 Again like ‘Blackout’ I was actually debating on writing a review on this album after hearing it, but I must have my say. Now that I listen to the album, actually paying attention as a critic, I can hear that half this album was literally just thrown together, consisting of a few hit singles and a bunch of redundance. Ummmm... Yeah, I don’t know if it’s just me, am I tripping? Because I am pretty sure that ‘Radar’ bonus track thirteen was on her last record. Never in my life have I experienced a record with that kind of repeat! Maybe a remix or severe recycling of beats never a full repeat like this LP. The most recent offender I heard with the latest ‘rebeat’ is ‘Lady Gaga’ and her producer ‘Red One’ three tracks with the same beat on one record! Who does that? Two of which are singles and I’m sure the other assy track will be as well. Can we say the creativity and originality in the mainstream music industry, has completely evaporated and saturated our radios with asstastic verbal runny d. Yes we can! Now let’s get back to Britney’s ‘Circus’ is it really worth anyone’s time? No need to jibber about ‘Womanizer’ that’s been covered, she has since gone on tour and dropped two more tracks off the album. The second single was the album’s title track ‘Circus’ still getting spins on mainstream radio. A catchy tune that is simple and follows the pattern of making a commercial radio pop hit. My opinion, this should have been the first single. ‘Circus’ has more thought put into the whole track from the music to the construction of the tune. There is still a few repeats, you can hear a little ‘Toxic’ rebeat near the end of the song but I like the track in whole more than I do 'Womanizer'. This is a dance track, great for clubs and perfect for the gym. A piece of the lyrics “There's only two types of guys out there / One's that can hang with me / And one's that are scared / So baby I'mma hope that you came prepared / I run a tight ship, so beware.” Vocals are what they are ‘Britney’! She has her own distinct poppy nasal sound that many have tried to emulate unsuccessfully. You can hear her voice on this album, less vocoder more genuine Britney vocals. Still I doubt she can do this one or any of her uptempo tunes live, without lip-synching to the backing track. The next track on the LP is “Out From Under” a pretty nappy ballad tune, this should never be released. Cheesy typical Britney pop I think she’s the staple of cheese pop and I’m sure all the Britney teenies will like it but vocally the track is weak even for Britney. Other critics have said it’s amazing and guaranteed to be the next hit! So lies, what are they smoking and are they deaf! Moving onto the next track “Kill The Lights”, when I first heard the tune I was not feeling it because of the repeating lyric “I Killed” the way it was mixed was so annoying but the song as whole is not too bad. This track has to grow on you or you just don’t like it. If you are able to tune out the “I Killed” like I can, you are good to go. The track starts in with some distortion and noise, then a mock DJ jibbers about how the Princess of Pop now Queen of Pop has a special announcement to make. First verse lyrics are straight up “You don’t like me / I don’t like you / it don’t matter. / The only difference is / You still listen / I don’t have to.” As she’s dropping into the hook she sounds a lot like Madonna. The beat is chill, the melody is fitting to the tune a club banger for sure, as are most of these tunes meant for working out or dancing to at the club.  The next tune is ‘Shattered Glass’ I would have to say my favorite because it has this old school dance beat, the track’s assembled very well, everything fits together in a little poppy package. The intro starts in with electronically shattered particles as opposed to a band who would use the real crushing sound which could have added some raw effects to the track. Like the tune ‘The Flood’ by “Small Leaks, Sink Ships”, they used the real sound which they probably recorded themselves. This tune ‘Shattered Glass’ is reminiscent of mid nineties dance tunes, a rebeat for sure but I can’t put my finger on which tune it is. 'Shattered Glass' should be the next single if they continue to release tracks from this album. The song is about a dude who cheats and will regret his actions when things don’t turn out as expected. Here’s the first verse “Did I wake you? Were you sleeping? Were you still in the bed? / Or is a nightmare keeping you up instead? / Poor Baby, are you feeling guilty for what you did? / If you think you’re hurting, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” Of course Ms. Spears didn’t write the tune she only co-wrote three tracks on the LP all of which are forgettable; I guess that’s why they placed them near the end of the album. The writers of the tune are Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly and Benjamin Levin. They penned another tune on this LP the title track “Circus”. Gottwald and Levin also co-wrote “Lace and Leather” with Frankie Storm and Ronnie Jackson. The final track I will talk about is the Swedish crew’s (Max Martin, Shellback, Savan Kotecha & Alexander Kronlund) “If U Seek Amy” which is now a single and has many kids mothers with their panties in a huge knot. The whole controversy is moronic, who cares! They are crying about the title when you say ‘If U Seek Amy’ quickly, it sounds as if she’s saying “Fuck Amy” inclining that it is a subliminal message spelt out in the song. How much time do these women have on their hands?? It’s just a pop song calm down! The tune itself is a bit irritating but some of the lyrics have a point. Although that point would be a little more believable if it were written by Britney instead of these thirty something dudes. But hello, the girl obviously is not a writer. A piece of the chorus “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.” Catchy poppiness with the nasal sound of Britney in full force, this track is strictly radio or working out it’s not meant for a club. Was this record the relaunch Britney’s people were so desperately seeking? Not at all!! Maybe other media folk think so but I think it could have been so much better! With only a hand full of tolerable tunes on a thirteen track LP even for Britney it’s pathetic. Then again the final cut is up to the label; so many artists get screwed over especially pop artists who have very little creative control. In the end if the record is a bust it falls back on everyone who helped create the tunes, but people usually blame the artist. In some cases, yes most of the blame should be focused onto the artist but a lot of the time it’s those who choose the final track list that should be held accountable. With various different versions of the record out there, this Circus is a lackluster one trick pony! ©2009FRIDAE™  ALL PHOTO CREDITS Britney Spears - official web site and blog
Last edited by FRIDAE : May 2, 2009 at 02:50 AM.
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| | | | Overall Rating | | 6 | | Vocals / Lyrics | | 7 | | Musicianship | | 7 | | Production | | 6 | | Creativity | | 6 | | Lastability | | 7 | | Reviewers Tilt | | 6 |
64% | |
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Britney Spears - Womanizer [Single]
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