My Verdict

[P4]

I finally got the album, so here's my verdict:

ME AGAINST THE MUSIC - First single off the album. Sucks at first, but it grows on you and not really good choice as the lead-off single... 9/10

(I GOT THAT) BOOM BOOM - Quite a good track. Dirty too, teeheehee! 8/1-

SHOWDOWN - Filler. I think it's crap. 2/10

BREATHE ON ME - A light techno-y raunchy song...great! :D 8/10

EARLY MORNIN' - Not too good either...but it's bareable 6/10

TOXIC - It's great, and good choice as a single, but it's a bit SQUEAKY in some areas! 9/10

OUTRAGEOUS - Would be another good choice for a single. Nothing outstanding, your usual US stuff. 10/10

TOUCH OF MY HAND - Outstanding! I love it. :D! 10/10

THE HOOK UP - Another good song! 8/10

SHADOW - Another outstanding track. I think these 3 ballads are the best on the album! 10/10

BRAVE NEW GIRL - A bit different when you hear the first verse, but as the chorus nears it becomes a feel good pop song, whoo! 9/10

EVERYTIME - See Shadow and Touch Of My Hand, hehe! 10/10

8.75/10 :D

[Lysator]

What about "The Answer" and the MATM Remix?
;)

[magicpatch]

I still feel we're gonna have Outrageous Remix f/ R. Kelly. If the album continues it's global drop we might get something like this and a re-released album ... we know Jive like doing that, and R. Kelly wouldn't have much choice in if it Jive's big guns demanded it LOL

[P4]

Originally posted by Lysator@Dec 27 2003, 10:16 AM
What about "The Answer" and the MATM Remix?
;)
I have the American version. <_<

[steps2cool]

I won't bother quoting Ben's review and taking up half a page, but having now had the album for a few months and listening to it semi-frequently, I would rate it as:

Me Against The Music - 8/10
I think this song really lacks a decent chorus, I think the verse and the bridge is really funky, but it doesn't go anywhere, and they kind of overuse some of the later verses.

(I Got That) Boom Boom - 8/10
One of the first standout tracks on my first listen, it's not THAT far away from Boys, but it's far too long and the Ying Yang Twins are too repetitive. A decent radio edit and a bit of a Boys single edit-mix on it and it would be a killer song.

Showdown - 7/10
What do people have against this song? True it's not quite up there with some of the other tracks, but it's a little sing-along song and it's better suited to the album than the Moby/P. Diddy tracks. The only flaw is Britney's voice, does she need to whine/moan/groan/whatever the hell she does?

Breathe On Me - 6.5/10
I loved this at first, but it suffers much the same as MATM, it's got great verses and could really build up to something at the end, but it doesn't. It's consistent, not great.

Early Mornin' - 3/10
I cannot stand this song. I can see where she's coming from saying that it's a hangover song, really mellow, etc. but it just doesn't fit into the album this early on. If she really had to include it on the album it should've been at the end. This song really breaks up the decent tracks.

Toxic - 10/10
Well, it finally grew on me. Probably Britney's best uptempo since Overprotected, this is the balance she needs between her poppy fanbase, and radio credibility. I don't think it screams '2nd single' and as I said to Matt, I wonder if given the rather dire album performance so far, and the mysterious performances of (IGT)BB that the record company has decided to rush a 4th album...

Outrageous - 9/10
Another grower, I would quite like to see this released, just because I don't think people would expect it. It's repetitive, but not quite to the same degree as BOM. I don't really know what else to say about it. It's R Kelly, it does what it says on the tin.

Touch Of My Hand - 7/10
This is where the album enters dodgy ground. This is still one of the better tracks, but the Celtic music really puts me off, and it lacks the funkiness of some of the earlier tracks. IMO this is a better mellow song than Early Mornin'.

The Hook Up - 7/10
This reminds me of several tracks on 'Britney', it's another little sing-along one but I can't help feeling I've heard it all before and it's just a 2003 re-hash of Boombastic Love/Let Me Be.

Shadow - 6/10
The most instant track on the album I'd say, but whereas all the other tracks have tended to grow on me, this one hasn't. Initially it's a more obvious choice for the ballad release, but I could tire of it very easily, there's no hidden depths to it, what you hear on the first listen seems to be what you get. It's probably best stuck towards the end of the tracklist.

Brave New Girl - 6/10
Hmm, uptempo, and possibly one of the closest to the old Britney, but severe overuse of the vocoder makes me think of recent Madonna releases, and that thought has clouded my judgement. It's fair, but just sounds like a reject from Music/American Life.

Everytime - 9/10
I don't think this song fits on the album quite like it was intended. If it were on Delta's album or Alicia Keys, people might see behind the song and realise this is the real Britney; but as it is the effect is lost somewhat and this won't reveal to Britney's fanbase what she wants it to. Still, it's one that you can hear once and it'll pop back into your head a few weeks later. But if released needs to be re-recorded with propr instruments that don't sound like xylophones.

Me Against The Music (Remix) - 8/10
As an album track, this wasn't necessary, it's just a way of making sure people get the fact that Madonna is on the album. As a remix though, it's quite good, and it's nice to have a more quirky twist put on the original song as opposed to a traditional *boom boom boom* remix.

The Answer - 5/10
I wonder why this is at the end...it's been shoved on because it was left over. It's quite clearly not good enough to make the cut of the above tracklist. It's again a bit too much of Britney recording someone elses song and not altering it more towards her style at all. It doesn't work as an attempt to make her sound more 'down with it' or credible.

Don't Hang Up - 8/10
I actually quite like this. Again it suits a b-side release more, but it's just a nice, dreamy, almost Sometimes-esque ballad, with a slight overuse computer alteration that really isn't needed. A nice ending to the album but not all that different to 'When I Found You' from 'Britney'.

Overall - 6.5/10. The start of the album is consistent enough, but the album suffers from too many different producers. Britney needs to maintain her own style, not jump on the bandwagon of others. The album does feel incomplete and however much she says this is her, I just don't get that from the music. I really miss the old Britney. Grow up for sure Britney, but remember where you came from and remember how much more successful and popular you were when you were something a bit different from the R&B/Rap/Hip-Hop direction that pop is headed.

[\\//Paul\\//]

"Dont hang up"?

what version of the album do you have? :huh:

[steps2cool]

The UK edition...

[\\//Paul\\//]

damn uk, always getting some extra thingies.... ;)

[steps2cool]

:lol: Yeah but really, the word "bonus" is really unsuitable for songs like The Answer as I could cope without the bonus tracks on this album.

The only thing they're good for is when the CD is on repeat you don't get the MATM remix followed by MATM, there's 2 (albeit, not that good) songs to break them up.

[LSL Lover]

Hmm, mine:
ME AGAINST THE MUSIC - A song that kind of tries to please the mass market, not great, not bad. 9/10

(I GOT THAT) BOOM BOOM - Not much at first but it gets better as you re-listen to it. 9/10

SHOWDOWN - Chrous is livable, rest is just bad. 6/10

BREATHE ON ME - Good song, nice steady beat. Sexy too. 9/10

EARLY MORNIN' - One word...CRAP. 2/10

TOXIC - In my opinion, best song on the album. 10/10

OUTRAGEOUS - Don't see why everyone loves this so much. Lyrics are fairly crap, repeats to much, some good areas. 7/10

TOUCH OF MY HAND - ode to masterbation aside, relaxing song, pretty good. 8/10

THE HOOK UP - A lot similar to Boom Boom, but not as good in my opinion. 8.5/10

SHADOW - Not a fan of her ballads, but it's actually pretty good. 7/10

BRAVE NEW GIRL - A lot diffrent then the rest of the album, more pop kind of song, but catchy. 9/10

EVERYTIME - Same ballad problem, not to good, but decentish. 7/10

[\\//Paul\\//]

me against the music - as it is her first single, i really started to like that song, nice bridges 9/10
(I got that)Boom Boom - One of my favourites by far, its just a great partysong 10/10
Showdown - i dont know why they put this song on the album ... 5/10
Breathe on me - Also one of my favourites, really sexy 10/10
Early mornin' - When i first listened to it, i thought its crap, so i never listened to it again 3/10
Toxic - Another favourite, i love the beginning 10 /10
Outrageous - Great song, love the asian-influence 9/10
Touch of my hand - I thought this would be one of my favourites, but its just a good song 8/10
The Hook Up - Well, quite good, reminds me on holidays 8/10
Shadow - I loove this song, best ballad she has done so far 10 /10
Brave New Girl - Its an Old-Britney-Song, would have been perfect on the third album, but i like it very much, the verses are strange though 9/10
Everytime -Another great ballad, would have been a perfect end for ITZ 10/10

but noooo

they put
MATM Remix on the album - i dont know, dont like it that much 7/10
The Answer - Erm...produced by P.Diddy...must be a good song then....dont know about this one so far...8/10

result : 116/140