#04: Vanessa Hudgens - Identified
Released: July 1st, 2008
Genre: Pop, R&B, Dance
Producers: Scott Jacoby, Dr. Luke, Antonina Armato, Tim James, J. R. Rotem, Christopher Rojas, Emanuel Kiriakou
Billboard 200 Rank: #23
Highlights:
-Identified
-Hook It Up (feat. Rock Mafia)
-First Bad Habit
-Don't Leave
-Amazed (feat. Lil Mama)
-Party On The Moon
Write Up:
With her sophomore release Vanessa Hudgens set out for a more mature dance type album with some positive results. Many people were turned off by the ridiculous yet catchy 1st single "Sneakernight" which was strictly recorded for Ecko Red's shoe line which Miss Vanessa is an enodorser of but that didn't stop me from whoring this album throughout the summer. The album starts with the soulful, Amy Winehouse-ish "Last Night" where Vanessa sings about not wanting to know what her man did behind her back last night. The song is funky and even sounds a bit country in some areas and shows off her vocal ability. Tracks 2 & 3 are the Dr. Luke produced pop gems "Identified" & "First Bad Habit" which both could have easily been hits with the right promotion. "Identified" sounds alot like Britney's "Piece Of Me". Track #4 is the club-oriented "Hook It Up" (think Lindsay Lohan's "Rumors" but with more energy). The song shows a more edgier side of V which I like the most. Track #7 is the hip-hop flavored "Amazed" which has a catchy chorus and features a verse from the lip gloss queen herself Lil Mama. Track #8 is the Jesse McCartney penned "Don't Leave", the man behind the smash "Bleeding Love" wrote this R&B-pop number which clearly has top 40 hit written all over it. The melody is very reminiscent to Jordin Sparks' "Tattoo" & the spoken word bit has to be my favorite part of the song:
"I gave you everything body, mind, heart, & soul". Track #10, "Party On The Moon" has got to be one of the wierdest songs I've ever heard which is probably why I love it so much. The beat is insane & the effects done to her voice in the song go perfectly with the whole theme. The song also features one of my favorite lines in the whole album
"I see milky way hotties, so beam up scotty". The album ends on a high note with the soulful "Gone With The Wind" which is the best song on the album vocally. She seems to be adressing her silly little nude scandal from September of '07 in the song as she sings
"The little girl you knew/is gone with the wind". Anybody who thinks this "disney star" can't sing needs to press play on this track.
#03: Britney Spears - Circus
Released: December 2nd, 2008
Genre: Pop, Dance
Producers: Bloodshy & Avant, Benny Blanco, The Clutch, Nate "Danja" Hills, Dr. Luke, Fernando Garibay, Greg Kurstin, Guy Sigsworth, Jim Beanz, Claude Kelly, Let's Go To War, Max Martin, Nicole Morier, The Outsyders, The Underdogs
Billboard 200 Rank: N/A, but its projected to come in @ #1.
Highlights:
-If U Seek Amy
-Shattered Glass
-Out From Under
-Womanizer
-Circus
-Kill The Lights
Write Up:
Ms. Britney Jean Spears is one of the most talked about and saught after artists of this decade, you can't go to any newsstand without seeing her face on the cover of something. Last year she released 'Blackout' which was my personal favorite album of 2007 and now she's letting us into her circus for her 6th LP. Though not as hot as last year's 'Blackout' its still hot enough to kick of my top 3 albums of '08. The album starts with the addictive lead single "Womanizer" which became her 1st Hot 100 #1 since her debut single "Baby .. One More Time", crazy right? Track #2 "Circus" seems like its on its way to becoming her 3rd #1 with the hot production curtosey of Dr. Luke and the fierce line:
"When I crack that whip everybody gon trip just like a circus". Track #3, "Out From Under" is something 'Blackout' lacked ... A BALLAD! "Out From Under" is probably my favorite ballad of all time from Ms. Spears. Her voice just sounds incredibly beautiful on the track and you can tell she really relates to the lyrics. Its another EPIC ballad penned by Arnthor Birgisson who is also the man behind Vanessa Hudgens' "Say OK". Track #4, "Kill The Lights" is a Danja production and is very different from the songs he produced on 'Blackout' IMO, it took me a couple listens to realize its epic-ness. The next track "Shattered Glass" is amazing to me since its sounds like it could have been on 2001's 'Britney' but with a 2008 twist. For track #6, "If U Seek Amy" Britney teamed up with long-time producer Max Martin who produced whats shaping up to be one of my favorite Britney tracks EVER. Everything from the the lala's in the beginning is just PURE SEX. You can bust a nut to that damn song! Track 7, "Unsual You" is everything "Heaven On Earth" was supposed to be but failed at being. Track #8 "Blur" has a killer chorus while track #9 "Mmm Papi" is wierd at first but crazy, sexy, cool after a couple more listens. Track 10, "Mannequin" is a bit crazy and on the first listen had be like WTF? But after more listens its a pretty hot tune. I absolutely love the ending of it. And if you wanna know how hot track #11 "Lace and Leather" is just look up the first line
"French fingertips, red lips, bitch is dangerous". I love the fierce-ness of the song and the funky-vibe it has. The album ends with the ballad "My Baby" which isn't as good as "Out From Under" but its cute and the fact Britney wrote it makes it even better<333.