"I cannot believe Rolling Stone…a magazine I thought was truly devoted to MUSIC, not the synthetic and purely manufactured noise that results from hours of sweat from truely good musicians for the sake of BRITNEY SPEARS! I would LOVE to see her write a song, sing live, and be a real musician, not a walking punchline. And you people buying this CD are just feeding into the fact that someone can make more money than teachers, doctors, social workers, etc. by doing nothing other than showing up to a record studio to have everyone do everything for her. You should all be pleased with yourselves for putting money in the pockets of her and her enablers. And for those of you who are just “about the music” and “well, it’s good so I’ll overlook what a slob and sorry human being she is” - you are EVERYTHING that is wrong with this country and celebrity culture. And furthermore, the only reason I took time out of my day to write on this waste of space is because apparently there is a lack of people with spines willing to call out Britney supporters. I pity you all, and Rolling Stone should be utterly embarassed for catering to such a talentless, overpaid, overpriviledged and excuse-ridden piece of trash."
Rob's Ingenius Response:
"If we were to judge every artist based on their life and personal issues, then most of the artists today wouldn’t have fans.
I once asked a co-worker what he thought about Coldplay. He said he didn’t like them because of Chris Martin’s political beliefs. I’m sorry but that is a lame excuse.
My point is that Britney is a music artist, and thats what she does. Make your opinion based on the music not her life
. "
My Response to both of them:
"I truly agree with Rob.
But Anyhow-- Onto other matters..
Rolling Stone IS truly devoted to music. What some of you seem to forget is that there is more than ONE type of genre.
There is more than ONE type of artist. Not everyone can sing like Mariah. Not everyone can write amazing songs. But, it doesn't dismiss the fact that she sings.
Her music might not fit your taste in music, but guess what? There are millions of others who disagree.
You telling us we have bad taste in music is just like the rich telling the poor that they don't know how to live well.
What makes your taste in music so much better? This is a POP artist singing POP MUSIC for crying out loud.
What did you expect? Did you want her to redefine Country, Hip-Hop, and Alternative as well?
Exactly.
We listen to pop music because we decide to. End of story. "
Again, GO DEFEND Rolling Stone's review on Britney's Blackout.
"Funny how these people still– NO MATTER WHAT– waste their time bashing Britney on every site that has a decent review of her CD. Get over it. You guys are in denial. If you hated her so much, you wouldn’t give her the time of day. But, you are here–aren’t you? Obviously, like everybody else, Blackout caused some interest in your mind.. or else you would have never read this review.
I actually love the songs. It’s a great POP album. If you want something else from Britney, you’re looking at the wrong artist."
Leave your mark against the haters. Go defend Rolling Stone's review on Blackout.
2)TODAY, Post bulletins on your myspaces, blogs, or other outlets about Blackout. Again, show them all the good reviews and encourage fans, ex-fans, on-the-fence fans, non-fans, and even haters to purchase the album. Who knows? They might like it.
3) If you live in LA, Join Britney Experts and Team Britney LAat Hollywood's Virgin Megastore at 10pm tonight to line up for the album release tomorrow!
4) If you can, buy the album on Amazon.comor iTunes!
5) Go to MTV.com's The Leak, and share the tracks with your friends or family.
6) And finally, when you have the actual CD in your possession, you better be bumping it loudly in your cars while driving with your windows down-- Be ready to answer when someone asks "Hey, Who sings that song?"-- IT'S BRITNEY BITCH!
Listen guys, of course I'm aware of the recent court hearing that happened this week (she looked amazing by the way), and I'm also aware of everything else going on in her personal life. But, come on! In 2 days, BLACKOUT, comes out!
We need to focus on her music right now. At least until the album drops. Let's block all the negativity and just enjoy the fact that this album is getting so many good reviews (scroll down below this entry).
In the end, all we could really do is hope for the best during this custody battle and pray that she becomes stronger than ever before-- Scratch that. I know she will.
Updated (With Video NOW!): 11/23/07 Hey guys, I've compiled all the reviews out for Blackout so far only stating the best parts and of course, on some, the rating or grade. I hope you guys enjoy this short and sweet version!
Also, do what I did and flood your myspace bulletins with these reviews! Let the people know our girl is back!
For those half-assed fans, people who are interested but are in denial, or anyone who likes dance music.. Feeling doubtful about buying it?
Read The Blackout Reviews: (So Far, So Verygood.)
Entertainment Weekly (EW.com)
"The nasty custody battle. The hair-razing meltdown. The trips to rehab. The abysmal VMAs performance. Shall we go on? All of 25-year-old Britney Spears' recent setbacks suggest that her fifth CD, ominously titled Blackout, would fan the flames of her hot mess of a year. Well, brace yourself for the biggest shock yet: Blackout — a collection of well-produced, thoroughly enjoyable dance songs — may just put this once-celebrated pop star back on top."
"..there is something delightfully escapist about Blackout, a perfectly serviceable dance album abundant in the kind of bouncy electro elements that buttressed her hottest hits (''I'm a Slave 4 U,'' ''Toxic''). Say what you will about Spears' personal life, but there's no denying that the girl knows how to have a good time."
Grade: B+
E! Online
"Blackout Drunk: We Binge on New Britney!"
"Let's be clear: We've always been big Britney fans.
We were there for her first Disney concert, saw Crossroads in the theater (twice) and even loved In the Zone. So, we're going to try and give Blackout a fair review, even if that means purging our brains of several years' worth of Britney antics. Or trying to.
Let's start with the positive: Blackout is much better than its awful cover. Almost every song is danceable, and there’s no cheesy “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” ballad.
So, there's that."
US Magazine
"While her personal life may be in ruins, the CD shows that, overall, Spears still has sparks in the recording studio."
3 out of 4 Stars
About.com (Top 40)
"Despite all of the odds against it, Blackout amounts to a logical extension of Britney Spears' musical career last visited on 2003's In the Zone. The new album, just like her last, is fueled by electronic dance beats and bleeps...Far from being an audio train wreck, this is a strong dance-pop collection with some true pleasures"
4 out of 5 Stars
4Music - Channel 4
"She hasn't had the best of years, but Britney's fifth studio album, 'Blackout', sees her end 2007 on a high.
Here is the 4Music verdict on 'Blackout', the year's most unexpectedly amazing pop record..."
Overall score: 7 Stars!?LOL.
Boston Herald
"Britney may be picking up the pieces in her personal life, but her music career is apparently back on track with Blackout."
Grade: B
The Associated Press, MSN.com
"Just when it seemed safe to write off Britney Spears as a punch line only capable of entertaining people through tabloid escapades, she goes and gets all musically relevant on us.
Blackout, her first studio album in four years, is not only a very good album, it's her best work ever — a triumph, with not a bad song to be found on the 12 tracks."
Times Online
"Finally, a good week for Britney Spears? Just as we were getting to think that a lunar eclipse might come sooner, here’s some tentative cause for celebration."
"A gaggle of schoolchildren exchanging ringtones on the top deck of the bus will just as easily tell you why these songs work. They tick almost every box in the checklist of great pop, period. Perhaps that shouldn’t be so surprising. After all, Britney Spears learned to be a pop star way before she learned to be an adult. In a sense then, it’s fitting that her facility for great pop moments is the very last facet of her to shut down."
4 Stars
Stuff.co.nz
"You want it to be bad. You want it to be really, really bad. You want it to be so eye-squintingly awful this train wreck called Britney Spears disappears from our lives forever.
Unfortunately, it's not that bad. In fact, it's nowhere near as bad as it deserves to be.
From the opening tones of Gimme More to the closing Pharrell Williams-produced ballad Why Should I Be So Sad, Britney proves she can leave her chaotic personal life at the door to produce the goods in the studio."
"You'll always be a freak show, Britney. But as long as you keep churning out albums as good as Blackout, we won't stop watching."
4 Stars
MediaGuardian.co.uk
"It's a bold, exciting album"
4 Stars
Iba Buzz
"Blackout is the best album of Britney’s career... The 25-year-old Louisiana native has never recorded a thoroughly great album."
Grade: B+
San Jose Mercury News
"STUNNER! Britney's new CD is good!"
"Those looking for new insight into the dizzy world of Britney Spears won't find it on Blackout..it's pretty clear that Blackout is Britney's finest album to date."
Grade: B+
People Magazine
"Gimme More, the panting first single, was just a tease, because there are better – if not exactly bolder – tracks, like "Toy Soldier," with its fun simulated snare drums, and the cool, T-Pain-assisted "Hot as Ice" (one of five cuts produced by Timbaland protégé Nate "Danja" Hills)."
3 Stars
Los Angeles Valley Star
"It would seem as if Britney's career might not be as dead as the press would have predicted with her recent MTV fiasco. She probably won't win any "Mother of the Year" awards but her album is hot.
In a business full of Fergies, Rihannas, and Gwens there is still only one Britney and that is more than enough."
Daily Star
"BRITNEY Spears may be struggling in her personal life but professionally she is 100% back on track. I’m the first journalist in the WORLD to hear her comeback album Blackout, out October 29, in full finished form, and it’s a belter."
Verdicts for each song:
GIMME MORE - 9/10 PIECE OF ME - 10/10 RADAR - 9/10 BREAK THE ICE - 9/10 HEAVEN ON EARTH - 8/10 GET NAKED (I GOT A PLAN) - 6/10 FREAKSHOW - 6/10 TOY SOLDIER - 7/10 HOT AS ICE - 8/10 OOH OOH BABY - 9/10 PERFECT LOVER: - 6/10 WHY SHOULD I BE SAD - 7/10
Pink Is The New Blog
"I have been able to preview the album for the past few days and I am just loving every track on it. It just pains me to think how much of a mega-smash hit the album might be if there wasn't all the extraneous personal drama leeching away the excitement from the album's release. It is clear that many, many people have been turned off by Britney's antics in recent weeks, months and years and may stay away from this album altogether. I must urge fans to check it out and hear for themselves how amazing it is. Overall, I still think that Britney is my fave album of hers but this one deffo comes in at #2. Y'all have a week to listen to the album in its entirety before you can buy it in stores. I understand the iTunes version will come with 3 extra tracks ... so save those pennies and make sure you get your copy when Blackout gets released a week from today!"
Philadelphia Inquirer
"If popular culture, like life, is about managing expectations, then Britney Spears must be a genius."
"...just when you thought that Blackout was going to cut the power on Spears' pop stardom for good, it turns out that it's not so bad after all. With expectations as low as they could go, Blackout overshoots them with ease."
New York Times
"(About the song, Piece of Me) 'I’m Miss Bad-Media-Karma, another day another drama/Guess I can’t see the harm in working and being a mama.' Over and over comes a refrain — 'You want a piece of me' — that could be an accusation or an invitation or a threat. Together they evoke the horror, the exhilaration and (finally) the boredom of the overexamined life. It’s brilliant. Some of the other songs are nearly as good. "
Daily Free Press
"Surprisingly, the album proves to be a cohesive, urban-electro-pop affair... It's as if Spears' year long bout of insanity inspired Blackout's slew of A-list writers and producers to come up with some of the best pop anthems of 2007."
USA Today
"Though her voice is mostly awash in synthesizers and vocoders, her sass and attitude are the driving force."
Rolling Stone Exectutive Editor, Joe Levy says:
"One of the problems for Britney right now is the public is more focused on her personal life than her music. This record is an opportunity to change that" [The album] is "state of the art... This is a rebirth. It's a new musical chapter for her."
Official Rolling Stone Magazine Review
"..what's notable is that Blackout is the first time in her career that she's voiced any real thoughts about her life. The old provocation game is still afoot, but Britney's stubbornly holding on to her freakness — it's the only form of rebellion she's got left."
"When she's not gearing up for a meltdown, Britney's wielding more melting-ice imagery than An Inconvenient Truth ..she's gonna crank the best pop booty jams until a social worker cuts off her supply of hits."
3.5 Stars
Signonsandiego.com
"..'New Britney's on a mission,' Britney Spears sings in the estrogen-empowered dance track 'Toy Soldier.' That mission? Spears doesn't really say. However, this entire album would imply that it's a smart one."
"[Blackout] is addictive. Just as fast as it ends, you'll be ready to hit "play" again.."
Grade: B
LA Times
"Its dazzling studio effects, rhythmic reconstructions and vocal shape-shifting drag the listener in, as each song elaborates on the power of desire and desirability. It's hard to resist."
BBC Review
"There’s much to love on this action-packed feast of an album... After a year that she’d surely rather forget, Blackout marks a cool and calculated return for Britney. "
Mirror UK
"Spears has blow-torched Madonna's Confesions On A Dance Floor to bits and passed the shards through a shredder.."
"This is the record she needed."
5 Stars
All Music Guide
"All this toil and turmoil set the stage for her 2007 comeback Blackout to be a flat-out train wreck, which it decidedly is not...As an album, it holds together better than any of her other records."
3.5 Stars
Slant Magazine
"On a hit-to-miss scale, Blackout scores well, and its hotness quotient is remarkably high."
3.5 Stars
Virgin Media
"That said, as a piece of facelessly collaborative, ultra-modern synth-pop, Blackout is undoubtedly a success...Most gratifyingly, it all feels like a cohesive whole, avoiding the compilation feel of most multi-producer pop albums."
3.5 Stars
Blender Magazine
"Spears’s fifth studio album is her most consistent, a seamlessly entertaining collection of bright, brash electropop.. Amid the heavily tweaked beats, Spears sounds both more knowing and more sympathetic than she ever has. That’s good for Britney the train wreck. And it might not be bad for Britney the pop star."
3.5 Stars
Blackout is #1 in 21 countries on iTunes: #1 USA #1 UK #1 Sweden #1 Norway #1 New Zealand #1 Ireland #1 Greece #1 France #1 Germany #1 Denmark #1 Canada #1 Belgium #1 Austria #1 Holland #1 Spain #1 Finland #1 Japan #1 Luxemboug #1 Italy #1 Switzerland #1 Austria
I thought this was cool. It's a cover of Gimmie More by Marie Digby. Don't mind the Britney hating comments on Youtube for this video if you do happen to read them. Just enjoy the fact that someone like Marie appreciates Britney's music. Enjoy.
As the day rolled on by, I'm pretty sure you guys were all aware of Britney's reunion with Kevin Federline. The reason? Parenting classes of course! Both have completed their first session together. In other non-personal news, Blackout has been getting some great reviews from Blender, Stuff, EW.com, and other sources. Soon, I will post little excerpts from a lot of these sources as more reviews begin to pour in, so bare with me!
I haven't been really updating because I've been occupied with work and school. Although, a lot of my time has been on MTV.com's the Leak. If you haven't heard the full complete album yet and listened to all it's pop glory, go over to MTV.com or VH1.com to have a listen. It's bound to be one of the greatest pop/dance albums of all time.
Don't forget to buy Blackout in stores, October 30th.
If you haven't seen the amazing booklet for blackout yet, with NEW pictures, take a look here at BE's gallery. For me, this totally makes up for the crappy album cover. Now, if only we could find a way to get over the fact that Jive didn't add State of Grace, Let Go, Sugarfall, Kiss You (Me) All Over, and all those other great songs to the playlist.
Hmm-- perhaps a second bonus album in the future? Hahah.. I'm getting way ahead of myself and thinking too drastically. But, hey. It is possible! Common Jive, show the world what Britney's voice can really do!
Source (for pictures, not commentary): BritneyLand / Envvy
For those buying more than one copy of Blackout, read the following:
As we all know, on October 30 Blackout is being released. I just wanted to tell that anyone who is planning on buying MORE than one copy to put it on different receipts. If you buy 10 copies but all on the same transaction, then for the Billboard charts, it would only count as ONE. So in order for every copy to be considered as a copy, put it on different transactions!
..to pray for the people in the midst of this devastating fire & acknowledge the firefighters who are doing everything in their power to contain the problem. Be safe everyone!
Oh well, I'm just glad to see all these new pictures popping out from this particular photoshoot. It sets my heart at ease knowing that there's more than one shot (which we all know has been used over and over again).
Anyhow-- is it just me, or is her arm always up in all these shots? LOL. She still looks great though.
Over the weekend, Britneyregained visitation rights after showing the court proof of having a means of direct contact for random drug tests. For those who don't know, that was the reason behind the temporary suspension of visitation rights.
Besides the habitual trips to Starbucks Coffee, the obvious enhancement of her lips (which, by the way, look really good), and the recent photos of Britney reunited with her children, there has really hasn't been anything negative in the news. In fact, it is all normal this time! It's the press who makes it seem as if every move for her a bad one.
Target seems to have a different version of Blackoutavailable to pre-order. The album contains the original 12 song tracklist with a bonus of three more songs: 'Outta This World', 'Everybody', and 'Get Back'.
The good news is, of course, the extra 3 songs. The bad news? It carries the most random price I've ever seen for an album with 15 songs: $43.99. Another thing: 'State of Grace' and 'Let Go' isn't anywhere to be seen! Boo. I'd still buy it. I'm just saying.. a lot of people can't afford that price and besides-- those 3 extra tracks should have been added to the playlist in the first place! Jive, you sneaky bastards. (shakes index finger at Jive executives).
I had a feeling they'd promote the regular album and then quietly release another edition with extra songs to make more money.
Oh well, it's not terrible news. The good things outweigh the bad in this situation. I'm more excited than annoyed.
October 30th guys! Don't you forget! Click here to pre-order.
TMZ just recently reported that Britney's pre-album sales & single radio plays are not that amazing in terms of numbers. Here is an excerpt from their article:
It might be Sir Ben Kingsley's morning mantra, but Britney Spears' "Gimme More" isn't exactly burning up the radio, and pre-sales of her new album, "Blackout," are more than a little bleak. That's according to FOX News, which says that "Gimme More" is "dead" on the radio, citing trade paper Radio & Records, which also reports that the single is at the bottom of every chart. Meanwhile, Brit's big comeback album, due in just a week and a half, is withering at 76 on Amazon.com, which suggests weak advance interest. "Gimme More" is currently #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.
Lies. In fact, the album is at number47 (EDITED 10/24/07) 24 on Amazon.com, and as far as Worldwide airplay, she's at number 5. It also seems as if they forgot to mention that Gimmie More is her 2nd highest song on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart in her whole singing career. That puts it just behind Baby One More Time--her very first single.
What is it with these people? Journalism is supposed to be based on factual information. To TMZ, FOXNEWS, ETC: Tearing down someones name for your own personal benefit is just saddening. Actually, when I think about it, it's quite interesting. People like you & Perez Hilton love speaking nonstop about Britney. She's over. Her career is dead. We get it. You're obsessed with her. You want to talk about Britney's problems and how she's in denial? Why don't you face your own demons and admit that you're in denial? Because as far as I could see, and possibly ever other Spears fan in the world can see, you're just as into her as we are. The difference is, we like to admit it. We know her weaknesses, and we know her strengths. You guys have a blind spot, and that's obviously clear because a normal day for her is the circus you clowns make it.
People like you should be thankful for Britney Spears-- seeing as she's the one getting you those paychecks. Talk about ungrateful.
For those who haven't seen these new promo pictures for Britney Spears' BLACKOUT, here you go.
A big Thank You to Tom from Break The Ice! Amazing, just amazing. Even though I'm sitting here in the office at work, I literally feel like rolling all over the floor in front of my boss. Seriously! Thank goodness there are more pictures from that shoot! Question though: Why the hell didn't Jive use these beautiful photos for the album cover? I don't quite understand. Oh well. I'm happy now.
By the way, in other news, that TMZ photog deserved to have his foot run over. :)
I love this commercial. The 12 song tracklist thing is still kind of a bummer. For all these years waiting for new material, all I really wanted from the next Britney album was more tracks. Oh well. (Crosses fingers for hidden bonus tracks.) If not, that's okay.
Anyhow, this commercial actually makes this hideous album cover look better. It's just ugly now. :) I'm joking! It's not that bad. See you guys at the stores October 30th!
Bad news, Britney fans – it looks like the pop princess has had her visitation rights with her infant children revoked at the secret meeting yesterday! According to TMZ, the courts yanked Britney’s visitation rights due to lack of “compliance with the court orders”, due to the fact that she never gave her contact info to the people who are facilitating the random drug tests. This seems to be a fairly easy thing to rectify, and we have no doubt she’ll have a good shot at getting them back at her next court date on October 26th.
Really, when are people going to realize that she is a good mother? She may not know how to be the best mother, but-- we all know that she loves them. I am sick of people judging her intentions and suggesting that she doesn't even want her kids. It's disgusting. How many times have we seen her with her kids? Anyone? All the time. Kevin Federline is the one who has FULL CUSTODY as of now, and has yet to be seen with his children since the court ruled in his favor. In fact, we've seen Sean Preston and Jayden James more with their nanny than we have seen them with their father who supposedly isn't in it for the money (read past article).
When will the madness end? When she's not photographed with her kids, she's told to "go home to [her] kids." When she's out photographed with the kids, she's not being a good parent. Is it just me? Honestly. Is it? I've seen, heard, and witnessed worst parenting skills from others and let me tell you-- Britney isn't doing that bad of a job for someone who has been going through motherhood alone.
No we shouldn't make excuses for her and no, I wouldn't recommend that others do some of the things she does-- but, in the end, what makes us so much better than she is? In the end, have you really thought over what the current situation at hand is? This is an example of a family portrait being torn apart by a hypocritical world-- a world who holds no sympathy, reason, respect or integrity when it comes to this woman.
Before you decide to judge Britney Spears, go take a good look at the environment around you. In the past 2 weeks, I've literally heard news of mothers buying their children guns-- fathers molesting their 3 year old daugthers, and things you couldn't even imagine.
..inspire others, to lift up people's spirits, to show another side of the story, and to basically initiate intellectual, mature conversations concerning Britney's career & life.
3) Request Gimmie More, Piece of Me, Break The Ice, or Radar on your local radio stations.
The Head Of The Pack
Breathe Heavy Jordan, Breathe Heavy's webmaster, does an incredible job at keeping fans excited about Britney and provides a unique perspective on Britney's life & career. His articles are sometimes controversial, but he is a true Britney fan at heart.
Britney Experts If I were to choose one fansite out of them all, it would be BE. The team at Britney Experts continuously updates their website with plenty of news, stories, and information about Britney. You can count on them for the latest Britney news.
Elite Affiliates/ Affiliates
Break The Ice ** Tom & Eric, updaters of this newer blog, both do an equally excellent job as any other longer-existing Britney fansite. Visit their page for some up-to-date Britney news!
Britspears.org ** Britspears.org is another promising site with plenty of Britney news. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
