The internets have been buzzin’ for the past week with the news that Beyonce is getting ready to release new music. Color me only semi-intrigued. To me, B represents a ton of unfulfilled promise and a lot of overrated-ness (yes, I know that’s not a real world). It’s an indisputable fact that the girl can sing. Her voice is a thing of technical beauty. However, that roar is rarely applied to songs that are either a) well-written or b) legitimately soulful. In other words, she sounds pretty but doesn’t give you much indication that there’s real soul behind the words she sings. There are tons of less technically gifted singers who make much better music. And the whole “lack of emotional investment” thing works OK when you’re just out of your teens and may not have experienced the emotions you’re singing about, but let’s face it: Beyonce’s thirty, she’s been married for four years-it’s put up or shut up time, artistically speaking.

If “Girls”, which leaked last night, is any indication, it might be time to permanently log her in the “shut up” file. The production is minimal-almost skeletal, but it’s nothing that The Neptunes weren’t doing with Kelis nearly a decade ago. Lyrically, it’s the same old Junior Women’s Lib that she’s been spouting since “Independent Women”. It’s chicken soup for chicks who feel like empowerment means the ability to walk into a club with your titties damn near hanging out-and the gay boys who love them. In other words, it’s “Single Ladies” with a little bit of “Milkshake” sprinkled in (and I still say that “Single Ladies” was the least deserving Song of the Year Grammy winner in history and disrespectful to anyone who takes writing of ANY kind seriously). It may get things poppin’ in the club (and will probably be a huge radio hit in it’s finished version, which this allegedly is not), but doesn’t make any kind of case for Beyonce as a viable artist. Ho hum.

Check out a stream of the song and let us know what you think in the comment section.