Britney Spears - Circus
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Free Music Notes for Circus
Free Music Review: All Eyes on B
Hit: 5 Stars
Whether it's the constant spotlight in the media, or videos in which the FCC's regulations are put to the test, Britney Spears cannot seem to catch a break.
After having a brutal divorce, child-custody battles, rehab, head shaving, and psychiatric hospitalization -- every single step played out in the media, Britney's career and personal life seemed to go down hill. It almost came to the point where you could barely feel the pulse on her once pulse-razing career. Britney was at one time called the "Queen of Pop" and having been dethroned over the pass five years, Britney is back and ready to take back the crown that's rightfully hers.
Back before the CD was released on December 3, 2008, Rolling Stone magazine quoted Britney as saying "I came into the studio because I had some free time, but once I started working, I was like, 'This is cool!' It just happened." Later on she later said in OK! Magazine that the album is "more urban. I'm working with producers who are just amazing [...] there is this fresh new energy. I'm writing every day, right here at the piano in this living room... This is my best work ever."
Circus is Spears' sixth studio album and had shown tremendous promise to the future of her career. Circus has 19 tracks; six of which are bonus tracks, and includes producers such as Bloodshy & Avant, Max Martin, Guy Sigsworth, and more. The first single, "Womanizer", which sounds like the love child of Gwen Stefani and Madonna, was her best single to date. It was her first number one single since her "hit me baby" start in 1999. With "Womanizer" heating up the charts, the CD's title track "Circus" was soon at number three, and Britney's current single, the controversial "If U Seek Amy" is climbing up the charts every single day.
Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, Circus sold a first-rate 505,000 copies in its first week. Making Spears' Circus, the fifth number one album, also making her the only artist in Nielsen SoundScan history to have four albums debut with 500,000 copies or more. It's also become Spears's second album, the first being her ground breaking ...Baby One More Time, to have charted two top-ten singles, "Circus" and "Womanizer".
Circus opens it's tents with the synthy track "Womanizer" which at first is annoying as a clown's laugh, but it's sledgehammer-repetition chorus and beats will have you tapping your foot or doing that shake-what-your-momma-gave-you dance. Stylistically it it's similar to Rachel Stevens' "Some Girls". It's a brilliantly executed mash-up of Spears' In the Zone hit 'Toxic', with her last album's, Blackout, track "Ooh Ooh Baby". When I first listened to this song I was unsure of Britney's future as an artist. I felt that it was too repetitive and possibly not enough to revive her from the near failure of her last CD, Blackout. Being the die-hard fan I am I decided to give it a chance. After listening to it repeatedly I walked away and found myself humming the tune while listening to other music. It's a track that once you hear it's the rubber cement of music inside your ear and sticks with you.
If there is one thing that I can really appreciate with Ms. Spears is that she can give you the best of both worlds - meaning when you want to dance or drown in your sorrows with a ballad Spears gives you both. The track list on Circus is a continuance of what she does on every CD she's put out. Spears is known for her flirtatious beat and then drawing your into a ballad of emotion. Case and point will be going from "Lace and Leather" to "Unusual You".
In the flirty track "Lace and Leather" we get a sultry bass guitar, strumming a short pattern and then Spears' cotton candy-esque voice comes in with playful vocals that become as addictive as the sugar strands of each bite from a spool of cotton candy. The lyrics at the beginning," French fingertips, red lips, bitch is dangerous," lead to the ever-so-catchy chorus "baby take a seat, eyes on me, this is my show - your one and only pleasure, all decked in lace and leather". No matter what people might say Spears is the queen of making tracks that female target audience want to be a dirty nymph and seduce the man of their dreams.
Once she's done her sexual burlesque peep show, Spears dresses herself in the innocent wardrobe that she once wore in the ...Baby One More Time era with tracks like "Unusual You" which show the personal side of the Queen of Pop. The producers of Spears' hit single "Toxic" off of the In the Zone album, Bloodshy & Avant, put their touch on the glowing track. Spears' timid voice shines in this track that bleeds emotion. With lyrics "Baby you're so unusual, didn't anyone tell you you're supposed to, break my heart, I expect you to...so why haven't you," Spears speaks of her inability to open up her heart to anyone. The past couple of years have been the closest thing to hell that someone could experience. Spears herself admits in the 2009 document Britney: For the Record that she "had let people into my life that were just bad people". Spears inserts pieces of her life in each song and this one clearly speaks of the many heartbreaks (including the divorce from her money-sucking ex-husband Kevin Federline).
Of course, when dealing with Spears you have to insert some controversy, and the racy wordplay involved in
"If U Seek Amy" are nothing short of clever. When you take the chorus of the song by itself without hearing the tune it doesn't make much sense. "Love me hate me, say what you want about me, but all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to If U seek Amy". That doesn't make much sense, right? When you play this song on your stereo, or hear it on the radio the controversy will begin brooding. The clever lyrics of Max Martin play with the ultimate meaning of the song - F*** Me. It's a play on words, but if you listen to it you can hear the workings of the lyrical artist (M. Martin) and the controversial Ms. Britney Spears.
Say what you want about her but the truth is that Britney is back and her "clan" of loyal followers loves every moment of it. If I know Britney like I do we can expect nothing but more great dance tracks, sexual dancing and clothing (or lack there of), music videos, all mixed together and sprinkled with a dash of controversy.
Free Music Review: Circus of Fun
Hit: 5 Stars
Once again Britney creates a musical masterpiece that surpasses the quality of her cd "Blackout". "Blackout" was a good album but "Circus" from my modest opinion is an even better album. I would even go as far to say that because of the greatness in the "Circus" album she will go on to sell many tickets for her upcoming tour which will make it one of the most successful musical tours of 2009. The following are a rundown of my opinion on the songs that led me to feel this way.
Womanizer 10 out of 10 A tongue in cheek of song regarding how even though the man she is singing about is charming that there is no way she is going to fall under his charm. A couple of the places that this exciting video to this song can be viewed through yahoo music and youtube
Circus 10 out of 10 This song is even better than Womanizer. This song she sings very confidently about the exciting show she puts on for others that is entertaining. Plus she emphasizes in this song that when it comes to men she likes the ringleader who calls the shots and she likes a firecracker where she can make it hot. Either way this song is a very fun song that also has an exciting video that can be posted on youtube and yahoo music.
Out From Under 9 out of 10 A very touching song and a unique ballad on how she can't look back in her love life on what could have been. I love how she beautifully sings that she will just figure it out when she's out from under.
Kill The Lights 10 out of 10 A song that is reminiscent of "Piece of Me" but expresses how she is more ready to face the paparazzi on her own terms.
Shattered Glass 10 out of 10 A great standout song about her asking an ex lover in her life if it was worth throwing away what they had for the end of their love relationship and confidently expressing that the time will come when she will be missed and wanted back. On a side note (admittedly just my opinion) I would not be suprised if her musical art ended up imitating life and one of her unnamed exes does possibly end up missing her and desiring her back.
If U Seek Amy 10 out of 10 It is very cool and unique how she starts off the song and how she carefully expresses her voice when she says lalalalala and then allows it to raise as the song starts to begin. She expresses how people can say what they want about her regardless how they feel about her but she artistically sings in a rhetoric tone "but can't you see what I see"
Unusual You 10 out of 10 A very beautiful song on how she finds someone in her life that calls when he says he does and is so good to her that this is unusual to her and how she expects this unusual person to break her heart because in her words only an angel can be so unusually nice and kind to her. This is an entertaining song but it is my hope that this song is just entertainment to her and that she does believe and realize that she deserves to be loved for who she is in real life. Aside from these few caveats this is a good song.
Blur 9.5 out of 10 A fantastic song about how the morning after is a blur to her because she is trying to recall how she ended up next to someone she is unfamiliar with and figuring out what she was doing the night before. It would be interesting to play this in a club and to see what a video of this song looks like.
MMm Papi 10 out of 10 She is expressing in the song how she desires the person in her song and her faith that the object of her desire will be there for her. Its funny and cool when she sings mmm papi love you A catchy song that will surely stick in your head
Mannequin 8 out of 10 Truthfully after a few listens to the song I am still trying to understand the full meaning to this song. What I get from this song is that someone wants her and that she will do her thing and that they will like it. I give her credit for her artistic creativity and innovation in this song but admittedly there are other songs on this cd that I like more.
Lace and Leather 10 out of 10 She sings about taking charge for her and her lover in the bedroom with lace and leather but that she is the one who will call the shots because its her show. She tells her lover to take a seat in the song because the fantasy will be on her. An erotic, sensual, and catchy song rolled into one.
My Baby 7.5 out of 10 Admittedly even though this is a song that I like least on the cd it still has grown on me each listen. This was especially the case after someone at my job told me how this is her favorite song on the cd so I decided to listen to it again to give it more of a try. Truthfully this is the only song that was just a 7.5 on my cd but thats mainly because it was so quiet and slower compared to the rest of the songs. This is a good song to listen to when you want to relax for the day because she beautifully sings about how much she loves her baby. Even though baby is obviously singular you can tell she is metaphorically paying tribute to her two beautiful children that I feel she loves very much. So even though I may have felt it was a 7.5 there may be others who will understandably rate it higher.
Radar 10 out of 10 An exciting and fun song from the "Blackout" album where she expresses some of the qualities she desires in a guy with some of her lyrics "confidence is a must" "cockiness is a plus" She turns having a crush into a stylish and fun situation with this song.
Overall if you liked the "Blackout" album you will like this album even more. Even people that are new to her albums will also like this cd. The $9.99 that I paid for this cd was definitely a good value for the various great songs that are on this cd. You can tell by this album that she is definitely getting better and better. Anyhow, whether you are a fan of Britney Spears or not if you are fine with listening to pop, top 40, and/or dance/club music then you will definitely love this album. You will definitely find yourself singing along and moving to many of these songs on this album.
Free Music Review: Her best album to date
Hit: 5 Stars
To be honest, I never saw the fuss about Blackout. Yeah, some of the tracks were amazing, but overall, it wasn't Britney's strongest offering.
Nope, we had to wait till late 2008 for that. Circus ranks amongst Britney's strongest material of her whole career. The album is a eclectic mix of fun upbeat tracks and slower emotional songs. Both mix in with each other nicely, making for a great selection of songs.
This album has so many awesome tracks, it's incredibly hard to pick a favourite... but I think I will give the accolade of my favourite track on Circus to the title track itself and second single "Circus." This song is just incredibly hot and sooooo catchy! I love the way Britney sings it, and the chorus is just so fun. The song has really cool lyrics ("When I crack that whip, everybody gonna trip just like a circus") and the beat is just smoking. Definitely the standout for me.
But the highlights keep coming, as a close second favourite for me is "If U Seek Amy." This is slated to be the third single and rightly so - it's a huge fan favourite and I know why. This song is amazing! It's naughty, rude and creative. It took me awhile to get why the song was called what it was, but once I knew, I appreciated the song a lot more. I love the song's 'think what you like about me' lyrics ("Love me, hate me, say what you want about me") and the beat is infectious.
"Out From Under" is the album's best ballad by far and one of my favourite Britney ballads of all. Britney's voice sounds really good on this track, she sings sweetly but still with a lot of power. I love the lyrics ("even when I cross the line, it's like a lie I've told a thousand times") and the music. Another favourite.
The album's lead single, "Womanizer" is a HOT track. It took awhile to grow on me, but all of a sudden, it just hit me how amazing this song truly is. One of Britney's best singles to date (alongside "Circus" of course), this song is sooooooooo catchy, possibly the album's catchiest song. I love the lyrics and the chorus is just so much fun to sing along to. A great way to start off this era of Britney.
"Unusual You" is not exactly a ballad, but it is a slower track, more midtempo. This is another great track, cos it has really creative lyrics and a cool idea. The lyrics are really unique and the whole feel of this song is awesome.
"Blur" is the album's other slower song, and it ain't half bad. When I was writing this review, I almost forgot how good this song was. This song is like a slow version of "Early Mornin" from In The Zone, but way better. I actually really like this song.
"Mannequin" is a song that reminds me the most of the Blackout era, it's very Blackoutish. But I think it's better then a lot of the Blackout stuff. It's weird, it's crazy and it's great.
"Shattered Glass" is another unique track and the CD's shortest track at 2:52. I love the way Britney sings "glass", it's really interesting.
"Kill The Lights" was one of the first tracks that leaked from the album, and it's quite good. I like that Britney is singing another song about the paparazzi. I like the intro to it.
"Lace And Leather" is another Blackoutish type song, with a really interesting guitar backing and a really catchy chorus.
A lot of people hate "Mmm Papi" but I don't find it that bad, really. It's really catchy and yes, the lyrics are stupid, but it's a cute little track that lets Britney have some fun.
"My Baby" however, is on the main album, and shouldn't be. This song is so boring, and not up to Britney's usual standards. It's nice she wrote a song for her sons, but it could have been better then this.
I have to give a mention to the massive amount of bonus tracks this album has, it has six.
They're all great, but my favourite is "Amnesia." I wish this song was on the main album because if it was, it would have been my overall favourite, even more then "Circus." It's one of Britney's best songs ever, because it's so cute, fun and catchy. The lyrics are awesome and the song is soooo catchy. I adore it.
"Phonography" is another awesome bonus track too, and rather naughty too.
Absolute favourites = Circus, If U Seek Amy, Amnesia, Out From Under, Blur, Womanizer & Unusual You
I like every song on the album except "My Baby" which makes it one of the best albums of 2008 in my opinion. Never before has Britney had such an album filled with amazing songs. Nearly every single song from this album could be a hit. 5 stars!
Free Music Review: A pretty good show.
Hit: 5 Stars
Love her, hate her, say what you want about her, but there is no doubt that Britney Spears is probably the most often discussed household name in music at the moment. Forever garnering speculation through tabloid headlines rather than her music, a lot of people may be surprised by the strength of a typical Britney album. So, after a long wait to see Brit back in diva gear, top of the charts and killing the dance moves, it seems that moment has arrived. But is Britney's highly-anticipated Circus really a good album?
On a whole, yes. It's strong, varied and admittedly her singing is an improvement on last year's `Blackout'. Her vocals, although not as strong as Christina Aguilera's, are much more soothing to the ear than the latter's alleycat scream. Particularly on `Out From Under' Britney's more limited but sweeter vocal range impresses the listener. There are some interesting explorations into other mediums (beachy go-go in "Mmm Papi", urban in "Kill The Lights", `80s throwback in "Lace and Leather" and bonus track "Amnesia"), and the songs are hooky, catchy and incredibly radio-friendly. However, the only flaw in the whole show is it feels safe and cagey, and not as big a risk-taker as previous albums from her career.
If one wishes to label Spears as a manufactured bubblegum singer, this may have been true in her first two albums. Whether this is fair is to be disputed, because she was a young talented girl with a nice voice who needed the help of a big name like Max Martin to develop a sound. Although they are good albums garnering some of her greatest hits, "Baby One More Time" and "Oops I Did It Again" suffered the pitfalls of any teen pop album when listened to ten years later. Schlock slowies, poor covers and an irritating set of voice-over interruptions on "Oops" can discount the overall quality of those cds. Then came "Britney", with Ms Spears assuming much more control, developing a more mature sound, and creating some pretty great R&B closers. "In The Zone" discarded with Martin's teen pop sound and Martin himself, preferring to focus on the clubs and the urban scene. This album contributed what are my two favorite Britney songs, "Toxic" and "Everytime", both of which topped the World chart. Although most notable for being sexually adventurous, "In The Zone" was Spears' first through-and-through dance record.
In a time of personal struggle came "Blackout", and this is Britney's most critically acclaimed and in my opinion best album. It was the most consistent, fresh and ingenious album of her career, and it felt more honest because she sang about what she wanted to sing about, rather than being forced to sing a soppy ballad about running and hiding. However, with a star that relies so deeply on image, the album and its incredibly strong singles all failed to match her earlier successes, although being easily the best thing on the radio at the time. So on "Circus", greatest attention is paid to turning back time and making a cover to show a thin, smiling and blond Britney rather than the rebellious, wig-wearing artist of last year. This doesn't make "Circus" a better album, and for all its strengths it does not inspire the amount of excitement one felt when giving "Blackout"'s chilly robopop a first spin.
"Circus" is almost a nostalgic album. Eager to return Spears to the stage when she sold the most records of her career, a lot of elements sample from earlier albums. "Kill The Lights" is most reminiscent to the fresh synths of "Blackout", "If U Seek Amy" reminisces Max Martin days and is Britney's only collaboration with Martin since 2001's "Britney", "Blur" and its Eastern feel and hangover theme recall "In The Zone"'s "Early Mornin'". With a few very nice ballads on top of the whole thing, this will give you a warm feeling and a chance to reminisce on all those things that made you love Britney Spears' music. So yes, despite not being as fresh as last year's "Blackout", "Circus" is a very enjoyable and addictive album. Although the image and sound reconstruction is a necessary move to put Britney back on top (and it works, too; "Circus" debuted at #1, lead single "Womanizer" became her first #1 in America since "Baby" and follow-up "Circus" slid straight into the charts at #3), lets hope next time round she is as adventurous in her music as last year.
Free Music Review: Once Again, You Worked Your Sh.. On This Album Britney!
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm sorry, but it's like her material just gets better and better with each record. She's the only artist out right now that I can honestly say that about. You don't have to be a die-hard fan to enjoy this album, or any of her other works for that matter. I used to think 'In The Zone' was her peak as she played with Pop and hints of R&B; and then 'Blackout' came out last year (no promotion and very underrated) and I was like WHOA. Now we have 'Circus.'
Britney is known for making us dance and where all her dance tracks are concerned, she delivers on each. 'Womanizer' starts things off, and is just a classic Britney track altogether: busy, heavy on the beats and effects, and catchy lyrics. 'Circus,' the title track, threw me for a loop because I thought it may address the public chaos going on in her life as of late, but it's a very playful and sensual track. 'Kill the Lights' provides what I thought Circus was given the title and all. Very angry and sassy, Britney again takes on the paps and critics. 'Shattered Glass' is somewhat trance and a lot of skipping on the track which I love. 'If U Seek Amy' is a hot track, I can totally picture a video for this. 'Mmm Papi' is another fun track in which Britney doesn't take herself serious in the lyrics and vocal arrangement. 'Mannequin' is just fire, I've loved this song since it leaked and the lyrics are so clever, she is just really cocky on this one and I love it. 'Lace and Leather' has a beat of 80s pop/funk feel to it. It totally works.
The slower cuts and ballads: Britney, you outdid yourself - my hat goes off to you! Britney doesn't have the strongest voice out there, this we know, but she works it out with what she has. 'Out From Under' is light and airy, perfect for her. 'Unusual You' is in the same vein, and very European at that. 'Blur' puts me in the mind of some old Sneaker Pimps track; it's very eerie but hypnotizing all in the same. 'My Baby' is such a pleasant surprise, it really shocked me. Amazing arrangement and fits her voice perfectly. She hits this very strong note at the end that is so beautiful.
I only have one teeny little complaint: Britney is now 27 y/o. Why in the world do they continue to censor some of her lyrics? I can't recall certain songs because the album is still new to me, but there were a couple of tracks I heard her say certain expletives for example that are creatively altered so that they fit the crazy creative skipping and choppiness of some of the uptempo tracks. I feel it's unnecessary. She's a grown woman now, and I'm sure her fan base has grown with her and is older at least from what I've been seeing in particular at the GMA performance on her birthday/album release. If she has to, let her. It's not hurting the overall feel or point of the track in my opinion.
This is the perfect Pop album to close the year and Britney once again proves why she ran the game before her hiatus, and why she will reclaim her spot victoriously in 2009. Beyonce should be forewarned that she is about to take a backseat to the major advantage she has had during Britney's absence the past 4-5 years. Every track is single-worthy. The marketing for the record is huge (tell-all documentary two days before the album release, tour announcement and pre-sale tickets topping nearly 100,000 in one day - crazy!), but minimal all the same.
Kudos once again on a job well done!