Christina Channels The Classics!!!
Back To Basics (2006)
Disc 1
1. Intro (Back To Basics)
We start things off with Christina singing about wanting to pay her respects to the many artists that came before her by doing music that would make them proud. I like it as it establishes the tone and theme of the album as Christina presents us an album that be a highlight and definite throwback.
2. "Makes Me Wanna Pray" (Featuring Steve Winwood)
With an infectious choir behind her and a soul/gospel/funk production, Christina sings of having a divine intervention as the new man in her life makes her want to sing her praises to the Lord. I like the arrangements of the music and Christina gives a strong performance as always as her voice fits this type of music easily.
(B+)
With an infectious choir behind her and a soul/gospel/funk production, Christina sings of having a divine intervention as the new man in her life makes her want to sing her praises to the Lord. I like the arrangements of the music and Christina gives a strong performance as always as her voice fits this type of music easily.
(B+)
3. "Back In The Day"
"Back In the Day" has a vintage soul/hip hop production as Christina sings of the ones who came before her and honestly did things right. This is a thoroughly entertaining trip down memory lane as the male in the background even lists the artists who came before and paved the way for artists like Christina. Christina had some fun with this one as I can definitely feel her energy on this one. A nice track overall.
(B)
(B)
4. "Ain't No Other Man"
With a jazzy opening as well as Christina's signature vocals, "Ain't No Other Man" is a 1940s inspired track with it's mixed of it and modern day music. Christina sings of a man who is unlike the other men in her life as he stands out for a multitude of reasons that she lists. This is the kind of inventive music that is ridiculously fun to listen to and Christina has more than enough soul to pull off a song this old school yet contemporary. One of her best hits by far.
(A-)
With a jazzy opening as well as Christina's signature vocals, "Ain't No Other Man" is a 1940s inspired track with it's mixed of it and modern day music. Christina sings of a man who is unlike the other men in her life as he stands out for a multitude of reasons that she lists. This is the kind of inventive music that is ridiculously fun to listen to and Christina has more than enough soul to pull off a song this old school yet contemporary. One of her best hits by far.
(A-)
5. "Understand"
Sampling Betty Harris's "Nearer to You", "Understand" is a tale of Christina singing about a man that she hopes understand why she needs to keep her distance from him in their relationship. I love the sample as it seamlessly works into the music of the song. Christina is really contemplating and you can hear the uncertainty in her voice as whether she's doing the right thing...but ultimately knowing she has to walk away. (Wait, wrong album! [blah])
(B)
Sampling Betty Harris's "Nearer to You", "Understand" is a tale of Christina singing about a man that she hopes understand why she needs to keep her distance from him in their relationship. I love the sample as it seamlessly works into the music of the song. Christina is really contemplating and you can hear the uncertainty in her voice as whether she's doing the right thing...but ultimately knowing she has to walk away. (Wait, wrong album! [blah])
(B)
6. "Slow Down Baby"
"Slow Down Baby" has more of that vintage soul production as Christina sings about a man she has no interest in and is trying to make him get that they will never be a couple. I like the little touches of practical instrumentation with the horns and Christina carries this with a sassy confidence that is needed for the song to work.
(B)
"Slow Down Baby" has more of that vintage soul production as Christina sings about a man she has no interest in and is trying to make him get that they will never be a couple. I like the little touches of practical instrumentation with the horns and Christina carries this with a sassy confidence that is needed for the song to work.
(B)
7. "Oh Mother"
In this mid-tempo track, Christina sings of a pretty dysfunctional relationship with some abusive consequences. The lyrics are pretty moving and it almost feels like Christina is talking about her own mother, telling her "I love you mom". Could this is fact be about her mother and father's relationship. I mean she had a ste father, so maybe it's about them. Whether this is for the sake of her art or true, I love it overall. Christina sings this with great emotional depth and I love how production swells toward the end, especially when she goes for that high note.
(A-)
In this mid-tempo track, Christina sings of a pretty dysfunctional relationship with some abusive consequences. The lyrics are pretty moving and it almost feels like Christina is talking about her own mother, telling her "I love you mom". Could this is fact be about her mother and father's relationship. I mean she had a ste father, so maybe it's about them. Whether this is for the sake of her art or true, I love it overall. Christina sings this with great emotional depth and I love how production swells toward the end, especially when she goes for that high note.
(A-)
8. F.U.S.S. Interlude
This interlude sees Christina singing of a parting ways from a relationship as she feel unappreciated and that it's her time to move on. She dedicates this song to that unfortunate individual...who ever that maybe...I'm sure she's talking about her ex-husband. lol
This interlude sees Christina singing of a parting ways from a relationship as she feel unappreciated and that it's her time to move on. She dedicates this song to that unfortunate individual...who ever that maybe...I'm sure she's talking about her ex-husband. lol
9. "On Our Way"
...juxtaposed to the other track, "On Our Way" is about redeeming a relationship that is in turmoil. I mean, is she still talking about her ex on this one!? Who knows! I think it's a decent song overall and I also enough the beautiful piano playing incorporated into it.
(B)
...juxtaposed to the other track, "On Our Way" is about redeeming a relationship that is in turmoil. I mean, is she still talking about her ex on this one!? Who knows! I think it's a decent song overall and I also enough the beautiful piano playing incorporated into it.
(B)
10. "Without You"
This song has Christina getting all mushy about a guy and I don't know if I like it for that matter. The lyrics are a little too sappy for me as Christina sings about not being able to live without this guy. I'm sure you can boo. [laugh] It's ok for me, could be better but Christina sounds solid regardless. Nice piano playing again too.
(C)
This song has Christina getting all mushy about a guy and I don't know if I like it for that matter. The lyrics are a little too sappy for me as Christina sings about not being able to live without this guy. I'm sure you can boo. [laugh] It's ok for me, could be better but Christina sounds solid regardless. Nice piano playing again too.
(C)
11. "Still Dirrty"
Oh Christina...I thought you were cleaning up your act with this album!? I don't need to know that you are "still dirty". I mean Christina what image are you trying to present to the public? I mean I get wanting to be sexy, but why dirty...and why spell it "D.I.R.R.T.Y?!" -_- I mean the production is awesome with it's vintage cool factor but I just don't like what Christina is singing about. I don't care how naughty or freaky you can be. Keep those clothes on boo!!
(C+)
Oh Christina...I thought you were cleaning up your act with this album!? I don't need to know that you are "still dirty". I mean Christina what image are you trying to present to the public? I mean I get wanting to be sexy, but why dirty...and why spell it "D.I.R.R.T.Y?!" -_- I mean the production is awesome with it's vintage cool factor but I just don't like what Christina is singing about. I don't care how naughty or freaky you can be. Keep those clothes on boo!!
(C+)
12. "Here To Stay"
"Here To Stay" has Christina being unapologetically honest about who she is and why she will always be relevant. I like it but she's a bit overconfident here. But then she does sing at one point that she has "never been shy", so who am I to call her overconfident when that is probably apart of her personality. The production is decent enough and I like it, so this is a pretty good track for me overall.
(B-)
"Here To Stay" has Christina being unapologetically honest about who she is and why she will always be relevant. I like it but she's a bit overconfident here. But then she does sing at one point that she has "never been shy", so who am I to call her overconfident when that is probably apart of her personality. The production is decent enough and I like it, so this is a pretty good track for me overall.
(B-)
13. "Thank You (Dedication To All The Fans...)"
We get a remix of "Genie In A Bottle" with Biggie and Lil' Kim coming in for a split second before Christina starts singing to her fans for being there for her and watching her mature as an artist. It's a hard track to judge because it isn't really a song and more just her thanking her fans...so I don't know if I should rate it. I mean it's still technically a song so I guess I have no choice but to. It's cute tribute to her fan base and I like it.
(B)
We get a remix of "Genie In A Bottle" with Biggie and Lil' Kim coming in for a split second before Christina starts singing to her fans for being there for her and watching her mature as an artist. It's a hard track to judge because it isn't really a song and more just her thanking her fans...so I don't know if I should rate it. I mean it's still technically a song so I guess I have no choice but to. It's cute tribute to her fan base and I like it.
(B)
Disc 2
1. Enter The Circus
We get a grand opening introduction to this second disc of the album and I love it. This feels like a real opening to a circus and it's fun!
We get a grand opening introduction to this second disc of the album and I love it. This feels like a real opening to a circus and it's fun!
2. "Welcome"
This is a continuation of the last track as Christina "welcomes" up to this portion of the album. I get it, it's nice to be welcomed and all but I rather just get to the actual song than more introductions. I mean it's ok for what it is but it isn't a song like I said. Though the background instrumentals are fun and very authentic to the Circus feel.
(C)
This is a continuation of the last track as Christina "welcomes" up to this portion of the album. I get it, it's nice to be welcomed and all but I rather just get to the actual song than more introductions. I mean it's ok for what it is but it isn't a song like I said. Though the background instrumentals are fun and very authentic to the Circus feel.
(C)
3. "Candyman"
Now, this is a track that whole heartedly embraces the 1940 blues style and Christina sounds great both in her lead vocals and background vocals; matching the excellent singing style of the Andrew Sisters. The production is a complete time warp and that note Christina hits towards the end of the song is phenomenal! One of the best tracks on the album.
(A)
Now, this is a track that whole heartedly embraces the 1940 blues style and Christina sounds great both in her lead vocals and background vocals; matching the excellent singing style of the Andrew Sisters. The production is a complete time warp and that note Christina hits towards the end of the song is phenomenal! One of the best tracks on the album.
(A)
4. "Nasty Naughty Girl"
I LOVE the way that Christina sings this song, feeling like a scene straight out of a classic film noir and the instrumentation is brilliant; capturing that era very well. The lyrics are pretty clever; subtle enough where they aren't explicit and sexy enough to the point where it fits the class of such Hollywood style club scenes in motion pictures back then. You can tell Christina was having a great time with this track and it shows. This is true artistry and captures what she was trying to do with the album along. Though at the end, she does seem to be enjoying herself a little too much! Still love it though.
(A-)
I LOVE the way that Christina sings this song, feeling like a scene straight out of a classic film noir and the instrumentation is brilliant; capturing that era very well. The lyrics are pretty clever; subtle enough where they aren't explicit and sexy enough to the point where it fits the class of such Hollywood style club scenes in motion pictures back then. You can tell Christina was having a great time with this track and it shows. This is true artistry and captures what she was trying to do with the album along. Though at the end, she does seem to be enjoying herself a little too much! Still love it though.
(A-)
5. "I Got Trouble"
Continuing the vintage style is this track that sees Christina singing about looking for trouble. I once again like the way she sings this and the cracking of the record gives the song an authenticity to that era. Once again, nice classical instrumentation. This almost feel like a Speakeasy song from the 1920s. Christina would have been a great soul singer from that period of time definitely.
(B)
Continuing the vintage style is this track that sees Christina singing about looking for trouble. I once again like the way she sings this and the cracking of the record gives the song an authenticity to that era. Once again, nice classical instrumentation. This almost feel like a Speakeasy song from the 1920s. Christina would have been a great soul singer from that period of time definitely.
(B)
6. "Hurt"
In this more contemporary ballad, Christina sings her heart out as she sings lyrics full of regret over a relationship that fell apart. I love the stunning piano playing against Christina's conviction ridden voice. That's all a real artist needs when they need to display their talent. A piano and their voice aka their God given instrument. This is some fine epic balladry that she's Christina at her most vulnerable yet. Oh and that violin playing! Quite elegant!
(A-)
In this more contemporary ballad, Christina sings her heart out as she sings lyrics full of regret over a relationship that fell apart. I love the stunning piano playing against Christina's conviction ridden voice. That's all a real artist needs when they need to display their talent. A piano and their voice aka their God given instrument. This is some fine epic balladry that she's Christina at her most vulnerable yet. Oh and that violin playing! Quite elegant!
(A-)
7. "Mercy On Me"
I feel like this is a song that you should pray at a funeral...what!? It just has that morbid feel to it, like someone literally just died but anyway. This heartache pouring ballad has Christina calling for some more divine intervention (you know for a woman who likes it's dirty, she has a surprising religious side to her...so which is it Christina?! Do you like it freaky or do you love the Lord? Ok back to the song, I like it as Christina gives a glorious vocal performance that matches the overdramatic production at hand. Nice work!
(B)
I feel like this is a song that you should pray at a funeral...what!? It just has that morbid feel to it, like someone literally just died but anyway. This heartache pouring ballad has Christina calling for some more divine intervention (you know for a woman who likes it's dirty, she has a surprising religious side to her...so which is it Christina?! Do you like it freaky or do you love the Lord? Ok back to the song, I like it as Christina gives a glorious vocal performance that matches the overdramatic production at hand. Nice work!
(B)
8. "Save Me From Myself"
We get an acoustic guitar ballad that gives me "Stripped" teas!!! You know how much I love that album, so anything that reminds me of that album, I'm going to love. Christina sings this with a quite innocence that I enjoy; I like this kind of singing style for her. Usually her vocals are so loud and powerful but this kind of versatility is nice to see. Really nice song!
We get an acoustic guitar ballad that gives me "Stripped" teas!!! You know how much I love that album, so anything that reminds me of that album, I'm going to love. Christina sings this with a quite innocence that I enjoy; I like this kind of singing style for her. Usually her vocals are so loud and powerful but this kind of versatility is nice to see. Really nice song!
(B+)
9. "The Right Man"
Oh Christina! If only you found the right man, you wouldn't have had to signed those divorce papers at the time!! Boop Boop!! Anyway, this song is alright as Christina really goes for theatrics with this production and vocal delivery . I like it, nothing wrong with it, I just think there was far better on album. Like the violins as well.
(C+)
Oh Christina! If only you found the right man, you wouldn't have had to signed those divorce papers at the time!! Boop Boop!! Anyway, this song is alright as Christina really goes for theatrics with this production and vocal delivery . I like it, nothing wrong with it, I just think there was far better on album. Like the violins as well.
(C+)
One thing I have to say about Christina that I love about her as an artist is her fearlessness to experiment with her music even when the odds are against her. Instead of following current trends once again at the time, she wanted to go back to when music had more creativity, personality and soul. She felt that music at the time had evolved to the point when "anybody could be a singer" do to the advancements in technology. Clearly shade....but she didn't have a point. I mean nothing was really stopping artists like Cassie (I know....who?! O_o) from making it in the industry when their talent was non-existent. As an album, "Back To Basics" is successful doing on what it set out to do,; bringing listeners back to simpler times of classic instrumentation and soulful grooves that almost transport you back those eras. I really LOVE "Ain't No Other Man" and "Candy Man" for their authenticity to the 30s swing and 40s blues. Adopting her alter ego, Baby Jane, the album lyrically tells of her estranged marriage to Jordon Bratman in 2005. I mean a song like "Hurt" feels deep and emotionally warranting; obviously channeling the pain from such recent events in her life. The album is just so ridiculously entertaining as even the ambitiously 40s inspired "Naughty Nasty Girl", despite it's borderline explicit nature, shines! The critics obviously felt the same as her reviews for the album were much more positive than her last; even some comparing her work to the heights of Mariah Carey's. Her album went on to sell over 5 million copies and won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2007. The only complaint I have is Christina has this almost exhausting need to make her album very long. O_O I mean not every album has to be a Greek tragedy kind of timing to it. lol Luckily the album doesn't drag as it could have but like I said, it could have been literally shortened to be much more pleasing to the ears. That's all! But otherwise this was sensational album in Christina's discography. :)
"Drawing inspiration from eras like the Roaring 20s all the way to the Swinging 30s and 40s as well as more, "Back To Basics" is a great escapism to when music had not only meaning but a variety of irresistible class, fantastic funk and remarkable effort put into it's presentation that Christina and her team of producers manage to capture for the most part!" :)
(B+)
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