Christina Aguilera - 'Lotus'
Christina Aguilera has done a pretty good job on the hit NBC show called The Voice with helping new artists get a start in the music business. Now it is her turn to come back better than ever so she released some new material to the world. Her latest CD is called Lotus and was released November 13. This is the follow-up to her 2010 album, called Bionic, which didnt do so well on the charts.
There has been a lot of chatter for this album which can be a good thing for an artist or a bad thing. The things I have been hearing are making this album seem like she is back on her game. I wanted to take a listen for myself to see what this album is all about. I took a listen to the Deluxe Version from iTunes and I have to say I am in love with this album. It has a lot of raw emotion and it reminds me of her 2002 album called Stripped. She also had some help from her voice co-stars. Both CeeLo Green and Blake Shelton make an appearance on this album.
1. Lotus IntroThis is an intro to get you in the mood of the whole album. She did something like this on her Stripped album. This was okay but I feel that it really wasnt necessary and I pretty much wanted to skip it and get on with the show. To me it felt a little out of place with the whole album.
2. Army of MeShe has said in interviews that this is her Fight 2.0 song. You can feel that right off the bat when she starts off singing, Ive been standing where youve left me. This song is one you just want to get up and dance to, or if you are in the car you will start singing along and doing your own little car dance. I can see this one being her next single and everyone getting into it at her concerts.
3. Red Hot Kinda LoveThis song has a more pop and radio feel to it. Its an okay song. The thing I like ! best about it is all of the layering she does of the vocals. Other than that, its kind of blah.
4. Make The World Move (Feat. CeeLo Green)When I saw that CeeLo Green was in this song I was very interested. Right off the bat you hear horns in the background and it has a more R&B old school soul to it. Kind of like her Back To Basics album. CeeLo comes in with the chorus and does an amazing job on this. It is not too much of either one and they complement each other perfectly. Im glad to see both of them doing something together.
5. Your BodyThis is the first single off the album. I have to say when I first heard the song I was not too happy with it. But after I took another listen to it I started to like it. You know right away this is going to be another upbeat dance song meant for the clubs. That is until the chorus comes in and it has a little bit of a more edgy feel to it. No matter your take on the song its catchy and youll find yourself singing along with it.
6. Let There Be LoveThis is another dance song on the album which seems to be the theme to it. This is a very adult song if you listen to the lyrics. You also cant help but get up and dance when that chorus comes in. But now with this being the 5th or 6th uptempo song of the album Im starting to get a little bit bored because they are all starting to sound the same to me.
7. Sing for MeJust when I thought she was going to start doing another uptempo song she slows the album down. You can tell she is starting to get more personal with this song. She talks about finding her own voice and keeping on going with life. Its about how she is finding her way and singing for her self and no one else.
8. Blank PageThis is another personal song and you can tell right off the bat when the piano kicks in. She talks about finding someone who will help change her for the better and help her live life. What I love about this song is t! hat it is! very raw. The only thing there is that piano and her voice. When you close your eyes you feel like she is singing about you. This is a song that everyone can connect to.
9. Cease FireThis is a medium tempo song. After listening to this song a few times I still can not get into it. Im feeling like it is pulling in too many different directions. I do like where she was trying to go with the lyrics. I think the music in the background could have been done better.
10. Around the WorldThis is another very adult song. Its another upbeat song that you can see yourself dancing to in the clubs. She does do a few words you might have heard her sing before in "Lady Marmalade." There isnt much musically done to this song so its so-so.
11. CirclesThis song is pretty much her f you to everyone. I love how she says it very creatively. This song is very catchy and there is something about that I love. When the chorus comes in it is really rockery with the guitars and when its the verses its pretty much her voice and a few other instruments.
12. Best of MeThis song I knew would be another personal one just by looking at the title. I was right. You hear a piano start off with her singing and you can hear her opening up to everyone with her voice. She talks about the person she made this to will not bring her down and will not get the best of her. I love that about this song. Im thinking she wrote this when she was going through her divorce because it sounds like a breakup song. This is a song that every girl needs to hear after a breakup.
13. Just a Fool (with Blake Shelton)Once I saw that Blake Shelton was on this album I was again interested since Ive never heard Christina do any country. This song is pop but it has a little country twang to it. This kind of reminded me of the song Kelly Clarkson did with Jason Alden, since both songs talked about people they have loved and are going away. Blake Shelton d! oes an am! azing job in this song along with Christina. I hope this will be either the second or third single off this song. Its also nice to see Christina try and do different genres.
Bonus Tracks14. Light Up The SkyI wish this song was replaced with another song on this album so everyone can get it. I feel like this is another song that everyone can relate to and a bunch of people can get together and sing. It talks about getting wings and flying. It reminds me of that feeling of knowing you are no longer a child and now an adult.
15. Empty WordsIm glad this song is a bonus track because its pretty much a yawn. There is nothing special and I feel like she just made it for the hell of it.
16. Shut UpThis is a another girl power song! This is another song that I wish wasnt a bonus track but replaced another song. Right away Im in the song with beat and then the chorus comes in and I just want to sing along. The chorus is something I think we have all said in our heads once in our lives at some point.
17. Your Body (Martin Garrix Remix)This is a typical remix nothing special about. Its pretty much just a longer version of the song.
So it seems like this album was a mixed review for me. I am going to say I am not disappointed that I got this album. Sure there are some bad songs on there but the good ones outweigh the other ones and her voice on this album is spot on. And I love the songs that were raw and personal. But if you were going to get the album, go for the few bucks more and get the bonus tracks. That will make this whole album worth your while.
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