Kiss, Kiss, Tip Your Glass, I'll Do Whatever You Ask For. But If You Want My Love, You Can Only Find It On The Dance Floor

(Singles are italicized, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE songs are recommended!)

Back in 1998, a young, 16-year-old Britney Spears burst onto the scene with her debut single, "...Baby One More Time", and subsequent album of the same name was released by the time she turned 17, about 3 months later. She was a sweet, innocent girl, singing about love, friendship, and joy -- the norm for any teenager around that age.

16 months later, in May of 2000, while ...Baby One More Time was just cooling down on the charts, Britney hit us again with her sophomore album, Oops!...I Did It Again, which yielded several hit singles, and sold just as well as her debut, if not better. While Britney was still an innocent 18-year-old girl, but this time, she showed a little more attitude (and a little more midriff). Though there was still some controversy, fans and critics ate it up.

November of 2001 rolled around, and we saw Britney transform even more from girl to woman. Her third album (simply titled Britney), became her most mature effort up until that time. It was a different direction for Britney, who was 3 and a half weeks shy of 20. The songs were edgier, angrier, and Britney appeared to be more sexually emancipated, however, they still had that Britney charm that everybody knew and loved.

Two years later, in November of 2003, the public saw a different Britney. One that was totally different from the sweet, innocent little girl that came on the scene 5 years earlier. Her fourth studio album, In The Zone was a complete 360 for Brit, with influences of techno / trance, and even southern hip-hop. She became very involved in production and writing, and just like that, In The Zone became her most personal album to date.

2004 through 2007 were pretty quiet years for Britney, music-wise. Aside from a Greatest Hits collection release (which included 3 new songs, two of which became singles), a Remix album, and a few singles here and there, Britney laid low in the music industry. She married backup dancer / deadbeat dad K-Fed, had her own reality show and two kids with him, and just as quickly divorced him. Whew!

The end of 2007 came around, and it was not a good time for Britney. After a mental breakdown (which included her infamous head-shaving incident), we got the album Blackout, which was led off by its first smash hit "Gimme More". Receiving no promotion (other than a heavily-criticized VMA performance) and no world tour, the album still managed to do fairly well, and spawned three wildly successful singles and is considered one of her best among fans.

2008 started off equally as rocky for our Brit, as in early January she made headlines when she locked herself and her two kids in the bathroom of her home. With a scheduled (and subsequently canceled) Deluxe Edition re-release of Blackout planned, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing her name. Recording sessions in 2008 eventually evolved into what became Britney's sixth studio album, Circus, the title that reflected what her life was like around the time of the album's production and release. The album was immensely successful, and with 4 massively huge singles, it was safe to say Britney's life was back on track.

Halfway through 2009, after Britney released the final single from Circus, it was time for another break. That holiday season, fans were treated to a Singles Collection CD, which was essentially a re-release of her Greatest Hits: My Prerogative compilation, with some modifications and substitutions made to include her newer hits, as well as the only new track on the album, 3. Made into a single, 3 was relatively successful and generally praised by critics.

THE REVIEW:

From 2009 through the early part of this year, Britney had been hard at work recording her seventh studio album, titled Femme Fatale, which is the subject of our review here. Having worked with a multitude of producers and writers, Britney put it in full-gear and delivered a masterpiece. Sounding like a combination of Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor album, and Britney's older albums In The Zone and Blackout (with a hint of Circus flavor), Britney brings us her greatest album yet, and quite possibly the greatest Pop / Dance from an artist of our generation. Call it pop, call it dance, call it whatever you want, but there's no denying that the album is pure genius from start to finish. Fun fact - 11 of these songs (tracks 3 - 13) are already in my Top 25 Most Played playlist on iTunes.

1. Till The World Ends - The album's current single, which was written by Ke$ha is a fun dance tune, which finds Brit encouraging everybody to "Keep on dancin' Till The World Ends"! It's an awesome opening track that grows on you with each listen [EDIT: 4/6/11 -- The music video was just released and it is FANTASTIC. The dancing, the setting, everything. It looks like it could be the sequel to 2001's I'm A Slave 4 U music video.]

2. Hold It Against Me - I won't lie, when this single was released back in January, I was by no means impressed. I liked the dubstep breakdown in the middle, and the chorus was catchy the first few times around, but I find the song to be otherwise average, and that's not saying much because I can easily listen to this entire album from start to finish.

3. Inside Out - For some reason, this sounds a lot like it could easily be a Janet Jackson song. It's a slower song about having . . . relations . . . one last time before breaking up, and it's got a really good tune with a nice chorus.

4. I Wanna Go - By far my favorite song on the album. Everything about it just makes you want to get up and dance. The killer beat, the catchy chorus, the sexy verses. It's just purely amazing. It's rumored to be the third single, so we'll see how that goes!

5. How I Roll - This is a very unusual song. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it's just so different. It's got a strange beat, and Britney uses a vocoder (or some other voice alteration process) to deepen her voice for the first part of every line in the chorus (similar to the entire chorus of "Get Naked (I Got A Plan)" from Blackout). And contrary to popular belief, she says "You can be my thug tonight", NOT "You can be my f**k tonight"!

6. (Drop Dead) Beautiful [featuring Sabi] - Let's face it, we're all thinking it -- who the hell is Sabi? Why would Britney use an unknown female rapper for her record? To be quite honest, the rap in the song by Sabi just sounds like Britney, but heavily autotuned and her voice tweaked down a pitch or two. It isn't though! Otherwise, it's a great song. It sounds like Ke$ha could have written it (she didn't), and it's a great listen.

7. Seal It With A Kiss - Call me crazy for thinking this (and sorry for all the comparisons to Blackout), but this honestly sounds like it could be "Freakshow", The Prequel (or Sequel, either works). The music, the dubstep, the lyrics, and everything about it. Not that I should have to say it, but it's great.

8. Big Fat Bass [featuring will.i.am] - Now, this is the only song on the album I have a legitimate complaint about. WHY will.i.am?! Ick. He ruins the song, to be quite honest. While I'm a fan of The Black Eyed Peas, he really adds nothing to this particular song. In fact, his rap verse just sounds like a scrapped verse from the BEP's "Boom Boom Pow". Useless. I do really like Britney's parts, and in the second verse where she sings "I wanna go out dancin'", her vocals are hauntingly reminiscent of Madonna.

9. Trouble For Me - The dance party continues! Probably my third favorite on the album (tied with Gasoline , behind I Wanna Go and Criminal), it's an amazing song. The Bridge is outstandingly fantastic, I could have just the Bridge on repeat and never tire of it.

10. Trip To Your Heart - Brit slows it down a bit with the mid-tempo song about, erm ... getting closer. Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. It's got an In The Zone kind of vibe to it, and I like it.

11. Gasoline - Another one of my favorites from the album! It's a fun song with a summery feel to it. For some reason, I feel like this could have easily been on her Circus album.

12. Criminal - You might be confused when you first play this song, because you'll hear a flute in the beginning. Don't be alarmed, you haven't subconsciously switched over to the Pocahontas soundtrack! This is another winner, which tells the story of Britney falling in love with, well, a criminal. Here is another instance of Britney's voice being slightly reminiscent of Madonna's.

13. Up 'N Down - A fun song about dancing! She starts off the bonus tracks on the right foot! A highly recommended song which finds Britney's voice, once again and for the final time on this album, being very reminiscent of Madonna's, especially during the chorus.

14. He About To Lose Me - One of the fan favorites, Britney shows us she doesn't need autotune to enhance her voice.

15. Selfish - A very sexual song that finds Britney being, well, selfish. Filled with a few innuendos, it's a fun song to dance to.

16. Don't Keep Me Waiting - What? A rock song? WHAT?! Britney tells this guy not to "keep [her body] waiting". It's killer. Think along the lines of Amnesia and Rock Boy from Circus.

17. Scary - The bonus track that's only available on Japan pressings of the album! It's a funky song that finds Britney wanting a guy "so bad [that] it's scary". Definitely worth a listen!

Tonight We're Goin' Hard

(Singles are italicized, recommendations are in red).

As I've probably said before, when Ke$ha jumped onto the scene in October 2009 with her debut single "TiK ToK", I was not impressed. In fact, I found her to be annoying, untalented and repetitive. So many of my friends were into her and her music when her debut album Animal was released, so I decided to give her music a second chance, and it was a very wise choice on my part.

Think what you want about Ke$ha, there's no denying she's got catchy music. With her first EP Cannibal, listeners aren't thrown for a loop upon first listen. Ke$ha keeps it familiar with songs that sound like they are outtakes from Animal, almost as if the EP is intended to be Animal 2.0.

Originally intended to be released as an expanded Deluxe Edition of Animal, Ke$ha did what Lady Gaga did, and packaged the EP with the debut album in a 2-Disc Set, and as a standalone EP. Having already owned Animal, I opted for Cannibal by itself instead of the more expensive Animal + Cannibal deluxe package (though I'll probably buy it down the road, the edition of Cannibal included with that is an Enhanced CD with bonus music videos, as well as a pointless Ke$ha tattoo). That's beyond the point though. Clocking in at just over a half an hour, Cannibal does not fail to deliver.

1. Cannibal - K$ opens the EP in a creepy sort of way. It's a really catchy opening track, which I personally like. Most people I show this song to aren't really big on it because of its creepy and weird lyrics, but that's Ke$ha for you.

2. We R Who We R - The EP's lead single, Ke$ha presents us with a song about being yourself and doing your thing. Written for the multiple gay teenagers in the news who committed suicide, this party anthem about being proud of who you are never gets old.

3. Sleazy - This song is awesome. It's not my favorite on the EP, but still awesome. The heavy, thumping and pulsating bass is enough to get you up and dancing. In terms of lyrics, it's a song about rich guys hitting on Ke$ha, who says she doesn't need all that to be impressed (thematically comparable to J.Lo's "Love Don't Cost a Thing").

4. Blow - The EP's second single. Out of all the people I've asked if they'd heard Ke$ha's new song 'Blow', they always chuckle and say 'No, but that title doesn't surprise me!'. Surprisingly enough, this song is simply about dancing! Accompanied with a very humorous music video, this party anthem is doing quite well on U.S. charts.

5. The Harold Song - What do we have here? A ballad?! No way! Way. In what sounds hauntingly similar to 'Blind' [from Animal], we get an emotionally-driven song about our girl K$ wanting her lover back. It's a great song, doesn't rely too heavily on auto-tune, and probably my second favorite off the EP.

6. Crazy Beautiful Life - My absolute favorite song from Ke$ha, it's about having fun with friends and not having a care in the world. Fantastic song for any occasion.

7. Grow A Pear - This song has actually been around forever! Originally surfacing online about a year and a half ago as a demo, Ke$ha reworked it and included it on this EP. It's a song about how she "just can't date a dude with a vag", or in other words, she wants her guy to man up. It's a pretty humorous song, which finds our girl claiming halfway through, "[And] no, I don't want to see your mangina"!

8. C U Next Tuesday - This one has also been around forever, often surfacing with "Grow A Pear" on fanmade demo compilations and such. Originally titled "CUNxTuesday" (most likely changed for the EP so it wasn't as crude), this one's not one of my most favorites, but it's still worth a good listen every once in a while.

9. Animal [Billboard Remix] - Is it weird that I prefer this version to the original? [For additional info, see the review under the Animal album].

It's Been A While . . .

Hey guys! I want to apologize again for not keeping up with the reviews here. Last batch of reviews I did (P!nk's Greatest Hits album and Mariah Carey's Christmas album) came almost 3 months ago, and lots has happened since then, what with me being home on vacation, catching up with friends, and coming back to school. It's been a pretty eventful couple of months! I'm going to try and keep this up to date, but school work comes first, so postings probably won't be regular until maybe the end of May. Thanks for your understanding, and keep reading! :)

Mistreated, Misplaced, Misunderstood

(Recommendations are in red.)

"11 years. Wow. 15 if you count from the day I signed my record contract. I was a 16 year-old, punk-a** little know-it-all, me-against-the-world, I-will-beat-you-down brat. Really I just needed a hug - and some gas money," is how P!nk introduces her first collection of greatest hits. Compiled onto one disc, LaFace / Jive Records really did a great job at selecting the singer's massive hits, and the inclusion of the new songs is definitely a wise move on their part.

I had liked P!nk ever since she really came to everyone's attention for good in 2002 with her smash single "Get The Party Started" from her 2001 sophomore album M!ssundaztood. I liked her enough that I realized that she was here to stay, and I asked for (and received) that album for Christmas of that year. After listening to that and realizing I liked every song, it was obvious that P!nk would do no wrong, and this F****n' Perfect (haha, corny pun, I know) collection really proves that.

1. Get The Party Started - Taken from her M!ssundaztood album (released in 2001), this is P!nk's signature song. No matter how annoying and repetitive it may be at times, there's no denying the song's catchy chorus and take-no-prisoners verses.

2. There You Go - The only song on this collection to be taken off her debut album, Can't Take Me Home (released in 2000). Can't Take Me Home was more of an R&B-driven album, and the only reason I can think of for this being the only song from that album to be featured here is because it is her most popular song from that album. It also has that angry tone from P!nk that we can still hear today. It's a shame that this was the only CTMH song on this greatest hits collection, seeing as there are far more better track from that album that were chosen as singles (where's Most Girls or even You Make Me Sick?).

3. Don't Let Me Get Me - Another overwhelmingly successful single from her M!ssundaztood album, Don't Let Me Get me is one of those songs you have to be in the mood to listen to. I know I say it a lot, but it's true. It's a great song, but after a while it can get under your skin. You've been warned.

4. Just Like A Pill - This is what I'm talking about! My favorite single taken off of her M!ssundaztood album, it's got killer verses and a catchy chorus. I could easily put this song on repeat and not get tired.

5. Family Portrait - A heartbreaking account of the story of divorce, told through one child's eyes. Released as the final single from her M!ssundaztood album, it's a powerful and melodic R&B tune.

6. Trouble - The only song taken from 2003's Try This, my favorite P!nk album. Although this rebellious song, the lead single for Try This, won P!nk a 2004 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, the album underperformed and is P!nk's lowest selling album to date.

7. Stupid Girls - In 2006, almost three years after Try This commercially flopped, P!nk returned to the music scene with her song Stupid Girls, which was accompanied with a controversial, VMA-winning music video. It's a comical and satirical song that pokes fun at (and criticizes) various famous "Stupid Girls" (notably Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Mary-Kate Olsen). Though it isn't one of my favorite songs from her I'm Not Dead album, it's a good listen every now and then.

8. Who Knew - Another song from I'm Not Dead, this song was actually released twice in the U.S., once in 2006 as the album's second single, and then again in 2007, as the album's fourth single. It's a touching song about losing someone close to you and dealing with that in everyday life. It's a great song, but (like most singles from I'm Not Dead), it was a tad overplayed.

9. U + Ur Hand - Often credited with providing a surge in sales for her I'm Not Dead album, this comical song is P!nk's (not-so) subtle way of telling a guy at the bar that she will not be going home with him. It's probably the only single from I'm Not Dead that I can still listen to to this day.

10. Dear Mr. President (featuring Indigo Girls) - Taken off her comeback album, I'm Not Dead (2006), I think this is the one P!nk song that truly makes me cringe. It's P!nk's letter to (ex)-President George W. Bush. Don't get me wrong, it's beautifully written, and I agree with the points she makes here, but this song really is not P!nk at all. The message and style is, but there's just something about it that isn't right. It wasn't even released as a single in the U.S., so its appearance on the U.S. edition of this collection puzzles me. And the addition of Indigo Girls definitely does not sit well with me. Sorry, P!nk!

11. So What - That's more like it! After waiting two and a half years, P!nk returned to the scene with her Funhouse album in October of 2008, with this song as its lead single. It's the angry, feisty, and fun P!nk that we all know and love, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

12. Sober - A more mellowed out P!nk sings to us about being independent, and having nobody to lean on or turn to. It's a pretty personal, dark slow song, but it works for her, and it's a great listen.

13. Please Don't Leave Me - Another take-it-or-leave-it song from Funhouse, this song shows P!nk begging and pleading for her lover not to leave her.

14. Funhouse - I love this one! It's a funky, original song about the past and how things have changed. It never fails to disappoint, and is really worth a listen.

15. I Don't Believe You - Another great song from Funhouse. P!nk shows her vulnerable side, and you can really hear the emotions in her voice when she sings here. It's a fantastic, heart-wrenching song that will give you chills every listen.

16. Glitter In The Air - I'm not a huge fan of this one. It really gained attention when she performed this at the Grammys, but this song really does nothing for me.

17. Raise Your Glass - A new song for this collection, this massive hit in the U.S. is about letting free and just being yourself. It's got a great message, and it's really catchy.

18. F****n' Perfect - The second newly recorded song for this collection is great. It's an emotional song which finds P!nk telling the listener "Don't you ever, ever feel / Like you're nothin' / You're F****n' Perfect / To me". It's awesome to listen to when you're feeling down about yourself.

Hang Your Stockings With Christmas Cheer, 'Cause Santa Claus Comes Tonight

(Singles are italicized, recommendations are in red.)

What can be said about Mariah Carey that hasn't been said before? With a 20-year music career under her belt, multiple marriages, a mental breakdown, and 12 albums later, this Diva's been through quite a lot.

Following the success of her first Christmas album - titled Merry Christmas - there's no need to wonder why Mimi would title her second Christmas album Merry Christmas II You (pun clearly intended, as she makes clear in just about every interview she's done to promote the album). It's also no surprise that she would mimic almost the exact same pose that she held for her first Christmas album's cover back in 1994 - 16 years ago. Fans and critics alike dub Mariah "Ms. Christmas", as they should. Anyone can tell that she really put her heart and soul into this album.

1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Intro) - A 23-second instrumental of the chorus for the song "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". It's featured as the first 23 seconds of her "Oh Santa!" music video, because this track seamlessly segues into . . .

2. Oh Santa! - The very first single released from the album. It's a really catchy song that's got a chorus that will have you hooked. Mariah asks Santa to bring her lover back to her for Christmas.

3. O Little Town Of Bethlehem / Little Drummer Boy Medley - I'm really indifferent towards this one. It's a very weird combination of songs, but I sorta like it.

4. Christmas Time Is In The Air Again - The second original song off the album ("Oh Santa!" being the first). This song is just about feeling good about the Christmas season. The concept is good, however, in this song, it seems as if Mariah has come down with what I like to call "The Charmbracelet Symptoms" - that is, 'whispering' the lyrics through more than half the song, belting out a few notes towards the end, and ending the song. It's not a great concept, but I'm in love with the simple yet charming lyrics, so I'd recommend it I think.

5. The First Noel / Born Is The King Interlude - Okay, I'm really not liking this whole concept of Christmas mashups she's done on this album. This is definitely a step up from the previous mashup on here, and I do like this one I suppose.

6. When Christmas Comes - I'm in love with this. It's another original song, and this time she really really sings, not whispers.

7. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / Housetop Celebration - Oddly enough, I really love this song too. It's a ghetto-ified version of "Here Comes Santa Claus", but it's funky and I can't stop listening to it. Just get rid of Jermaine Dupri's annoying hollering at random places throughout, and this song would be 100% perfect.

8. Charlie Brown Christmas - Mariah's cover of the classic "Christmas Time Is Here", from the Peanuts holiday special. It's really nice.

9. O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus [featuring Patricia Carey] - I tried really really hard to like this one, but to be fair, I don't think I can say that I gave it much of a chance. This one features Mariah's mother, who is an opera singer. I'm just not a huge fan of opera, so naturally I was relatively pessimistic upon listening.

10. O Holy Night (Live) - The live version of her rendition of the classic from her first Christmas album. Recorded 10 years ago in 2000, I really do like this one. A music video for this live version was made when it was first recorded in 2000, and it's beautiful, so you should check that out if you have the chance.

11. One Child - The final original song on the album. It's not great, but it's not horrible.

12. All I Want For Christmas Is You (Extra Festive) - Mariah's re-recorded version of her 1994 classic. Revamped with an all-new instrumental intro, a remixed track, and an extended ending, this one's a keeper. Though it's evident that her vocals aren't as strong as they were 16 years ago, it's still a great listen, and I love the ending, in which she beautifully vocalizes and chants "All I want / All I really want is / Want is / Want is / Want is / You". Though you can sorta hear this on the original as it fades out, it's a great addition to this re-recorded, 'Extra Festive' remix.

13. Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem) - The first 50 seconds or so start off like a Gospel song, but then it turns into a funky techno-ish celebration song that makes you want to just get up and dance. Or fist pump.

Whoa, an Update?!

Hey everybody,

I know it's been almost 6 months since I posted a review on here, which is disappointing. So many great albums have been released this past summer and fall, and my last review was in June! But since we are only 4 days away from Christmas, one of the biggest holidays of the year, I think it would be appropriate to review a few Christmas albums! Stay tuned for some of that, my first album review should be coming tonight - a review of Mariah Carey's newest holiday album, Merry Christmas II You.

Got our friends, got the night, We'll Be Alright.

(Singles are italicized, recommendations are in red.)

When I first heard the song "Billionaire" about 3 months ago, I thought Bruno Mars (the guy who sings the chorus of the song) was Travie. I never paid much attention to the song, and I realized Travie was the rapper when heard it on the radio one day and found it to be pretty catchy. Then in May I went to a concert with 3OH!3, Cobra Starship, I Fight Dragons, and Travie McCoy. There was still a month to go before Lazarus' release, so I was excited when he performed 3 or 4 songs from the album. It was at that moment I decided I would get the album as soon as it came out, and that's exactly what I did.

1. Dr. Feelgood (featuring Cee-Lo Green) - Awesome album opener! It's upbeat, and guaranteed to become an instant favorite.

2. Superbad [11:34] - This song is unique in that it's got somewhat of a rock feel to it, and I like it a lot!

3. Billionaire (featuring Bruno Mars) - Who hasn't heard this one? It's still worth the listen once in a while, but after a few listens, it's safe to skip this one.

4. Need You - I'm not sure if I like this one too much. It's just kinda boring and repetitive, and the chorus is annoying.

5. Critical (featuring Tim William) - It's a slight improvement over track 4, but not much, as it's also got an annoying chorus that won't leave your head.

6. AKidAgain - For a while, this was one of my favorites from the album, but after a while you get somewhat sick of it.

7. We'll Be Alright - This is, without a doubt, the party anthem on the album. It ties with "Superbad (11:34)" as my favorite on the album.

8. The Manual (featuring T-Pain and Young Cash) - I usually skip this one mainly because I can't stand T-Pain. It's a shame, it would have been a killer song if T-Pain was replaced by someone who didn't need a machine to sing for them.

9. After Midnight - This feels freakishly similar to "We'll Be Alright", but that doesn't bother me, because it's still a great song.

10. Don't Pretend (featuring Colin Munroe) - I was a little put off by the strange chipmunk - like vocals at the beginning and throughout the song, but it grew on me. It's a dark, sad song with a rockish feel to it. Very good.

11. Ms. Tattoo Girl (featuring T-Pain) (iTunes Exclusive Bonus Track) - A slight improvement over the other song that had T-Pain in it, but it's still T-Pain.

12. She Did It (iTunes Exclusive Bonus Track) - Nothing special, just somewhat boring.