So Britney's new CD came out yesterday. Being a fan of hers since the 6th grade I went off to buy it during my break between classes. I was very, very excited about her first new album in 4 years, so much so that I didn't even let myself listen to the leaks online, choosing instead to be surprised on the 30th. With that said, people have been asking me all day what I thought about it, so below, I shall give my full, compete and honest opinion on Britney's new album.
Blackout has actually given Britney the best critic ratings of her entire career. Everyone seems to love it. It's even expected to debut at #1 with 250k-300k in sales, meaning she'll have 5 consecutive #1 studio albums, beating her own Guiness World Record. The songs aren't bad. The songs are very contemporary. They sound like she's never left the scene and still knows what's going on. The reason for this is because she (or, more accurately, her record label) has employed today's top notch producers, chiefly Timbaland protege Danja, Sean Garrett, T-Pain, as well as Bloodshy & Avant, the people responsible for "Toxic." If this had been the 90's this record would have been groundbreaking. However, since Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake cashed in on Timbaland's futuristic beats everyone has been wanting a piece of the chart-topping pie, turning Timbaland and Danja's beats from futuristic to contemporary, and eventually if this trend continues, mundane.
It's biggest strength, and for me, it's ultimate downfall is that it sounds like everything else on the radio. This serves as something crucial because it means that Britney is able to keep up in the music industry. The current state of the industry means that taking any kind of break is a death sentence into obscurity. Taking any kind of break, for however long, is a life time in the consumers eyes. By using Danja she shows she's able to stay current, but does current translate into still being relevant? Like Usher, Petey Pablo and Ciara all benefited from Lil' Jons production a few years past, Britney has benefited the same as Brooke Valentine did. Remember her? Yeah, that's my point. By the time she came out, everyone sounded like her and she like everyone else. With "Blackout" it could be anybody else on these tracks, and they could appear on any radio station anywhere in North America. The Britney name is the only distinguishing factor that carries the album.
The second problem facing "Blackout" is that it doesn't feel like a real comeback. The lack of promotional buzz on Britney's part, even the lacklustre performance at the VMA's are forgivable. However, this album feels a little lifeless and I feel as if Britney didn't even want to do this, considering she only co-wrote 2 songs on the whole disc. Even the song "Piece of Me" in it's lyrical brilliance that sees her bite back against the critics, media and overall detractors feels listless because she didn't write a single word in the song. How personal can a song get when you didn't contribute nickel or dime? Her first two albums didn't include any co-writing credits from her either, but they felt they had an actual purpose. They existed to introduce the world to the 17 year old with world domination dreams. Her third album was when she took creative control and it felt like an honest record (or as honest as the Britney machine gets). Her 4th and last album was just like "Blackout." The top producers cultivated it, but with that one (which is subsequently my favourite) still felt like it had a purpose. She co-wrote the majority of those songs and it felt fairly real and authentic. "Blackout" on the other hand feels like she didn't want anything to do with it, as if her label and the producers were just wanting to make money and prove that they can resurrect anybody's career.
I repeat that the songs aren't bad, they're good even, but does having good songs equate having a good album? That's up to the individual to decide. The high points for me, and the songs I recommend every check out before they're singles and blow up are "Gimme More" "Piece of Me" "Break the Ice" and "Toy Soldier."
Ultimately, I like this album. I may not like aspects of it, or as a product on the whole, but I enjoy the music - and her music is what made me a Britney fan to begin with. Over and out.
