I am...Sasha Fierce

I Am ... Sasha Fierce,
Beyonce (Sony BMG)
Don't worry. Despite the title of her new album, pop / R&B diva Beyonce isn't really trying to pull a Garth Brooks on us. (Remember the country star's ill-advised attempt to reinvent himself as pop singer Chris Gaines?) Sasha Fierce is merely the name of Beyonce's alter ego -- the strong, sassy character she adopts when she performs onstage. She's the inspiration behind the five club tracks on I Am...Sasha Fierce, including Radio, a choppy synth number, and Video Phone, a lascivious tune with menacing beats. "You say you want me / So press record, I'll let you film me," she dares. The other six songs, according to Beyonce, reveal her true spirit -- tender and vulnerable-- while also offering a few glimpses into her relationship with Jay-Z. "We're always on display / Let's run and hide," she urges on Satellites, a wistful ballad with acoustic guitar and orchestral touches. As much as she tries to bare her soul, Beyonce ends up hiding behind the facades of her contemporaries. Diva is a gritty, tribal jam in the vein of M.I.A. and Lil Wayne, while Halo is a direct descendant of Rihanna's Umbrella--complete with a staccato chorus of "Halo, halo, halo, halo" reminiscent of "Umbrella-ella-ella-ella." Come to think of it, Rihanna's influence is all over I Am...Sasha Fierce. Perhaps Beyonce should consider retitling it.