By AARON KREIN
Arts Editor
“The Legendary Miss” Britney Spears released her eighth studio album, “Glory”, last week and her first set in four years. “Glory” is her second album on the RCA roster after the disappointing slump that was the Britney Jean era. Since then, Britney has been running her residency at the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. However, earlier this year, it was announced that Spears would be making another comeback.
Like many of Spears’ albums after her 2007 breakdown, the LP revolves around sexual topics. The opener, “Invitation,” is a proposition to her lover to get intimate in order for them to know each other better. The first single, “Make Me…,” featuring rapper G-Eazy, properly transitions into Britney wanting more from her partner in the bedroom. It is easily one of her best-produced songs in years with the help of Matthew Burns. G-Eazy’s verse perfectly balances the assertiveness and attraction that Spears displays on the track.
“Private Show” switches up the slow R&B for a funky pop beat. Spears sings over various degrees of auto-tune the things she wants to do for her man like “sliding down a pole” and “twerking it.” In a sense, it’s the opposite of the previous track.
Spears wishes for a man to come into her life with the metaphorical track, “Man on the Moon,” where she receives love advice from Houston. The mid-tempo radio-friendly track has single potential and is easily nostalgic for it’s “Oops… I Did It Again” music video vibes.
Back to the bedroom, “Just Luv Me” sees Spears’ beg for love with no strings attached over a 90’s-like soul beat. It can be lyrically compared to Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better,” which was released earlier this year. The more upbeat “Love Me Down” has the same lyrical tone as the track but is flawed by its excruciating repetition.
Stepping away from keeping it simple, Spears is “bangin’ all over this bedroom” in “Clumsy.” The upbeat house vibes make this track perfect for a dance floor but its amount of autotune lives up to its name.
“Do You Wanna Come Over?” addresses her lover that he should never be alone when they could be together. The flirtatious club-friendly banger is very reminiscent of the Femme Fatale era with its sensual and fierce vocals. It’s the only track apart from “Make Me…” that Spears currently has on her residency set list, which tells me this has potential to be the next single.
The unexpected island flare of “Slumber Party” also sticks out among the album’s best. The chorus and adlibs are the type to get stuck in your head resulting in multiple replays, which is expected from a Mattman & Robin-produced track. The same can go for the next track, “Just Like Me,” which follows Spears walking in on her lover’s affair.
“Hard to Forget Ya” charms as a club jam about her fixation over a certain man. However, it’s hard to overlook that the beat and delivery of the chorus is very similar to Ellie Goulding’s “Something in the Way You Move.”
Spears’ sass and ambition is front and center on “What You Need,” which deliver cockiness over funky big band beats. If Spears were to ever do a “Back to Basics” era like Christina Aguilera, this is probably how it would sound. However, due to the excessive autotune, there are times on the track where she sounds like Alvin and The Chipmunks.
The standard edition closes with “Better,” which coincidently has the same premise as “Invitation.” Whether it was intentional or not, this track could have been saved as a bonus track in replacement for something different.
The first bonus track, “Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortes),” follows a man who is playing “hard to get.” The mellow club vibes and assertiveness that compliment Spears well should have been on the standard track listing. The same can be said for “Liar,” which has promising Top 40 appeal despite its similarities to Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood.” The club banger, “If I’m Dancing,” gives Jennifer Lopez-vibes in its vocal delivery and production but manages to be at least memorable. It surprises me that the upbeat tracks make up more of the bonus tracks than the actual album. “Pretty Girls,” an underrated summer release from last year with Iggy Azalea, could have easily been included alongside these tracks.
One of Glory’s interesting turns is “Coupure Électrique,” the last deluxe track that is completely sung in French over haunting beats. It should be noted that her singles from this era as well as Britney Jean charted higher in France than in most countries. That’s just something to think about.
Overall, “Glory” is the comeback effort I’ve long awaited from the Princess of Pop. While her last album seemed to be put together rather quickly, I’m happy that Spears, RCA and her team took their time this era. I’m also happy that the auto-tune was less apparent on the majority of the album compared to her previous releases.
Despite some repetition in subject matter and the overuse of finger snaps, this is a solid project that unfortunately will be overshadowed by releases from Florida Georgia Line and Barbra Streisand. This album is worthy of more promotion and singles so I hope RCA doesn’t pull a Britney Jean and cease operation. If you are into R&B-infused pop and club bangers, then “Glory” may be the album to add to your fall playlist.
