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CharmingMadness

By CharmingMadness
in Britney Community

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CharmingMadness

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Long, but good read, a really well-written article with a lot of praise :makeitrain: Tina Turner comparison? slay those vocals, B! :ahhh:
http://www.digitalspy.com/music/album-reviews/news/a805798/britney-spearss-new-album-glory-reviewed-is-it-any-good-then/?
There are only a handful of artists that can command mass hysteria when it comes to their album releases, and one of them is Britney Spears. Whether you love her or hate her, there's always curiosity when Ms. Spears decides to release new music.

Her 2013 album, Britney Jean, was met with a muted response, however; it seemed that Britney had sort of given up. Similarly, last year's misguided duet with Iggy Azalea, 'Pretty Girls', was perfectly serviceable but nowhere near the calibre of material that had turned Brit from a Louisiana-born child star into a global icon.
So, when rumours started to circulate two years ago that Britney was working on a new album, it was no surprise that people approached the concept with trepidation. What would a Britney Spears album sound like in 2016? Would it be any good? Would she be engaged with the material?

1. ''INVITATION'

Whereas Femme Fatale, Blackout and In The Zone all opened with stone cold bangers,Britney Jean introduced the world to a softer side of Britney Spears. In a way, 'Invitation' combines the electronic sensibilities of 'Gimme More' and the whirring of 'Me Against the Music', and slows it down. Spears' vocals, while filtered, sound crisp and clear, the singer reaching into her much underused falsetto. It's atmospheric without being moody, wistful without pretension and rather lovely. The track is probably the best album opener of any Britney album to date.

2. 'MAKE ME… (FEAT. G-EAZY)'

The lead single from the campaign, 'Make Me…' was a welcome return to form following 'Pretty Girls'. A mid-tempo banger, the track sees Britney coo breathily over an electric guitar and soothing electronics. What's so refreshing is that Brit's signature vocals are given the space they need to shine; she sounds ****, engaged and like she truly loves it. An unnecessary but understandable feature from Gerald 'G-Eazy' Gillum neither adds nor takes away from the final product, which is luscious, sultry and so damn catchy.

3. 'PRIVATE SHOW'

Released as an 'instant-grat' from the album, 'Private Show' showcases Britney's long forgotten experimental side. It's a doo-wop track that sees a surprisingly powerful vocal turn from the singer, and it's heaps of fun. The production is so layered, with clicks and vocal harmonies making up the most of the arrangement, and Britney sounds alive. Again, her falsetto is put to good use, too, and the track proves what a dynamic vocalist she can be.

4. 'MAN ON THE MOON'

All you have to do is look at Brit's Instagram to see that space seems to be of particular interest to her. So, it's unsurprising that on Glory we've got another space themed track, 'Man On The Moon' (Britney Jean opened with the similarly sci-fi themed Alien). You'd be forgiven for thinking that the track was lifted from the singer's 2001 album, Britney. It's a proper pop song, with a singsong-y chorus that's on the right side of bubblegum. Like Leslie Gore's 'It's My Party', the track taps into that middle space between melancholia and euphoria, and there's a longing in Spears' vocals that taps into the track's existential lyrics as she stares longingly out at the stars. Oh, and there's a completely brilliant jangly guitar riff that's bound to get stuck in your head.

5. 'JUST LUV ME'

Vulnerability is something that has been missing from nearly all of Britney's albums post In The Zone. Tracks like 'Everytime' signalled that under the sheen of dance routines, expensive videos and high octane stage performances there was a sensitive and delicate soul that could convey emotions without melodrama. While 'Just Luv Me' isn't a ballad as such, it's a song that taps into Spears' softer side. Lyrically, Britney is craving affection, opening herself to the often overwhelming feeling of love while needing nothing in return. It's subversive in the way that Selena Gomez's 'Good For You' acknowledged the varying states of emotional and ****** power play. And, like Gomez's track, the production, handled by Cashmere Cat and BloodPop, is full of yearning and darkness. This song is crying out to be a single.

6. 'CLUMSY'

Like on 'Private Show', 'Clumsy' sees Britney's voice change from one line to the other. It's most definitely all her, but again, it's testament to the uniqueness of her vocals; she can play almost any character within the swoop of four bars. Saying that, 'Clumsy' is probably the only moment where Glory veers into generic territory. The EDM breakdown that substitutes the chorus sounds unfinished and like something from Britney Jean. Saying that, we love it when Britney references herself and the sweet "Oops" before the drop is a moment of bliss.

7. 'DO YOU WANNA COME OVER?'

Britney Spears songs have always been about *** in some form; even when she was 16 years old, there were ****** connotations bubbling under nearly all her tracks. Saying that, 'Do You Wanna Come Over?' is a *** jam for the Grindr generation. Like the mobile dating app, Spears is ready to provide whatever you want and whatever you need, you just need to come over. It's the most fun that the singer seems to have had on a song since 'Toxic', pulsing bass and dissonant acoustic guitars creating something delightfully weird.

8. 'SLUMBER PARTY'

When we saw the tracklisting for Glory, we were half expecting 'Slumber Party' to be a Ciara-style **** slow-jam. We weren't quite expecting a 'Hotline Bling' style ode to fornication and *** tapes, as she sings, "We use our bodies to make our own videos/ Put on our music that makes us go f**king crazy, oh." It's dreamy and genuinely ****, something that Britney hasn't truly been since Blackout. The syncopated synths in the chorus are delightful, as is the surprising addition of a bombastic horn section in the final chorus. Similarly, the final chorus contains the best Britney ad-libs this side of 2003. Now, all they need to do is get Drake on a remix on this and we've got a smash on our hands.

9. 'JUST LIKE ME'

Jealousy isn't a topic that Britney has broached too many times before - usually she's the *** siren getting down on the floor in the club. That's why 'Just Like Me' feels so real. The track, which was co-written by Brit, alongside Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and Nick Monson, is probably the most personal that the singer has been in years, despite Britney Jean's protestations. The song sees Britney play a scorned lover who catches her partner in the throes with a woman who looks just like her. It's genuinely emotional, as Britney is haunted by the image, echoing harmonies adding atmosphere and depth. While oscillating synths and drum machines whir in the periphery, the track's acoustic guitar and Britney's delicate vocals create something elegant and fragile.

10. 'LOVE ME DOWN'

Don't let the dubstep wobbles on 'Love Me Down' put you off, this song is a bop and features one hell of a bridge as Britney coos, "My baby don't love me down, don't love me down, don't love me down," over a frenetic beat. Where 'Love Me Down' shines, however, is in the ad-libs. Britney is serving 'Stronger' style vocals, and at the end of the song there's a gloriously distinctive Britney vocal run that'll give you chills.

11. 'HARD TO FORGET YA'

Again, 'Hard To Forget Ya' is a throwback to the pop songs of yesterday. Everything from the melody to the production reminds us of the sorts of tracks you would have heard on Christina's Stripped or, indeed, one of Britney's early albums. It's most definitely an album track, but that doesn't take away from the song's finger-snapping beats and it's euphoric chorus. Like all the best early 00s throwbacks, it'll be hard to forget this one.

12. 'WHAT YOU NEED'

Like on 'Clumsy' and 'Private Show', Britney's belting is back in full force, delivering the most un-Britney song of her career. Doing her best Tina Turner impression (seriously), this song was clearly inspired by 'Proud Mary' (the middle eight is just crying out for a huge sing-a-long). We'd have never thought that Britney could have pulled off a divalicious track like 'What You Need' but she does, and she does it with bags of sass and attitude. At times it verges a bit on 'soul-by-numbers', but then there's Britney's unique tone that makes the whole thing bizarre and yet highly listenable.
13. 'BETTER'

While it sounds like it could have been lifted directly from Justin Bieber's Purpose, 'Better' is a shimmering slice of Major Lazer inspired tropically tinged pop that brings Glory well into 2016.And why this song has been relegated to a bonus track we're not quite sure, as it's arguably one of the album's strongest moments. The middle-eight is a wonderful moment of pure abandon, Britney appearing to lose control as she proclaims that it's all "so good, so damn, so good." Likewise, those vocal ad-libs feel like they were lifted straight out of 2001 and it's an utter joy to listen to. This is the sort of song that Britney should be recording in 2016. It's current, a perfect fit for her vocals and bop-y enough that it's sure to get a fire dance routine.

14. 'CHANGE YOUR MIND (NO SEAS CORTÉS)'

Latin-pop was never really in Britney's repertoire. It seemed that, during the Latin explosion of the late 90s and early 00s, Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera had that covered. That's why 'Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortés)' and it's flirting with flamenco is so damn brilliant. Like Femme Fatale's 'Criminal', the song is weird, wonderful and so damn catchy. However, under the sheen of the sprightly production is a song that would put Christian Grey to shame, as Britney sings "No seas cortés", or "don't be gentle". Brit's vocals remind us of 2003's 'Early Mornin'', and as her come ons become stronger the production builds and swells until a final chorus that's so pent up with ****** energy that it feels like Britney herself might burst.

15. 'LIAR'

Britney has always been an innovator, something that was sorely lacking from Britney Jean. Luckily, it seems that with Glory, Britney's dedication to creating new musical genres is in full force as we can only describe 'Liar' as a saloon-bop-come- power-ballad. The beginning of the song is lifted straight out of a Western, and then the chorus smashes in and you're suddenly in the middle of a emotional battle that would suit Kelly Clarkson. It's something that Britney has never attempted before, and it's pretty darn special. What 'Liar' showcases again is Britney's willingness to experiment; one minute you're sat in a bar in the south with a whiskey in your hand and the next you're belting out a massive 80s style power ballad. Only Britney…

16. 'IF I'M DANCING'

Not only does 'If I'm Dancing' see the welcome return of Britishney ("If I'm dahhncing"), but the song, again, is as experimental as they come for Ms. Spears. It simultaneously reminds us of 2011's 'How I Roll', In The Zone's 'Brave New Girl' and '3', while appropriating elements of PC Music and the frantic edge of '*****, I'm Madonna'. Scattering bleeps, scratches, edited whip cracks and weird vocal interjections make up most of the production, as Britney breathily delivers the completely nonsensical lyrics about lotion and how her shop is red and pink (or something). It literally feels like 'If I'm Dancing' is the aural equivalent of Ms. Spears' wacky, quirky and ridiculous Instagram account, and it's brilliant, if a little bonkers.

17. 'COUPURE ÉLECTRIQUE'

In English, 'Coupure Électrque' translates to "power outage" or "blackout", and the song is most certainly the most ominous track on Glory. Oh, and the whole thing is sung in French, too. Britney does a rather good French accent, and (after feeding the song through Google Translate) we've deduced that the track is (obviously) all about ***; Britney wants to make love until all there's a power cut. The song is truly the weirdest moment in Britney's 18 year career, with sonar-like synths popping around a forceful percussion. In fact, the song has a mechanical feel, not in the delivery but in how industrial, robotic and futuristic it feels. It's one hell of a way to close an album, and we absolutely love it.

The past 10 years haven't been easy for Britney fans. While the singer may have delivered a career defining album with Blackout, the three subsequent follow-ups, while polished in the cases of Circus and Femme Fatale, felt rushed and devoid of that special something that made a Britney Spears album a, well, Britney Spears album.

That's why, when listening to Glory, you're confronted with how unequivocally Britney the whole collection is. Across a mammoth 17 tracks, we get to see every side of the singer, from vulnerablity, sassy jazz pop, broadway wannabe, bang on trend pop connoisseur and boundary pushing experimentalist. It might be one of her longer albums, but each track has well and truly earned its place here.

Best of all, however, is how present and engaged Spears sounds throughout the 54 minutes. Even when the album verges on box-ticking with it's light sprinkling of Major Lazer/Bieber style bangers, it still retains enough personality to be distinctive.

When Britney began teasing the album over two years ago, she used the terms "left lane" and "artsy fartsy". Well, Glory is most definitely those things and more. It's a triumphant return of one of pop music's most essential players.

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LOL. are you just a troll account? They just said it is triumphant return. :crying2:

 

Ok. I understand.  Are you troll? 

Twice coming good reviews and no scores? :madonna:

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Best of all, however, is how present and engaged Spears sounds throughout the 54 minutes. Even when the album verges on box-ticking with it's light sprinkling of Major Lazer/Bieber style bangers, it still retains enough personality to be distinctive.

When Britney began teasing the album over two years ago, she used the terms "left lane" and "artsy fartsy". Well, Glory is most definitely those things and more. It's a triumphant return of one of pop music's most essential players.

 

:overwhelm: 

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