rhythms and the sort of hand-clapping that also propelled “Get Me Bodied” and “Ring the Alarm.” The rest of Sasha’s tracks try on a variety of styles, but nothing revolutionary. The swirling, speedy electro club beats of “Sweet Dreams” and “Radio” provide effective if fleeting sugar rushes, while “Diva” cribs straight from Lil Wayne’s “A Milli.” There’s too much talent on hand to come up empty, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that “Sasha Fierce”—both the album and the alter ego—will prove to be a transitional phase.
 
Did you know? If you can’t get enough of Beyoncé or Sasha, be sure to get your hands on the Deluxe Edition, which features bonus tracks from both of them (five in all).

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