The Pop Princess herself, Christina Aguilera is back with her eighth studio album and her first since 2012’s “Lotus.” At this point, I don’t think she really needs a huge introduction, she’s been around making albums since 1999, and she’s put out several hit singles such as “Genie in a Bottle,” “What a Girl Wants,” “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You),” “Lady Marmalade” (all four of which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100), “Beautiful,” “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Keeps Gettin’ Better,” “Say Something,” and many, many, many more. And that’s not even to speak on some of the big features that she’s gotten since breaking out, specifically on Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger,” and Pitbull’s “Feel This Moment,” both of which hit the Top 5 on the Hot 100, and the former of which peaked at #1.
Now, when approaching this album, I honestly didn’t really know what to expect because, yes, Christina is a very well-known pop star, and she has been doing this since I was in diapers, but at the same time, I haven’t really been a huge fan of a lot of her material over the years. Every once in a while, I would enjoy one of her tracks, but for the most part, I’ve found that she’s merely an artist I can respect and appreciate from afar, without really caring to go deep into her discography. Sometimes, though, those are the records I can get very excited about because not knowing what to expect can be exciting! The fact that she also stuffed this album with features like Demi Lovato, 2 Chainz, and Ty Dolla $ign (figure those last two out) only got me more excited to give it a listen. So, let’s see how it is, yes?
Liberation: So…the title track for this album is less than two minutes? Strange. Either way, this very short track is largely instrumental (there’s a few spoken-word bits here and there), and it’s got a very emotional, piano-driven instrumental. It’s fine, and it’s nice enough on the ears, but I don’t really find it compelling enough to warrant more than one listen. It’s decent enough, nothing more and nothing less.
Searching for Maria: And, right after the ~2-minute intro track, we have a 25-second interlude? I’ve got a bad feeling about this, everyone. In any case, it’s a pretty creepy-sounding track, as it has no instrumentals, and it just features Christina singing, with her vocals sounding somewhat broken and sad. It’s an interesting track, but again nothing I’ll want to listen to over and over…well, unless I feel like creeping someone out, maybe.
Maria: Okay, so there’s actual music on this album. Good. This one is actually really strange, as it has a really sinister-sounding instrumental, and it also features an odd sample of Michael Jackson’s “Maria (You Were The Only One).” The song serves as something of a search for Christina’s lost side of herself, and I do love her very powerful vocals on this one, but without a really enticing hook, I think this is a song that largely tries to sell itself with Christina’s vocal charm, and unfortunately, it doesn’t really have much to offer outside of that for me.
Sick of Sittin’: Lyrically, I think this song has a great theme to it, as Christina talks about how she’s “sick of sitting around” and not wanting to play into the “money-making machine” that exists in the music world, and she talks of her desire to make something that’s more authentic and real. That said, while the song has a really great idea going on lyrically, I don’t find the downtempo production on this one all that compelling, and I think that it sounds like I’m listening to something off of Kelly Clarkson’s “Meaning of Life,” just with less-enthusiastic production and a far worse hook. Yeah, this is a track I’m not particularly digging, and it’s an example of “great ideas gone wrong,” unfortunately.
Dreamers: Another ~1-minute track? Really? This is weirding me out a bit, but at least the lyrical theme here is cool. As a lead-in to the next track, this one features spoken-word lyrics from the perspective of a group of young girls, talking about what they want to be when they grow up, playing to the idea of female empowerment. It’s got a great idea, and it is kinda nice to hear it coming from a group of very young girls, even if it does kinda feel like a little bit like I’m watching a commercial. Not bad, though.
Fall In Line (ft. Demi Lovato): This song continues the theme of female empowerment presented in the “Dreamers” track, and it’s a cut I was very excited to listen to because hearing that Christina would be collaborating with Demi Lovato, an artist that I love, got me pretty excited. Does it deliver? Well, yeah! I definitely do like the slow, very swingy production on this one, and I think the hook is one of the better ones on the record so far. I also think Christina and Demi really bring out the best of each other vocally, and I really dig the song a lot.
Right Moves (ft. Keida and Shenseea): Christina has talked a bit about how this song is one that discusses how it feels to really feel comfortable and enjoy yourself. It’s a somewhat more sensual song that feels somewhat tropical, and I can appreciate that out of the instrumental, but I think that feel is a bit too overpowered by the 808-drum beat on this one, and while I again think Christina’s vocals are great, the hook is one of the more bland ones on the album. Sheenseea and Keida mostly rap/sing in Jamaican slang here, and I honestly find them a bit more interesting than Christina herself. And even then, honestly, I kinda feel like they’re both trying to do a Rihanna impression. Not one of the album’s worst, but it’s definitely duller than it should be.
Like I Do (ft. Goldlink): A song that’s got a little more R&B-influence to it, I definitely think there’s something of a goofy, kinda silly feel to the song, with Christina and featured artist Goldlink getting somewhat flirtatious over the very groovy drum beat and flute-driven production. GoldLink’s verse is relatively fun, and Christina does have some fun flow to her performance, even though I think the hook might need to grow on me a bit. Definitely a pretty solid, fun song, and I can applaud it for not taking itself too seriously.
Deserve: Christina talks about how she acts around someone she loves, as she discusses how she doesn’t really think she deserves this lover. It’s a more downtempo song, especially in comparison to the last track, but it’s got some interesting electronic production, and I do like the somewhat more jazzy 808-drum beat. While I don’t think it’s the best song on the album from a lyrical perspective, I do think it’s got a pretty fun hook and more gorgeous vocals from Christina. Not one of the bests on the album, but it’s not bad.
Twice: Christina brings things down a few emotional notches on this track, bringing us a ballad about lost love and how she would re-experience those times of lost love in an instant, even despite the nasty consequences that came with them. Thematically, I actually like that idea, because I personally feel that way about some of my own experiences, but while I like the powerful, very emotional piano melody on this song, I do think some of the electronic production on the intro is just a bit out-of-place. I also think Christina’s vocals are strong as always, but for some reason, I just get this feeling that the song is missing something. I’m not sure what it is, but I feel like it should hit just a little harder emotionally. Still a solid song, though.
I Don’t Need It Anymore (Interlude): Okay, this is the final interlude. So there weren’t as many of those as I thought. Good. Anyway, this interlude is devoid of any real instrumentation, as it features a group of girls singing about how they don’t need…something, anymore. It’s got some great vocals, and the runs on it are really great, but again, there’s really not a whole lot of substance to it. It could’ve been tacked on to another song.
Accelerate (ft. Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz): Now this was a song I was initially confused by. Christina Aguilera being joined by 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign? I know those two artists are no strangers to grabbing big features, but I was at the very least a bit surprised they would be working with Christina Aguilera, to be honest (though I guess given some of the production of the album, I shouldn't be TOO surprised). And, honestly, as I hear the song, it continues to sound weird. Sure, Christina’s vocals are solid, and her flow is solid too, but I don’t know, I feel like the production isn’t as strong. The percussion is neat, but the rest of the instrumental is a bit too minimal and not really all that enticing. Ty’s vocals are more raspy and unexciting as usual, and I don’t think this is one of 2 Chainz’ best guest verses. It’s a shame because I thought this would be one of my personal favorites, but I think I walked away from it more confused than anything.
Pipe (ft. XNDA): Sometimes, I get excited when a certain artist talks about their love for one of their songs, and Christina mentioned before this album’s release that she loves vibing to this one. Judging by the kind of moody, ethereal production and smooth, slick percussion on the intro, I definitely get why. It’s got a really fun groove to it, and I agree with Christina when she says that she was able to experiment with her vocals and her flow. I definitely hear that experimentation on this one, and I love her vocals all the more as a result. XNDA’s vocals and really enjoyable verse only help to further round out this very great track!
Masochist: A much darker song, Christina brings up the idea of not being able to get rid of something because you love it too much. Something I’m sure we’ve all been through, yes? And beyond the darker lyrical themes, the more minimal production is equally moody and atmospheric, and it helps give the song a very emotional feel. It’s a much slower track, but it’s also one that allows Christina to really show off her vocal range. And fortunately, the production is interesting enough that this isn’t a song that sells solely on her vocals. There’s a lot of great things going on here, and I definitely think it’s one of the stronger cuts on the record.
Unless It’s With You: We end off the album with a song where Christina talks about the constant anxiety and fear that comes from love, stating her desire to be alone before claiming that she will marry if she finds the right person to sync with. As someone that’s abstained from relationships for many of the same reasons, I can feel exactly where she’s coming from, and I think that lyrically, she actually nicely captures the chaos that a lot of people feel when it comes to relationships, where one thought leads to the next without any rhyme, reason, or order. It’s a much lighter track with some very pretty keys, and again, it’s a song that sees Christina really showcasing her vocal power and runs very well. It’s a very gorgeous track that ends off the album very nicely.
Honestly, though, I’m not really 100% sure of what to make of this album. I can’t really give it a “Not For Me” rating, that’s for sure, because that’s a rating that only comes out if I legitimately don’t have any “favorites” or “least favorites,” but I don’t know, this album definitely didn’t excite me much. I definitely didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t particularly like it too much. Christina Aguilera still proves that she has great vocals throughout this record, but I personally don’t think the production gives her a whole lot to work with. Some of the songs just start to feel a bit too same-y, and there were often points where I kinda questioned if Christina did a lot of listening to Kelly Clarkson’s “Meaning of Life” before going into this album, because if you take that album and give it more 808s and a smaller hip-hop influence (and make some of the hooks much worse), low and behold you have this album. And while there are a number of highlights on the record (especially at the end, where things take a small heel-turn and become more interesting), the highlights are a bit too few and far between, and the album doesn’t kick into the gear enough until it reaches that final little bit.
Overall, I guess my best recommendation is that it should be good for some of Christina’s more hardcore fans, so long as the sonic change in direction to the album doesn’t become a huge turn-off for you. There are things to enjoy in the album, but unfortunately, it’s a record that really doesn’t become “great” until it’s at the final fifth, and it’s also bloated with a noticeable hunk of filler. In fact, the first third of the album really made me worry that it was gonna be all doom-and-gloom from that point on, and the slower middle-stretch didn’t help out much. Features are also hit-or-miss on here, with some that are great (like Demi Lovato and XNDA), and some that are more confusing than entertaining (like Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz). Still, I’m glad I was able to take away a few solid tracks from this album and throw them onto my Spotify playlist. I just wish the album was a bit more consistent in its goal. As it is now…it’s decent. Nothing special, nothing terrible, just alright.
Favorite tracks: Fall In Line, Like I Do, Pipe, Masochist, Unless It’s With You
Least favorite tracks: Sick of Sittin’, Accelerate
Rating: Okay
Honestly, though, I’m not really 100% sure of what to make of this album. I can’t really give it a “Not For Me” rating, that’s for sure, because that’s a rating that only comes out if I legitimately don’t have any “favorites” or “least favorites,” but I don’t know, this album definitely didn’t excite me much. I definitely didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t particularly like it too much. Christina Aguilera still proves that she has great vocals throughout this record, but I personally don’t think the production gives her a whole lot to work with. Some of the songs just start to feel a bit too same-y, and there were often points where I kinda questioned if Christina did a lot of listening to Kelly Clarkson’s “Meaning of Life” before going into this album, because if you take that album and give it more 808s and a smaller hip-hop influence (and make some of the hooks much worse), low and behold you have this album. And while there are a number of highlights on the record (especially at the end, where things take a small heel-turn and become more interesting), the highlights are a bit too few and far between, and the album doesn’t kick into the gear enough until it reaches that final little bit.
Overall, I guess my best recommendation is that it should be good for some of Christina’s more hardcore fans, so long as the sonic change in direction to the album doesn’t become a huge turn-off for you. There are things to enjoy in the album, but unfortunately, it’s a record that really doesn’t become “great” until it’s at the final fifth, and it’s also bloated with a noticeable hunk of filler. In fact, the first third of the album really made me worry that it was gonna be all doom-and-gloom from that point on, and the slower middle-stretch didn’t help out much. Features are also hit-or-miss on here, with some that are great (like Demi Lovato and XNDA), and some that are more confusing than entertaining (like Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz). Still, I’m glad I was able to take away a few solid tracks from this album and throw them onto my Spotify playlist. I just wish the album was a bit more consistent in its goal. As it is now…it’s decent. Nothing special, nothing terrible, just alright.
Favorite tracks: Fall In Line, Like I Do, Pipe, Masochist, Unless It’s With You
Least favorite tracks: Sick of Sittin’, Accelerate
Rating: Okay
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