Les-be-honest, darlings Britney Spears latest musical endeavour called "Britney Jean" was not much of a strike of brilliance. Yes, its Dita throwing some shade hewre! There might be two or three good ones on there but it definitely is more like "Britney-Do-You-Really-Try-To-Sell-This-Overproduced-Shit-As-Personal-Jean". Not convinced? Read the review here!
BUT, and its a big one (Pun intended!), Britney has served us real good stuff during a time when she was everything but right in he remind and her career was on a huge down path. Remember the headlines? "Bold Britney Beat Up A Car!", "Fatney Spears - VMA Bacon Comeback" and "Blackout - Yes turn off the lights when she is on stage!". As they may be harsh an nowadays that would not happen to any celeb again, the then released "Blackout" is one of the best pop dance albums I know. And hunty, I know quite a few out of this decade! Blackout, released in October 2007, has acclaimed critical appraisal and quite a commercial success it somewhat is the always understated and undervalued album of Spears. And let me state one thin in advance: I don't know how they prepped her up to record it, or maybe the challenge to record it and the expectations get her going on it. I don't know it, but i do know that it is damn amazing. SO lets go through the whole thing track by goddamn great track!
Lets start off with the album cover: Well I am torn. On one hand I like the overall design it is bright colored, club reminiscent and very much an homage to a drug trip thing (I think.) The design is clear, no bling bling, just clear her in the middle and the title and her name bold on it. Ain't nothing wrong with that. All though I have to object with her nappy wig and her outfit! Gurrl, you seemed to have pissed off the wrong queen!
Anyways, lets get to the essential things: the songs. Blackout comes with a regular number of 12 and in the Japanese bonus version with up to 15 tracks plus one remix. Pretty decent in my eyes, but could also have been one or two songs more. Fair enough she offers some variety.
01 - Gimme More
"It's Britney Bitch!" - The one iconic line that still accompanies Britney till today opens album opener and lead single of Blackout. The song scores with a great hook, mesmerizing clap beats and a twisted beat that gets you on the floor and to the pole. The lyrics are simple, everyone knows them and the attitude is pretty clear. Just a simple pop song that has caught the world on fire and still gets us going! A clear 10/10, and hence a must have in every good party music collection!
02 - Piece Of Me
Probably the heart of the album as it clears up with all the fuzz surrounding Britney in the times of her and her escapades. Well and certainly everyone wanted one or more pieces of her and she just gone mad. And this song wonderfully expresses this with a vibrant beat and intervening moaning voices. Simple in beat structure over the chorus and taking up the intensity in the hook. A real grant for great fun and dance joy! Misses "Oh-My-God-That-Britney-Shameless" gives you her best kiss my ass and leave me alone song. Another aim, shoot and goal 10 out of 10!
03 -Radar
Bing Bing beat and a 90's action video game adventure sound with a dominant bass beat could usually not go wrong, but in comparison to its precedes this one has certainly less appeal. But that does not mean its less fun as it is mysterious and quirky at once giving us full battle commander sexy realness. I am game for that battle so lets start the rockets at a good 8/10!
04 - Break The Ice
First I have to say I was not madly in love with this one but then my
attachment grew, somewhat quilted towards that insanely amusing and
crazy ass video. Japanese porn inspired Aime stuff? WTF? And then with a
side twist? Okay I am game! The song actually is a mixture of what you
think the 80's must have sounded like with more computers and
synthesizers. Just the chorus that sound like sung by a choir and the mysterious beat get you into the game. A clear 8/10. (And yes, my body is spinning like a hurricane!)
05 - Heaven On Earth
Okay this is the only song I am not that fond of. There is just something about this one that is a bit annoying. The Lolita thing gone icy sexy, waiting for a man that is perfect does not do it for me, and darling the whole desire in your body thing does not as well. May be intended as a good one, but give me one minute with it and I am pretty much over it. #SorryNotSorry Still a 6/10.
06 - Get Naked (I Got A Plan)
And the sun rises again as a sick and twisted beat comes on with a mad house attitude that brings out the songs Joker qualities. Two face Brit is on her way as she announces her craziness with her sexy alter ego crawling the imaginary corridors of Gotham Asylum. The sex undertone and the obvious male gaze that comes from the male song in there might not be considerable for a feminism award but the song still gets the sound approval of 9/10.
07 - Freakshow
My personal album favorite with a booming beat that vibes at the beginning. Freakshow is what I love about "Blackout" most: the desire and balls to go a bit freaky, experimental and electronic. Away from Nelly Furtado 2006 and 2007 back to twisted, quirky and crazy tunes as this one is. With an upbeat tempo and synthesizers used to the nines I am one happy listener! Definitely 10/10! Great work!
08 - Toy Soldier
Another twisted beat that says: this Britney said goodbye for good from the school girl Lolita thing. Thank god! Sounds like a march as the drums are always present in the background. Maybe due to the song theme of men as soldiers and that she is said of these toy soldiers. What she wants is a real man. Okay Brit, wish granted! With that good of a quirky song I can not object! 8/10
09 - Hot As Ice
And right when there is a score against the "I am a sweet lil Lolita" image it comes right back around the corner in form of this song. And damn! The song is pretty catchy all though the whole thing somewhat is lacking vision and singing " I'm just a girl with the ability to drive the men crazy" is not what I would call interesting and adult challenging smart lyrics. As well the sound is rather boring compared to the other bangers on here. 6/10
10 - Ooh Ooh Baby
Sounds like Spanish guitars meeting pop electronic music and that is what it is. Another Lolita song. But a fair enough better one then number nine so I might as well spare the "Stop-The-Lolita-Crap" part and give the song its 7/10.
11 - Perfect Lover
Twisted and a little mystical comes number eleven of "Blackout" that, as most of the other songs turns around the one topic of the album: men. Well we will have to work with that, but the song has this erotic energy that we really get an idea of a hot steamy seductive vixen thing going. fair enough that is worth 8/10 and the remark that "Blackout" will probably not enter history as a feminist album.
12 - Why Should I Be Sad
The slowest song on the album is as close to a classical Britney ballad as the theme of electronics of the album lets it get. The lyrics are to sing along and the idea behind the whole song believable, all though its about men once more. But Britney singing" Yeah I cant believe I did it" makes some sense taking the time this album was released in concerned. And after all the girl shall not be said as her life seriously can not be that bad in 2014. A good, solid 8/10.
In summary "Blackout" reaches a score of 98 points out of 120, which gives an average of about 8,2 points per song, and if I am not wrong that should totally be one of the best reviews on here. "Blackout" might not be a lyrical masterpiece, cut on amazing and world turning topics or push forward our perceptions of female performers, but that was never the intend of this record. It just is the music that leads to blackouts, is played after one and that will lead the electrics to shutdown cause its so good that it causes a blackout as the crowd goes wild. It simply is damn god pop and dance record.
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