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Music Review:
Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits, Christina Aguilera
KEEPS GETTIN' BETTER
1. Genie In A Bottle
2. What A Girl Wants
3. I Turn To You
4. Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)
5. Nobody Wants to Be Loney (feat. Ricky Martin)
6. Lady Marmalade (with Mya, Pink, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott)
7. Dirrty (feat. Redman)
8. Fighter
9. Beautiful
10. Ain't No Other Man
11. Candyman
12. Hurt
13. Genie 2.0
14. Keeps Gettin' Better
15. Dynamite
16. You are What You Are (Beautiful)
JUICY TIDBITS
When Christina Aguilera hit the scene back in 1999, she had the unfortunate timing of going head-to-head with another emerging singer named Britney Spears. The similarities were there: the Mickey Mouse Club connection, the pop roots, the blonde nymphet looks. Although Aguilera had the obvious advantage of talent, it was Spears that caused a commotion with her “…Baby, One More Time” music video and live performances that often toed the line between prepubescent sex fantasy and eight to ten years in prison.
Almost a decade later, the tables have turned. Aguilera is no longer vying for the spotlight; she’s had countless number one hits, Grammy wins, and her share of tabloid fodder. She’s also the one that managed to keep her hair and not marry Kevin Federline. With a constant career compared to the explosive ups and downs of Spears, Aguilera has managed to break away from the comparisons and cultivate fame in her own right (Madonna stunt-kisses notwithstanding).
But things have almost come full circle again. A Decade of Hits comes in the wake of Spears’ anticipated Circus release, which is sure to outsell this album on sheer curiosity alone. But for now, let’s let Aguilera shine in the spotlight, shall we?
A Decade of Hits is a compilation of Aguilera’s most charted hits, which is old news to most of us. There isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said about these songs, but there are some things worth revisiting.
The album is brief, with only fourteen singles included (two of which are new). In chronological order, they lay out the foundation of Aguilera’s career, beginning with the cringe-inducing pop of “Genie In A Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants.” But even on her worst day, she still sounds phenomenal; her vocal prowess adds a welcome depth to the bland lyrics.
Unfortunately, these songs don’t really withstand the test of time. The dated sound continues with the light ditty of “Come On Over.” Incredulously, “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely,” a 2001 duet with Ricky Martin, makes the cut. I only say incredulously because I thought I was the only person in the world who knew that this song even existed. And I admit it: I have even performed this during a drunken karaoke night. Don’t judge me.
Things pick up with the inclusion of “Dirrty,” the song that effectively changed Aguilera’s career. Raw and sexual, “Dirrty” caused a commotion when it premiered on MTV. Indeed, Aguilera was nothing short of dirty while performing it, and she seemed to revel in the image change amidst public tongue wagging and criticism. “Dirrty” may not be the song that she wants to be remembered for, but it did showcase Aguilera in a new light.
(I’m also happy to report that “Can’t Hold Us Down” was omitted from the album. If there’s one thing I can’t hold down, it’s the thought of Aguilera in tight pink spandex and a trucker hat.)
“Fighter” and “Beautiful,” two very empowering songs from her repertoire, remind us again how compelling a single voice can be. Stripped of sound editing and studio masking, Aguilera runs free with these singles in different ways. In “Fighter,” she’s in full out indignant-throaty-growl mode, while in “Beautiful,” she’s introspectively smooth. These two very different treatments showcase the growth and control of her voice. She’s finally managed to wrangle in her vocal acrobatics to see the bigger picture: less really is more.
From 2006’s behemoth release, Back to Basics, we’re treated to three singles. The big band, 40s pin-up girl rebirth is covered adequately with “Ain’t No Other Man” and “Candyman,” but it’s the gut-wrenching ballad “Hurt” that deserves a second look. Vocally, it’s a faultless performance. But it’s not the perfect pitch and impossibly high notes that makes the song; rather, it’s the fact that Aguilera injects so much unrehearsed emotion through her voice that makes “Hurt” stand out like no other. If “Hurt” were an Oscar performance, it would be on par with Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice.
New tracks include the lead single “Keeps Gettin' Better” and “Dynamite.” Keeping on par with her musical development, “Keeps Gettin’ Better” is an electro-pop romp where Aguilera refers to herself as both a “super girl” and a “super bitch.” These cheeky references are meant to describe how Aguilera sees herself as a mother, wife, artist, and businesswoman, but it’s the title of the track, and not these references, that falls more in line with Aguilera’s career. That’s why it’s so disappointing to hear “Dynamite,” an all-out dance track with so many bells and whistles that Britney Spears might as well have sung it.
Someone else who might have released a greatest hits album like, oh let’s say Britney Spears or the Pussycat Dolls or even Maroon 5, would just be engaged in an exercise in futility because of the little growth they have seen in their careers. But not Aguilera.
I don’t usually recommend greatest hits albums unless you’re a die-hard fan, but this album is less about an indulgence in bravado and vanity and more about the true evolution of an artist who keeps reinventing herself and pushing her limits. From pop to R&B to big band standards to electronica, Aguilera is the one having the Madonna career (well, minus the tumultuous affairs and disastrous acting choices, but plus the bad dye jobs). In fact, Madonna should be the one scrambling to work with this powerhouse.
There’s no pretense here: A Decade of Hits is just a filler album until Aguilera gets back into the studio. But for what it is, it’s still a commendable release. Even if it eventually gets lost in the holiday shuffle as other albums emerge, Aguilera will be fine. She’s a fighter, that’s for sure. ¤ C.Ho.
KEEPS GETTIN' BETTER: A DECADE OF HITS:
(out of 5)