Rolling Stone (pp.95-96) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "It's a big-budget pop album with an A list of guest stars....Half the songs are ballads, but all kinds of sounds filter through the mix -- vintage soul, hard rock, reggae, [and] adult contemporary..." Rolling Stone (p.70) - Ranked #25 in Rolling Stone's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "The world's shrewdest diva turns on her star power full blast..." Spin (p.18) - Ranked #39 in Spin's 'The Top 40 Albums Of 2011' -- "[A]n album of '70-inspired soul and funk tunes alongside baby-making ballads." Entertainment Weekly (p.72) - "Vocally, she's never sounded better -- throaty and precise....The terrific 'End of Time' seethes with off-balance harmonies..." -- Grade: B Uncut (p.79) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he final third is full of the tribal stomp of M.I.A. and Missy Elliott....Overall, 4 is a very strong record indeed." Q (Magazine) (p.105) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'Best Thing I Never Had' delivers a fabulously breezy kick in the groin to he who dared wrong-do her..." Paste (magazine) - "Even when grabbing a fistful of vitriol on 'Best You Never Had,' a boiling throw-down of invective and bitterness, it's her voice that stands out strong and clear, exploring the potential of the delivery." Pitchfork (Website) - "'1+1' is that rare wonder: a wedding song that pleases but doesn't pander..."