Britney is back! After a highly publicized personal life and successful sixth album, “Circus”, the pop icon has returned to the music scene with her seventh studio album titled, “Femme Fatale”, which will be released in the US on March 29th. Preceded by chart-topping “Hold It Against Me”, and top ten hit “Till The World Ends”, the album ventures down the same road of Britney’s pop past, but with a few little surprises hidden within. The artist has declared this project as her best work and it will surely have anyone dancing to the pounding beats that are present. The princess returns and everyone is going to want to witness it.
The much anticipated album starts off with the club banging, top ten hit, “Till The World Ends”. The track is a different sound for the artist which talks about having a good night out. The beats and production are what make the song a real success, but Spears’ vocals are not bad. The problem I had with the track was the writing, until I found out it was written by Ke$ha, then I understood why the lyrics had no real depth or meaning. The chart-topping “Hold It Against Me” comes out second and continues the pop/dance vibe that is present throughout most of the album. The track was a brilliant way to get Spears back onto the music scene in a huge way, it worked very well. The beats, vocals, lyrics, and music video helped build the excitement for the new project. The song was not everything I wanted it to be, but it will go down as a great Britney song no matter what. “Inside Out” is something that I would file under the “average” category. The best part of the track is Spears’ vocals which was a big surprise to me. I enjoy the pace of the song which allows some of the artist’s talent to really be heard. The production is nice as well, but for some reason I do not think it was the right fit for this song. The finished product is good, but for a hyped up project, “good” just does not cut it. The highlight of the entire album is the sexualized “I Wanna Go” hands down. Spears’ has the talent required to be able to sing a song strictly about sex with a little bit of class. The track is fun, catchy, and the whistling heard throughout is just so addicting. Everything about the track comes together perfectly to create a song that I currently have on repeat. Spears has hinted that the song may be released as a single in the future; it would be a smart move. "How I Roll" is not one of my favorite tracks off the album because I do not like how altered the vocals sound. The lyrics that are being sung come off a little childish as well, but I do commend the fun and different background beats that support the song. The track is unique, it just does not work for me personally. It is not as upbeat as most of the album nor a slow ballad, it is just stuck in the middle. The album continues with the electro-inspired "(Drop Dead) Beautiful". Many people will develop a liking for the song, but I must be honest and say that the only part I thought was great was when the artist sings the track title. Britney's vocals get lost and covered up by the loud background beats that add something to the song, but hides the true talent. The rap towards the end is good, but does not do anything for the song. "Seal it With a Kiss" is another track that is decent, nothing really horrible to say about it, but it does not bring anything new or exciting to the table. Even though the production is amped up, Spears sounds bored as if she was just reading the lyrics straight off the page. So much more could have been done with the song, but it never gets to reach the level it should have been at. When "Big Fat Bass" comes blowing through the speakers, I unfortunately found it annoying very quickly. It definitely has a party vibe that many will find enjoyable; however I think the emphasis was placed on the beats provided by Will.I.Am and not the talent of the artist who is actually singing the song. The song has too much going on at once and I could not get myself to like it even when I tried which is a shame. If you have heard any club remix of a pop song then that is the beat you will hear accompanying "Trouble for Me". The songs is done well while Spears sings about a guy that is fun to be with but brings nothing but danger. The track is no where near original, but it is catchy and a great song to get up and dance to. I think the beats should have been toned down a little, but what is present on the album is not bad. If anyone tried to identify the ballad in the album, then I am sure they will pick "Trip to Your Heart" as their choice. The beats and production are kept very simple to let the lyrics come out beautifully and with ease. Spears may not have the best voice in the music industry, but you have to commend the girl for trying on this track. The song is cute and it is nice to hear something other than a dance track. Spears has a fire burning in her heart during the track "Gasoline". I would place the song in the top half of the album when compared to the others only because I sense a bit of attitude coming from the artist which gives the song some personality that was missing from a few others. The vocals and lyrics compliment each other nicely, Spears does not sound like she is struggling with the material. The song comes off without a problem. Another standout from the album has to be the closing track, "Criminal". As soon as the song begins, the instrumentals tell you that the song will be something completely new from the pop star. The track has an unusual vibe and feel, but somehow it works in creating a love song that has sort of a dark tone about falling for the bad guy. The song is truly amazing and a great way to close out the diverse album.
"Femme Fatale" may not be a step up from its 2008 predecessor "Circus", but it carries amazing pop masterpieces that only the Princess of Pop could create. As a whole this new project does show that Spears is back on the right track with her music career and there is no doubt that this album will be a huge success, but I didn't feel it lived up to the hype that surrounded it. The album is nicely done with a few standout tracks, but nothing really new is explored. Britney has had a career spanning ten years and there is no sign of slowing down. For great tracks and production, the album receives an 84%.
Tracks to Hear: "Till The World Ends", "I Wanna Go", and "Criminal"
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