July 12, 2002
Beyonce Knowles : Work It Out
...the best thing she's been near since 'Say My Name'...
No wonder the other two in Destiny's Child look so nervous all the time. Here, finally, is the record faithful Kelly and confused Michelle have been dreading for years: the first Beyonce solo single (from the new 'Austin Powers' movie), and the best thing she's been near since 'Say My Name'. Mixing-desk millionaires The Neptunes are, perhaps inevitably, behind 'Work It Out', tooling up the kind of cyber-James Brown funk that worked so well for Mystikal 's 'Shake Your Ass'. But it's Beyonce yowling, testifying and wigging out in only slightly-studied retro fashion that's most striking. Uh! Good God! She's gonna do her thing! And - sing it, girl - the P45s are in the post.
John Mulvey
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