Ringleader, Celebrity or Queen, Britney's Back for Real This Time

Finals week and a failing computer made blogging damn near impossible last week, but fear not. I plan to make up for it this week, with at least one post tonight, and more coming in the next few days. Now, to my much-delayed review of Circus, Britney Spears' much anticipated second comeback record in as many years.

After leaving listeners scratching their heads with last years rushed, overproduced Blackout, Spears returns with the record she should have come back with. Circus is an honest, enjoyable listen that proves that Britney still has some talent lying around someplace. First single "Womanizer" is unabashedly fun and a return to the sex-driven pop that made Spears famous a decade ago. Circus looks, sounds and feels like what we should be expecting from a now 27-year-old pop princess of yore. The music is still brilliantly catchy, alluring to men and women alike (for varying reasons, mind you), and yet, you can still catch glimpses of how weary Spears is from the last few years. The token ballad "Out From Under" would fit in just as well on any previous Spears record, and "My Baby", an obvious tribute to her children, may not fit in with the rest of the album quite so nicely, but its no fault of Britney since its just as powerful a song.

That said, the album shines brightest when its fast and club-ready. The title track is the kind of song that proves folks like Avril Lavigne and the interminable Katy Perry owe us an apology for half-assing it. Likewise the already controversial "If U Seek Amy" (say that title very fast) probably has Lavigne and Perry cursing their songwriters for not coming up with something so brilliant and so raunchy first. All of the latent sex appeal that made Spears such a hot topic 10 years ago comes out of hiding on Circus as she stops giving a damn what critics and parents might say; she is one now, and she's just fine with what she's doing, thank you very much.

Overall Britney Spears delivers a shining moment in pop music in a year that's been marred with a bunch of would-be's trying to take her place. Katy Perry was just keeping the throne warm for a little bit, and Spears takes her place once more. Long live the queen.

Final Score: 8/10
Britney Spears - Circus

Back later this week with a much more timely review of the new Fall Out Boy record, plus my take on last week's GRAMMY nominations.

==TJ==

New Music: David Cook, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Britney Spears...

EDIT: All mp3 links on this entry have been removed after I got a message from Blogger announcing they had pulled the post for DMCA violation. At least they told me this time.

That's right...I added Britney Spears to the end of that list. And yes, I willingly listened to and paid attention to it nonetheless.

The Batshit Crazy One announced a new album, entitled Circus would be released by years end (date is sometime in December), and the lead single "Womanizer" made its radio debut earlier this week and quickly spread all over the interwebs. I think the best thing about "Womanizer" is the fact that for the first time in awhile you can hear a sense of enjoyment. Britney actually wanted to record this album. "Womanizer" sounds a lot like something that might've been on last year's Blackout, but again, with a bit more sincerity and commitment. While I wasn't enamored of Blackout, it's astonishing what happens when someone like Spears stops half-assing it and actually records something kinda fun. Listen for yourselves to the REAL version before a million remixes clog up the Hype Machine.

Britney Spears - Womanizer
(No, nobody forced me to type this)

The Killers, having wholeheartedly gotten their Springsteen on with 2006's Sam's Town, are coming back this November with Day and Age, produced by Stuart Price, alias Jacques Lu Cont, the guy who churns out surprisingly decent remixes of Killers tracks (google his version of "Mr. Brightside"). The song opens with the sort of 80s electronic feel that made Hot Fuss so loved, and that spacey, electronic sound is rampant for the whole track (perhaps a sign of what might be on the album?), but the lyrics, arguably what made Sam's Town at the very least a decent album, are right on that same vein. Having heard the track about a dozen times in the last week, I'd have to say "Human" ranks up alongside "Mr. Brightside" and "All These Things That I've Done" on the list of the best Killers songs. Day and Age is slated for release November 25th. "Human" is all over the interwebs now, and will see its official iTunes release this Tuesday.

The Killers - Human

I've already proclaimed my love for the new Snow Patrol single, but since Blogger pulled the post last time, "Take Back The City" is a great, driving rock song from Snow Patrol. The band said A Hundred Million Suns (out stateside on October 28th) will sound different from previous Snow Patrol albums, but "Take Back The City" sounds like pretty standard fare, and I still love it. So should you.

Snow Patrol - Take Back The City

Our worst fears my have been realized. David Cook's first single from his post-Idol debut album, "Light On" debuted on AOL last week and drops to iTunes this Tuesday. The track was written by Chris Cornell and a guy with ties to Hinder. Not worried too much yet, but the Hinder thing is a problem. Then I saw a picture they're using as publicity:

Bit problematic right? What happened to the guy who looked like he could do rock and roll? Truth is, I don't know. Because "Light On" is a serviceable track, but it lacks all the balls that Cook's Idol-performance material had. It sounds like average adult contemporary radio rock. Sure that means it'll sell millions of records, because its pretty safe and has Cook's name recognition on it, but guys like me who bought into the dude because he had some rock mentality are left a little cold. David Cook, you're now on notice; I'll still support you and hear the album, but please let this be a label ploy and let there be some real rock on the record. When I wrote this piece, I didn't want to be right.

David Cook - Light On

So I was wandering around some of the seedier parts of the interwebs looking for some music, when something came across my screen claiming to be the new Oasis album. I dove on it, because it seemed like the right move, but until then I hadn't heard about a leak. I haven't heard the tracks yet (I have however confirmed I didn't get virused), but I'm wondering if any reader has heard or seen the same. I don't think Liam Gallagher is smart enough to pull a Death Cab or Ben Folds*, but you never know.

*Death Cab for Cutie and Ben Folds both leaked fake copies of their newest albums as a trick for fans.

Speaking of Ben Folds, heard his new album (the legit version) this weekend; expect a review tomorrow or Tuesday, as well as a review for Jack's Mannequin's new record.

==TJ==

Artists I Should Have Been Raving About A LONG Time Ago...

In my ongoing quest to be the universe's most educated music listener, I've recently come across a bunch of artists that I find I should have known some time ago, but only just now loving. I now present my recent musical discoveries to you.

Paramore
With Britney Spears going batshit crazy at every corner, Avril Lavigne making people want to gouge their ears out, and Amy Lee on the road to becoming the next Axl Rose, rock music needs another "nice girl" for the reviewers to adore and the rocker dudes to drool over. That's where Paramore, fronted by 18-year-old Hayley Williams, come in. Their second album Riot! is climbing the iTunes charts, and singles "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush" are making bloggers and DJs alike go crazy. The lyrics are totally true to William's 18-year-old girl demeanor, and the band delivers them with all the pop-punk fury that was absent from recent efforts from Good Charlotte and Yellowcard, and Hayler Williams has a set of pipes that put the likes of Amy Lee and Avril to shame. And oh yeah, have you seen Hayley Williams?




Yeah, I said it.

Paramore - Crushcrushcrush
Paramore on iTunes

Oh, and as long as I mentioned her, I might as well issue my (and by default, this blog's) official position on the perpetual media event that is the "artist" formerly known as Britney Spears. Seriously, who gives a fuck anymore? On one level, she's more fun when she's batshit crazy, because you honestly don't know what the hell she's gonna do next. And her album? Psh. Yeah its getting decent reviews, but you know that's all the work of the bazillion producers and stuff who are writing her music and making it sound good amidst her drunken escapades and attempts at singing the way she did 10 years ago. And with that, I hope to never have to utter her name ever again on this blog.

Chris Brown
Like I've said, the more I listen to Top 40 R&B, the more I like it. My first real experience with Chris Brown was in the "Umbrella" remix I posted last week (I had heard "Run It!" in the past at high school dances and the like, but didn't recognize it as him/didn't care enough to really listen). After hearing his awesome contribution to that track, I downloaded "Run It!" and his new one "Kiss Kiss". Both are fun, upbeat, and all the things I want out of Hip-Hop and R&B. And in case you somehow didn't know this, Chris Brown is 18 years old. Watch the clip of "Run It!" and listen to "Kiss Kiss" and maybe you'll see why I'm impressed.

Chris Brown - Kiss Kiss (feat. T-Pain)
Chris Brown - Run It! [Youtube]
Chris Brown on iTunes

I think that's it for now. The radio show is most likely going on an indefinite hiatus due to some personal stuff (mostly just I don't have time), but keep your eyes peeled in case that changes.

==TJ==

PS Oh and in honor of Guy Fawkes Day, I know I posted the original version of this song last time out, but it seems appropriate to hand you a cover, given the occasion.

Stone Temple Pilots - Revolution (Beatles Cover)
STP on iTunes