"Beyonce's 'B'Day': Forced on Label? I told you two weeks ago that Beyonce's new album, "B'Day", was a shrill dud. Unless you're into that annoying siren on "Ring the Alarm", this is one CD better off forgotten. So how did it happen? Someone at a record label called the "A&R" person usually works with an artist selecting songs and producers. At Sony Studios, there are lots of A&R men and women who would have been happy to help Beyonce, just as they did on her first album. However sources at the label tell me that no one at Sony was involved with "B'Day" at all. "This record was turned in," says an insider. "It was done completely by Jay-Z and his team. They came in, played it for us, and said "Here." There was no discussion." This is odd, too, considering that Jay-Z consistently refuses even to discuss Beyonce or acknowledge their association. When I mentioned to him recently that she was good in "Dreamgirls", he looked right through me and changed the subject. Nevertheless, her album launch party was held on Thursday night at Jay-Z's 40/40 club. The result of Jay-Z's involvement, Sony execs fear, is no obvious single after "DeJa Vu", the lead track, expires. "There is no "Crazy in Love", says a Sony exec, echoing our observation from the London listening party. Unlike Justin Timberlake's solidly commerical if dully constructed "Future Sex/Love Sounds" album, "B'Day" is one headache-inducing trip down hip-hop lane. On top of thudding programmed drums, the otherwise gifted singer sings for some reason about an octave above her range. This is no advisory for dogs."

(Fox News)