'Britney Jean' shows a more vulnerable Britney Spears - Positive review
Since mid-summer Britney Spears has been making a bold promise. Her new album, she said, would be her "most personal yet." Well, then, Spears has opened a window into her soul a week earlier than expected, as "Britney Jean" is now available for streaming on Apple's iTunes store.
The album certainly amps up the vulnerability in its opening moments. "There was a time I was one of a kind," Spears sings on "Alien," in which she and collaborator William Orbit groove with contemplation. It's bright and airy, and the tone is confident without being boastful.
The song threatens to break open, but vocal pauses aren't followed with the expected EDM freak-outs, as the track goes for a vibe that's more space-age cool and reflective. It was a good look for Madonna on "Ray of Light," and it's a good look here for Spears, certainly better than the determined-as-heck Britney shtick of the first single, "Work Bitch."
But "Alien" isn't necessarily an early indicator that "Britney Jean" is going to deviate from the pop formula. It foretells an album that, at least on first listen, is going to ricochet between emotional deep ends: the springy electro bounce of "Body Ache" on one spectrum, and the more gentle, subdued synth textures of "Perfume" on the other.
The surprise, perhaps, is that "Britney Jean" actually finds a way to rectify those deep ends more often than not. When Spears tries to split the difference between the highs and lows, "Britney Jean" is rather effective."Till It's Gone" is full of light-speed stops-and-starts -- three and a half minutes of hands-up, hands-down moments -- and reasserts Spears' dance-floor dominance with the recognition that such moments can be fleeting.
"We're finally falling," Spears sings on "Passenger," expressing the joy of going along for the ride rather than controlling it, and "Chillin' With You" slaps together acoustic guitars and tough-girl posing, but it's all in the name of sitting around drinking wine with a buddy.
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The album's potential tear-jerking moment, "Don't Cry," may come with some whistling straight out of an '80s rock ballad, but its buck-up hand claps and smiling digital blips are far more prominent. It's not you, it's us, and that's a drag, but it's going to be OK, says the song. How very ... adult.
"Britney Jean" will be available Dec. 3. Most retailers will carry some form of an expanded edition, but the 10 core tracks clock in at about 36 minutes. Look to Pop & Hiss for a more in-depth analysis of "Britney Jean" soon.
Britney Spears – 'Britney Jean' album review - 3/5 stars
Britney Spears is selling her eighth studio album as her ‘most personal’ ever – quite a claim considering ‘Britney Jean’ has pop numpty Will.i.am as its executive producer and the ludicrous ‘Work Bitch’ as its lead single. However, when the album begins with Spears singing ‘I was lonely then/Like an alien’ over a gorgeous production by Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ collaborator William Orbit, hopes are raised – albeit briefly.
What follows is a mishmash of bangers and ballads that’s frequently entertaining, but rarely very personal. Only the off-kilter blip-pop of ‘Passenger’, on which Spears sings about surrendering control to a new romantic partner, rivals ‘Alien’ for psychological intrigue. Most of the rest does its job well, though: ‘Perfume’ is a classy slowie penned by the hottest name in pop songwriting, Sia, and ‘Til It’s Gone’ and ‘It Should Be Easy’ are EDM thumpers that suck you right in, despite lacking the brilliantly kitsch lyrics of ‘Work Bitch’ (‘Go call the guv-a-nah!’).
Ultimately, what’s most pleasing about ‘Britney Jean’ is that Spears is actually singing again. On her last few LPs, she’s simply handed over her iconic wail for her producers to chop up and play with. Even at its weakest (‘Chillin’ With You’: imagine a Cher Lloyd track without the spunk), ‘Britney Jean’ finds Spears sounding more engaged than she has in a decade.
Britney Spears' new album 'Britney Jean' - Positive review. Track by track review at source.
Britney Spears is ready to reveal all aspects of herself on her eighth studio album "Britney Jean." Described by the singer as her most personal record to date, Spears told fans earlier this year, in an open letter on her official website, that she wanted to dig deeper and express herself in different ways compared to her previous records.
Described by the singer as her most personal record to date, Spears told fans earlier this year, in an open letter on her official website, that she wanted to dig deeper and express herself in different ways compared to her previous records.
"I have been through a lot in the past few years and it has really inspired me to dig deeper and write songs that I think everyone can relate to," Spears wrote. She later added, "I want to show you the different sides of Britney Spears. I am a performer. I am a Mom. I am funny. I am your friend! I am Britney Jean."
Spears, who has remained one of the famous pop singers in the world more than 15 years after she began her career, attempts to shake things up on "Britney Jean." She collaborated mostly with producer and "Scream & Shout" duet partner will.i.am. Spears also co-wrote much of the album -- a stark contrast to 2011's "Femme Fatale," which featured no writing credits for the singer.
While at times the album fails to truly find its "personal" footing -- titles such as "Tik Tik Boom" and "Body Ache," while amusing, hardly scream "personal" -- die-hard fans of the pop star will certainly relish and appreciate the new music Spears has to offer before embarking on her highly-anticipated two-year residency show, "Britney: Piece of Me," beginning Dec. 27 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
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