Circus
June 18th, 2010 | Published in Music News | 5 Comments
Circus
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(out of 188 reviews)
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June 18th, 2010at 9:36 am(#)
Review by Rudy Palma for Circus
Rating:
Last year’s “Blackout” was a strong pop record that sold well, peaking at #2 on the Billboard charts and yielding a handful of hit singles. “Circus,” therefore, represents more of a personal than musical comeback for Spears.
The good sense to release “Womanizer” – a chugging, energetic slice of guilty pleasure dance/pop with no self-conscious lyrical connection to Spears’ personal life – as the lead single for the album – her second #1 single and first of the late 2000s – has certainly paid off.
“Circus” contains many potential smashes, suggesting it may have a shelf life of significant length. The naughty “If U Seek Amy” is all sass and swagger, and the title track percolates and bubbles with hyperactive energy. “Lace and Leather” is spare, sexy sensuality with its downbeat tempo and spacey synths, and “Kill the Lights” is an out-the-ballpark smash with its frothy tempo changes and matter-of-fact, detached vocal delivery.
It may take a few plays for the hooks to settle in, but these are songs are not Disney radio-fodder pop machinizations to be forgotten by next week. These hooks are contagious and, most importantly, completely fun.
Spears again attempts light, melancholy balladry in the vein of “Sometimes” and “Everytime (sp: Every Time)” after last year’s “Blackout” was wall-to-wall sexual energy and party jams. “Unusual You” is a new variation on “Everytime” with a cushier, more understated hook that could spell surprise mega-smash, although such could also happen for full-throttle breakup ballad “Out From Under,” even if its lyrics lean toward the overly literal. The soft, devotional “My Baby” provides a strong, unexpected conclusion.
Surprisingly, “Circus” is not a pure cotton candy/crackerjack sugar rush. Such a description is truer of “Blackout,” which was unpretentious fun from top to bottom. Rather, it is “Circus” that is the more ambitious, mixed record, and, most importantly, it works where it should.
June 18th, 2010at 9:55 am(#)
Review by Joseph Mundy for Circus
Rating:
I love this album, and can’t get enough of it.
My favorites: Womanizer, Circus, If U Seek Amy, Unusual You, Lace and Leather
My least favorites: Blur, My Baby
The songs are fun, the beats are edgy — I really can’t think of anything bad to say. Glad to see Britney is finally coming back on top.
June 18th, 2010at 10:45 am(#)
Review by Lance G. Augustine for Circus
Rating:
While Britney Spears has made more than her share of wrong moves personally and publicly, Spears & Company appear to have made all the right ones with “Circus”, her sixth studio album. As presentation, performance, videos and visual appeal have always played a major part in the success of the pop music icon, Spears appears in much better shape, both literally and figuratively, to handle and promote this record. The smart moves made by the decision-makers-that-be include:
-Pre-releasing the album in high quality sound online. No worries about crappy-sounding leaks that can give a false, bad impression of the actual product. And, it gives a chance for ‘non-fans’ like me to hear that this record is surprisingly good. Also, it gets all of the contagious hooks into people’s heads so they can’t help but buy upon release.
-Taming the content a bit and ‘changing things up’ with song selection. There isn’t anything outlandish here…yes, the special effects are all over the dance tracks as one would expect, but they generally seem to fit well…there are only a couple of songs that are a little over-the-top for me (“Mmm Papi”, “Mannequin”). The heavy bass guitar groove on “Lace And Leather” had me hopping, and I generally don’t even like Dance-Pop! The song “Circus” is perhaps the best dance track; everything about it works perfectly, and it’s a very creative, original song.
But what really makes this album stand out from my perspective is how they change the mood with songs like “Unusual You”, “Blur”, “Out From Under” and “My Baby”…and the best word I can think of to describe them is ‘refreshing’…we haven’t heard anything like these from Britney in quite some time, if at all.
I believe that Britney sounds best when using the lower registers of her voice, and we get to hear that on “Blur”, and to a lesser extent, “Unusual You”. The slower “Out From Under” is eerily beautiful and the type of song I knew should could pull off, which she does convincingly. And while I admit her vocal performance on “My Baby” leaves a bit to be desired, I applaud her for what she’s trying to do.
-Having Britney collaborate with the writers more on this album, and bringing back Max Martin (writer of “Baby One More Time”) to help ‘right the ship’. Whether she’s singing to get back at those who seem to find ‘pleasure in her pain’, or trying to tantalize us with her sex appeal, or attempting to connect with us on an emotional level and tug at our heart-strings, it comes across more genuine and sincere…she sounds invested in these songs; like they’re her ‘babies’.
“Circus” is the culmination of quite the wild ride for Britney Spears, and by the sound of things, it may have been worth it.
June 18th, 2010at 11:03 am(#)
Review by Tea Macha for Circus
Rating:
After the critically acclaimed Blackout, Britney had much to live up to. She has come back from her troubles and is continuing to work with a new mix of producers to announce her new sound. This CD delivers and deserves to be on the top of the charts which I am sure it will soon be on.
1. Womanizer
Her first single is not as strong as some of the other songs but it is very catchy. Her music video illustrated that she was back to some of the dancing skills that she had previously been known for.
2. Circus
This song is her anthem for this album and explains the past year. Britney has been a spectacle and this is a catchy tune that shows that this is the Britney America remembers.
3. Out From Under
A soft ballad that serves to show some of the sadness that Britney has had over the past couple of years. There is a sense of longing and regret about the past.
4. Kill the Lights
One of her strongest potential singles. Her song is an attack against the paparazzi who have made her life like hell. At one point she says “Cashing in, it hurts my eyes”.
5. Shattered Glass
It reminds me of a song from her “Oops I did it again” era. A song like the likes of Stronger and Oops, it is classic Britney while invoking the 80′s era.
6. If You Seek Amy
A tongue in cheek song about Britney’s desirability. She is still a sexy siren that America seems to be fascinated with.
7. Unusual You
Another slow ballad. This song translates her sadness as it discusses that she expects people to break her heart.
8. Blur
A song that comments on her year in the spotlight. It talks about waking up from an early morning blur but it seems to suggest that the spotlight has made her life a blur.
9. Mmm Papi
This song seems to be more of a fun song and this was written by Britney herself. It seems that she wants to have fun again and showing a certain ability to laugh at herself.
10. Mannequin
This song is more of an experimental liquid song that is pleasure to the ears for those who like alternative pop. It shows the creativity of her producers that she can pull this song is.
11. Lace and Leather
Britney is back in this song. This song seems to suggest that she is a dangerous force in the music industry and that people underestimate her in what she can do. She might be a laughing stock to some people, but she will not be for long.
12. My Baby
A ballad to her children. It is a really sweet song and shows her maturity and how even though she is a sexy siren, she is still a mother first.
13. Radar
This was an odd addition. This is pretty much the same track as Radar on Blackout. I think her music label wanted to give this great catchy single maker another chance. It started to show her willingness to experiment with pop in this single.
June 18th, 2010at 11:06 am(#)
Review by the smart guy for Circus
Rating:
Each song is simple and packed with digital sound effects. Every song is mid-tempo and unfortunately there is not a heavy rock song on here like “You drive me crazy”. Expect a lot of techno beats and Madonna-esque music.
I reviewed the best songs on circus:
Womanizer – A, mid-tempo dance track
Circus – B+, same
Out from under – A+, amazing ballad
Kill the lights – A+ , eerie dance tune
If U seek Amy – B+, marching dance tune
Lace and Leather – A-, slap bass funk song
Mannequin – B+, reminds me of the song circus