Thursday 21 April 2011

Beyonce - Run The World (Girls)


Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for a female role model.  But we've seen this female empowerment before from Beyonce and Destiny's Child.  Independant WomanSingle LadiesIf I Were A Boy.  And now this trash. 

Of course, there's more to Beyonce than just hands-in-the-air uber-feminism - from Crazy In Love to Sweet Dreams (a personal favourite).  I just wish she'd branch out a bit more from time to time.  Like...here...

The sparse production may have worked for Single Ladies, but that record had the benefit of a decent hook.  Run The World has an eastern flavour, with melodies inflexed with chromaticism and tribal drums that are sure to get yo' bitch's booty shakin', though it massively overuses the main sample.  It's just a poor man's Diva and a far cry from Beyonce's previous anthemic material.

Most criminally of all though, this track totally underuses Beyonce's vocals.  For much of the song, she is reduced to a shouting monotone that borders on rap.  Beyonce is an incredible SINGER and therefore deserves a record where she can SING and prove her vocal prowess.  Why Don't You Love Me is a sterling example.  Run The World is not.

It's available to download from iTunes from today, though why you'd want to is beyond me.

1/5