The Rundown: Beyoncé, Beyoncé

A track-by-track review of Bey's new self-titled album.

Beyoncé, Beyoncé - And then there was Bey... With no warning, Beyoncé dropped her fifth solo LP, selling digital copies only (until Dec. 20, at least). The "visual album" clinched No. 1 and made clear what she's been saying all along: she's a grown woman. See: "Drunk in Love" featuring Mr. Carter, the tantalizing metaphor that is "Blow" and the endearing ode to being B-I-C's mom that is "Blue," for example.(Photo: Columbia Records)
"Pretty Hurts" - Bey kicks off the LP exposing the fleeting reward of outer beauty. The song, told through the eyes of a pageant queen, shines a light on the internal suffering that comes along with being on a public pedestal. The track is the begining of a common theme throughout the album, which finds the singer challenging the widespread ideals women are expected to aspire to.(Photo: Columbia Records)
"Haunted" - Fame and fortune haven't shifted Beyoncé's worldview. Over a pulsating bass line, Bey waxes poetic on the sameness in the daily hustle and bustle of everyday people ("Working nine to five just to stay alive") and her personal issues with untrustworthy record labels. As the chest-thumping beat shifts to a more infectious foot-tapping rhythm, the songstress transforms the performance from inspiring spoken word to seductive tease.(Photo: Columbia Records)"Drunk in Love" ft. Jay Z - Hov doesn't just spit a verse, he's also the Clyde to her Bonnie in the video for this raunchy alcohol-fueled late night romp. The track is so sonically intoxicating that a hangover is pretty much expected. The bombastic, gyrating beat commands as much attention as Bey's raunchy lyrics cleverly hidden in an ear-bending "surfboard" metaphor.  (Photo: Columbia Records)

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Beyoncé - Nobody does it quite like Mrs. Carter. After a year of touring, Beyoncé capped off 2013 with album No. 5, a self-titled visual album unveiled exclusively on iTunes without a drop of advance notice. The 14-track release was accompanied by 17 music videos (one for each track, plus three extras), turning the typical listening experience into a feast of both audible and visual marvels. A new Beyoncé has emerged, one who celebrates her femininity, sexuality, confidence and vulnerability. King Bey gives us a taste of it all. Click on for our track-by-track review. — Latifah Muhammad(Photo: Columbia Records)

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