Back To Basics
DISC ONE
01 - Intro (Back To Basics) - Your typical intro track, paying homage and tribute to all of the legends, trailblazers, and waymakers that came before her. RATING: 1/5
02 - Makes Me Wanna Pray - The instrumental is very jazzy, bluesy, with a little gospel sprinkled here and there. I honestly did not expect something like this from Christina; this more in the vein of Alicia Keys. It would not hurt for her to work on her enunciation and diction. Someone also should let her know that, in the immortal words of Cissy Houston, "if you start of big, you have nowhere to go." As a result, this comes off as a strained mess. This is contrived. Is it me or is the chorus reminiscent of MC Hammer's, "You've got to pray just to make it today......PRAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"? RATING: 1/5
03 - Back In the Day - Whoever told Christina that she was cut out to do old school R&B music told her wrong. This comes off as very forced. Back in the day, Christina, they wouldn't make crap like this and call it music. My wish for Christina: stop singing every song the same! There is no interpretation of the lyrics. She's simply singing and straining and any fool with a half a voice can do that. RATING: 1/5
04 - Ain't No Other Man - I loved this song from the time I saw her perform it on MTV, so I am sort of biased here. Of the tracks I've heard, it's the strongest on the album thus far. I love it. Good job, Xtina. RATING: 4/5
05 - Understand - BORING. BORING. If she would stop straining and learn how to actually caress and interpret a lyric, she'd have a killer song here. Again, the old school vibe falls flat on it's face. Sorry Xtina, this is not your calling. RATING: 1.5/5
06 - Slow Down Baby - When will she stop singing every song the same? RATING: 1/5
07 - Oh Mother - Now, this is what I'm talking about. She actually is beginning to interpret her lyrics. This song is a more classy version of Fantasia "Babymamaz." Christina pulls this off without a hitch. She did not oversing or strain this song. She simply sang it beautifully. While instrumentally it's nothing spectacular, her delivery more than makes up for that. RATING: 3.75/5
08 - F.U.S.S. - This is her answer to Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River." Again, she tries the old school vibe and strangely enough, it actually works for this song. My only qualm is that the song is far too short. I suppose it was intended as so, though. One question, though: what does F.U.S.S. stand for? Good job, Xtina! RATING: 3.5/5
09 - On Our Way - The runs are getting to be a bit too much because they're the same in every song. I love runs and riffs. However, when you recycle the same one's time after time, it gets tiring. There hasn't been a song yet that doesn't have some type of 3-4 second, echoed run. Nevertheless, the song is decent. Lyrically, it's no gem, but then again, it's no slouch either. Instrumentally, it did not match what she was singing. But it is a decent song. RATING: 3/5
10 - Without You - No, this is not a remake of MC's "Without You." This song is in the same vein as India.Arie's, "I Am Not My Hair." Christina seems to have real trouble completing a phrase or interpreting a lyric without a run or riff being involved. It seems as if her voice is not strong enough to stay on top of her note, so she must do some type of run. This type of song has been done too many times before: "what would I do without you? What could I see without you? How would my day be without you?" It's decent. RATING: 3/5
11 -Still Dirrty - It's parent song does not compare. This song is clever and catchy. Her delivery is sexy and fiery. Again, my only problem is that she's still harping on the same things as on "Stripped": a woman's sexuality under scrutiny of a man, emancipation and liberation, and a hunger to be somehow edgy and the Madonna of this generation. Whatever. At any rate, the song is actually quite nice, both musically and vocally. But Christina, go take a bath; don't nobody wanna smell that. RATING: 3.75/5
12 - Here To Stay - Instrumentally, it's a far less original version of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love". I guess every artist has their "Whatchulookinat" and this is Christina's. However, the tired runs and "yea-e-yea-e-yea-e-yeah-ah-ah's" are growing tiresome. Got a skip button? Use it. RATING: 2/5
13 - Thank You (Dedication to the Fans...) - The way she worked in some of her earlier hits into the intro was nice. That was the Christina who actually knew a little something about interpretation of a lyric. This is a nice song, though because it features the voices of her fans thanking and praising her. I admire her for doing this song. RATING: 5/5
DISC TWO
14 - Enter the Circus - Next. RATING: 1/5
15 - Welcome - Okay, instrumentally, this song is something that you'd dream about after eating bad Chinese food or pizza. Again, enunciation and diction falters here. Nevertheless, the theme behind the song is somewhat refreshing and clever in the current state of music. While it's not a favorite or even a strong track, it is original and she gets points in my book for that. RATING: 3.5/5
16 - Candyman - Now, this type of 20's swing is what Christina should have gone for if she was trying to go back to basics. She actually interprets this song as if she's an artist of the 20's. The instrumentation is very refreshing, and the symbolism and metaphors used in the lyrics, while somewhat simple and elementary, are sexually charged but innocent at the same time. Some lyrics remind me of 50 Cent's, "I'll take you to the candy shop/I'll let you lick the lollipop..." She even REALLY toned down the runs for this song! Good job, Christina. RATING: 4.5/5
17 - Nasty Naughty Boy - "Come here, big boy!" The sex in this song is subtle and electrifying. It reminds me of Jessica Rabbit's song from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" lyrically, instrumentally, and her delivery. This song is hot! This is her genre! Again, refreshing. I love this track! I can just see her in a small, crowded, smoke-filled jukejoint in the 20's, walking from table to table flirting with the men. "Put your icing on my cake." I wonder what that alluded to, Christina? Good job, Christina! RATING: 5/5
18 - I Got Trouble - No one does this type of music anymore. The old muffled radio/phonograph sound adds to this song's authenticity. Refreshing again. This is so Dorothy Dandridge and Josephine Baker of Christina to do. That ol' rasp that she adds to this song and the interpretation of the lyric is wonderful. Where was this Christina for the majority of the album? RATING: 4.75/5
19 - Hurt - Again, I ask: WHERE WAS THIS CHRISTINA FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE ALBUM? This is the Christina I fell in love with. She's actually singing and feeling what she's singing. She's not over singing. She's not running. She's not doing riffs. She's just.......singing it, and quite beautifully, I might add. Excellent, Christina! RATING: 5/5
20 -Mercy On Me - Heartfelt and desperate (in a good way). Her voice soars and soars and soars. Wow. RATING: 5/5
21 - Save Me From Myself - An acoustic gem. It's got that old 20's blues feel, and this is where Christina shines. She shows vocal vulnerability. You get to hear her without an abundance of instrumentation and reverb. You hear all of the cracks and parts of her voice that were not warmed up when she sang this and that's what makes this song such a gem. It's vulnerable and honest. Dare I say that this song is artistry. RATING: 5/5
22 - The Right Man - Another gem. Probably the single most strongest ballad I've heard in a LONG time. RATING: 4.75/5
Overall Album Review:
Disc 2 is where you want to be. Stay far, far away from Disc 1. Disc two is actually original and refreshing. Disc one is the same straining, oversinging, running and riffing. Disc 2, something happens to her and if it were released by itself, it would be the single most strong album I've heard since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. However, you must go through disc one first. Would I recommend this album? Yes. I'd recommend that you download before you buy because you honestly may not want disc 1. The girl can definitely sing. However, when is it too much is the question?
OVERALL RATING: 3.25/5
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