As you’ll probably know by now, Xtina’s new album is comprised of 2 CDs, the first being quite r’n’b and similar to Stripped while the second is retro 50s jazz/musicals style. I’ve listened to both and here are my thoughts, track by track.
CD 1:
1. Intro
This intro is longer than most Pipettes songs, and frankly it doesn’t need to be because without a chorus or any other kind of hook to it, it’s kind of lacking in a point.
2. Makes Me Wanna Pray
A more upbeat gospelly number but a bit too much vocal showing off from Miss Ag. Typical Stripped fodder, I wouldn’t even notice if this was swapped with songs such as Underappreciated or Get Mine, Get Yours. It’s not bad though, the chorus being the high point, and I did love Stripped when I first got it.
3. Back In The Day
This certainly does what it says on the tin with a retro urban style, although it doesn’t sound much like the singers she mentions such as Aretha Franklin or Ray Charles. I do like the chorus of this one and I think it’ll be a grower too, but I can’t say I jumped for joy on first or second listen.
4. Ain’t No Other Man
The one we all know, it’s far more instant than any other track on CD 1. However, the amount this has grown on me since my first slightly dubious listen suggests I need to give the other songs a chance to do the same.
5. Understand
A very retro beat on this mid-tempo track with backing vocals a la Simon Webbe’s song No Worries. Worryingly, I kind of prefer No Worries, although this one clearly had a lot more spent on it.
6. Slow Down Baby
Produced by Mark Ronson with talky bits which sound like Jay-Z, this song coincidentally reminds me of his fiancé Beyoncé’s hit Work It Out in the verses. The chorus is quite catchy, I like this one overall. Not too much yelling.
7. Oh Mother
This sounds almost exactly like I’m OK from Stripped, with the same subject (her mum being strong cos her dad was nasty) as well. It’s good that she’s bringing serious subjects up in her songs but since she’s done this one already and Kelly Clarkson has since, perhaps she could try another or at least make the song a bit different?
8. F.U.S.S
This is an interlude which references all the tracks from Stripped, but apart from that it does very little.
9. On Our Way
Was this whole CD made on Xtina autopilot? Again this sounds just like everything on Stripped. One new-sounding song is all I ask!
10. Without You
This doesn’t particularly sound like any Christina song but it does sound like an even less exciting version of I Am Not My Hair by India Arie. At least that one had interesting lyrics.
11. Still Dirrty
I was excited about this one, hoping for something as good as the song it references, which of course partly inspired the title of this blog (although more is owed to Pop by *N Sync). This isn’t bad, it’s fun but a bit L’il Kim-ish, which is slightly off-putting.
12. Here To Stay
At last, an actual good and catchy song! It only took 12 tracks to arrive. The subject is a bit J-Lo, ‘I am great and totally normal too’, but better cos it’s Christina. This would make a good single, but considering it’s so far down on the tracklisting it probably won’t be.
13. Thank You (Dedication To Fans)
This is very self-referential going right back to her ace debut single. If only she could have done the whole album in the style of Genie In A Bottle. This is a slightly elevator music-esque ballad with recordings of compliments from various American fans of Xtina. There really is a sense of “I’m ace, me!” on this CD.
CD 2:
1. Enter The Circus
An intro which is full of clichés but far more interesting than the proper songs already. Let’s hope CD 2 is better than CD 1.
2. Welcome
This continues the theme of circuses and ensuring every listener knows they are invited. The song at times sounds like it’s going to be great but never quite takes off. It’s definitely one of the better tracks, though.
3. Candyman
Now here is an actual great song! It’s like Chicago but twice the fun, it’s comedy and very camp. This will be a huge hit if released. It has already been around on the Internet for a while and gained quite a positive reaction, and it’s no surprise for such an ace song. It even has a Spice Girls-esque repeat after me soldier-style section at the end.
4. Nasty Naughty Boy
This song is obviously supposed to be sexy but it’s very clichéd, although the very rude lines are quite amusing. Don’t play it near your gran or impressionable younger siblings! This may not sound like what we’ve heard before from Xtina but because of that it’s what we should expect from her, something totally different every time and plentifully risque!
5. Trouble
This is of course the track that we hear a little of during the ANOM video. It’s smokey bar jazz, which I normally hate, but this is alright actually. A better example of the genre!
6. Hurt
Blimey, a good ballad as well! She’s really pulling out the stops now. It’s no Beautiful or even The Vocie Within but it’s nicely dramatic, as all the best ballads are, with big shouty bits and tender quiet bits. All it needs is a key-change or a hooky line and it would be great, but as it is it’s only almost great.
7. Mercy On Me
This one was so dull I forgot to write anything and now it’s ended and I can’t be botherd to listen to it again. I do remember it being a bit shouty.
8. Save Me From Myself
A low-key, undramatic and consequently inoffensive ballad. It’s nice enough, quite sweet, but a bit boring.
9. The Right Man
Another ballad, this one with a prominent string section, a choir and then you get to the chorus and realise it’s about her marriage. It’s quite heart-warming, and reminds me of the irony that is Xtina’s reputation as the most controversial and sexual of the post-teen poppers of the 21st century, despite her being the only one with a constant boyfriend who she’s now married. Clearly she was only flirrting with dirrtiness, or, more likely, doing it for money and attention. But isn’t that the point of high profile music marketing anyway?
The end! The second CD is a small improvement on the first but overall it’s quite disappointing. Even if you amalgamated the best songs onto one CD, it would have to be pretty short to still be filler-free. The 2 CD idea is good in that you can pick which style of Christina you like and listen to that album most or only that one, but it really wasn’t that good an idea because in doing so she has spread out the good tracks far too much. Usually I’d marvel at the value for money but in this case there are too many boring songs getting in the way.