Spears changes sound for eighth album

Britney Spears released what she says is her “most personal album yet” today (Dec. 3).

The lead single, “Work B****,” gave fans a different impression. The up-tempo gym anthem only peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Spears’ last two lead singles reached No. 1.

“‘Britney Jean,’ her first album released in her thirties, is a subtle shift away from frantic bangers and into more forthright songwriting,” Jason Lipshutz wrote for Billboard.com.

The second single, “Perfume,” written by Sia Furler and produced by Will.I.Am, is about Spears’ ending a relationship, but still wanting the guy to remember her.

“Everyone’s been through an insecure moment in a relationship that’s left them vulnerable and I think this song captures that,” Spears said in an interview with E! News.

Joseph Kanh, director of Spears’ “Toxic” and “Womanizer” music videos, will also be directing the “Perfume” video that will be released soon, according to Spears’ Facebook.

“Alien,” the opening track on the CD, is a mid-tempo song about finding love after feeling lonely. Spears vocally stretches the notes, “The stars in sky look like home / take me home / the light in your eyes lets me know I’m not alone.”

Similarly, “Passenger” is a wavy mid-tempo track about love.

Spears has three vocal collaborations for this album, includding Will.I.Am in the robotic-voiced track, “It Should Be Easy”

Rapper T.I. contributes to the sensual urban hit in “Tik Tik Boom.”

Spears joins forces with her younger sister Jamie Lynn in “Chillin’ with You.” The sisters sing the lyrics, “I drank some red wine / Now I’m walking on the sky / I’ve had the time of my life” in the song about sisterhood and friendship.

Jamie Lynn recently made her breakthrough into the music industry with the release of her pleasantly surprising country single “How Could I Want More.”

The album also contains epic dance tracks including “Body Ache,” and the dramatic “Til It’s Gone.”

One of the stand-out tracks, “Til it’s Gone,” contains everything Britney fans would expect including a rhythmical beat, emotional background and excellent production.

The standard edition contains 10 tracks while the deluxe edition contains 14.

“Now that I Found You,” one of the deluxe tracks, is dynamic and full of life.

“(I) love, love, love, ‘Now That I Found You,’ the coolest slow-jam turned Nyan Cat-inspired Britney Jean Deluxe track,” wrote Jordan Miller, creator of Spears’ fan page Breatheheavy.com.

The reviews of the album appear to be positive, but Spears is hardly promoting this album.

Compared to other female pop acts, she is doing the bare minimum to promote her new project. She hasn’t performed any of the new material and is only doing a few televised interviews.

The Pop Queen will start her Las Vegas residency show, “Britney: Piece of Me,” on Dec. 27.

Spears signed a $15 million per year contract to perform 100 shows throughout 2014 and 2015, according to the Huffington Post. Prices for the show range from $59 to $179.

“Britney Jean” is a fresh change of pace for Spears. While her last record, “Femme Fatale” sold well, it lacked meaningful lyrics and strong vocals that are present in this new album.

As an artist, Britney Spears is taking the much needed step of branching out and experimenting with her sound. It May not be her best album to date, but she courageously bares her soul.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5