Britney Spears - Circus Review

Posted by Tom Santoro on 12.01.2008

What business does a 30 something father of two have reviewing a Britney Spears album? I don’t know, but someone has to do it…

TRACK LISTING:

1. Womanizer
2. Circus
3. Out From Under
4. Kill The Lights
5. Shattered Glass
6. If U See Amy
7. Unusual You
8. Blur
9. MMM Papi
10. Mannequin
11. Lace and Leather
12. My Baby
13. Radar (Bonus track)
14. Rock Me in (Bonus Track)
15. Pornography (Bonus Track)
16. Amnesia (Bonus Track)








In order to give an unbiased review of this album, I had to get into the right frame of mind. Upon my first listen, I felt something was missing. So I downed a couple of shots of Jack, made myself an Apple-tini and turned the lights down. My makeshift club going experience helped mimic the ideal situation to listen to a pop dance record like this. Cue my wife to turn the lights on and off and it is go time.

Now this is the part of the review where I give you all the obligatory back story of the downward spiral Britney Spears endured over the past year and a half. Let’s see where do I begin? She divorced her ultra talented dancer/rapper/wrestler/baby making husband Kevin Federline. She then went the logical route of spending her time clubbing with sultry singer Paris Hilton without her panties on for all of us to see.

The unraveling continued by her spending a night getting her head shaved. She followed that truly punk experience by attacking members of the paparazzi with her umbrella-ella-eh-eh. Her numerous run ins with the paparazzi continued by running over one of their feet and then sleeping with one of them. They were her best friends, so it would only make sense to take the next step and become friends with benefits. She made all the tabloids more money and was stalked by them because of it.

Personally, her entire family became more concerned for her well being, but she continued to cut them all out of her life. She was acting like a spoiled brat. The most damaging thing she did was shun her children and seemingly made some very bad decisions to the point K-Fed became father or the year. She did not show up to child custody hearings and lost her kids because of it.

Musically, she produced an album 2007’s Blackout against the wishes of her record company and shunned many a-list producers and a potential collaboration with ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake. This first single “Gimme More” was performed notoriously on the 2007 MTV awards where she looked like she was in a coma on stage. None of her exploits hurt the album due to morbid curiosity as Blackout was well received by critics and fans.

At the start of 2008, Britney’s father was legally given the right to keep her on restriction indefinitely, which may have saved her life and career. She started to get back to her pre pregnancy weight and guest starred on How I Met Your Mother. She has been out of the public eye working hard on her sixth studio album Circus.

Circus helps her grow from pop princess to “Queen of Pop” knocking Michael Jack-er Madonna from her throne. It is full of well produced dance tracks and two ballads. On this album, she collaborates with some well known producers (thankfully it is Timbaland free) and writers who help her claim her throne.

Circus picks up where 2007’s Blackout left off, just more refined and confident. Her confidence and relaxed feelings are shown on songs like “Womanizer”, “Circus”, “Kill the Lights” and “Blur.” Add in a strong ballad called “Out from Under” and you have a top notch pop record that will spawn many hits.

The first eight tracks on this album are very strong pop songs, while the second half loses its footing. Vocally Britney will never be compared to Mariah Carey, she may not even sing as well as Drew Carey. Most of the production hides her vocal inadequacies with a vocoder, but that is something we have all become accustomed to in pop music these days as the visual is more important than the talent.

The best songs on Circus are the ones which Britney takes on her critics and address her problems head on. These songs were clearly chosen to help enhance the appeal to a comeback album. The first single “Womanizer” is already a mega hit. “Womanizer” ushers in the album with a siren warning you that the pop diva is back. It also features the line “You say I’m crazy, I got your crazy” in a not so subtle way to attack all the pundits who think she is a whack job.

Next is the title track “Circus” produced by super hot pop producers Benny Blanco and Dr. Luke, creators of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.” It is a song about being the center of attention. It has a nice slow tempo during the verses and then kicks into gear with the chorus “All eyes on me/in the center of the ring/just like a circus.” It helps to show that part of her downward spiral was caused by her addiction to the spotlight.

Song #3 is a ballad “Out From Under” produced and written by Guy Sigsworth, who wrote Seal’s “Crazy” and was part of the indie favorite Frou Frou. This is the logical third single and will be a huge hit. “Out From Under” is about gaining confidence after the break up of a relationship.

“Kill the Lights” starts off with a special announcement declaring the pop princess the “Queen of Pop.” This song takes on all the haters, mostly the paparazzi who made the last year hell for her. “Mister Photographer, I think I’m ready for my close up/Too wide/Make sure you get my good side/Pick one/These people all want to be me/Is that money in your pocket or are you happy to see me.” This turns the tables on the paparazzi and the people looking to make money on Britney’s numerous public displays. It has a great bass line that might even get me to dance. It is produced by Danja, who produced most of Britney’s Blackout album, and is one of the highlights of the album.

The next song is “If U Seek Amy”, produced by Max Martin, creator of her first single “Baby One More Time.” It features Spears signature way of singing “baby” and is about a hopeful sexual encounter with a woman, which is all the rage these days. It is bouncy and fun.

The final two highlights of this album are the trance style “Unusual You” and the slow building “Blur.” “Unusual You” is about Spears expecting her lover to leave her, but he surprises her by staying with her despite her flaws. “Blur” is about waking up from a drunken sexual encounter and trying to piece together the sordid details. The music on “Blur” is just off kilter enough it feels like you are waking up from a hangover with a pounding headache and a cup full of regret.

On Circus, Britney is at her worst when she gets sexual. Maybe it is because she is no longer the forbidden fruit she once was and is now damaged goods. Sexy pop stars have become stale in a genre that often relies on sex to sell records. “MMM Papi” is childish and gives me a headache with its frenetic pace. “Mannequin” is annoying on so many levels I can’t even come up with a comprehensive description as to what exactly I hate about it.

“Lace and Leather” is a P-Funk style sex romp that again loses its luster because of its sexual nature. Again, it is hard to swallow this shtick anymore and Britney needs to embrace her age, instead of trying to be sexy and frank about fantasies and whips and chains.

The pinnacle of crappiness is the final track, “My Baby.” It is a ballad presumed to be about her sons and is a plea that she really misses her kids. It could be a little more emotional and feels like she just through it on the record to prove she really wants to be a good mother in the court of public opinion. Coming from Britney, it may be too little too late. It may be the worst ode since Tommy Lee’s “Brandon.”

For the most part this will be Britney’s comeback album and it is a top notch pop record through and through. It is at its best when she takes on her haters and at its worst when she gets sexual. Most tracks will be huge hits on pop radio and Britney’s horrible year will mostly be forgotten. It will be interesting to see how she will handle the spotlight in the year to come. So leave Britney alone, Dammit!!!

BEST: "Kill the Lights"; "Womanizer"; "Blur"; "Out From Under"
GOOD: ""Circus"; "Unusual You"; "If U Seek Amy"
OK: "Shattered Glass"
AWFUL: "MMM Papi"; "Mannequin"; "My Baby"; "Lace and Leather"

The 411: Circus is a strong effort by Britney Spears as she attempts to claw her way back up to the top of the a-list. The album is at its best when she attacks her critics and awful when she talks about sex. After the eighth song the album really is not good, but for pop music this is not all bad. She also loses points for the over use of computers to fix her voice. She now is back to the lovable mindless Barbie type Frankenstein that needs direction to survive.

Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]