Circus [PA]

Performer: Britney Spears
Producer: Teresa Labarbera Whites; Larry Rudolph
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Barely more than a year after her much-hyped comeback album, BLACKOUT, Britney Spears returned with another studio outing, 2008's CIRCUS. Though the title acknowledges the drama of Britney's personal and public life, the record primarily takes on the big-top theme in a general "let me entertain you" approach, as evinced by the sassy, uber-catchy singles "Womanizer" and "Circus." This dance-pop vibe extends to "Kill the Lights" and the winking "If U Seek Amy," among other tracks, proving that Spears still has the club in mind despite past unfortunate nightlife exploits. The relatively wholesome, soft-focus cover of CIRCUS isn't completely misleading, however, since Britney puts the beats and her bad-girl persona aside for mellow, thoughtful tunes such as "Out from Under" and "My Baby," gentle tracks produced by Guy Sigsworth, also renowned for his work with Bjork and Madonna. While not a drastic departure from BLACKOUT, CIRCUS is the work of a seemingly more grounded superstar, and it largely succeeds in refocusing on Britney as a performer, rather than reinforcing her status as a tabloid fixture.

Rolling Stone (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The clubby, adventurous pop on her sixth album...would have made a fine follow-up to 2003's IN THE ZONE." Entertainment Weekly (p.69) - "[H]alfway through, CIRCUS shifts from defiant booty calls to subtler material; suddenly, it's a first-rate electro-pop album." -- Grade: B Billboard (p.41) - "From the synthy open of 'Womanizer' to the regretful ache spurring 'Blur,' CIRCUS gives Brit pop a whole new meaning, as the singer does double duty as a dance diva and brokenhearted balladeer." Blender (Magazine) (p.60) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[C]andy-coated bangers that move beyond freaky tantrums and into Madonna-type provocation."

In the late 1990s, Madonna had long since become a mature artist, turning her back on the carefree dance-pop of her early days. Teenage singer Britney Spears picked up on this specific Madonna era, albeit with a more girl-next-door approach. Her coy mix of innocence and sensuality (and infectious songs) made her a superstar, and helped inspire the teen-pop phenomenon that soon dominated pop music. By the early '00s, Spears was casting about for a more adult image, and remade herself into a vixen, experimented with acting and reality TV, and had two children with the controversial wannabe rap star Kevin Federline. While her personal life preempted her musical output for a while, she seemed on the road to artistic recovery after the 2006 birth of her second child. A critically lambasted appearance on the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards and a very public custody battle with Federline worked against her, but her concurrent album release BLACKOUT bought her some credibility with the fickle music press.

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