(Jive)
Britney Spears' fourth album, , is not the blue-eyed soul of Justin Timberlake, nor is it the quasi-singer-songwriter pop of Christina Aguilera. Instead, it is more of the same-a scattershot album of hip-hop, atmospheric ballads and miscellaneous dance pop. The result is a recap of her flaws and a small but tantalizing glimpse of previously unseen ability.
The good news is that the album is immensely danceable, with hot beats and video-friendly lyrics to satisfy fans of \I'm a Slave 4 U"" and the ""Boys"" remix. ""(I Got That) Boom Boom"" will undoubtedly become a staple of college dance floors. With writing and production contributions from everyone from R. Kelly to Moby, there is plenty of pop sensibility to go around.
The bad news is that none of this plays to the strengths of Spears herself. Aguilera's album features extensive and sympathetic collaborations with Alicia Keys, and Timberlake's album features well-conceived collaborations with Timbaland and The Neptunes. But Spears' album pairs her with producers who steal the show instead of crafting songs to showcase her talent.
This is unfortunate, because Spears really shows growth. She has gained confidence, strength and nuance in her voice. On ""Breathe On Me,"" she delivers a self-assured and pleasantly low-key performance that would make Kylie Minogue proud. She even comes close to reaching her erotic goals on the Moby-produced ""Early Mornin',"" even though it is poorly matched to her voice.
Poor matches are frequent, as Spears sounds uncomfortable on much of the material she is given. Songs like ""The Hook Up"" are better left to more boisterous singers like Beyonc??. But the people behind the album do not seem to understand exactly what kind of singer Britney is. She is not a hip-hop singer. She is not a sultry singer. She is not a soul singer or a dub singer. She is a pop singer whose effectiveness lies in breezy melodies and not in bombastic dance numbers that overwhelm her gentle voice.
The tragedy is that one track on the album shows us how talented Spears might actually be. On the first verse of ""Everytime,"" a simple piano ballad, she sounds like she is merely going through the motions. But as the song continues, her voice expresses her regret and insecurity in a way we have never heard her do. The song progresses into unself-conscious vulnerability, almost as if she has convinced herself over the course of the song. Instead of the usual overstated sexuality, we hear a thoughtfulness and everywoman compassion that startlingly contrasts her other work.
Sadly, Britney Spears is so pigeonholed to dance numbers, showy producers and tight leather pants that she has become the musical equivalent of a blinking neon sign that does not say anything. The dancers can dance contentedly and the Britney haters can snicker at garbage like the Madonna collaboration, ""Me Against the Music."" But the rest of us can only take solace in ""Everytime"" and the hope that someday we will get to hear an album that showcases this honest, thoughtful and compassionate side we never knew Spears had.
