Spring Break
Spears' latest proves to be a musical spectacle
by Brad Stern
Staff Writer
Arts | 11/25/08
Posted online at 1:12 AM EST on 11/25/08
Somewhere between the chilly, ice-coated electro stings of "Break the Ice" and the gritty, slap-happy bass of "Get Naked," Britney Spears' 2007 album Blackout suddenly ran cold. The chirpy, cheerful chanteuse that I knew and loved somehow found herself wedged into the confines of a dismal, frigid vocoder, battling her own inner demons. It was a cold, dark album, devoid of soul and spirit.
Now don't get me wrong, the music was there-in fact, Blackout remains Britney's sonic peak. Even her latest, Circus, cannot compete with the instantaneous, ferocious quality of Blackout. However, Britney Spears was not featured on that record. She was credited, she was singing on those tracks, but there was nothing familiar to be found.
One year later, with a refreshed image and a recovered sense of hope, Circus offers Spears' fans a proper comedown from the tumultuous past four years. It's a bouncy, bubbly romp, happily hopping between killer choruses and delicate verses. With a mixture of 2003's In The Zone's exploratory pop and Britney's seemingly unapologetic camp quality, Circus is what I had assumed Blackout to be in the first place.
"Womanizer," the album's opening track, provides great promise for what is to come. It's been played to death around the country (thankfully!), and I support all the success it has amassed. However, in comparison to the other 15 tracks, "Womanizer" is mediocre. It's a teaser of a comeback, intensely devoid of the richer quality stemming from lead-off singles like "Gimme More" or "… Baby."
It is Circus' title track that serves as the album's highlight. Upon first listen, you may think that after the song's sweat-drenched anticipation crunch of a bridge, the track would stall, but no; the chugging, ringtone-ready chorus comes storming in with an awe-inspiring amount of attitude-infused energy, playing like a classic Britney stormer: "When I crack that whip, everybody gon' trip, just like a circus." Once the track breaks into its all-too-brief bridge, Britney takes to the floor. "I'm runnin' this," she proclaims across squeaks and squeals, providing for what could only be an epic dance sequence when performed live. "Circus" is absolutely instant, an unstoppable explosion of energy and sound that deserves a killer amount of promotion and attention. With any luck, it will shortly become iconic.
Now don't get me wrong, the music was there-in fact, Blackout remains Britney's sonic peak. Even her latest, Circus, cannot compete with the instantaneous, ferocious quality of Blackout. However, Britney Spears was not featured on that record. She was credited, she was singing on those tracks, but there was nothing familiar to be found.
One year later, with a refreshed image and a recovered sense of hope, Circus offers Spears' fans a proper comedown from the tumultuous past four years. It's a bouncy, bubbly romp, happily hopping between killer choruses and delicate verses. With a mixture of 2003's In The Zone's exploratory pop and Britney's seemingly unapologetic camp quality, Circus is what I had assumed Blackout to be in the first place.
"Womanizer," the album's opening track, provides great promise for what is to come. It's been played to death around the country (thankfully!), and I support all the success it has amassed. However, in comparison to the other 15 tracks, "Womanizer" is mediocre. It's a teaser of a comeback, intensely devoid of the richer quality stemming from lead-off singles like "Gimme More" or "… Baby."
It is Circus' title track that serves as the album's highlight. Upon first listen, you may think that after the song's sweat-drenched anticipation crunch of a bridge, the track would stall, but no; the chugging, ringtone-ready chorus comes storming in with an awe-inspiring amount of attitude-infused energy, playing like a classic Britney stormer: "When I crack that whip, everybody gon' trip, just like a circus." Once the track breaks into its all-too-brief bridge, Britney takes to the floor. "I'm runnin' this," she proclaims across squeaks and squeals, providing for what could only be an epic dance sequence when performed live. "Circus" is absolutely instant, an unstoppable explosion of energy and sound that deserves a killer amount of promotion and attention. With any luck, it will shortly become iconic.
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