Day August 27, 2016

BRITNEY IS STILL GLORIOUS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

aldenbsalbumreview 1 Comment

ALBUM                                 :           GLORY

ARTIST                                  :           BRITNEY SPEARS  

GENRE                                   :           POP/ DANCE / EDM

DATE RELEASED                 :           2016

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It has been years since we listened to new Britney Spears.  This latest album will answer the question if she still has glorious days ahead.  Here is a track by track review of this record.

Watch “Baby One More time” here to see her in her past glory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-u5WLJ9Yk4

  • Invitation – you will have this feeling that you are listening to Madonna’s “Erotica’ that is lyrically. But, this one is like a rated GP invitation to put your hands all over Britney’s body.  Musically, it is like an 80’s track and you might mistook it as a track from latest album of Carly Rae Japsen’s “Gimme Love” in particular.
  • Make Me – is sort of a weak song. The kind of music stuff that you hear on radio nowadays and exploited by younger pop princesses like Selena, Demi, and Arianna.

Watch “Make Me” here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etfJCm0nfr4

  • Private Show – is not your usual Britney Spears track. It is like hearing the “do wop” sound of Meghan Trainor, the teasing vocals of Rihanna, the musicality of Beyonce’s Lemonade. Truly, the song is an invitation to a private show seduction.
  • Man On The Moon – it has a simple groove but you can already imagine the production number she will put in this song on her next world tour. It is a song that longs for someone unreachable thus, she might have to content with pleasuring herself.  The string arrangement adds to the delightfulness of the song.
  • Just Luv Me – it started like a Justin Bieber track; like listening to the intro of “Sorry.” The song is like an ode to unrequited love and wanted her man to say ‘I Love You” to her instead of just showing; indeed, it would make woman feel better if she hear these three words coupled with actions.
  • Clumsy – Fergie’s song of the same title was really good thus, there is a lot of expectations from Britney with regard to this song. The song is a showstopper.  It has 30’s bandstand vibe, it has EDM dancehall pulse, it has the usual Britney seductive vocals.  One track that comes into your mind listening to this song is Madonna’s “Hanky Panky.”
  • Do You Wanna Come Over – is like a good old Janet Jackson dance songs during her Rhythm Nation era. The throbbing sound that you hear makes you want to invite someone for a disco romp on the dance floor and get lost it.
  • Slumber Party – the reggae vibe of the song will make you want to join her in her bedroom romp with someone. Indeed, the song is like an invitation to a night or orgy and orgasm.
  • Just Like Me – a country track in a Britney Spears album is not an oddity and not the first time being that plucking guitar and dance flavor are rolled into one song. Madonna did it with “Don’t Tell Me.”  The overused of EDM synths made the track like a dated 80’s song.
  • Love Me Down – this song is like being forced on her just to have a contemporary vibe. It’s like a Rihanna or Sia reject.  However, the song is still infectious.
  • Hard To Forget You – is one track that should not have been here. If this is her way of jumping to mix tape bandwagon, then she better stick to her routine.  This is just a weak song. If this record is like a novel, this track sums up what is inside the album.
  • What You Need – is like resurrecting The Supremes and Martha and The Vandellas. The Motown musicality of the song is simply amazing.
  • Better – another track destined to be played on radio over and over again and that is if this track belongs to younger artist. It is a good thing that Britney is not singing about girl songs but rather on urging someone to open up and let her know what’s on the mind of the other person.
  • Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortes) – one good reason why you should own this album. This song is the breeziest that you hear.  Makes you want to listen to The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” again.
  • Liar – at this point in this album, singing slow seductive songs becomes a boring affair. The clapping sound did not help elevate the song into more interesting one.  This is just a Britney filler song.
  • If I’m Dancing – it is like hearing an old Britney reconstructed with Latin Flavor. It is a good song to sway your hips though.
  • Coupure Electrique – the French seduction angle here failed to ignite the song into some kind of realizing a fantasy. Probably, the weakest song in this album.

If there is such a thing as sophomore slump, then there is a what we call a maturity slump when you talk of artist with already long careers and looking forward to longevity like what Barbra, Cher, and Madonna had.  It is a good thing that Britney, like Beyonce and Rihanna has continued to deliver wonderful tracks.  While this album might not rank as one of the best for 2016, this is definitely one of Britney’s best.    It is a good thing also that she did not exploited the sex context like Janet Jackson did in almost in all of her albums.  I rate this record 4 stars for just being a Britney Spears album.

RATING DESCRIPTION

1 stars = Ignore it

2 stars = risk it

3 stars = borrow or buy it

4 stars = buy it and keep it

5 stars = buy, keep, and treasure it