General Britney Spears Discussion

[beekeeper]

"Gimme More" and "Get Naked" are probably the most cringe-inducing things she's done. "Urbaney" is just not a good look for her.

I feel like you are going to have a tough time making friends after this

[TeenIdle]

I feel like you are going to have a tough time making friends after this

It's really not that complicated. I just prefer my popstars to make pop music. Except for Hot As Ice, the Danja tracks on Blackout were her chasing already done sounds that sounded dated, as opposed to being able to blend urban elements into her sound like she was able to do on moments in In The Zone. I'd say the only producer she's worked with and had worse results is JR Rotem and the second-hand embarrassment that is 911.

[Resi12]

Chasing sounds? No, no, no, no...

[beekeeper]

It's really not that complicated. I just prefer my popstars to make pop music. Except for Hot As Ice, the Danja tracks on Blackout were her chasing already done sounds that sounded dated, as opposed to being able to blend urban elements into her sound like she was able to do on moments in In The Zone.

I think it's interesting that you've classed it as an urban sound. I feel like a lot of Britney fans lay praise at her feet for bringing dance music elements into her repertoire (and being ahead of the top 40 curve by doing so) with Blackout, which I never really bought. I think I agree; the slow tempo is a lot more in line with urban radio and hip hop.

(I still think that it's blasphemy to say Gimme More is cringe-inducing, though, haha)

[LightningRider]

While we were on the topic of Britney ballads, my list would go:

1. Someday (I Will Understand)
2. Everytime
3. From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart
4. When I Found You
5. Where Are You Now

[DirtyPornStar]

The songs have an urban sound to it, yes, but that does not make it "NOT POP." Why the hell would it not be pop anyway, when pop is essentially popular music and most popular music today have some urban influence?

And while I agree that the production may sound a bit dated today, "Blackout" sounded completley fresh to my ears in 2007, so I don't see how she was chasing dated sounds--in fact most of the reviews praised its modern production.

Anyway, 'Get Naked' is a masterpiece. Yes, the chorus is not even sung by Britney Spears itself, but the way she's so utterly detached from the song--almost like a kind of pop phantom--makes me love it so much. There's no 'pop song' out there that creates such a wonderfully creepy feeling than 'Get Naked,' and lord knows how "goth pop" has become trendy lately.

[TeenIdle]

I think it's interesting that you've classed it as an urban sound. I feel like a lot of Britney fans lay praise at her feet for bringing dance music elements into her repertoire (and being ahead of the top 40 curve by doing so) with Blackout, which I never really bought. I think I agree; the slow tempo is a lot more in line with urban radio and hip hop.

(I still think that it's blasphemy to say Gimme More is cringe-inducing, though, haha)

The album is great and feature some of the highest highs of her career, ie: Piece Of Me, Freakshow, Hot As Ice, Toy Soldier, etc. I just didn't get the trend that started growing when they were looking for producers and all of these hip hop and urban producers started to be brought in from Danja to T-Pain and Lil Jon. Most of what they gave her sounded like stuff that Keri Hilson could sing, with Keri's "singing" layered throughout most of the Danja tracks and often being layered over Britney's own vocals, ugh.

[DirtyPornStar]

Keri Hilson is just a glorified back-up singer, she wouldn't do any justice to songs like 'Break the Ice' or 'Gimme More' if it was just her affectless voice. I hardly see how it's a criticism.

[DarkSacoura]

The Danja songs, 'Get Naked' and 'Gimme More' in particular, are some of the most adventurous, electronic things she's done. I also fail to see how they're particularly "urban" - Danja has always been a pop producer first and foremost to me: even though he's produced for nearly every major rapper and hip-hop act, he's kept the production fairly pop (whatever that even is).

I still give Blackout credit for introducing her (and the rest of the Top 40) to dance music. The tempo may have been slower, but Danja and Bloodshy & Avant guided Britney even deeper into electronic territory.

[Resi12]

Didn't Freakshow even have some dubstep?

[DarkSacoura]

Yeah. Back when it was actually something underground and weird!

[TeenIdle]

Keri Hilson is just a glorified back-up singer, she wouldn't do any justice to songs like 'Break the Ice' or 'Gimme More' if it was just her affectless voice. I hardly see how it's a criticism.

The kind of image and iconography of Britney Spears is built around strong pop songs like Toxic. My criticism is how most of the Danja songs were already constructed around a sound, one that sounded like out-dated Timbaland hits, and then made for Britney to fit into. Something like Ooh Ooh Baby is a bit shit, but it stills feel very "Britney", which (to me) isn't true for most of the Danja tracks. With Blackout, I wanted a Britney album, not Danjahandz Present Shock Value ft. Britney Spears.

[DirtyPornStar]

I understand where you're coming from, but don't forget that Britney's most iconic single "Hit Me Baby One More Time" was typical of the Max Martin-sound too. I think it's the nature of pop as a big recycling machine, and while I agree Danja's tracks were Timbaland-esque, I think Britney Spears managed to put her individual stamp on it. After all, why else would 'Gimme More' be so acclaimed by pop fans--especially this forum and its allergy to anything "urban"?

[ElectricPlatypus]

Does anyone like "You Got It All"? I don't. And what about "Heart". It's adorable! And "I'll Never Stop Loving You". Songs I rarely see discussed. I'm also a big fan of "Thinkin About You". One of her best vocals. "One Kiss From You" is also incredible.

[jinzo]

*takes Teenidle under wing*

Blackout remains horribly, horribly overrated by all sectors of her fanbase.

It's just a change in sound, nothing totally out the ordinary. I prefer poppier Britney, too.

Break The Ice and, err, Get Naked are jams, but they're jams amongst many other jams on many other albums. Blackout's just one amongst the pack, not some kind of piéce de resistance. It's got so much shit, forgettable filler in it I can't even begin to discuss (Freakshow, Why Should I Be Sad, Radar, Heaven on Earth, Perfect Lover, ETC)- the vocal fuckery on her voice is irritating to the core, Piece of Me's got some of her most literal and cringe-inducing lyrics ever (I honestly hate all these autobiographical pieces that have to read everything out like it's a kind of menu) and the production is YES, dated.

Now for me, Pop can sound timeless. I think we could all agree on that...that's why we're here in the first place. Her pop gems are just so much more her and so much more what I recognise of her than what Blackout is and what Blackout tries to be. I don't really think Britney and then think Blackout in the same thought process. It's just an average album, nothing more and nothing less. It's just an experimentation- and like many experiments, it fails to fully materialise. I recall last week putting it 4th out of the 7. Think I'll stick with that.

[electric_spark]

you must be insane ... gimme more doesn't sound like anything timbaland ever produced... yes, get naked and get back sound like timbaland, but gimme more NOT ... gimme more, piece of me, break the ice, heaven on earth, radar, freakshow, toy soldier are all in the top 20 of britneys songs in my opinion...

[Little L]

Heaven On Earth is brilliant. A lot of songs sound like that nowadays. Let's say it was a track on Femme Fatale, then I could definitely see it being released as a single. Perhaps it was just too Euro-dance to give it a chance in 2007.

Back then I disliked Why Should I Be Sad and thought it sounds out of place on that CD but now I think it definitely deserves its place as the album closer.

[BML]

Although I love the album as is, Blackout would've been absolutely perfect if State of Grace and Sugarfall replaced Why Should I Be Sad and Outta This World. I get why they were left off but they're so good!

[blaze_dave]

Although I love the album as is, Blackout would've been absolutely perfect if State of Grace and Sugarfall replaced Why Should I Be Sad and Outta This World. I get why they were left off but they're so good!

They should have added those as Bonus tracks or iTunes exclusive ones. Love State of Grace.

[theincredibleflipper]

When I read the discussion about Baby... a couple pages ago I realised I really love that album. Do not listen to it on a regular base anymore but I did nonstop when it first came out. So nostalgic.

Someone said he never really like "Womanizer" although most fans do. I can totally agree with it. I never knew what it was but I felt very disconnected to Britney's music during the whole "Circus"-era. I knew "Womanizer" and "Circus" had anything which makes a great pop song on the paper but for me it never translated in love for it. It's also her worst album in general. By miles.

And "Gimme More" and "Get Naked" being called cringe-inducing (I'm looking at you TeenIdle) is one of the weirdest things I've ever read here.

[Boxer-In-The-Ring]

Never thought I'd see the day when someone on here criticised Gimme More, but each to there own and that! State Of Grace truly is amazing, shame it ended up going to some other artist.

[theracoongirl01]

While we were on the topic of Britney ballads, my list would go:

1. Someday (I Will Understand)
2. Everytime
3. From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart
4. When I Found You
5. Where Are You Now

Sure i'm not a girl not yet a woman has to be up there somewhere? A classic.

[Adreams]

I'm glad she got a good deal with X-Factor, I just hope she's allowed to say what she wants.

[LewJB]

Of Blackout, I do think some of the production was rushed. I don't know whether that's a reaction to the leaks (probably) since they also put the release date up. Perfect Lover is far superior in unmastered form - It was my fave of the initial leaks but I rarely listen to the finished one. Too many noises, it should've stayed as stripped back as possible. Heaven On Earth sounds much better with her vocals in the foreground, it makes the layered 'thing' work far better. Get Naked sounds better with her vocals left alone and her 'whatcha tryna do' harmonies turned way up in the chorus and the 'ever you are, oh' middle 8 instead of the distortion. Oh and her attitude is way better on original Hot As Ice.

So, yeah.

[merden]

The best thing about this X Factor deal is that we'll get new music this year. There is NO WAY they won't capitalize on this exposure..... I'm thinking a once off single ie.Three.

Thank god for X Factor... Without it we'd have to suffer through a year of momsy paparazzi pics and bullshit articles about her kids starting school.