There's no need to dwell on the past because Britney is back! The "queen of pop," as is stated during her new album Circus, has cleaned up her act & returned to what she does best: entertaining. Britney Spears made sure we were aware of her comeback with the release of first single "Womanizer," a modern twist on the exciting pop music she has always been known for. Being the music video queen that she is, Britney brought us another vibrant one for "Womanizer." Now, promotion has been kicked into gear as the release of Circus approaches, but everyone wants to know if the album will live up to the expectations set by the quality of her previous work.Circus begins with "Womanizer," which is followed by the second single "Circus," a worthy title track that will surely cement Britney's place on top once again. Despite the lack of any real slow material on her last album Blackout, she wastes no time here with "Out From Under." I rather enjoyed the song because it had Britney sounding better than I've heard in a long time. "Kill The Lights," a cool track that calls out the paparazzi, has her displaying a slicker-than-usual sound, while the uptempo "Shattered Glass" sounds like something straight from Britney circa 2004.
One of the highlights of the album can be found in "If You Seek Amy," which I like not only for its *creative* lyrics, but also because it has just the sound & all the sass that we love about Britney. What I did not expect to find on Circus was a song like "Unusual You," which gives us a more vulnerable side of Britney to love. "Blur" is similar to the track it follows, but lacks that extra special something. Another song I can't really get into is the funky "Mmm Papi." No worries, however, because she redeems herself with "Mannequin," which could give her just the dance number she needs.
The main album begins to wrap up with "Lace & Leather," the better funky track on Circus. What I can't quite figure out is why they placed this song right before the album's closer "My Baby" because you can't help but feel awkward listening to a sweet dedication to her young children directly after you've heard Britney discuss her favorite *pleasurable* activities. A slightly altered version of Blackout's "Radar" appears here as a bonus track & won't really change your original opinion of the song, but since I liked it then, I like it now. If you purchase the deluxe edition of Circus, you will receive the two tracks "Rock Me In" & "Phonography." While the former uptempo could easily replace a few of the regular album cuts, the latter is a bit too explicit (for a mom) & weird for my taste.
I would have to say that Circus is a worthy comeback album for Britney. What we all know & love about her is present &, in parts, even improved. Personally, I do prefer Blackout between the two, but that is only because the urban sound appeals more to me. Nonetheless, Circus, though not perfect, has its advantages & should serve Britney well for the performing she plans to do in support of the project. In the end, Britney Spears is back ... & it feels so good.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
