Christina Aguilera – Back to Basics

christina aguilera backtoba
Artist: Christina Aguilera
Title: Back to Basics
Label: RCA
Rating: 5/10

CORPORATE LINE: A modern take on vintage jazz, soul and blues from the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and beyond, her third studio album is wildly inventive, whose throwback style creates a sound that’s gritty and raw. The album reunites her with producer Linda Perry and offers new collaborations with producers such as DJ Premier.

“This is a concept album that follows a bold vision,” explains Aguilera. “The touchstones are Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald what I used to call my ‘fun music’ when I was a little girl.

“The double album, Back To Basics utilizes an orchestra, choir, string quartet and jazz horns, as well as techniques that, according to GQ, “blends a vintage-soul sound with state-of-the-art beatsmanship to form a throwback/hip-hop showcase for her outsize voice.” “I Got Trouble” incorporates a scratchy blues feel, while “Candy Man” recalls the tight harmonies of all-girl groups from the ’30s and ’40s “Save Me From Myself” is an emotionally naked, raw-sounding song dedicated to her husband. “Thank You,” dedicated to her fans, features DJ Premier splicing bits of “Genie In A Bottle” with fan voicemail messages. Also sure to appeal to Aguilera fans is the risqué “Nasty Naughty Boy” (which has a ’20s burlesque feel) and the sassy club track “Still Dirrty.”

THE GOOD:
“Ain’t No Other Man” – Even at a hyper pace Aguilera proves she is easily the best singer in pop music. This is funky, danceable, and keeps Aguilera ahead of the curve.
“Understand” – A sweet ballad that is part modern day and part jazz ala Sarah Vaughn. Aguilera doesn’t completely grasp what made jazz such a powerful music. Then again it doesn’t matter as Aguilera’s huge voice combined with the sample of Betty Harris make for pure delight.
“Candyman” – Give Linda Perry some credit for rewriting the classic Andrews Sisters WWII song “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”.

THE AVERAGE:
“Still Dirrty” – It’s funny to listen to Aguilera sing about wanting to be nasty without questioning her taste. Aguilera is lucky to be blessed with such an amazing voice that allows her to get away with absurd lyrics (“there’s some women out there who talk and stare/ who never seem to let down their hair”).
“The Right Man” – This is another odd song. It would seem that Christina wants us, the listeners, to understand her marriage. Why do we need to understand? Why should we actually care? She can say this song it is about her feelings, but it never feels that way as the song gets lost in the melodrama.
“Here To Stay” – “I ain’t going no place/ I’m here to stay” declares Aguilera. Enough said.
“Nasty Naughty Boy” – As much as Aguilera wants to prove she can hang with classic jazz singers, and she has the voice to do it, she has to recognize the songs never came out and said what they meant. Back then this song would have been called something innocuous and the words would have had a double meaning.

THE BAD:
“Oh Mother” – This is one of a few moments that prove this shouldn’t have been a double album.
“Thank You” – Is it me or does every pop artist feel compelled to write a thank you song to fans? It has yet to work and here it’s horrifying. Even funnier, or perhaps sad, is to hear fans call her a role model. Maybe some day Mrs. Aguilera will really get that message.

FRANKLY: Christina Aguilera is great in terms of being a bubble gum pop singer but she is on a bubble that is waiting to burst. Write a song about that.

+ Rae Gun


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