| | Full Review | Ratings (248) |
Give your Rating |
| 3.5 great | Dave de Sylvia EMERITUS | September 2nd 06 |
What sets Christina Aguilera apart from her girl-pop peers, apart from obvious ability, is her Madonna-like desire to actually be set apart.
She's no more self-absorbed than anyone else in her business, but Back to Basics literally screams "look at me". With good reason- Back to Basics is a damn fine album, combining classic Christina- over the top singing and the odd great song too- with stranger elements- Moulin Rouge-style nods to vaudeville and rap genius DJ Premier.
Premier's addition is a masterstroke- his beats roll perfectly with Aguilera's howls- but even finer comes from Linda Perry. Back to Basics isn't quite the pre-war jazz trip it's been sold as but there's plenty of nostalgia on offer: 'Welcome' and 'Candyman' may be the two best Christina songs ever, but even average fare like 'Mercy on Me' could pass for genius as Christina hits top form.
It's the prevalence of average fare that falls well short that hurts this album.
4 Bumps | Bump |
| 1.5 very poor | skipdog81 | May 9th 07 |
There is quite a fine line between using vocal ability to one's advantage or disadvantage. Throughout almost the entire double album, Christina is way overdoing the whole "I have great singing skill, so I'm gonna belt out as many syllables and exclamatory sounds as possible" that had made Mariah Carey unlistenable as Christina has now become.
The production on this album is almost as overblown as the singing, and the "new direction" by doing what was done far better by every single previous jazz/lounge/big band singer is a real slap in the face.
If this is truly Christina's idea of getting back to basics, then count me in on looking to the future.
Only saving grace from a 1 is Oh Mother, which is shockingly a really good song.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | morrissey EMERITUS | October 23rd 06 |
Pretend the first disc doesn't exist save for "Ain't No Other Man" and "Oh, Mother", and this is easily one of the best records of the year, regardless of genre. Since that type of selective exclusion could only have been performed before the release of Aguilera's latest record, we'll have to make do with just a very, very good double album.
Inheriting Madonna's chameleonic tendencies, for the third time in her short career Aguilera has adopted a new image and sound, but ultimately it revolves around the same pop pastiche as always. Where she revisits familiar territory, the album falters (as evidenced by the first disc). Where she steps out of her management- directed comfort zone and explores territory beyond over-singing white bread r&b, she shines. Highlights include the bombastic "Welcome", sultry "Nasty Naughty Boy", emotional "Hurt" and "Oh Mother", and the delightfully subtle "Save Me From Myself". While it's not the pre-war jazz epic her marketing promised listeners, it is a refreshingly different attempt at blending the new and old; it is not rooted in the past, present or future; it is simply captivating music - all gimmicks aside.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 5.0 classic | azaria | August 19th 06 |
Christina Aguilera came out at the peak of the Pop Explosion, so she was just another blonde pop star. But, she released "Stripped" and changed her image into Xtina. Now, she is back with a new style based on the 20's 30's and 40's style. She has done something no other artists of this generation could pull off. Both discs are great, and it is hard to pick a favorite. With songs like "Ain't No Other Man" and "Oh Mother" on disc 1 to the songs "Candyman" and "Nasty Naughty Boy" you have so much to listen to. This album can fit to any mood you are in. It's definately worth getting!
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Piem | February 24th 24 |
| 2.5 average | Get Low | February 1st 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dylan | March 25th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Harlz | February 26th 21 |
| 3.0 good | casey | December 15th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | kb3984 | August 28th 19 |
| 3.5 great | fog CONTRIBUTOR | August 20th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | alamo | May 3rd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Faraudo | February 18th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh | February 15th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | dunnope | September 17th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | rmcrae | August 19th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | solrage | October 1st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | mifzal | September 14th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | maxer | December 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | jpjpablo | November 26th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | rasi | August 7th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | ekdahl | May 15th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | CRX | May 10th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | somessy | November 8th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | shaunly | June 18th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | HipPop | January 6th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Krimea | December 24th 14 |
| 3.5 great | ariich | October 3rd 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | popking | June 13th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | miyo | May 4th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Syiman | December 1st 13 |
| 5.0 classic | DNNY | May 12th 13 |
| 3.0 good | gelud | April 8th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | axelsev | March 13th 13 |
| 3.0 good | aguzman | September 17th 12 |
| 2.5 average | jpratm | August 28th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Bessie | April 26th 12 |
| 3.5 great | WooHa | December 23rd 11 |
| 2.0 poor | Skipdog | September 20th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Aids | August 13th 11 |
| 3.5 great | gliate | July 16th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Zo0lz | April 30th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | AMGuide | November 5th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | IN64 | October 2nd 10 |
| 2.0 poor | thehig | September 20th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | qwe3 | June 14th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Vesey | June 13th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Smevin | June 10th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | miky182 | November 8th 09 |
| 3.5 great | Comj | July 21st 09 |
| 3.5 great | BSX | July 14th 09 |
| 3.0 good | mvdu | June 6th 09 |
| 3.0 good | Taylor | December 14th 08 |
| 3.5 great | GOme | May 7th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Eirin | March 21st 08 |
| 2.0 poor | iamsb | January 4th 08 |
| 2.5 average | tuff | October 30th 07 |
| 4.5 superb | JTV | August 24th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tyler EMERITUS |
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