Britney's "In the Zone"

by Erin Lounsbury

Britney proves she's a woman in her new album "In the Zone" britneyspears.ac

Britney Spear's forth album, In the Zone, sold approximately 609,000 copies its first week coming in at number one, which set the record for the third highest amount of albums sold in a debut week this year according to Billboard Magazine.

Pretty good for Ms. Spears who dropped her schoolgirl appeal and younger audience to experiment with her newfound image consisting of flaunting her sex drive, clubbing, and morning-after shame.

The pop star officially wants everyone who listens to her latest release to realize she is no longer "Baby One More Time" material, but "The Touch of my Hand" type of girl or should I say woman? On this track she moans, "I'm all into my skin and I'm not going to wait / Commence on myself in the most precious way."

Shocking? Definitely. Controversial? Yes. But, then again, that's the whole point to the new Britney and the best part is it works. Her breathy vocals, pulsating beats, and mature lyrics blend to create a catchy dance and techno-infused sound reminiscent of Madonna and Kylie Minogue.

In fact, not only did Madonna and Britney swap spit at the VMA's, but since then Madonna has lent Britney her voice for her first single off the record, "Me Against the Music." Madonna sings, "Hey Britney / You say you want to lose control / Sexy Lady / I'd rather see you bare your soul / If you think you're so hot / Better show me what you got."

The music on the album features such producers as R. Kelly and Moby. By using producers with drastically different sounds, the album features songs with a myriad of styles. The drawback to the Moby produced song, "Early Mornin'" is that Britney doesn't sing the chorus, but just whispers a submissive "uh uh" or "yeah" that you can barely hear over the voice of a backup singer on the record doing the lead part.

For the most part, the tracks on the album are fast paced and anxiously awaiting radio play such as "Toxic," "(I Got That) Boom Boom," and "Outrageous." However, her filler song, "Shadow," produced by The Matrix, is a cheap attempt at a ballad to slow down the pace of the album because it doesn't flow or fit in with her other songs about hooking up or breaking up.

"Every Time," the only other slow paced track, is a more successful piano backed song about Britney's breakup with teen heartthrob Justin Timberlake and is her comeback to his hit, "Cry Me a River."

Britney sings to Justin, "I may have made it rain / Please forgive me / My weakness caused you pain." Hmm, so what actually went on in this relationship? Did Britney cheat on him? Will he accept her apology? You can try listening to the song a few hundred times and then analyze it, but does anyone even care anymore?

Hate Britney or love her, it's an endless debate. Regardless, for once let the music speak for itself. Britney's evolved as an artist on her latest release, co-writing a majority of the tracks and arranging them. The album showcases some of her best work yet and shows she is not afraid of change. Let's just hope her fans are changing with her.