The Queen Reclaimed

I tried.

Let me just start out with that phrase. I tried to think of a million reasons why I shouldn't like this album. She is a puppet. She can't really sing. She doesn't really have any real influence over her sound other than picking the men that make it happen. She doesn't even naturally own that head of hair that she is sporting. But...

This shit is crunchy, loud, and the best stuff she's put out since 2003's In the Zone. From the outset, you can already hear the difference between Blackout and Circus. Her vocals in "Womanizer" sound forceful and resoundingly clear. And if you read my review, I found the construction of that song absolutely amazing even though it was produced by industry newbies, The Outsyders. I find it no coincidence that it was the first single to top the Billboard Top 100 since "Baby, Hit Me One More Time" almost a decade previously.

She is realizing that she can't do this alone. And with the myriad of top-notch producers, she reinforces that statement fullboard. Dr. Luke, who also crafted "Toxic," is here for the searing, pop/electro/deathly-infectious pop smash "Circus." The bass-heavy diddy begs to played at full blast and while it feels that Britney has never moved away from her home base (at least lyrics-wise), it feels oddly different. These are the type singles that harken classic hits from ultra-divas Madonna and Miss Janet.

The highlights from this album reside in the two singles, "If You Seek Amy (sound it out and spell it out)," "Shattered Glass," "Unusual You," and "Lace and Leather." If there is one fault in this album is that Guy Sigsworth's immense talent was wasted on two of the three Britney ballads. The curse of her montonous voice is that her ballads really depend on the production for range since she has virtually none. Although she has had some successful songs in that category, "Out From Under" and "My Baby" fall dramatically short. She will forever be cast into the up-beat dance realm and I think that is fine with her. It should be. The major genre move to electro-pop/synth isn't just coordinating with the industry, but also helps mask the one true flaw in her game: her voice.

The one ballad that worked for me was "Unusual You." Also probably the most pure electronica-style song on the album, the breathy gasps combined with the brooding, aggressive drum track really shows a different side of Britney. The piano plots the structural outline of the song much like a pre-Vida Coldplay. More than anything, these producers definitely creating a higher form of artistic expression for Britney's usual thoughts on sex, boys, and relationships.

Throughout her successful career, this may be her best album to date musically. While it isn't revolutionary, it is a remarkable collection of infectious, energy-fueled pop hits that will undoubtedly prove their worth in 2009. She self-identifies herself as the Queen of Pop now claiming maturity. Time will only tell if she can escape the depression, mental fatigue, and drugs, but if this album is any forecaster -- she may have just turned the corner we were all waiting for.


Best Tracks - "Circus", "Womanizer", "Shattered Glass", "Unusual You", and "Lace and Leather"


7.5/10


This. Is. Truth.