By Sarah McVean/nw news editor
In spite of all her personal exploits and turbulences, Britney Spears has managed to release an album. And much to the surprise of many critics and former fans, it has done well.
The album, properly titled Blackout, made it to No. 2 on the Billboard top 100 in its first week, second only to the Eagles.
I listened to a friend’s copy of the album because I had been so disgusted by watching her hit rock bottom I couldn’t bring myself to buy it.
Regardless, I still wanted to hear it just to see if her CD reflected her MTV Video Music Awards performance, best described as a train wreck.
Much to my dismay, the album is actually good.
Not that she’ll win a Grammy for vocalist of the year or anything, but it is full of catchy beats and fun lyrics.
As a trend advancing from her first album to this one, the sexual content is at a high.
There is even a track titled Get Naked (I’ve Got a Plan).
The lyrical content of the album is, at times, lightly and other times heavily based on her life.
Seventy-five percent of the songs are about partying and finding a hot guy.
The track Toy Soldier is obviously about her ex-husband. “When I shut the door leaving with my bag/Hit the scene in my new wagon/Bet he gon, wish he knew/The type of fun I’m getting into/… I’m so damn glad that’s over/This time I need a soldier/I’m sick of toy soldiers/A boy that knows how to take care of me/Won’t be coming over.”
Then there is also the last song on the album named Why Should I Be Sad?
This song is a direct hit at Federline.
“Exchanged my vows and said it all/Woman, let’s prepare to fall/… Lavish homes and fancy cars/Even got the drop Ferrari/Filled up our garage for you/Made your choice with all the teams/People let us in magazines/Tell me who’d I do that for, who?/And don’t you worry, about our angels (All the magazines trying to intervene, saying things in the gossip section)/They’ll get good guidance/And be trained well/Don’t worry I’ll keep our little secret.” I just found that song so liberating.
My favorite song on the CD is definitely Piece of Me.
I like this song because it’s Britney telling all the porpoise what’s up and all the people who watch her life step-by-step.
She needs to make this her next single, I believe to just say to everyone “Okay, I know who I am, my position, but leave me along!” The whole track just kind of mocks all the media headlines.
The song starts off with “I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17/Don’t matter if I step on the scene or sneak away to the Philippines/They still gon put pictures of my derriere in the magazine/you want a piece of me?”
Then it continues into the chorus “I’m Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous/I’m Mrs. Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless!/I’m Mrs. Extra Extra! This just in!/I’m Mrs. she’s too big now she’s too thin/You want a piece of me?”
The whole CD is full of fun songs.
These are tunes you would listen to with your friends while you’re getting ready to go out on the town or that can be turned up really loud to sing along with in the car.
The album is worth buying.
Noteworthy Tracks: “Piece of Me,” “Radar” and “Break the Ice”
