Dear Lord help me; I'm listening to Britney Spears and actually sort of liking it. A friend of mine made me a copy of her latest album after I brought up a news story about la Brit sharing rehearsal space with NIN, and I must say, I am eternally grateful to her. Don't get me wrong; pop is still pop, and la Brit's little-girl voice gets grating at times. However, with Circus, Spears seems to be out to prove that she's not just the next has-been psych-ward case, and she's lined up a set of expertly-crafted, adventurous club bangers to accomplish that feat.
The album kicks off with the one-two punch of “Womanizer” and “Circus”, two dancey, single-worthy tracks which provide a jarring contrast to “Out From Under”, a Max Martin-penned ballad that could hold its own in a grudge match against any pop song currently on the radio (and which would actually demolish the latest entries from Beyonce and the Killers, if you ask me). “Kill the Lights” is yet another “Brit vs. the paparazzi” journal entry, albeit one that documents the battle with bitchy tongue-in-cheek humor and impeccable beats, while “Unusual You” seems to channel Depeche Mode, with its blippy synths and keyboard line. “Blur”, produced by Timbaland acolyte Danja, is a woozy account of the morning after-- a subject on which la Brit is undoubtedly an expert.
There are two or three duds-- notably, “Mmm Papi”, which is just creepy, and “My Baby”, whose melody and lyrics are so cloying and trite that you'll probably end up with tooth-decay after too many listens-- and the last third of the album is fairly forgettable, save for “Leather and Lace”, which is a fun romp through every musical style of the 80s; however, Circus is plainly the work of a pop goddess who is finally back at the top of her game.
Essential tracks: “Unusual You”, “Circus”, “Kill the Lights”
Rating: LLLL (out of a possible five Ls)
