Album Review: Britney Spears "Blackout"

Britney Spears
"Blackout"
2007 Jive Records
4.5/5

We've all read the headlines, we've all seen the interviews, we've all winced at the news reports, and we all cringed at the MTV performance. As I read, saw, winced, and cringed right along with you, in the back of my mind though I knew that none of that was what was really important. The real question was, can this bitch still deliver a good album? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. Not only is "Blackout" a good album, it's arguably, but in my opinion her best ever.

One of the smaller, more pertinent controversies surrounding this album is Britney's proclamation that she is a legend, something which is stated twice on the album, once by producer Nate "Danja" Hills and again by herself. Many would argue "How can this pro-tooled pop tart whose studio vocals have more layers than a croissant call herself a legend?" To that  question I ask: Who else could release a single and have it skyrocket into the top 5 with no real promotion, open one of the largest music award shows of the year, give it the best ratings it's had in years, with the most anticipated performance of the year, pushing out some other customarily more deserving previously scheduled performer, mind you still with no physical single or album title, stumble through that performance drunken and out of shape, and still have their album leaked on the internet to so much demand that the record label has to push the album release forward two weeks all while remaining too unbothered to even take a new photo for the album cover (even though she should have because this one is overused and horrid)? There are other pop starlets who are so skinny their collarbones fashionably protrude from their chests and others with five octave vocal ranges who don't even have a fraction of the clout that Britney has or the attention she receives. If that's not a legend I don't know what is? Like her or not, name another bitch who could get away with it?... Thought so.

Of the twenty or so tracks leaked onto the internet, Britney and her collaborators chose, finished and reworked, and retitled a little more than half of them and added on a few new tracks for good measure. Half the fun of listening to the Britney leak was trying to predict which songs would make the cut. All of my predictions we're correct.

Now to the album, it starts off with the ubiquitous, omnipresent, totally unavoidable song of the late summer, "Gimme More", by as it's producer Nate "Danja" Hills calls her "The legendary Miss Britney Spears." We all know it, we all love it, though we still haven't decided which "more" we like best, Britney's short one, the long, deep demonic sounding one, or the almost orgasmic one. I like the orgasmic one myself. I really love the unofficial "Gimme More (remix)" feat. TI, which I wish could get an official release as a b-side or something.

The coolest thing about "Piece Of Me" and the album's closing and only ballad "Why Should I Be Sad" is that these are songs about Britney's life, not written by Britney. While most people would scoff at such a biographical concept I see it as kinda cool. It's almost as though Britney said to the writers "Look guys, you've read the headlines. You've seen the news reports. Ummmm... write a song about me and lemme know when it's done. Kay, love ya. Bye." The vocally morphed, edgy, "Piece Of Me" produced by Bloodshy & Avant has a first line that says:

"I’m Miss American Dream since I was seventeen..."

and a chorus that says:

"I’m Mrs. lifestyles of the rich and famous (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. oh my God, that Britney’s shameless (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. extra extra, this just in (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. she’s too big now she’s too thin (You want a piece of me)"

You notice how she's married to the things mentioned in the chorus but not married to being Miss American Dream? Interesting.

The Pharrell Williams written and produced "Why Should I Be Sad" (aka "Stupid Things") which in a roundabout way basically tells the story of the breakup of Britney, the millionaire, from her, not as wealthy, some would even say opportunistic, ex-husband, Kevin Federline contains this lyric:

"I sent you out to Vegas
With a pocket full of paper..."

Ouch!

"Radar" (produced by Bloodshy & Avant and contains some of the same sounds as Rihanna's hit "SOS") and "Ooh Ooh Baby" (aka "Fillin' Me Up") are the lighter, more poppy songs of the album, one that's mostly filled with dark, hard hitting dance beats that flirt on the edge of R&B. These two songs though are reminiscent of those from past Britney albums, just with racier lyrics. The last one "Ooh Ooh Baby" is penned by Kara DioGuardi, whose writing talents have been utilized by other female pop acts such as Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, and Miley Cyrus aka "Hannah Montana." "Ooh...", though not terrible is the least edgy, polished, or sophisticated of all the tracks and sounds out of step with the other songs. It's the only song that I was surprised to have seen make the cut.

The techno-europop-esque "Heaven On Earth", like "Breathe On Me" from Brit's last album "In The Zone" is another successful attempt by Britney to channel Kylie Minogue. Though I must say this time she didn't do it so hard. There is more Britney on this track than the other one.

"Break The Ice", the second of the album's tracks produced by Nate "Danja" Hills is a dance floor ready, heavy breathing, perfect blend of crunk'n'b and pop. I was expecting Lil' Jon to jump onto the track any second. "Get Naked (I Got A Plan)", another hot Hills collaboration that sounds so oddly close to some of veteran producer Timbaland's recent work that it makes me wonder: Who was whose protégé again? Hills production credits conclude with the dark and sexy dance track "Perfect Lover" (aka "Got Me High"), the club anthem and iTunes bonus track "Get Back" and the boastful "Hot As Ice" (aka "Cold As Fire") which contains this lyric:

"...They're saying thank you very much (uh huh)
Living legend, you can look but don't touch
Cuz I'm (ooh)
Cold as fire baby, hot as ice.
If you've ever been to Heaven this is (twice as nice)..."

There goes that "legend" word again.

Bloodshy & Avant also contribute two more dance tracks to the album. The Fergie-esque, "Freakshow", a repetitive dance number that comes in just under three minutes. The most interesting thing about the song is the male voice that repeats this lyric right after Britney:

"Me and my girls like to get it on
Grab us a couple boys to go..."

Is Britney Spears putting a little homosexuality in an album? I guess it's about damn time, as large as her gay male fan base is. I guess that's why her album was posted in its entirety for previewing at the LGBT cable network LOGO's website as well as MTV. And unlike Beyonce, Britney's acknowledgment of the gay community actually seems genuine. "Toy Soldier", a song whose premise, much like Destiny's Child's "Soldier" is about Brit looking for a man who is gonna take care of her as well. The emphasis in this song though is the man who doesn't, the toy soldier.

In a nutshell, the album is amazing, not like in an avant-garde, snooty, stuck up, pseudo-intelligent, quote-unqoute "artistic" sorta way. It's amazing in that if this album doesn't make you dance you don't have a pulse. It's the slickest, most solid, most edgy, most danceable, most genuinely introspective album of her career and will be lighting up dance floors all over the world for years to come, well at least maybe for the next year.

If you must download, download: "Gimme More", "Piece Of Me", "Break The Ice", "Get Naked (I Got A Plan)", "Hot As Ice", "Perfect Lover"

IN STORES, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30th!

Buy it from Amazon here.

Website: BritneySpears.com

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Playing In The Background...
"Hot As Ice"
by Britney Spears
from the album "Blackout"
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