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Was 'Blackout' too overproduced and one-dimensional?


DignifiedLove

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3 hours ago, Avatar said:

Also I don't know if anyone mentioned it. Danja said they didn't use autotune at all for Blackout (not sure if that includes the songs they didnt produce and mix) I don't know what the efect on Piece of Me is, just a vocoder?

Yes. There is no autotune, but there is melodyne (for pitch correction) obviously. Piece of me is a mix of melodyne and vocoder. 

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I don't think you can say Blackout was too overproduced when that argument could be made for ANY of her albums. I actually think the production was amazing and while a lot of the 2006 R&B music that probably influenced the album sounds outdated today, I think Blackout holds up incredibly well. :matches:

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16 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

I was talking about the critical acclaim not to prove it was personal, but when comparing critics reaction to the albums. :mhm_britney_nodding_yes_mhmm:

I agree with you here.

Yeah but sis... Thai whole weird ride on this thread started with dismissing my belief Blackout is her most personal.  Then you kinda farted some loose stool of a theory that most personal is ITZ.   After giving solid reasons why I disagreed and in no way bad mouthing the album, I even have a interesting and artistic interpretation of how I link the two albums.  Without any input or acknowledgement to my ideas you then cancelled us both to proclaim Oops! and Britney's Ray Of Light.  Again, you faced reasonable and informed resistance to your opinion, which again is to be expected in a thread about her most clearly loved album by fans.   

Seeing the mounting evidence and that your bid for Oops! to be crowned winner of the first ever 'What's Britney's Most Personal Album?' award of 2021  failing, you have since been hailing rational.people with weird facts about the albums success; none of which particular have any bearing on your prior claim of most personal which is what we have all been trying to debate with you and find out if you have anything else other than 'Lucky is on there and it won 17 Teen Choice Frisbees and sold lotzzzz' to give us?  

10 hours ago, Blackout2006 said:

Yall both snapped this whole argument :mimiclap_mariah_clapping_applause_proud_yes_Yas:

I haven't finished yet because I've watched enough Buffy to main damn sure... :truthtea_sips_britney_2011_ff_femme_fatale_red_mug_spill:

Not to mention the way you kicked off about lyrics and songwriting being the only important factors right at the very start of all of this then almost immediately tried to lock out people from debating with you because they didn't agree with your opinion; that those people (me included thank you so kindly) were advised to move on with our opinions ie. shut up and you singled out one poster simply because you were seemingly here looking to discuss Oops!'a critical and commercial success.... In a thread... about the production of Blackout. 

Maybe just take the time to absorb your replies from others a little more and see if we can construct counter arguemts that are as compelling and well informed as the members engaging with you.

season 2 laughing GIF by NBC

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On 12/31/2020 at 12:16 PM, iAlwaysSingLive said:

It's a solid album, but the original plan for it was so much better. Obviously, we don't really know what the original plan was, but we can probably judge based on the demos. I think the songs that we did end up getting are better the way they are, but if Blackout consisted of songs like Let Go, 911, Sugarfall, Baby Boy, Dramatic, and Kiss You All Over... Oh boy, I would scrap the official tracklist in a heartbeat. :thirsty_britney_onyx_drink_flirt_drinking_sipping_fan_hot:

You spilled 

On 12/31/2020 at 1:16 PM, Blackout2006 said:

Quirky gays stuck in the early 2000s whom think not stanning Blackout is a personality 

:chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

Imagine thinking this when Britney's fanbase is literally notorious for never being able to form their own opinions and only ever wanted Britney to keep making dance-pop about *** rather than evolve as an artist. Reported. :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

On 12/31/2020 at 1:19 PM, ColdAsFire88 said:

She was gone for a minute and Britney isn’t known for songs like Let Go, State of Grace, Sugarfall. Those are some of my favs but Britney needed to remind the world why she was crowned The Princess of Pop. Blackout did that for Britney. 

But that's the whole point. Let Go, Sugarfall, State of Grace, Untitled Lullaby, Kiss You All Over, Dramatic etc. were all bops and deserved justice over some of the generic tracks we got on the final product. Had she actually went with what her heart wanted, it would have not only been a good personal move but would have helped her evolve more swiftly as a pop artist. 

On 12/31/2020 at 2:16 PM, NotLouTaylor said:

I don't get the term overproduced, people use that term very loosely for everything 

this is mainstream corporate pop music of course its gonna be "overproduced", it's like selling an  energy drink, the can has to look perfect and appealing in order to sell

It was a crime to scrap State of Grace tho , considering the album had songs like heaven on earth who don't really sound like the rest of the album but they scrapped SOG cause it didn't fit the album?? please

how does heaven on earth fit the album but state of grace doesn't ?

Dance-pop is supposed to have high-end production. I'm not denying how some songs on Blackout had great production, but rather how some were overproduced when you compare them to the demos in the Megamix that is posted in the OP. Rather than showcasing more vulnerability in her vocals, they drowned her voice in autotune. Some of the instrumentals were also so polished up that it took away from that raw and organic feeling that so many of us fell in love with. I hope that further clarifies. 

On 12/31/2020 at 2:50 PM, Britneyarmy8 said:

u mean an actually well thought out and cohesive album?

 

On 12/31/2020 at 3:08 PM, Stefani said:

Is someone actually questioning Blackout's greatness? I feel as if I'm stepped into an unholy topic.

Pray GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

I pray that the Holy Spearit forgives your sins.

 

All the songs have flow but the production and mastering is what ruins the album. If it was so 'well-thought' and 'cohesive', Britney and her producers wouldn't have allowed for the production and mastering to sound so sloppy. Anyone with a trained-ear in music will tell you that 'Blackout' is a poorly-produced album which is why it wasn't well-received at the time. That is until critics decided to bandwagon the album the same way they rank overrated albums like 'Lemonade' and 'Kid A' at the top of every list. 

On 12/31/2020 at 3:56 PM, Kartofelek said:

The thing is, all of her albums since 2001 are over-produced to some extent. Her vocals been especially over-produced since then and it got worse over time. For the first two albums they bothered to actually give her time to record and actually used those raw-ish tracks. Then in 2001 her voice became sounding thinner and they probably paid more attention to getting ger to sound a certain way. Blackout was the first time they used demo vocals and simply edited and tuned them to sound "perfect" which made her sound robotic and over-processed. It is only on Glory that she somehow managed to sound human but at the same time when you listen to all the multitracks, her vocals are also very over-processed with lots of reverb and layers.

You spilled except I would argue that it wasn't until 'Blackout' that her albums began to showcase less versatility and overproduction, especially in her vocals. I like how Blackout displayed some raw vocals, something we really hadn't seen until Glory but the vocal mastering on Blackout was really a joke. Radar and Heaven On Earth, for example, had potential to be 9+ / 10 tracks but the over-processed vocals make it unbearable for the trained-ear. Doesn't mean they're not fun or cute tracks but it doesn't sound like a professional pop song -- if that makes sense. 

On 12/31/2020 at 5:18 PM, Louis_j said:

For Toxic she did like a million takes and in the final product, we still end up with the original demo vocals from Cathy Denis mixed in the main vocals. So no matter how many takes Britney does, it's up to the producers.

 

But wasn't Britney the executive producer on album? That means SHE must have had the final say but consciously chose to not request for her vocals to be polished, so no it's not all in the hands of the producers. :roxxy: And at least in Toxic, they properly mastered and layered her vocals and made it sound worthy of being a Britney Spears song. :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

On 1/1/2021 at 6:45 AM, Avatar said:

Blackout is one her rawest albums lol.

Well mixed and produced isnt overproduced. Actually Blackout has a few mistakes in its production, they cut off her vocals on the bridge of Hot as Ice and her vocals are too low on Get Naked.

Exactly my point. These so-called 'mistakes' take away from what was supposed to be a brilliant and well-thought album. When you're an a-list pop act like Britney Spears, you can't afford to have these kind of 'mistakes' on your album. 

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1 hour ago, Deepheat01Deepheat01 said:

Seeing the mounting evidence and that your bid for Oops! to be crowned winner of the first ever 'What's Britney's Most Personal Album?' award of 2021  failing, you have since been hailing rational.people with weird facts about the albums success; none of which particular have any bearing on your prior claim of most personal which is what we have all been trying to debate with you and find out if you have anything else other than 'Lucky is on there and it won 17 Teen Choice Frisbees and sold lotzzzz' to give us?  

11 hours ago, Blackout2006 said:

I explained on here about which tracks other than Lucky but since no one here takes me seriously and just mindlessly praises Blackout, I don't care to debate with y'all anymore because obviously you don't care for what I have to say so what's the point? It's like talking to a brick wall. :nicki2_minaj_awkward_nicki_ooh_welp_well_look_blonde_hat:

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8 hours ago, Avatar said:

They cut off her lead vocal of her singing "Higher"

you can hear the difference from the demo

 

"They " didn't cut off her lead vocal. "They" chosen not to use it because she wavers out of tune towards the end. It actually sounds better without. Britney executively produced this album. so she is included in the "they"

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1 hour ago, Deepheat01Deepheat01 said:

shut up and you singled out one poster simply because you were seemingly here looking to discuss Oops!'a critical and commercial success.... In a thread... about the production of Blackout. 

 

I don't believe I ever brought up Oops!...'s commercial success, though because it's a no-brainer as to who would win. It wasn't randomly out of context, I was using Blackout to compare it Oops!... with critical acclaim BECAUSE critical acclaim was brought up.

I didn't know talking to someone on a forum was singling them out but whatever you say.

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On 1/2/2021 at 11:03 PM, GODNEY IS A QUEEN said:

You spilled 

Imagine thinking this when Britney's fanbase is literally notorious for never being able to form their own opinions and only ever wanted Britney to keep making dance-pop about *** rather than evolve as an artist. Reported. :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

But that's the whole point. Let Go, Sugarfall, State of Grace, Untitled Lullaby, Kiss You All Over, Dramatic etc. were all bops and deserved justice over some of the generic tracks we got on the final product. Had she actually went with what her heart wanted, it would have not only been a good personal move but would have helped her evolve more swiftly as a pop artist. 

Dance-pop is supposed to have high-end production. I'm not denying how some songs on Blackout had great production, but rather how some were overproduced when you compare them to the demos in the Megamix that is posted in the OP. Rather than showcasing more vulnerability in her vocals, they drowned her voice in autotune. Some of the instrumentals were also so polished up that it took away from that raw and organic feeling that so many of us fell in love with. I hope that further clarifies. 

 

All the songs have flow but the production and mastering is what ruins the album. If it was so 'well-thought' and 'cohesive', Britney and her producers wouldn't have allowed for the production and mastering to sound so sloppy. Anyone with a trained-ear in music will tell you that 'Blackout' is a poorly-produced album which is why it wasn't well-received at the time. That is until critics decided to bandwagon the album the same way they rank overrated albums like 'Lemonade' and 'Kid A' at the top of every list. 

You spilled except I would argue that it wasn't until 'Blackout' that her albums began to showcase less versatility and overproduction, especially in her vocals. I like how Blackout displayed some raw vocals, something we really hadn't seen until Glory but the vocal mastering on Blackout was really a joke. Radar and Heaven On Earth, for example, had potential to be 9+ / 10 tracks but the over-processed vocals make it unbearable for the trained-ear. Doesn't mean they're not fun or cute tracks but it doesn't sound like a professional pop song -- if that makes sense. 

But wasn't Britney the executive producer on album? That means SHE must have had the final say but consciously chose to not request for her vocals to be polished, so no it's not all in the hands of the producers. :roxxy: And at least in Toxic, they properly mastered and layered her vocals and made it sound worthy of being a Britney Spears song. :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

Exactly my point. These so-called 'mistakes' take away from what was supposed to be a brilliant and well-thought album. When you're an a-list pop act like Britney Spears, you can't afford to have these kind of 'mistakes' on your album. 

There are no "mistakes" in Blackout. It is not Britney Jean. Danja is a top notch producer, mentored by one of the best, Timberland.  Yes, Britney was Exc. Producer, therefore had final say on the finished product.

Anyway, how can standard musical production and post production "polishing" be considered a mistake? Her vocals sound better on the finished product. 

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Just now, Justin Woodpond said:

There are no "mistakes" in Blackout. It is not Britney Jean. Danja is a top notch producer, mentored by one of the best, Timberland.  Yes, Britney was Exc. Producer, therefore had final say on the finished product.

Anyway, how can standard musical production and post production "polishing"be considered a mistake? Her vocals sound better on the finished product. 

Eh, Blackout is kinda messy overall, though, but in a way that's.... cohesive. If that makes sense? It perfectly orchestrated the media chaos surrounding Britney via the effects on her voice while still tying everything together. Blackout's perfection being things like "imperfection" worked because it was intentionally done, unlike that 2013 album.

This sounds so ironic because most of this thread makes me sound like I despise Blackout but if we're being dead serious, I can see and understand why people appreciate it.

 

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2 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

I don't believe I ever brought up Oops!...'s commercial success, though because it's a no-brainer as to who would win. It wasn't randomly out of context, I was using Blackout to compare it Oops!... with critical acclaim BECAUSE critical acclaim was brought up.

I didn't know talking to someone on a forum was singling them out but whatever you say.

Personal, lyrical, Commercial, critical... it didn't matter because every single time you were challenged by someone that Blackout beat Oops! you switched to another aspect of the album to dry hump instead of coming back with a compelling argument.  You literally told several of us off that we can't continue the discussion because not agreeing with you is not caring what you have to say.  You pretty much laid into anyone's opinion you didn't like so, you get what you giveth.

 

 

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32 minutes ago, Deepheat01Deepheat01 said:

You literally told several of us off that we can't continue the discussion because not agreeing with you is not caring what you have to say. 

Wrong. :shameless_blush_blonde_hair_stroke_proud:

if you read my comment, I was open to continuing the discussion, we were literally going in circles. Compelling arguments, please. The entire "debate" was about the exact same argument with nearly no new points brought and it got annoying because it was so repetitive, I think both of us can say that it was like talking to a brick wall. :ririshade2_rihanna_eyeroll_roll_eyes_annoyed_irritated_mad:

I don't care if you like Blackout better, that's your opinion. Which you are entitled to. Just like how I am entitled to mine. I was trying to have a genuine conversation but appears no one was ready for that. :umok_pursed_squint_well_okay:

I'm genuinely tired of this topic, I really do not care to argue with you and make this a whole big event over such a silly thing. Good bye and good day.

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5 hours ago, GODNEY IS A QUEEN said:

Imagine thinking this when Britney's fanbase is literally notorious for never being able to form their own opinions and only ever wanted Britney to keep making dance-pop about *** rather than evolve as an artist. Reported. :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

I never wanted her to stay with dance-pop her all life boo :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass: It was a step-up artistically for Britney because she has never done avant-disco and electronic dance music in her discography :chrissy_xtina_head_tilt_purse_sass:

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4 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

I explained on here about which tracks other than Lucky but since no one here takes me seriously and just mindlessly praises Blackout, I don't care to debate with y'all anymore because obviously you don't care for what I have to say so what's the point? It's like talking to a brick wall. :nicki2_minaj_awkward_nicki_ooh_welp_well_look_blonde_hat:

You quoted me by mistake in yr post:nicki2_minaj_awkward_nicki_ooh_welp_well_look_blonde_hat:

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Okay but to be honest, even i as a Blackout fan do acknowledge its production was quite messy and over the place. But that was the point and direction of the record. Britney has always been such a perfect and gussied-up star to the public eye so the expectations of her album quality were mad high as well. Thats why even though ...Baby One More Time, Britney, Oops!...I Did It Again and In The Zone are outdated albums (minus ITZ and probably OIDIA) by quality, they are amazingly produced records. Britney was trying to rebel and break apart the perfect Britney everyone knew, she wanted the album to be messy but something memorable and enticing in her discography. The messy production and in-cohesion is too literally rebel against the whole image and idea of Britney Spears. That is why Blackout is simply a masterpiece, it converted weird sounds and moaning's like I Got A Plan to make songs, it had very gritty production to go against her image, and is overall a sonically-difference from the rest of Britney's masterpiece. You just can not compare Blackout to OIDIA since there is totally no room for that :mhm_britney_nodding_yes_mhmm:

@Hooked-On-Knee, @GODNEY IS A QUEEN

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