Blackout : Britney Spears : Review : Rolling Stone

Well, this is unfortunate. While judges debate her child-visitation rights, Britney Spears has released an album whose title seems to have been inspired by a major flirtini binge. On Blackout, she's singing that she's "so damn high I can't come down," anticipating a night of "dancing tabletop," and issuing a proclamation that's enough to make Sean Preston use Jayden as a protective shield from Mommy: "Maybe I'm a freak, but I don't really give a damn/I'm as crazy as a motherfucker!"

Those words may or may not reflect Britney's true feelings — she didn't write them — but what's notable is that Blackout is the first time in her career that she's voiced any real thoughts about her life. The old provocation game is still afoot, but Britney's stubbornly holding on to her freakness — it's the only form of rebellion she's got left. With a VIP list of puppet masters including Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Bloodshy, she's all vox-tweaked and ready to bring back the stellar heavy-breathers of her youth, from the Berlin-style New Wave disco of "Heaven on Earth" to the stadium-stomping "Ooh Ooh Baby." It's telling that Blackout's two best tracks — the tabloid-bashing banger "Piece of Me" and the papa¬≠razzi-tease "Freakshow" — suggest that she believes playing the part of the cage-dancing bear is the best way to mess with the media. "Wanna see crazy?" she sings on "Freakshow." "We can show 'em!"

When she's not gearing up for a meltdown, Britney's wielding more melting-ice imagery than An Inconvenient Truth: She's gonna "break the ice," "hit defrost on ya," 'cause she's "cold as fire, baby, hot as ice." Fire and ice — Robert Frost said the world will end in one of those two ways, consumed by passion or frozen by rationalism, and it's clear which option Brit will take. But meanwhile, she's gonna crank the best pop booty jams until a social worker cuts off her supply of hits.

MELISSA MAERZ

(Posted: Nov 15, 2007)

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Review 1 of 54

1of 5 Stars

Firstly i give this album 3 and half stars not 3. This album is the album britney should have made years ago. It doesnt have any classics on it. It is jsut an album that is consistent. although some of the lyrics are annoying (eg. talkign about "ice" all the time) the songs are still great. However it is all the samey and Britney barely worked on any of the songs so I'd say that this was made by j=luck.

Sep 28, 2008 04:26:01

Review 2 of 54

3of 5 Stars

I'm 34, more interested in getting in Britney's pants than listening to her music. But I did listen to Blackout and if this doesn't have some subliminal messages layered underneath all the vocal processed tracks then I must have turned as gay as J.D. Constantine. I actually quite enjoyed it! It's artistically absent, overproduced and terribly artificial, in other words, it's sort of like Rolling Stone magazine on a CD. Sure it fucking blows but it's still better to read on the can than most magazines that have overstayed their welcome.

May 4, 2008 11:18:53

Review 3 of 54

3of 5 Stars

Ok, britney is really back with her this new album. "Blackout" is like her diary over the years, about her divorce, her broken heart, and her show-up in music. I think this album is better than her previous album, "In the zone", although it doesn't her best.

But, I wanna ask, is she really back? She never did the concert again, why does she always get busy with her personal life? She should have made a tour for promoting this album. If she doesn't? Oh God, how poor this album and her career.

Apr 25, 2008 03:09:00

Review 4 of 54

4of 5 Stars

Gimme More - The best song on the album, is one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard, great to dance to. 5 STARS

Piece Of Me - The second best song on the album. Piece Of Me adresses the problem with the paparazzi stalking Spears constantly. 5 STARS.

Radar - Very unique, electric dance song. Slightly gimmicky with the actual radar bleeps, though. 4 STARS

Break The Ice - Sounds similar to "Radar". Very electric and dancey. However there is much more substance in this one. 5 STARS

Heaven On Earth - Not like most tracks on the album, very different. It has a dark, chilling feel to it. 4 STARS

Get Naked (I Got A Plan) - The most sexually explicit song on the album. Has a good beat, but hard to understand lyrics as well. 4 STARS

Freakshow - The 3rd best song on the album. It has a thumping, vibrating beat that makes you feel like you're at an exclusive Hollywood Nightclub, dancing along side Spears. 5 STARS

Toy Soilder - Very weak track. Lyrics are extremely hard to hear, and harder to comprehend. Has a good beat though. 3 STARS

Hot As Ice - Vert unique, girl power song. Spears vocals are a pitch to high, sound almost chipmunk-like. 4 STARS

Ooh Ooh Baby - So-So, not to bad, nothing new though. Its mildly catchy. 3 STARS

Perfect Lover - Amazing dance song with a hip hop beat. One of the strongest tracks. 5 STARS

Why Should I Be Sad - The closest thing to a ballad on this album. This track is the most different. Is obviously about her tragic divorce. I can tell Spears put her heart out in this song. However, her voice is covered and layered with backround music. She should have went fo a straight ballad with piano snd everything. 4 STARS

Total Average Stars- 4.25 STARS
Rounded to- 4 STARS

Apr 7, 2008 16:06:22

Review 5 of 54

Not Rated

Britney Spears may be a little screwed up but this album hasn't left my CD tray since I bought it the day it came out. I love it - It's the first CD I ever bought from her.

Read my full review here

With all the fuss surrounding Britney Spears these days, a new CD causes celebration. Blackout shows a mature Britney ready to take on the dance floor and the tabloids.

http://dancetechnomusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/britneys_blackout_a_knockout

Jan 22, 2008 09:12:22

Review 6 of 54

4of 5 Stars

We all know Britney Spears may seem a little crazy; perhaps because she is. But whatever, I don't care, this is a good CD. I like pretty much every song from the album, and its very fun to listen to. Some songs though, such as, "get naked", "perfect lover", and "break the ice" seem to bring out a more dangerous, and sensual side. We all know that she STILL wants to be like Madonna was. Britney desperately wants that "bad girl" image, and with the songs from this album, she has surely succeeded. And don't be fooled by the CD cover, because once you look at the pictures inside, you will see her sitting on a good-looking presits lap, with a flirty, sexual, and dangerous attitude. It makes any girl want to be her, and makes any guy want to look. Let's just face it, Britney is crazy, but she is one of the greats-she's a legend. And this CD is great.

Jan 6, 2008 17:44:33

Review 7 of 54

5of 5 Stars

WOW! Is it possible to wear out a CD? I'm really enjoying Blackout. I think it's the best she's done so far. Unlike most CD's there's not one song that I don't like. This is a great album throughout. I put it in and shake my a** while Britney breaks it down. I hope that she finally gets reconized for what a great album this is. She's got alot of top ten hits on this one. I hope that all the negative publicity doesn't over shadow her album. I mean really who cares, we all do stupid shit everyday and she's no different. I could care less what the media reports because their mostly full of it and one sided. Their only out to make the almighty dollar not taking into consideration that they are ruining her career!!

Jan 3, 2008 19:12:10

Review 8 of 54

Not Rated

I am appalled by the ignorance and misogynistic comments by in particular crankycoyote but also by pezxas and tradaboy. They merely trash Britney who for all her faults has done more good in the world than any of them I bet! Certainly she has better manners! Nobody is perfect and luckilly we don't have the press sticking their cameras in our faces every time we step outdoors. Radiosteele has mades a valiant attempt to review the CD. That is what this supposed to be. I think that Britney has turned out a very enjoyable album I like all the tracs on it and virtually all the tracks that didn't make the cut like Sugarfall. Also no covers of old songs. This is a good pop music CD. That's all I ask for An hour or so of enjoyment. In this regard it kicks ass. If the detractors can't even acknowledge that Britney is perhaps the best young white female singer around they mustn't be able to hear the nuances that Christina can't do. Christina has one style full volume. Don't get me wrong I actually like Christina, though not epecially her last album. However, Britney is the better singer.So switch off your prejudice guys I know it is uncool to say you like Britney's music but give her album a fair chance and and say what you think of it and not her.

Dec 29, 2007 12:21:08

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