Associated Press 對CD2比較冷淡...
Christina Aguilera, "Back to Basics"
Nowadays, it's typical for a teen pop star to mutate into a pop tart -- but
no one did more quickly, or more scandalously, than Christina Aguilera.
The former Mouseketeer turned multiplatinum diva caused shockwaves with the
release of her second album, 2002's "Stripped" because of the album's image.
With tacky extensions, Band-Aid-length skirts, wicked sexual imagery and an
overall bad-girl attitude, she mutated into X-tina -- a persona so toxic it
almost overshadowed her talent.
While she insists she hasn't changed, Aguilera is no longer shoving it in our
faces. On "Back to Basics," Aguilera is putting the focus on her music with a
double-disc set that pays tribute to her jazzy, bluesy influences.
The first disc achieves a retro sound without losing its contemporary edge,
infusing samples from R&B's early days with thumping bass lines and alluring
grooves. "Ain't No Other Man," the disc's first hyper single, is a
showstopper of a tune, but not the only one.
"Slow Down Baby"is a sassy, tough-girl jam featuring brassy, funky horn
effects; "On Our Way" and "Without You" are sparkling, stirring tracks that
layer Aguilera's gorgeous vocals for an almost angelic effect. And Aguilera,
whose powerhouse voice is always technically perfect but sometimes
emotionally deficient, has never sounded as vulnerable and tender as she does
on the mid-tempo song "Understand."
Unfortunately, there is a second disc, and it's a big letdown.
Once again, Aguilera pays homage to her old-school inspirations. She attempts
to bring the classic sound into today's world by infusing it with a
bump-and-grind, sexual tone, and it just doesn't work -- songs like "Candy
Man" and "Nasty Naughty Boy" sound like they're from some tacky Vegas revue.
In essence, by exploring the roots of her musical persona, Aguilera has
finally realized she never needed to rely on a caricature to draw attention
or express herself -- her words and voice speak loudly enough.
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