It’s been over a decade since Christina Aguilera debuted. Since then we’ve seen her get Stripped. She’s taken us Back To Basics, and she’s been Bionic. Now, two years after the disappointing sales of the latter, Aguilera is rising up with her 5th studio album LOTUS.
Let me be straight forward: LOTUS is no Stripped. I think it’s the right thing to say to Xtina fans right off the bat since I know to the majority of fans Stripped is considered to be her best album. That’s not to say Christina’s latest effort isn’t worth the listen. It’s interesting to see what she’s going to with any album she’s about to release. They evolve. She evolves. Each usually has a theme and they are so different from each other. However, with LOTUS, there isn’t a particular theme to the pop record. And once again, Aguilera demonstrates that you never know what she might do next. Read a track-by-track review after the jump!
The album opens up with the ‘Lotus Intro,’ which sets up the stage for the rest of the album. The intro is the length of a full song with a “setting free” and “rising up” message. It’s easily one of my favorite songs with its multi-layered vocals and M83 sampled music.
Army Of Me: dubbed as a “Fighter 2.0” by Xtina herself, ‘Army Of Me’ is a head-bopping track but it doesn’t come close to the powerful pop-rock anthem that was ‘Fighter.’ Using the ever-popular electronic fused pop music as the backdrop for her pipes, the song is still fun to sing along to because of its roaring revolutionary message.
Red Hot Kinda Love: It wouldn’t be a complete Christina Aguilera album without a playful, sexy song added to the mix. But unlike “Get Mine, Get Yours,” or “Candyman,” alas, ‘Red Hot Kinda Love’ isn’t one of my favorite sexifed songs she’s done. And Aguilera usually gets it right (See: “Sex For Breakfast” from Bionic). The music and the melody remind me of the explosion of the teen pop craze of the late 90s: a fun yet generic beat with corny lyrics.
Make The World Move: “Turn up the love, turn down the hate!” are the standout lyrics of this electric-soul track. CeeLo Green is featured on the song and adds spunk to this anti-hater party on ‘Make The World Move.’ This song is single potential.
Your Body: The lead single, ‘Your Body,’ keeps things hyped as we’re coming close to the middle of the album. The Max Martin-penned track is audacious (Hey boy, so don’t even tell me your name/All I need to know is whose place) and very pop as you would expect any Max Martin song to be.
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Let There Be Love: Positive message. Loud, powerful electro infused music. Basically, ‘Let There Be Love’ sounds a lot like the first half of the record. But there’s a great moment in the song where the house music slows down and slowly rises to its peak just as Christina’s voice does the same
Sing For Me: Things start to slow down with ‘Sing For Me’as Aguilera pours her heart out. The song starts with what sounds like a radio searching for signal and it plays throughout the track along with a piano. The song sounds very personal as she’s singing about how she sings for herself and she doesn’t care about how others think she sounds. A subtle ode to the criticism she sometimes gets for “over singing.”
Blank Page: A beautiful piano ballad that Sia wrote. ‘Blank Page’ will probably be the fan favorite of the album. With a regretful undertone, Christina is singing her face off in this solemn song. Shedding the ever-present electric layer from earlier tracks, we can listen to the vocal acrobatics that we all know her mutant lungs are capable of.
Cease Fire: Get ready for battle! At least that’s the feeling I get when I listen to ‘Cease Fire.’ Xtina is the soldier leading in this epic fight for peace between her fighters and the forces of hate. Props for making the music sound like a Braveheart 2.0 with the military drums.
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Around The World: A provocative song about making love all over the globe, ‘Around The World’ is a club-banger. Aguilera even gets affected with an accent in this one! Seems appropriate since she’s taking us around the world.
Best of Me: I love this song. I love ‘Best Of Me’ because Christina is admitting that she’s not always as strong as she seems. She knows what people say about her and it hurts. It’s in her vulnerability that she shines on this low-tempo song. No matter what you tell yourself, you know that sometimes words can hurt like a blade to the skin. The seemingly tough Xtina is breaking out and baring her soul on how we all feel and how we must not let mean people get the best of us.
Just A Fool: Can we officially say Ms. Aguilera has covered all genres after this? She is trying her hand at country, folks, and with the help of her fellow coach from The Voice Blake Shelton. ‘Just A Fool’ is actually a pretty mid-tempo song. The vocal arrangement is beautiful as both singers lament over a lover they can’t get over.
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Overall, LOTUS is a good album. Not great. It’s just that it sounds like too many songs I’ve heard before. And this is what disappoints me about this album. Christina Aguilera has often defied the “what’s popular at the moment” mantra. But with LOTUS, a lot of the dance tracks can be packaged in the same box as the Top Ten hits of the past several years. While the slower songs are the stand-outs, they’re just ok at best. With the exception of ‘Blank Page,’ which will most likely be the second single. If it’s nothing that I haven’t heard before why say it’s still good? Well, at least LOTUS‘s message isn’t one-note. An album is complete to me when not only is it sonically cohesive but it ranges in emotions as well. This new flower that Christina Aguilera has grown is filled with not just fluffy pop songs but with ballads that are honest and soul-baring. You’ll pop in the the album in your CD player or listen to it on your iPod and it’ll make you dance, it’ll make you feel sexy and sneaky, and it’ll make you cry. In this pop-driven record, there’s a message in it for everyone.
LOTUS is available for purchase tomorrow.
Rating: 7/10
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