Of course, Fierce is Beyonce -- more precisely, Sasha Fierce is an alter ego devised by B to perform the second, more dance-oriented disc of her new album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce." The album's first disc is devoted to more meditative balladry, and is performed under Beyonce's own given name, presumably because it offers a more personal and authentic glimpse of the singer.
The split personality move is odd and unnecessary on several levels, including the terrible pacing involved in stringing together six slow songs and then five fast songs, as well as the wholly wasteful dual-disc format. Then there's the fact that B's last album, 2006's "B'Day," consisted almost entirely of upbeat dance fare yet didn't require any sobriquets.
