Surprise! Britney's new cd is a triumph!

AlethiaSi · #1 10-26-2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Just when it seemed safe to write off Britney Spears as a punch line only capable of entertaining people through tabloid escapades, she goes and gets all musically relevant on us.
"Blackout," her first studio album in four years, is not only a very good album, it's her best work ever — a triumph, with not a bad song to be found among the 12 tracks.
Granted, a Spears rave should be put in its proper context — it's not like we're talking Bob Dylan here. Spears is a lightweight singer who only flourishes when she has great songs and great producers to supplement her minimal vocal talent.
But when she has that help, she's fierce. And she gets that boost on every single track on "Blackout," a sizzling, well-crafted, electro-pop dancefest that should return her to pop's elite.
This is a shocker, given all the lowlights Spears has given us this year. From her embarrassing MTV Video Music Awards performance to her bizarre public antics to allegations that she's an irresponsible parent, Spears has been a walking disaster. It seems amazing that she even found her way to a recording studio, let alone did anything of value while in it.
But Spears emerges on "Blackout" as the antithesis of her tabloid persona — confident, sensual, and in control.
"I got my eye on you," she coos on one of the album's best tracks, "Radar," a sexy techno groove that you can't help but bounce to — a feeling that permeates all of "Blackout's" tracks. You won't find any saccharine ballads or fluffy pop on this disc — it's all about generating heat on the dance floor (and if Spears has shown us anything in the last year, it's that she knows how to party).
On the aptly titled "Freakshow," produced by Danja (who worked on Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds"), Spears gets voyeuristic with a tantalizing promise to get wild in the club. The hypnotic "Get Naked (I Got A Plan)," also produced by Danja, features Spears breathlessly asking, "What I gotta do to make you move my body" before demanding, "take it off, take it off, take it off."
It's not all about grinding to the music, though. On rock-tinged "Piece of Me," produced by Bloodshy & Avant, she defiantly addresses her critics: "I'm Mrs. Bad Media Karma, another day another drama ... I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, I'm Mrs. 'Oh My God That Britney's Shameless.'" And on the slow-burn, Neptunes-produced "Why Should I Be Sad," the album's last track, she cops to heartbreak but refuses to let it get her down, a rare vulnerable moment.
Listening to "Blackout" is not only an energetic release, it's also a relief: No, Spears hasn't completely lost it, and yes, her career has a flicker of fire left — actually much, much more. But with all the damage Spears has done and continues to do to her public image, will anyone outside her core fan base (and who knows what that consists of these days) care anymore?
This album is the first, great step in making that happen.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071025/...6ANVjFHWbq188F

yay! this is just what i was hoping for! I'm excited for it to come out.

AlethiaSi · #2 10-26-2007, 03:24 PM

lol now looking at this... i shouldn't have posted this as a "triumph" even though thats waht the article said. lol

BabyPiNK_FL · #3 10-26-2007, 03:50 PM

I´m a HUGE britney fan (never NOT bought an album) but I heard this one on the Canadian video website and it's GARBAGE! She says the same 12 words over and over again on each track, the words just vary by the track. It's a "dance" album without a lot of interesting aspects (which when you make dance music you can not afford to do). Her vocals could be anybody after being run through a machine. The music is great but it's lacking so much lyrically. I'm glad I had a chance to listen because they decided to push her album up to the same day as the new BSB album and I was like "which one do I buy"? Luckily, I had a chance to hear both and not only have I liked BSB longer, but their CD is just better.

AlethiaSi · #4 10-26-2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I´m a HUGE britney fan (never NOT bought an album) but I heard this one on the Canadian video website and it's GARBAGE! She says the same 12 words over and over again on each track, the words just vary by the track. It's a "dance" album without a lot of interesting aspects (which when you make dance music you can not afford to do). Her vocals could be anybody after being run through a machine. The music is great but it's lacking so much lyrically. I'm glad I had a chance to listen because they decided to push her album up to the same day as the new BSB album and I was like "which one do I buy"? Luckily, I had a chance to hear both and not only have I liked BSB longer, but their CD is just better.

BSB? please don't tell me you mean backstreet boys, but i can't think of any other groups ....

lol

BabyPiNK_FL · #5 10-26-2007, 04:14 PM

look. don't start with me on that. let's not go there. you do you; i do me.

KSig RC · #6 10-26-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I´m a HUGE britney fan (never NOT bought an album) but I heard this one on the Canadian video website and it's GARBAGE! She says the same 12 words over and over again on each track, the words just vary by the track. It's a "dance" album without a lot of interesting aspects (which when you make dance music you can not afford to do). Her vocals could be anybody after being run through a machine. The music is great but it's lacking so much lyrically. I'm glad I had a chance to listen because they decided to push her album up to the same day as the new BSB album and I was like "which one do I buy"? Luckily, I had a chance to hear both and not only have I liked BSB longer, but their CD is just better.

Uh wait . . . you're listening to a Britney Spears record for the lyrics . . . and you don't like it . . . but because there are too FEW lyrics?

holy crap i've seen everything

texas*princess · #7 10-26-2007, 07:42 PM

I'm actually looking forward to it... I think I really like the "Hot as Ice" track... it makes me want to shake my groove thang on the dance floor!

I am expecting the CD to be a success... which, you know, means big bucks for Fed Ex if he gets custody of the kids

AlethiaSi · #8 10-26-2007, 11:21 PM

you can listen to it at mtv.com

Drolefille · #9 10-27-2007, 12:41 AM

Oh, and I don't really have a dog in this fight, but the Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and USA Today all had less stellar reviews...

Fleur de Lis · #10 10-28-2007, 04:55 PM

From the Daily News:

On many tracks, Britney sounds so worked over, she doesn't even seem like a person. Instead, she comes off like some machine that bleeps and bloops out an airy array of oohs, ahhs and groans. If a blowup sex doll could sing, this is what she'd sound like.

In terms of studio trickery, Paris Hilton's album was practically "Unplugged" compared to this.

texas*princess · #11 10-28-2007, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fleur de Lis

From the Daily News:

On many tracks, Britney sounds so worked over, she doesn't even seem like a person. Instead, she comes off like some machine that bleeps and bloops out an airy array of oohs, ahhs and groans. If a blowup sex doll could sing, this is what she'd sound like.

In terms of studio trickery, Paris Hilton's album was practically "Unplugged" compared to this.

While I can see their conerns.... Britney has never really been after the "Vocalist of the Year" award... most of her hits (e.g. "Toxic" "Oops!...I Did It Again" etc) were also overworked, but they were hits nonetheless... it's just the kind of music she makes.. she's definitely no Barbara Streisand, but she's never tried to be either

macallan25 · #12 10-28-2007, 11:46 PM

It actually offends me that that piece of white trash makes money off of this garbage. I'd say about 2% of what you hear is actually her real, unedited voice.

Animate · #13 10-29-2007, 12:19 AM

So has she become the new Madonna yet?

sunnyhibiscus · #14 10-29-2007, 12:28 AM

I can't believe that people are being brainwashed by Britney.

I used to like Britney, but I lost respect for her after she became pregnant with her second child.

I would rather download from iTunes or buy Carrie Underwood's cd than that trash.

Kevin · #15 10-29-2007, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

It actually offends me that that piece of white trash makes money off of this garbage. I'd say about 2% of what you hear is actually her real, unedited voice.

You just described the entire "pop" genre. From an artistic standpoint, it's all pretty much garbage.

You're right though -- that she makes that much money off of grunting and making sex sounds for a microphone should be insulting to someone... but this is America -- we have a system which allows for that sort of insanity.

The fact is that by merely stamping the word "Britney" on an album, you guarantee millions of buyers. She is more of a name brand at this point than she is an artist. Viewed in that light, I don't think she is nearly as much of an insult to the free market system