Blackout better than Circus

2008-12-02 16:00

Los Angeles - Britney Spears' Circus - while still very different from her previous superstar incarnation, circa 1998-2003 - seems on the road to recovery, thanks to court-appointed guidance from her dad and other positive developments.

She seems ready for a rebirth, so it's fitting that Circus - her sixth studio album - makes its debut as she celebrates her 27th birthday.

And like any good circus, Britney's version will leave you thoroughly entertained. Though Blackout was a gem, it seemed like the album was mainly due to the creative and technological wizardry of its producers, with minimal vocal effort from Spears.

This time around, her pleasant yet thin voice comes through more clearly, not aided by as many layers and studio manipulations. She is also credited with co-writing two tracks.

Spears spends much of her energy trying to get people in the mood to groove, and it works on fun disco tracks like Womanizer, Shattered Glass and the cleverly titled If U Seek Amy (say it fast and you might need your mouth washed out with soap).

Collaborations

She teams up with former collaborators like Max Martin (who wrote her career-making hit ... Baby One More Time) and Nate "Danja" Hills, who was responsible for some of the best music on Blackout.

But newcomers also help out, like the Outsyders (on Womanizer).

A few songs hint at the media circus her life has become, including Kill the Lights, where Spears takes on the paparazzi.

But she strikes the most personal and emotional chords on the slower tracks, most notably on the dreamy Unusual You, on which she coos, "Baby you're so unusual, didn't anyone tell you you're so s'pposed to break my heart, I expect you to, so why haven't you?"

Though she didn't write the song, it's hard not to wince in empathy when you think about the string of users who have filtered in and out of her life.

Ode to her children

The most poignant track is the ballad My Baby, co-written by Spears. On it, she sings to her "precious love".

It's an ode to one of her sons, with lines like, "How did I get through all of my days without you?"

Considering she doesn't have full custody of her two boys and is trying to strengthen her parental bond after a period of turmoil, it's especially touching - so much so that we can forgive the song for being just a little bit sugary.

After all her recent drama, Spears deserves something sweet in her life.

- AP