Video Of The Week: Beyoncé

In a reaction similar to that of her album release in December, Beyoncé's ''latest'' video (though technically, all of them are available since December 13th on the DVD accompanying her CD, and there is one for each track) is just about all anyone was talking about this week, so I kind of had no choice but to feature it...

Both more obvious and more subtle than the previous release (Drunk In Love), this video shows Beyoncé trying to get her husband's attention to have her sexual needs fulfilled, something pretty much the rest of the world would volunteer for, even if she wasn't wearing the lingerie that permeates the clip.

The song was produced by Timbaland, Jerome Harmon, Justin Timberlake, Key Wane, Dean, newcomer Boots, and Beyoncé herself (yeah, a minimalist beat requires a lot of highly-paid talent to make), while the video was directed by British specialist Jake Nava, who has worked with her before, but also with Roni Size (Dirty Beats), The Rolling Stones (Streets Of Love), Adele (Someone Like You), Britney Spears (the Bobby Brown cover My Prerogative) and System Of A Down (B.Y.O.B.).

His work with Beyoncé includes Crazy In Love (featuring Jay-Z), Beautiful Liar (featuring Shakira), Naughty Girl, Baby Boy (featuring Sean Paul) and of course Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), the one that Kanye West will let you finish but has to say is one of the best videos of all time.

Partition, like the record it's from, deals with sexuality, empowerment through control of your actions, and has both a thumping and clear mass-ready beat as well as experimental undertones, pretty much the kind of achievement Kanye dreams of (and thinks he has achieved many times over), but with a basis in fact.

This may be the best and most innovative pop record of the past 20 years, definitely of the past decade. With Madonna long in her back pocket, Beyoncé can now set her sights on reaching Michael Jackson-like levels of achievements and success. She has the drive and talent for it, that's for sure.

If she could only stop lip-synching the national anthem...