12/02/2008
Music News: So What Do You Think Of Britney Spears' Circus?
Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.
There are no doubt some Britney Spears fans amongst the readers of Towleroad, so it's time to turn it over to you guys. What do you think of Circus?
Her sixth studio album, Circus is out today, one month shy of the 10-year anniversary of her debut ...Baby One More Time's release date. Britney was in Europe last week promoting the album by performing current single "Womanizer" on television shows such as France's Star Academy and U.K. talent competition The X Factor.
The video for her Dr. Luke/Benny Blanco-produced new single "Circus" premieres this Friday on Entertainment Tonight. It was directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously did Spears' "I'm A Slave 4 U" clip.
Circus also sees Britney reunited with Swedish hitmaker Max Martin—albeit on one song, "If U Seek Amy"—who crafted her classic singles "...Baby One More Time," "(You Drive Me) Crazy" and "Oops!...I Did It Again."
STANDOUT: For casual listeners, the main cut worth checking out is the dreamy dance jam "Unusual You." It was produced by Bloodshy & Avant, the duo behind Britney's award-winning hits "Piece Of Me" and "Toxic." How this wasn't the second (or first) single is anyone's guess.
Finally, happy birthday, Britney.
A FEW CLIPS FOR THE WEEK:
BRITNEY SPEARS: Doing new single "Circus" today on Good Morning America.
THE KILLERS: "Losing Touch," the opening track off new album Day & Age, live on FUSE.
MGMT: Performing "Kids" on French television show Le Grand Journal De Canal+ on Thanksgiving Day.
"KIDS," A CAPPELLA: As done by Northfield, Minnesota's Carleton Singing Knights of Carleton College.
TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:
New singles from Mariah Carey ("Right To Dream"), Franz Ferdinand ("Ulysses") and Lionel Richie ("Good Morning").
Sia's "Buttons" EP, featuring remixes by CSS and Filterheadz.
The Decemberists' Always The Bridesmaid, Volume 3 EP.
Akon's third album Freedom.
The holiday collection I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas, featuring Sally Shapiro's haunting "Piano Mix" of "Anorak Christmas."
The Cadillac Records motion picture soundtrack, with songs by Beyonce, Solange, Mos Def, Mary Mary, Nas and Buddy Guy.
Posted 1:45 PM EST by Robbie in Britney Spears, Music, Music Recommendations, Music Video, The Killers | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I haven't heard Circus, but the Killer's new album is an assault on the ears. It's so dull and boring, it actually becomes painful to listen to.
Posted by: David | Dec 2, 2008 2:00:28 PM
Love Circus. Sure, it's not a artistic masterpiece but it is a fun pop/dance album, I've been playing it in my car for the last two weeks. If you liked Confessions From A Dance Floor you will like Circus.
Posted by: John M | Dec 2, 2008 2:40:40 PM
It's not Thriller, but it's good - still a Brit-Brit fan. That is until God tells her all gays are evil.
Posted by: JayDub | Dec 2, 2008 3:02:42 PM
Shitney Smears is the world's greatest living recording artist! She's a wonderful singer, a fantastic dancer, and performs real songs with intelligent lyrics! I learn something new with each dropping, er, release.
(Please kill me now.)
Posted by: JohnInManhattan | Dec 2, 2008 3:08:17 PM
Not sure why a redneck with mental issues that are being willfully ignored ("I don't need therapy, dance is my therapy") who has never sung a note live and who now is reduced to competently walking through easy choreography of songs handed to her by other people has so many gay fans, but she sure do. The album is blah, but not as bad as some of what passes for past "peaks" in her oeuvre. Madonna loses serious points for championing a person and artist who is nothing like her minus the sexy grinding and relentless provoking.
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | Dec 2, 2008 3:11:06 PM
Living in Germany, I was able to get Circus last Friday and have been playing it non-stop. It is great pop album. Several of the songs are massively catchy (Circus, If You Seek Amy, Lace and Leather, Unusual You). The only song that I skip is My Baby at the end.
I dare say that the people who trash this record and Britney 1. haven't listened to it and/or 2. don't like pop music. I never considered myself a big fan of Britney, but I find both Blackout and Circus to be more compelling that Madonna's and Kylie's last records (Hard Candy and X respectively)
Posted by: Andy | Dec 2, 2008 4:30:53 PM
Britney officially announced her tour this morning and has already sold over 100,000 PRESALE tickets. There will always be people who hate her (there always have been), but I think it's clear that people see her for what she is. Britney is an entertainer. No one pretends she sings live. 'Circus' doesn't disappoint, and I totally agree that Unusual You needs to be a single.
Posted by: Lance | Dec 2, 2008 4:40:41 PM
Circus is a disappointment. If you love Britney, then you'll love this album because it's just like any other album she would put out (excluding Blackout for obvious reasons). But I, personally, enjoyed Blackout a lot more. The only two songs worth mentioning are Unusual You and If U Seek Amy. Both of those songs are killer.
Posted by: Tom S. | Dec 2, 2008 4:49:53 PM
yeah, i gotta agree with andy here that people who are already trashing the album probably haven't heard it.
while even her biggest fans know that brit doesn't have an amazing voice, there's a lot to appreciate on CIRCUS. it's fun, it'll sound great on dance floors, and the production is phenomenal (granted, it's gotta be for britney to succeed).
i'll also admit that for the first few days i listened to the album, i didn't appreciate it. over the past couple of weeks, i've begun to appreciate it a lot.
that said, i'm not saying everyone should give it a chance. if you don't like her, or pop music, you won't like it. don't bother.
Posted by: tobethatguy | Dec 2, 2008 4:54:23 PM
Her record company is trying so hard to bring her back is a little bit scary, the white trash Britney can't sing...the fact that gay people are purchasing her material is just sad...like Madonna...she doesn't care about our community...her music sucks and she needs help! but the gays are once again going to support someone who doesn't support them......Where was Madonna during Prop 8? Where was Britney? both are talentless people with some serious mental issues!!!
Posted by: Sean | Dec 2, 2008 5:15:44 PM
I think "Circus" is fantastic. I can't stop listening to it. Britney's best when she's in her dance pop/party music groove and there's plenty of that on the album. The atmospheric "Unusual You" is probably the best cut. If you like Britney, you will love "Circus." If you haven't liked Britney in the past, it's not like she's had a paradigm shift or anything.
Posted by: Harry | Dec 2, 2008 5:21:44 PM
WHY is she still around?
Posted by: michael | Dec 2, 2008 5:26:48 PM
i was never a huge fan of Britney, but I have grown to like her. I teach fitness classes so i need to up on all of the pop stuff because it is what people who come expect. I do have to say I like her voice, not as a singer per se, but i like the sound of it, don't know why.
I also can appreciate someone who is able to pull themselves together and comeback strong, like it or not she has done that.
and as far as her political views...it doesn't matter and should not. Entertainers are not paid to give their political opinion, more times than not, people turn on them.
as far as Madonna coming out against Prop 8, she was on tour and she did make mention of it, and for all you know she donated annonmyously. She is a regular contributor to AIDS organizations around the world. not everyone goes around shooting off their mouths about it.
Plus, remember when she voiced her opposition to the war, she was shunned. Even the gays turned on her. so there!!
Posted by: paul | Dec 2, 2008 5:40:20 PM
Johninmanhatten can I be first to take you up on your offer?
Posted by: Derek | Dec 2, 2008 6:02:28 PM
To be honest, I wasn't a fan of Britney Spears until she shaved her head. Once she went crazy, I've followed her career and I'm happy she's climbing the charts, once more.
I think Circus is a good comeback album (something that Blackout couldn't accomplish). I'm especially partial to the songs, Kill The Lights, Unusual You, Phonography and If You Seek Amy, the latter of which is a clever acronym...read about that here: http://www.hawkingthescene.com/hawking_the_scene/2008/11/britney-spears-clever-new-song.html
Posted by: Jeremy Hawking | Dec 2, 2008 6:46:28 PM
"Unusual You" in an unusual song for Britney Spears. I like it.
Posted by: Nick | Dec 2, 2008 7:51:24 PM
Love those ticket prices Britney!
Next!
Posted by: Marc | Dec 2, 2008 9:25:19 PM
Unusual You is far and away my second favorite song on the album. It really will be a dance hit when someone decides to remix it. Womanizer is her best song to date in my opinion. Even with its repetitive "Woomuhnizah", it doesn't need remixing. Other notables, "Kill the Lights", "Circus", "Blur" and "Trouble".
Posted by: Kyle | Dec 2, 2008 10:32:18 PM
"To be honest, I wasn't a fan of Britney Spears until she shaved her head. Once she went crazy, I've followed her career and I'm happy she's climbing the charts, once more."
Same here. I can't listen to anything of hers pre-Toxic. And even most of that album I dislike. But Blackout is her best album (although her worst selling) to date and Circus recaptures some of that magic in some songs, which is fine by me since she seems to be cranking them out yearly now and I just skip the ones I don't like.
The best song is probably Unusual You. Just a really awesome song, needs to be a single.
I also like Mannequin, Circus, Kill The Lights, Phonography, and Trouble a lot.
All in all, I'm quite satisfied. Her performances are lacking in the energy she used to have (although notably better than last year's) but I'd take better music over better live performances any day. I can't even listen to her old stuff now (what the critics probably think of as her best material), it just sucks.
Posted by: Wes | Dec 3, 2008 11:34:55 AM
BTW, I think I may the only person who seriously is unimpressed with "If You Seek Amy." It was written by Max Martin and it shows. Sounds way too much like her older songs, which as I stated above, I tend to dislike.
I find the melody way too poppy, but not in the good way, in the obnoxious way. Like "Oops I Did It Again" or something.
Posted by: Wes | Dec 3, 2008 11:59:20 AM
I am not a huge Britney fan. (I feel sorry for her most of the time.)But, I do agree, like early Madonna, she is just a great entertainer and should be taken for that.
Regarding Circus, it's okay. Not blown away by it. I loved Blackout and still listen to it. Love Toy Soldier from Blackout and Radar which is also on this album too. (Is that because I bought the deluxe version from Itunes?) I really like Trouble from Circus and I understand that most people like Unusual You. It's okay.
I am sitting on the fence about it still but it may grow on me.
I have to say though that Blackout is still on my Ipod. I have removed the latest from Madonna, X-Tina and Justin Timberlake. I think for me that says it all. (But I also have Fierce Angel, David Guetta, and Hed-Kandi too!)
Posted by: George | Dec 3, 2008 4:36:16 PM
Hi Guys, I would like to share with you a remix that I did for Briteny that got some great comments...
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=fac21f25a8be8b4fd2db6fb9a8902bda
You are welcome to leave comments at my myspace www.myspace.com/amirmarcus
And you are welcome to come say hello :)
Thanks
Amir
Posted by: Amir Marcus | Jan 7, 2009 11:44:42 AM
She finally made it!
http://www.dijit.com/dijits/ahs/ahs/
Posted by: elvis | Mar 18, 2009 3:45:59 PM