Back to Basics

I bought Christina Aguilera's latest album on Monday and I've been listening to it over and over ever since. I must admit that I am a big Christina fan. I don't have her first album but I loved listening to "What a Girl Wants." Her second album Stripped is one of my all-time favorites. A lot of people didn't like "Drrty" but I love it! And now here in the third album, there are some songs here that have become favorites of mine as well!

The album, Back to Basics, is divided into two discs. While the overall album has a retro feel to it, Disc 1 is more modern-sounding that Disc 2. Disc 1 is a good one, with nice tracks to dance to or emote to but the songs do not have the usual club beats. Instead, you'll hear horn blasts, piano riffs and whatnot, reminiscent of old songs. There are some instant favorites in the first disc including "Ain't No Other Man" (the first single, which I fell in love with immediately when it was first leaked out), the "Intro" (I love the fact that Christina has introductions in her CDs!), and "Understand" (slower than the rest of the Disc 1 and it has a great sample of an old song).

While the first disc was good, it's the second disc that I am in love with! Disc 2 starts off with "Enter the Circus" and it really sounds like something that you'd hear in a circus! It then smoothly segues into "Welcome", which is one of my absolute favorites in the disc! Other great songs in disc 2 are "Candyman" (this is going to be the second single and I can't wait to see the video!), "Nasty Naughty Boy" (very sultry!), and "The Right Man" (a tribute to Christina's husband wherein you can really feel the lurrrvvvv!). If Disc 1 has pretty energetic or modern tracks, it's here in Disc 2 that you'll hear the more dramatic songs not unlike "Beautiful" from her second album (which isn't surprising since Disc 2 was produced by Linda Perry who also produced Beautiful). And the truly old-fashioned vibe in Disc 2 doesn't hurt either as I am a big fan of oldies music!

If Christina has one fault, it's her over-use of melisma. I really hate melismatic singers (like Mariah Carey) but I'm actually okay with it when Christina does it. Although it would be great to hear her singing without the vocal pyrotechnics. But her voice is as gorgeous as ever and she truly is ahead of the other singers in her generation! Now if only she'd have a concert here... I'd be first in line!!!