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by R.M. Nayhowtow Over the course of her nine-year career Spears has amassed quite a repertoire of praiseworthy B-sides and album cuts that, in some other glorious pop-starved universe, were all #1 singles destined for radio-play. R.M Naytowhow unearths these hidden gems from their place of (un) rest.
10.Breathe On Me *** This Kylie-esque sexed up Barbie doll production has garnered a huge cult following and with good reason. Britney moans her way through a song that requires little more than pantings and implorations of abstinence to go with its ultra-sleek production. 9. Don’t Go Knockin’ On My Door *** Britney, with a little Darkchild assistance, does some heavy pseudo rock-pop-R&B, on a philandering ex. It’s gurl-power done proper and Britney’s first foray into suburban girl gone ghetto. A winning formula that she’s unfortunately failed to repeat.
8. Before The Goodbye *** ½ Produced by BT, the production takes an otherwise mundane concept and breathes life into it with an ingenious musical landscape that Britney and BT carefully traverse, with a finale that punctuates the song's inner-conflict with a manic-depressive epic composition that offers insight into Spears’ insecurities. Compelling. 7. Anticipating *** ½ Before pop dance-music was weaned solely on bling-bling and booty shaking, it could be joyful; sing-a-long breezy fun exempt of amoral or pretentious ‘cool’. ‘Anticipating’ is a reminder that pop doesn’t have to get ‘Dirrty’ to be sexy, and that, in many ways; it can be derived from jovial simplicity. 6. When Your Eyes Say It *** ½ And how, you might be asking yourself? Diane Warren’s little understated masterpiece has the power to be transcendental. Crossing and pushing love’s many barriers with its unflinching idealism and brilliant production, the song is made even more endearing by a wonderful half-spoken and convincing vocal performance by Spears.
5. Brave New Girl *** ½ Who better to pay homage to than Madonna, especially over an Imani Coppola-ripping New wave pitch-perfect beat. Spears celebrates being single, independent and the freedom of self-exploration. It’s ‘Ray of Light’ lite for the post-Madonna generation and even borrows a little bass from “Material Girl”. Yes, it’s cute; most have accused it of being released on the wrong album, and of sounding too ‘teenager’ for Spears' more adult image. A simple response to such accusations would be: what’s wrong with that? A better response: Can’t a girl have fun? 4. Touch Of My Hand *** ½ Britney belts this song out with the knowledge of a girl experienced in her source material, and ups the sensual ante for others to follow with an R-rated vocal performance that’d make any grown man and woman blush. The song opens with a flowering electro-beat and slowly builds into a crescendo, forever shedding Britney of her adolesence and ushering in a new age of adult sonic and self-discovery. 3. Can’t Make You Love Me **** “I’m just a girl with a crush on you!” Britney sings over an all too familiar (swore you heard him sample it time and time again) Max Martin beat. What sets this particular rock-pop and underrated masterpiece apart is Spears’ vocal performance, the stuff of pure veracity. She sold the concept of this song, no doubt familiar with its connotations, like she was gunning for a teen-pop vocal Oscar (No, there’s no such thing). Elevating an otherwise cheese-fest into a pure emotional tell-all and reality check to the girl in the mirror, here was a singer on top of the world, singing out a universal anthem for the rejected and broken-hearted. A precursor to Martin’s later hit “Since You’ve Been Gone” 2. Showdown ****
Prince must be furious. Spears and collaborators Bloodshy and Avant refined his popular sound until Britney made it her own. The results are a “Love Is A Battlefield” for every generation of young adults trying to make a relationship work outside the sexual and superficial, in essence fighting to make it work. It’s a Mr. And Mrs. Spears-type carnal escapade and simultaneous personals ad for all potential would-be Mr. Spears who think they can handle this battle-ready female soldier, who after heartbreak is unwilling to accept anything but respect from her lovers. Also, it’s the best song Prince never made. 1. And Then We Kiss **** This song was released as part of her “B in The Mix” remix album. Released at a time when detractors sneered at the prospect of Britney bringing her sexy back, after mothering a child (she’d once again have another), this song quashed the skepticism of that debate. “And Then We Kiss” reminds most that, while a kiss is still just a kiss, the pure guttural sensual response of such can instigate a plethora of dizzying fleeting thoughts and fantasy. The song is neither brazen nor overproduced; it’s restrained and subtle. Spears makes it sound easy, while the sonic ephemeral Depeche Mode-inspired sonic transitions ease listeners into her understated prose. The song affirms Spears’ pure ferocious instinctive sensuality and offers a hypnotic glimpse into any future musical directions, undoubtedly the sexiest song of her career and one of her crowning achievements. Song rating system:
* - Poor
** - Fair
*** - Good
**** - Excellent
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Doubt it.
That's cause he's never made a song like this. He's never done anything even slightly similar. You just wish Britney had.
That sentence, like, made so much, like, total, sense! OMG!
Are you even listening to the song? There's NO belting in Touch of my Hand. Stronger has "belting". TOMT is a freakin' ballad!
Seriously, you're killing me here, I CANNOT stop laughing!
Anyway, half of these aren't even B-sides to begin with. Great article...LOL!