A Bit of Pop Review: Britney Spears delivers her best record in years with Glory.

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Britney Spears delivers her best record in years with Glory.

Over the past ten years, Britney Spears never really reached the levels of success she did in her prime days. This had partly to do with a next generation of pop stars that took over, but also with the fact that her material didn’t sound as top notch anymore and Britney herself didn’t seem invested in her own career. Although she still had quite a few big hit singles, her last albumBritney Jean from 2013 didn’t sell as well anymore, which was not surprising taking into accountthe more than disappointing tracks on it. This is all about to change with her brand new recordGlory that leaked today and will be released on the 26th of August. It’s her best one in years!

 

Britney started the promotion for Glory with the release of the contemporary sounding and enjoyable first single ‘Make Me’ last month. Over the past few weeks she has been treating her fans to the release of new tracks ‘Private Show’, ‘Clumsy’ and ‘Do You Wanna Come Over’ to warm them up for the new album. And so she did, because all these songs sound way more fun than anything on Britney Jean. Luckily she didn’t give away all her assets yet, because Glory has a lot more to give!

The album opens with ‘Invitation’, a sultry and sensual midtempo jam with some soaring vocals and an ethereal production. There are a few things that immediately come to mind when listening to this track and the whole album for that matter. Firstly, the production of her vocals is handled so much better than on its predecessors. She hardly ever sounds robotic and drained of personality. This could also have to do with the fact that Britney does seem to believe in it this time. The fun she must have had recording a track like ‘Private Show’ comes through your speakers and the powerful and sassy performance she delivers on the theatrical, swinging number ‘What You Need’ was completely unthinkable a few years ago. And let us also take a minute to appreciate the emotive delivery on the guitar pop of ‘Just Like Me’!

The second major improvement on Glory is that Britney and her team managed to pen down some great pop tunes with huge choruses. Too often we did get the drop or breakdown or the repetition of a single line as excuse for a hook, but this time around, most tracks actually deliver. Take for example the sweet, endearing ‘Man on the Moon’. The track has a perfect pop build up with melodic verses, an exciting pre-chorus and a perfect vocal hook. The same goes for the laidback ‘Slumber Party’ with an irrestibly catchy and naughty chorus.

With tracks like these Britney takes us back to the early noughties when she ruled the world with pop in its purest form. Of course there is a more modern take as well on tracks like first single ‘Make Me’, R&B light ‘Just Luv Me’ and the Major Lazer inspired ‘Better’. Glory therefore is a well balanced mix between contemporary sounds and a nostalgic trip down memory lane. And for the people who are not convinced yet that she actually put her heart and soul in her album this time: she recorded the bonus track ‘Coupure Électrique’ completely in French and even gave us a tune to tango to, ‘Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortes)’. Britney shows she still has got what it takes with a well produced and hook overloaded new album!

 

https://abitofpopmusic.com/2016/08/21/album-review-britney-spears-glory/