Music Review: Britney + 3
Guess who got an A for writing this for class…
[clearing throat] Me.
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One year ago, Britney Spears was still recovering from a major meltdown and regaining the trust of her fans who were left shaky after her failed attempt at a comeback with the critically acclaimed Blackout album. Moving on to Circus, her sixth studio album, she razzled and dazzled to the best of her ability with safe pop tracks, limited promotion, and a mediocre tour. It was enough to keep the die-hards happy while she received medical attention and a much needed recovery that kept her away from interviews, live broadcasts, and further media scrutiny. With the latest release of “3″, it appears that Spears is ready to take charge as Forbes Magazine’s second most powerful musician.
According to Digital Spy Magazine, “3″ is a “pure pop with a soupçon of controversy” as it flirts with the idea of having a threesome. Sure, Spears has been teasing audiences since her debut in 2000 with sexual hints and mischievous allusions but in this track she spell it out. She even goes on to name “Peter, Paul, and Mary,” which some might think is a biblical reference as she sings, “Living in sin is the new thing.” But Clark Collis of Entertainment Weekly, who sides with the older generation of music fans, points out in a review that it “is an unfortunate [mentioning of the legendary folk group] given the very recent death of Mary Travers.”
The song is a basic hypnotic chant supported by synthesized vocals and the infamous auto-tune technology. Spears’ voice is variably monotone, which extends its shelf-life for intoxicated karaoke worldwide. Her singing is well-harmonized but barely escapes the typical whiny and nasally nursery rhyme motif that has been dominating the pop scene for the past decade with chart toppers such as Kristina Debarge’s “Goodbye,” Rhianna’s “Umbrella” and Spears’ previous single “If You Seek Amy.” Spears does not reinvent the wheel. “The bottom line is this is another irresistibly catchy pop confection that beats out most everything else on pop radio today,” explains Bill Lamb, music editor at About.com.
The lyrics are simple and humorous, with an adult attitude that emerges from Spears’ newly authentic vixen persona. Although it mentions playing “Twister on the floor,” “3″ is not about games. Unlike Slave 4 U and Radar, which left audiences to discover the endless innuendo possibilities, the song is upfront with all puns intended. With an orgasmic moan repeated throughout, the song indicates a new post-pop-tart era that frees Britney Spears from any responsibility as a role model.
Written by Max Martin, who also wrote “Oops… I Did It Again,” the song features a heavy, unapologetic, club anthem that is reminiscent of the work of DJ Luke Skywalker of the early 1990′s. Listeners will hear a futuristic rush of keyboard riffs, combined with inventive drum manipulations and bass syncopation. The song is musically dynamic as the hook, chorus, verse and bridge are each individually supported by their own unique melodies that flow into and from one another. (It is a basic formula for a pop song designed to prolong the life of the Britney Spears brand.) It’s catchy enough to survive public scrutiny and buys Spears time to prepare for her next album release. It is a gear-shifting song for the singer who once used to sing “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman.”
Will people like this new version of BS? So far the track has already shot to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, an accomplishment Spears has only done twice before with Baby One More Time and Womanizer. Perhaps that the 27-year-old-mother of two can keep up this momentum while audiences remain hyped about her bounce back from the dark side.
Side Note: The original version of this, before it was edited, was more biased than Dolly Parton judging a wet t-shirt contest.
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