|
Most of what people have written about “Circus” thus far - whether on the internet or in print - has been a snap judgment based on one or two hearings. Best and worst tracks were decided upon. Potential singles were selected. Comparisons with other Britney albums and “elimination contests” have taken place. We’re living with the album now, and the initial excitement is pretty much over. So... what are your opinions NOW?
I can see where some of the superficial, rather silly reviews in celebrity magazines were coming from. This album is very different in style from anything envisiond by other artists in 2008. So much so that it would be easy for the casual or hostile reviewer’s brain to fail to engage with it. Several tracks didn’t imprint themselves on my own memory at first hearing. But, after a few more hearings, neural pathways formed and the unusual sounds of “Circus” became familiar and indispensable features of 2008’s musical landscape .
OK, no beating about the bush. I think this is one of the best pop albums I’ve heard, by anybody, ever. Up there with Gwen Stefani’s “Love. Angel. Music. Baby” - which, ironically, was described at the time of its release as “Out-Britneying Britney”. Now Britney has out-Gwenned Gwen and taken her old crown back. I’ve had my reservations about all of Britney’s previous albums, but not this one. The highs are so high they make the tracks that are merely excellent seem almost ordinary. People don’t expect albums by seemingly inarticulate, not noticeably intellectual pop princesses to be at the cutting edge of music, but “Circus” is full of delights the likes of which we haven’t heard anywhere else up to now - and a few tracks that are pure genius.
It’s also one of the most lighthearted pop albums ever recorded. We would expect pop’s most fractured star to come up with a bunch of edgy angst-filled psychodramas. But apart from the ballads and slower songs, it’s full of fun, humor, laughter and general craziness. And despite the number of songs dedicated to the celebration of Ms Spears’ ample physical assets and soi-disant overpowering sexual allure, it doesn’t sound for one moment as if she takes any of it seriously. Indeed, at times it sounds like one giant exercise in self-mockery, ranging in style from ludicrous bravado through subtle irony to full-on piss-taking.
It’s a huge relief that Britney has never taken the ever-fashionable but mind-numbing “rock chick” route. She has continued to work in her area of pure pop, pushing its boundaries, extending its territory, establishing new linkages. With ITZ and Blackout there were signs that she was moving towards a more urban vibe, but “Circus” seems at times to be a conscious step back to the direction she seemed to be headed in with “Britney”. But it’s not just a personal step back. With “Circus” she has also included numerous back-references that elevate the album from a project to a statement. “This is pop”, she seems to be saying, “from its beginnings to the present day.”
I have no doubt at all that many readers at this point will say that this demonstration of musical literacy has nothing to do with Britney. It’s traditional that when Britney screws up, she gets the blame. But when she does something wonderful, the credit always goes to somebody else. With six excellent studio albums now delivered, that seems more than a little unfair since she is the only element that ties them all together. Producers constantly praise her inventiveness, creativity, expertise and professionalism, so why does nobody ever believe them?
It’s not like she receives more lavish and expensive productions than other artists. If you were Beyonce or the Pussycat Dolls you could expect real instruments played by real studio musicians, real orchestras, even real choirs if necessary. Britney still gets what she got on Day One of her recording career with Jive - a few instruments here and there, but mostly synthesized everything, played and programmed by producers. Synth big-band on “Kill The Lights”. Synth choir on “Out from under”. Synth piano on “Unusual you”. Synth bass and drums on most tracks.
The problem with this approach is that producers can lose themselves in their own indulgences, and Britney can become, not so much a soloist as a flavor. It’s as if they added electric violin or tenor sax to the mix, and her distinctive sound is more important than what we regard as the conventional dynamics of singing, such as dazzling octave leaps, sustained high notes and breathtaking climaxes. Her role couldn’t be more different from that of the conventional “chantoosey”. What she DOES do, uniquely and to perfection, is judge exactly how to style and pitch her vocals to fit a particular song and she has a hundred different ways of doing it. It's a synthesis of artist and song, rather than a diva imposing herself on her material. That’s what makes her so fascinating to listen to. But it's also what makes it easy to overlook her contribution.
In that context, it’s worth discussing is the quality of her vocal performance on “Circus”. Many reviews of her previous album “Blackout” told imaginary tales of a singer so damaged and deranged that any tiny fragments of sound that could be persuaded to croak from her drug-riddled throat had to be sampled, digitised and fashioned Frankenstein-style into usable vocals by a host of magical studio processes. She herself was presumably insane and couldn’t take responsibility for anything - so, naturally, all responsibility for the album went to her various producers in a hailstorm of praise for their perseverance in making something out of nothing.
It was all nonsense. Britney’s “story” in 2008 is that she’s resurgent, and critics have been tending to hear what they expect to. They’ve been describing her vocals on “Circus” as more confident and committed. I’m not sure that it’s entirely true. It seems to me, following lengthy sessions with high-quality headphones, that her work on “Blackout” was misunderstood and under-appreciated. On “Circus” there are actually MORE double-tracked vocals. But the Britney flavor is still there, strong and unique.
OK then, let’s turn to the songs.
Womanizer:
Replace all the “ah-ahs” with “boom booms”, slow it down a little and you have a very old-style song indeed, with roots in the swing bands of the 1930s and 1940s. In that form it wouldn’t sound out of place at a burlesque show. But even brought up to date and electrified, it sounds out of place on this album. There’s nothing especially interesting about the production apart from the forceful bass track that propels it forward. But it was a brilliant lead single for the new Britney era, it gave her a much-needed No.1 in the US, after WEEKS it's still doing well on the charts and loads of people love it. The video was brilliant too!
Circus:
Boom! Dramatic pause! Then an almost majestic tune and ear-grabbing lyrics. “There’s only two types of people in the world....” It’s crystal clear and powerful. Its theatrical style and highly charged drama are much more representative of the atmosphere of the album than “Womanizer” is. It’s already performing well as the second single. During the short break section, Britney creates a deja-vu moment with her spoken “Let’s go” and “Let me see what you can do”. This is one of the little retro touches that give the album its sense of history and reminds us of how long she’s been around.
Out From Under:
It’s rare for Britney to do a cover version of a ballad, but this one was well worth it. It was originally sung by Joanna Pacitti on the “Bratz” soundtrack. And it turns out to be one of Britney’s most beautiful and genuinely moving tracks. Her fragile voice inhabits these lost and desperate lyrics so perfectly it makes me cry, and the soaring, wonderfully constructed melody, full of tension and release, brings almost instant catharsis. For Britney’s sweet, unaffected vocal, Guy Sigsworth provides a delicate filigree setting for the verses and Someday-ish electronic choir-like colourings for the chorus.
Kill The Lights:
A synthesized big band gets things going with a showbizzy rhythm that soon morphs into a powerful disco march complete with movie references. “Is that money in your pocket or are you happy to see me” makes me smile - what an insulting version of Mae West’s famous line! “I’m ready for my close-up” is deranged-diva Norma Desmond’s line in “Sunset Boulevard”. Danja supplies his newly crowned “Queen of Pop” with a complex, layered production, and Britney’s closing chants of “KILL!!!” sound like she has an AK47 in her hands and a paparazzo in her sights. This could be another single.
Shattered Glass:
History is recreated again - this time going back 9 or 10 years to the early days of Britney’s career. Apart from a remix-style cut-up near the end, this shortish track sounds rather dated - in fact it’s remarkably like a song from Britney’s BOMT/OIDIA era and she sings it exactly as she would have done back then. Dr Luke provides a Max-Martin-style synth and bass setting that’s clear and strong but relatively simple. The way she sings “Gla-ee-ass” ensures the track isn’t immediately forgotten. But even so, this isn’t one of the most memorable tracks on the album.
If You Seek Amy:
Now here we have the REAL Max Martin. And he’s written an instantly catchy melody, once heard never forgotten - more’s the pity, some might say. Britney is a genuinely beautiful woman but here she’s replaced by something about as sexy as a blow-up doll and the whole thing sounds like a saucy nursery rhyme. On the other hand, it could be a complete send-up, with Britney taking the piss out of the Barbie-like character she often chooses to play. There’s lots of BOMT-style “babee babee” chanting from Britney and she sings the whole song in a little-girly voice. But, if you can overcome any distaste you may have for the silliness of it all, it’s a very strong track.
Unusual You:
This has been a fan favorite so far, yet some reviewers have dismissed it. Clearly they didn’t listen very hard, since it shows Bloodshy and Avant’s total mastery of the art that conceals art - a beautifully simple yet fresh and instantly appealing melody, partnered with lyrics that are sparse, yet say such a lot. “Didn’t anyone tell you you’re supposed to break my heart? I expect you to, so why haven’t you?” Britney duets in gorgeous harmony with herself on some lines, and the subtly insistent backing track provides imaginative little highlights and electronic emphases. She even manages to invent yet another way to say her favorite word: “Bay-haby”! I could listen to this song all day.
Blur:
Some fans have described “Blur” as this year’s “Early Mornin”” but it can only be because it's also about “the morning after the night before”. “Early Mornin’” is a cool little groove about somebody who hasn’t gone to bed yet. “Blur” is about somebody who HAS been to bed - with somebody - and seems to have been pretty much out of it while she was there. “I hope I didn’t but I think I might have...everything is still a blur” and “Who are you? What’d we do last night?” If this was a classical piano piece, it would be a “meditation”. It’s dreamy, disoriented, wistful.... a moment caught in time. Danja supplies “mentally disturbed” whirling dissonances and Britney’s vocal is one of her strongest.
Mmm Papi:
It’s rather depressing that “Mmm Papi” hasn’t captured the imagination of fans in quite the way Britney must have hoped it would, because it’s one of the most amazing things on the album. Far from being cobbled up in a moment’s wackiness, as some may imagine, every detail was painstakingly worked out over a period of six months and sent back and forth between production team Let’s Go To War and Britney and her writing partner Nicole Morier. Eventually Britney sent the producers two versions and asked them to choose. The song seems to span the history of pop from 1956 to the present day in just a couple of minutes. The opening Latinish beat and electric guitar riff recall songs like “Mambo Italiano”. The instrumental counterpoint to Britney's voice in the chorus could be a marimba band. Then suddenly we’re transported to the present day for an ultra-modern bridge. Britney’s infamous “Now see... I’m Mami... that makes you Papi....and that makes us luvvi!” and little squeal sounds like Britney’s tribute to her heroine Marilyn Monroe. Wonderful!
Mannequin:
After “Mmm Papi” this is the other piece of solid gold uniqueness on the album. It’s so alien it’s like music from another planet. Where else would you hear a melody that swoops and soars in quite such a surreal fashion.... PLUS those incredible vocal sirens.... PLUS mysterious (“my face like a mannequin”) lyrics that deliberately incorporate cut-up repeats.... PLUS an extended instrumental break that almost commands the feet to move towards the dancefloor? The whole atmosphere is a strange, sci-fi mixture of anticipation, excitement, adrenaline and threat.
Lace and Leather:
“French fingertips, red lips, bitch is dangerous!” You couldn’t have a more startling opening! The melody and words are perfectly matched and Britney’s vocals are well to the front of the mix in a typically concise Dr Luke production, and there’s a fascinating old-school synth-guitar solo. “Lace and Leather” seems more of an anticlimax than it really is by having to follow “Mannequin”. It’s a strong, craftsmanlike track - but not one of the most spectacular on what is a really quiite a spectacular album.
My baby:
Nobody (except Britney!) seems to like it. It IS extremely sentimental, but songs about babies usually are. Britney says she and producer Guy Sigsworth wrote it in the studio in just a few minutes when she was there recording, and it does sound simple and unaffected. This is one of those occasions when we should try to forget our doubts and appreciate Britney’s sadly underrated skill, sweetness of voice and sensitivity in making the most of delicate little songs without overpowering them. Guy creates a pretty but unobtrusive setting, like a gold frame around a picture.
Radar:
Why is it here? Well, it didn’t really seem to fit very well on “Blackout” but it definitely DOES fit “Circus” . It’s still smart as paint and in its effortless intelligence and freshness it could be a perfect companion piece for “Unusual You”. Bloodshy and Avant seem to understand Britney as an artist better than most, and there’s a wistfulness underlying the outward jollity. It’s a perfect piece of pop, with its inventive tune and ear-teasing lyrics. It deserved to be a single in the “Blackout” era and totally deserves its reincarnation here.
Rock Me In:
This track seems to have made a lot of friends, if my trawl around the internet is anything to go by. Co-written by Britney and Nicole Morier, it sounds like Britney’s tribute to Girls Aloud, or maybe Lily Allen. She even sings most of it in an English accent! It’s an extremely infectious, happy tune with a great chorus and a perfectly matched, old-school middle-eight. There are reports of people who weren’t traditional Britney fans having THIS track on repeat!
Phonography:
Britney’s second song about phone sex is less of a slow sensuous burn like “Don’t Hang Up” and more of a quick wham-bam bating session in the hallway before anybody gets home. On a first listen it seems a little underwhelming, but - as expected of Bloodshy and Avant - there’s more to the tune than meets the ear, and it takes a few unexpected but deeply satisfying twists and turns. And after a few listens it becomes a deliciously amusing romp that necessitates singing along like a loon and playing steering-wheel bongos - assuming you’re in a car. “Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na - HEY!!!”
Amnesia:
Where the hell did THIS one come from? It sounds like an escapee from the Jurassic Park of pop, carbon-dated to 1961... but it was actually written for Britney by Fernando Garibay and Kasia Livingstone! After the opening “I saw him standing there in the parking lot...” and thumping jukebox-friendly drums and bass I was expecting the Shangri-Las with “Leader of the Pack Part 2”. A brilliantly authentic olde-worlde feel is maintained throughout and there’s even a few bars from a Farfisa-ish organ! It’s easy to get so caught up in the song that you don’t notice the singer, but Britney’s in fine voice here. Excellent!
To conclude, here’s what some influential sources had to say about “Circus”:
“…her new songs are crisp, cunning dance-pop…” —The New York Times
“…like any good circus, Britney’s version will leave you thoroughly entertained.” —AP
“…it’s a first-rate electro-pop album.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Britney Spears re-enters the ring, comes out on Big Top.” —New York Post
“…the best work of Miss Spears’ career.” — Washington Times
“…clever hooks and snazzy beats…” —NY Daily News
“…the best album of her career…” —Newsday
“…she is in a class of her own.” —Billboard
 |
