Given everything she's been through, Britney Spears labelling her eighth album as her "most personal" yet is an exciting prospect. After 14 years in the biz she's certainly got a lot to draw on; from being catapulted to worldwide fame to divorce, a breakdown, rehab, court orders and more recently the end of her engagement with her former agent and co-conservator Jason Trawick. By all accounts, Britney Jean has the potential to be seriously juicy.
Despite claiming a co-write for every song on the album, its lead single 'Work Bitch' - a slice of throbbing EDM-pop co-produced by Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian Ingrosso - doesn't offer much hope of Spears living up to her promise; though that doesn't detract from its other qualities as an exhilarating and undeniably 'Britney'-sounding pop song.
That said, the big (and ironic) surprise on Britney Jean is just how un-Britney it sounds. In the past, Spears has created albums packed with the kind of forward-thinking production and robotic vocal tics that only she could pull off, whereas now she seems to be imitating those who once looked up to her.
The Sia-penned piano ballad 'Perfume' - easily the most personal thing here - feels like it was once optioned for Rihanna, while she switches into Katy Perry/Kelly Clarkson mode on 'Passenger', a fists-in-the-air anthem co-penned by Perry that is one of the LP's strongest tracks but somehow still feels like it doesn't belong.
Elsewhere, she reverts back to EDM-ney with the help of the record's executive producer will.i.am on the wafer-thin tranceathon 'It Should Be Easy' and menacing Euro-pop banger 'Til It's Gone' - a song that should have served as a blueprint for the entire album - while her much-hyped alliance with William Orbit on the soothing opener 'Alien' isn't quite as swoopingly epic as he's capable of. Still, its refreshingly honest lyrics ("There was a time I was one of a kind") and fragile delivery are a mere hint at what could have been.
Download: 'Work Bitch', 'Passenger', 'Til It's Gone'
If you like this, you'll like: Cheryl Cole, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry
