Britney Spears has made enough bad decisions lately to glean scorn from even the most irresponsible college students.
And we have the Tuesday is the new Thursday mentality.
Spears' sex appeal is dwindling, she hasn't announced plans to tour and even lost custody rights. Like many others, I felt certain Spears would fill the space made tragically empty with the death of Anna Nicole Smith. Her new album, Blackout, seemed destined to fail after the notorious VMA performance and the awful Gimme more music video.
Rest assured, Britney fans: It doesn't look as though Spears will be moaning Trimspa
baby! anytime soon. Blackout, which was released Tuesday and is Spears' first album since 2003, is an enjoyable record that tackles the topics we're used to hearing about from Spears: parties, excess and sex.
Like Spears herself, the album can't be taken too seriously and has more seductive moans than meaningful phrases. If one can set that aside, then Blackout is a fun, indulgent dance record.
The album kicks off with the already-infamous single Gimme more but this song is far from being one of the better tracks. Heaven on Earth is a heady love song with strong background vocals and an intoxicating beat. (I can hear the techno remixes already!) Why should I be sad'which was produced by Pharrell ' is a break-up song obviously directed at Kevin Federline. Why should I be sad? Spears asks. It's time for me to move along.
Tracks to avoid include the painfully repetitive Ooh Ooh Baby in which Spears croons an entire chorus of the word baby. In Piece of Me the often-mocked Spears is unconvincingly self-promoting. Causing panic in the industry/I mean
please/Do you want a piece of me? she sings. Hot as Ice incurs similar feelings, as the hair-extensioned, out-of-shape Spears promises If you've ever been to heaven
baby/This is twice as nice.
One major criticism of the album is the lack of creative input from Spears herself. Without the artist contributing to the lyrical composition or background vocals, the album at times lacks the trademark Britney feel that longtime fans would relish. Spears compensates for some of this by addressing her subjection to public scrutiny about her weight and frequent court dates.
As a whole, Blackout is no masterpiece, but it's a lot better than anyone anticipated. Find the right place for this album and it's sure to be a success: I recommend Tuesday nights at 19 South.
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Ashley Lutz
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