Single of the Week
11.03.08
Break The Ice
Artiste: Britney Spears
Album: Blackout
It’s so pleasantly surprising when a screwed-up artiste can produce such marvelous pieces of work. First it was Amy Winehouse. Now it’s Britney Spears. It’s almost as if some huge lifestyle problem boosts a singer’s music abilities.
Firstly, I’m not a big fan of Blackout. I find it extremely overproduced, and Britney’s vocals get grating at some points, like on Gimme More. But for the record, there are more grating voices out there like The Jonas Brothers, and if Britney has done anything, it’s that she has managed to infuse marvelous electronic dancehall tastes with modern pop.
Well, maybe the kudos should go to Keri Hilson, Nate Hills and the other songwriters/producers who worked on Break The Ice, because they have done an excellent job, giving punch and sustaining it beyond 02′35”.
On Break The Ice, Britney brings the sexiness to a whole new level, utilizing whispery vocals and panting breaths to layer onto the infectious, completely catchy beat, resulting in a song that is classy on the uptake, but still extremely physical and gritty.
One wonders who the hell her target audience is. She isn’t a Miley Cyrus or V.A. Hudgens, nor is she a Delta or Leona. She doesn’t appeal to tweens or to emo young adults. The themes she tackles in her songs (on Blackout) are far more mature than others (or her In The Zone, for that matter).
Paparazzi distaste, her absence from the music industry, her children… all those issues litter her songs. And yet, her music still works.
This song is exactly why Britney is sustainable in the music industry, and it’s every example of what Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Seal should have in their albums. They need to reinvent their sound, and make it fresh and unique.
Not saying they should all start having bipolar disorder, or add so much synth to their tracks until they sound like robots, but some crossing of genres and more impactful songs with reference to their life experiences would be a lot better.
I mean, you can’t give a whispery breath to the word “Youtube”! And “Britney shameless” knows that. For now, she turns on the heat, and she breaks the ice indeed.
To download the single, click on this link:
If you like the album (hey, whatever rocks your boat), go get it!
