I AM. SASHA FIERCE represents another change of pace for Beyonc?. Unlike the relatively streamlined, retro-soul inflected B'DAY, I AM... is a sprawling two-disc set designed to reflect two conflicting sides of Beyonc?'s musical personality. The first disc sports reflective, sometimes moody ballads, while the second, attributed to Beyonc?'s brash alter ego, Sasha Fierce, is loaded with propulsive dance-floor fillers. Except for this stylistic divide, I AM. pays only nominal attention to its supposed concept, focusing instead on a set of excellent, radio-ready songs--neatly avoiding the possibility of I AM. becoming some sort of Chris Gaines-style conceptual disaster. Though the second disc, which boasts the synth-drenched lead single, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," is more immediately gratifying, the impeccably produced ballads of the first disc represent a vast improvement on the often awkward torch songs that weighed down Beyonc?'s first solo record.

Rolling Stone (p.121) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The SASHA disc boasts Beyonce's most adventurous music yet....The girl who blew up going all melismatic has never sung with more restraint than she does on SASHA."

Entertainment Weekly (p.71) - "[S]everal of the high-gloss bangers on SASHA are more than equal to the gauntlet laid down by 'Single Ladies.'" -- Grade: B+