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!

I Really Wanna Know What We Did Wrong, With A Love That Felt So Strong...

Okay, I will admit, the resurgence of my love for Britney has certainly been reflected in this review blog. Hang on tight, after this single review there's only 2 more studio albums and 2 compilation albums by her to review! I probably won't review them all in a row, so we'll be taking a Britney break after this.

This song was released as her debut album (...Baby One More Time)'s fourth single in some European countries, and shockingly enough, there's quite a bit of history surrounding this song.

Originally, the song was a lot more sexual and mature than the final product, and apparently the only way the then- 16-year-old Britney agreed to do this one was if they altered lyrics and verses to become less explicit. I would sure love to know what the original lyrics were!

Another interesting fact I learned in my research of the song: For the original concept of the video, they were going to have Britney in a dream, dwelling on the past of her and her ex, but there's a twist! She was pregnant with his kid! Apparently the storyline leaked and there was lots of negative feedback, so the record company changed the concept. Would have been interesting to see how the video would have turned out had they gone with their original concept.

Sure, I did find this CD Single as an import in FYE for $6.99 tonight, and I would be lying if I said I didn't overpay for it. But I couldn't not pass this one up. This is probably my favorite Pop song of all time. It's just so sweet. Plus, this version of the CD single definitely offers the most material. Sure, I did already own mp3s of these 4 tracks, but i wanted the official release. Here's my short-but-sweet review:

1. Born to Make You Happy (Radio Edit) - The original, amazing song that has been butchered for radio airplay. It's bittersweet that they didn't release BTMYH as a single here in the U.S., because it's such a beautiful song. On the other hand, the radio edit cuts the last 30 seconds of the song, in which Britney belts out the final half of the song's chorus. It's absolutely amazing, but unfortunately, it was cut from the radio edit.

2. Born to Make You Happy (Bonus Remix) - I don't think I'd technically call this one a remix. More like an acoustic version. This one features Britney and a guitar, with minimal other instruments. It's great, and really shows off her vocal abilities. I'm not really sure if I prefer this one or the album version better.

3. (You Drive Me) Crazy (Jazzy Jim's Hip-Hop Mix) - The same vocals and lyrics are used here as the ones used in the "Stop! Remix", but they are placed over a different beat. It's really funky and cool, I just wish they had used the vocals and lyrics that they used for the original album mix.

4. ...Baby One More Time (Answering Machine Message) - A 21-second instrumental of Britney's debut single ...Baby One More Time, in which Britney tells people that the recipient of the call can't come to the phone, and that they should leave a message, and "Baby, they'll call you back...one more time!", followed by the "Hit me baby one more time!" used in the chorus of the song. It's clever and fun for some hardcore fans, but somewhat useless.

Its Only Your Shadow, Never Yourself, Its Only Your Shadow, Nobody Else, Its Only Your Shadow, Filling The Room, Arriving Too Late, & Leaving Too Soon

(Singles are italicized. Recommendations are in red).

First off, I must apologize for using "Its" in place of "It's" in this review's title. There wasn't enough space to use proper grammar AND fit the entirety of my favorite lyric in that one tiny title box. On that note, on to the review:

On her final, pre-breakdown Britney album, In The Zone, Britney Spears really shifted directions from her previous effort, Britney. Rather than songs about love, relationships and growing up, Spears serves up a batch of songs about sex, partying, and dependency (on another person, that is). Is it a bad thing? No, not necessarily. She doesn't totally overdo it, and not every song is about the same thing, which makes In The Zone such a fun record.

1. Me Against The Music (Featuring Madonna) - The first single from the album. For some reason, I have a tendency to not be a huge fan of singles, and this is no exception. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but something about it is just...odd. Madonna's vocals are just too weird and tweaked, making her verse almost painful to listen to.

2. (I Got That) Boom Boom (Featuring The Ying Yang Twins) - I love this one. Britney skillfully blends the Hip-Hop/Rap genre with country and pop, and it's great. The Ying Yang Twins' vocals really shake things up a bit on this really fun track.

3. Showdown - Okay, now it's time to cool things down. This is another really interesting one. It's a bit on the naughty side, but that's what's fun about it. The chorus starts simply with "Here comes the showdown // What goes around comes around // And the crowds are waiting".

4. Breathe On Me - Another sensual, sexy song. It's got a very techno feel to it, so it's another different approach for her.

5. Early Mornin' - This song, produced by Moby, is all about partying, coming home late, and "Getting drunk 'til the break of dawn", because "it don't stop // Til the early mornin'". Its got a spacey, blurry vibe to it, making you feel as if you're drunk or hungover yourself. I really love this one.

6. Toxic - One of Britney's signature songs. In a nutshell, this guy she's talking about...his love is toxic!

7. Outrageous - This has got to be the most bizarre song on the album. The R. Kelly-produced track has a middle-eastern sound, and it just feels so out of place on here. I hate R. Kelly, which is probably one of the reasons I hate this song - because his background howls and hoots, erm, I mean, "vocals" on here are annoying and unnecessary. But, if it's any consolation, I enjoy the Junkie XL Dancehall Mix of the song (that was on her Greatest Hits album).

8. Touch Of My Hand - This song about "lovin' yourself" (for lack of a better appropriate phrase), is so hypnotizing. It's bound to put you in a trance. A good, hypnotizing trance. Very well done!

9. The Hook Up - I really like this fun party song! This would have been a good choice for a single. Very funky, very fun. I just can't praise this one enough.

10. Shadow - I used to skip over this one, but now it's the song I go directly to! It's such a nice slow song that will move you but also has a killer chorus that will never leave your head. Genius.

11. Brave New Girl - Life's been bad? Can't catch a break? Get up, get out and move on with life! Don't dwell on the past! Or at least that's what Britney says in this feelgood song.

12. Everytime - A song about needing someone that it's hard to go on. It's a really sweet, yet haunting ballad. I love it, personally.

13. Me Against The Music (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix) (Featuring Madonna) - This is essentially the same as the first track, just with a different beat. Not too much is changed.

14. Don't Hang Up - Only appearing on Non-North American releases, it's easy to see where this song would get on someone's nerves. The chorus is pretty catchy, though.

15. The Answer - Britney's in love, and she wants people to know it! This track is also not on North American pressings.

Don't Leave Me Waitin' Longer, Why You Wanna Make Me Long For Ya?

(Singles are italicized, recommendations are in red).

If there's any pop star who made the stealthiest, most gradual transition from wholesome, sweet teen to freaky and flirty free bird, Britney Spears would be the one. With her 1999 debut album, ...Baby One More Time, Britney came across as a sweet moral-driven teenage girl. That slowly changed in 2000 with her second album, Oops!...I Did It Again, which showed us a slightly more provocative Spears gracing the album's cover with her midriff, and a little more adult lyrics. By 2001, the sweet teen that once was Britney Spears was long gone and abandoned in order to make way for the new, grown-up, more risque Britney, and there was no looking back from there. With the release of Britney, we show a more mature Britney, who at this point in time was not completely trashy or tacky. She was just Britney trying to find out who she was as an adult and as an entertainer. It's not a complete mess, but it's one of my least favorite pre-breakdown Britney albums.

1. I'm A Slave 4 U - The debut single that shocked critics and fans alike! This steamy, sexy track manages to keep things semi-classy, yet addictive. From the moment the first line is spoken "I know I may be young // But I've got feelings too", it's clear that Britney wants us to know one thing: she's grown up, but she's still young.

2. Overprotected - Another song about growing up and being free. Britney talks about how she feels so overprotected. It's not the greatest song here, but it's not the worst.

3. Lonely - As if one didn't learn from Oops!..'s "Don't Go Knockin' On My Door", an angry Britney howls that she's moved on and she will not take you back. I like to think of this one as Don't Go Knockin' On My Door, Part 2.

4. I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman - Does the title not tell it all? It's a pretty song, and the message is clear that she's grown enough to make her own decisions, but still needs time to learn from her mistakes.

5. Boys - The beat and music for this song is... different, and I was in love with this song for that reason for a really long time. Looking back on it now and listening to it again, while I enjoy it, I can't say I enjoy it as much. Still recommended, though. I enjoyed the Co-Ed remix with Pharrell much better.

6. Anticipating - This is probably the best song on the album. It's all about going out and having fun with your friends, and that's what life at this age should be about.

7. I Love Rock 'n' Roll - It's a different style for Britney. I don't hate it, and it's a welcomed addition. Very fun song. On an interesting side note, by this point in her career, Britney had at least 1 cover song on each of her three albums.

8. Cinderella - Here's another song I used to love, but now I'm just not a fan. It's a good listen, but there's better on the album.

9. Let Me Be - Like a few other songs from this album, the title says it all: go away! You don't know the real me! It's not very angry, just Britney calmly telling the listener to leave well enough alone.

10. Bombastic Love - This is another unique song. It sounds like a typical pop song but at the same time it doesn't. Either way it's great.

11. That's Where You Take Me - A sweet ballad that will surely make your heart melt. I'm lovin' it.

12. What It's Like To Be Me - Her then-boyfriend Justin Timberlake partially wrote and produced, as well as provided backing vocals on this somewhat average song. Take it or leave it.

Non-North American Bonus Tracks:

1. When I Found You - It's okay, but when it's sequenced after That's Where You Take Me (as it is on international Special Editions), the message and themes of the two songs lose their meanings and things just start to sound repetitive. Either way, this song is just somewhat bland to begin with.

2. I Run Away - This one's a little weird. Her voice is too "airy" and "whispery" here.

3. Before The Goodbye - This is the best out of all 3 bonus tracks, though that's not saying much. This one's a tad bland too. I'm beginning to see why these three tracks weren't included on all editions of the album!

Lost in an image, in a dream...

(Singles are italicized. Recommendations are in red.)

No, I will not apologize for all the recent Britney love. I've been a fan of hers over random periods of time. From 1999 - 2002, the end of 2003 - 2004, and then from late 2007 - 2009. My respect for her has gone up and down throughout the years, and just a few weeks ago, my respect has been gained back, mainly focusing on her first two albums. Either way, in 2000, just 16 months after the release of her debut album, her sophomore album, Oops!...I Did It Again dropped. One would guess that the album would be inferior to her debut, due to the proximity of the two albums' release dates. Impressively, this was not the case. Although I wouldn't quite say Oops! was better than ...Baby, but not worse at all. Despite some people's belief that Oops! was just a rush effort to ride onto the charts just as ...Baby's success slowly decreased, it was obvious that this was not true, since chart positions and sales showed that fans were still hungry for more Britney.

1. Oops!...I Did It Again - I'm not sure if it's because it was horrifically overplayed back in the day, or if it's so repetitive, but the lead single is probably my least favorite from the album. Nowadays, I always skip it.

2. Stronger - While this one was also occasionally overplayed, it's not as bad as the first single. I still love this song.

3. Don't Go Knockin' On My Door - I was never too crazy about this one, but it's pretty darn catchy. By this point in her career, we had never seen Britney this angry and edgy, so it's somewhat refreshing. After this song, there's the first of a few interludes. The interlude here serves as an intro to the following song, and is Britney's friend telling her how she's never satisfied, but she refutes with a "Well, I know I'm a little picky, but, hey. I just know what I want!" Stick it to the man (or, in this case, girl)!

4. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Many people have bashed Brit for covering a song like this so early on in her career, but I gotta give her props for this one. It's a decent cover of the Rolling Stones song by the same name. I like it a lot.

5. Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know - The final single released off of the album was also the single that performed the poorest. I never really understood why, it's a really great song. The video, however, was a little more sexual than anything she'd done before.

6. What U See (Is What U Get) - One of my favorites. It's one of those classic "This is me. You can't and you won't change me." songs. While it's a tad cliche, it's got a great, funky beat, and meaningful lyrics. Appended to this is the second interlude on the album. A guy leaves a voicemail for Britney talking about how the movie they saw the other night about the girl who had all that fame, and all that money and how she still wasn't happy. He finishes with "Wouldn't that make a cool song?", segueing into...

7. Lucky - It's so hard to pick favorite songs on any album, since I love a ton of them. If I had to pick, this'd probably be my favorite. A song about a Hollywood starlet who has money, fame and fortune, yet still isn't satisfied with life.

8. One Kiss From You - Britney basically tells us about how the kiss of the boy she's crushing on gives her the strength and the power to carry on through the day. Not the worst song, but far from the best.

9. Where Are You Now - For a loooooonnnnnnnngggggg time this was my favorite song on the album. I still love it, but I just don't find it as good as I used to. Definitely recommended, though.

10. Can't Make You Love Me - Maybe it's me, but I feel like this could be "Lucky, Part 2", from the perspective of the star Spears sang about in track 7. She talks about how she has it all made in the shade, but she can't make somebody love her. Again, not one of my favorites.

11. When Your Eyes Say It - Another great song. It's a slow ballad about communicating with your eyes...ooh la la! (On North American pressings of the album, an interlude is included in which Britney is with friends and she sees a boy whom she thinks is cute. Her friends persuade her to approach him but she doesn't know what to say. This then segues into Dear Diary, which is track 12. On Non North American editions, this interlude is appended to the end of Heart, which segues into Dear Diary, which is track 15 on all other editions.)

12. Girl In The Mirror - (Only available on Non North American pressings of the album.) In this song of self-realization, Spears talks about a "girl" in her "mirror". "I wonder who she is // Sometimes I think I know her // Sometimes I really wish I did". Britney says "There's nothing I can tell her // To make her feel alright" because the girl is sad and "Crying 'cause of you". In the end "I can't believe what I see // The girl in the mirror // Is me!". It's a very powerful song, and I love it.

13. You Got It All - (Only available on Non North American pressings of the album.) The second cover song on the album. This one was originally recorded by The Jets. Her vocals are very powerful, strong and pure in this one. Apparently this was recorded during the ...Baby One More Time sessions, which makes sense, because the way her vocals and the music sound on this one feels like it would fit more in place on that album.

14. Heart - (Only available on Non North American pressings of the album.) A breakup song. Britney has a 'discussion' with her heart. Saying "all the hurt will soon be gone" and that "he wasn't meant to be". It's another powerful and emotional song. (On Non North American editions of the album, the interlude in which Britney is with friends and she sees a boy whom she thinks is cute is appended to the end of THIS track, and segues into Dear Diary, track 15 on Non North American pressings.)

15. Dear Diary - (Appears as track 12, the final track, on North American pressings.) For years and years, I absolutely hated this song, and I continued to do so until recently, but now I don't think it's half bad. It's Britney writing in her diary about seeing (and subsequently meeting) a boy who she has feelings for. She concludes the song with "Diary, do ya think that we'll be more than friends? // I've got a feeling we'll be so much more // Than friends".

16. Walk On By - (Only on Australian and New Zealand pressings.) - I just heard this song for the very first time tonight. I'm lovin' it! The beat sorta reminds me of a mixture between Sometimes, Deep In My Heart and I Will Be There (from her debut album ...Baby One More Time).

Always and Forever, You and Me. That's the way our lives should be.

(Singles are italicized, recommendations are in red.)

Whether you like to admit it or not, you know Britney Spears changed the music industry forever when she released her debut single ...Baby One More Time in 1998, and her debut album of the same name in early 1999. Britney Spears became a household name almost instantly, and ...Baby One More Time not only became her biggest selling album to date, but also one of the best selling albums of all time. Recently, I found myself singing Born to Make You Happy in my head, which triggered memories of when my 8-year-old life was simple, 10 years ago (I didn't purchase the album right away). Flashbacks to me listening to the entire album and enjoying every second of the album. Why not share the love and review it?

1. ...Baby One More Time - Spears' debut single that everyone knew the words to back in the day. Interestingly enough, the song was written for successful female trio TLC (presumably for their Fanmail album, released a little over a month after this one). The girls rejected the song, and it was given to Spears. Good thing, too!

2. (You Drive Me) Crazy - I'm in love with the album version of the song. The "Stop! Remix", which was released as a single, just wasn't as good. Regardless, I love this song. From the electric guitar, to the lyrics, to Spears' natural vocals. It's all good.

3. Sometimes - Normally, I like Britney's ballads, but for some reason, this just doesn't cut it. I guess it makes sense, though, considering Britney herself says she never really liked the song. Oops!

4. Soda Pop - I don't know how I feel about this one. It's part reggae, part pop. Who's that man singing with her? This is one of those songs you just have to be in the mood for. If it's any consolation, Britney's vocals are great at parts of this one.

5. Born to Make You Happy - Oh. My. God. Britney definitely redeems herself (and then some)

with this song. This is such an absolutely amazing and phenomenal ballad and overall song. Her vocals are absolutely phenomenal here, and this is, without a doubt, my favorite Britney Spears song ever. It's about being in a state of desperation for somebody you're crazy about, and I'm sure everyone can relate to it at some point or another. Phenomenal song.

6. From the Bottom of My Broken Heart - I'm not sure if by this point in the record I am still coming down from the high that is the previous track, or if I'm just not a huge fan of this one. I like the lyrics and meaning of the song, I really do. Just something about Brit's vocals or the beat or something is just not doing it for me.

7. I Will Be There - Okay, this is good. It's a simple song about friendship, and Britney really shows off her powerful, natural vocals here.

8. I Will Still Love You (Duet with Don Philip) - Let's just discuss the elephant in the room here for a second. Who on Earth is Don Philip? Well, 11 years later, I decided to do some research. I was shocked to learn that back in '99, he was an up-and-coming pop singer who (by the pictures I've seen) appeared to be between the ages of 16 - 18. His debut album was only released in Japan (I'm guessing it was scrapped by Jive?), and from the clips I listened to he sounded really good. Don't know why he never made it. Anyways! This is a sweet ballad about always being there for your lover, no matter what happens. I enjoy it a lot, but Don Philips' vocals just sound so out of place here. I know I said he sounded good before, but that's when he's solo. His and Spears' vocals both contrast (and at the same time, blend) too much here.

9. Deep In My Heart - Wait. You mean to tell me that you've had this album for 11 years and you've never heard "Deep in My Heart"? Oh, that's because this is the bonus track that's only available on Non-U.S. pressings of the album! It's a good thing, too. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but it's also one of those 'take it or leave it' songs.

10. Thinkin' About You - Meh. I'm indifferent towards this one. I like the verses, but the chorus gets under my skin sometimes.

11. E-Mail My Heart - I don't care what the critics say. This is more than just some 'cheesy ballad'. I personally think it's great. It's my guilty pleasure on the album.

12. The Beat Goes On - This is a cover of the classic Sonny & Cher song. It's just not for me. Britney's vocals are just all weird here. Almost sounds like she's trying to sound like Christina Aguilera here.

13. I'll Never Stop Loving You - A Non-U.S. track. This ballad is just okay, but it's too similar to "I Will Still Love You" and "Deep in My Heart", in terms of concept.

14. Autumn Goodbye - Another Non-U.S. track. Well this one's sorta depressing, considering it's the 3rd or 4th breakup track on here. It's a really good one, though. I recommend it.

(The Davidson Ospina Remix and Boy Wunder Remix of ...Baby One More Time are included as tracks 15 and 16 respectively, but since they're simply remixes, there's no need to review them.)