Lopez Blogs

Britney ~ Blackout: Oh fucking hell. I really wanted to hate this album, and the bloody thing has only gone and grown on me a little bit. Now don’t get me wrong, as a singles artist I think Britney is rather good – or at least has been in the past. I’ve never really delved into her albums much. However, it’s been 4 years since she last knocked anything out and has used the time to play up to the media, piss all over the “sanctity of marriage” those ‘no marriage for the gays’ people go on about all the time, drop her kids and basically fuck up every single thing that she is fortunate to have. And it kind of grates my cheese (whatever that means) that she is squandering opportunities that far more talented people would die for. And for me, for whatever reason, her personal life overshadows the music – I feel by buying it (and this goes for the odious miss winehouse too) I am facilitating her downward spiral! Having said that, this is a bit of a producer triumph because its clearer than ever that – much like promoting the album – Britney had as minimal input as possible. Bypassing Gimme More, Piece of Me is a rather splendid piece of pop – monotonous at first but better and better with each listen, it’s another triumph of Bloodshy and Avant (who worked on Toxic and Detox with Simon Curtis), only I kind of wish it was in someone elses hands. It is hard to take Britney seriously when she rails on the paparazzi for not leaving her alone, when she does everything she can in her power to get their attention. Actually it would have been an ace comeback track for Deborah maybe sung from an older sister angle. Oh well. Top song that I hated and now love! I’ve already written a lot, so I’m just going to focus on the few tracks that I like. Break The Ice is quite Simon Curtis-y (indeed she mentions myspace on one track which is so SC mid 2006) and would work quite well as a duet between the two. Heaven On Earth is a blogworld fave I think, and is the sweetest, most pop song on the album and is a much better Girls Aloud song than the latest Girls Aloud song is. Similarly, Amelle of the Sugababes would rock the hell out of Freak Show and they should think about bunging it on the b-side of Change now. Hot As Ice (see what she did there?) caught my attention if only for lines like “I have the ability to drive a man crazy” (really? REALLY?!) but is a groovy little nugget as is Ooh Ooh Baby (with line “you know I have an appetite for sexy things” Yes if starbucks and taco bell are sexy. And of course the former definitely is). Overall Blackout works best at showcasing producers talents and should immediately be farmed out to other artists for their more talented interpretations of the tunes.



Backstreet Boys ~ Unbreakable: Last week when I dared to utter that I found the BSB album more enticing than Britney’s Quim there was outrage and panic at the disco. Or something. But you know what? I stick by my original gut feeling especially as it isn’t quite as ballad ridden as it first appeared. Clearly the best selling days of backstreet are behind them, but they can still knock out a decent album when they try. Everything But Mine is an electro-tinged tune with a killer chorus that stands up alongside highlights from their last album (Poster Girl, Just Want You To Know) and in some ways is a more mature Larger Than Life. Lead off single Inconsolable is a real grower, and an adorable sweet throwback to the 90s sound they once owned. The rest of the album is split between these two styles ~ uptempo pop (excellent Any Other Way; catchy One In A Million) and westlife esque ballads (Helpless When She Smiles; lovely Trouble Is). Indeed while those are the definite highlights, the rest of the album is an entirely pleasant listen, playing to their strengths and taking few risks. It’s a comfortable old sweater of an album that is perfect for cold winter nights.