Britney Spears isn't just clowning around on 'Circus'

"CIRCUS," Britney Spears (Jive)

This year has seen a nonstop parade of releases from female pop icons -- including Mariah Carey, Madonna, Janet Jackson and Beyonce -- but none has sparked the speculation ignited by Britney Spears' new "Circus." Of course, the interest in Spears is related more to her personal life than her music, but this time for more positive reasons: Lately there's been a clear sense that she has rejoined reality.
That wasn't the case a year ago when she unleashed "Blackout," a dynamic pop album that rated as her best, though it was largely overshadowed by her erratic behavior and legal woes.
"Circus" sounds much like "Blackout," yet now the world seems more open to listening to Spears. Like its predecessor, the release was assembled by a mob of powerful producers, and there are easily a half-dozen potential hits nestled in the contents. First single "Womanizer," for instance, is an Outsyders-produced adrenaline rush akin to her previous hit "Toxic," complete with hard-thumping beats, siren effects and a splashy video (with costume changes). Possible follow-up singles include the percolating title track, the textured ballad "Out From Under" and, especially, the banging "Shattered Glass," where Spears sings, "If you think you're hurtin', you ain't seen nothing yet."
Although "Circus" sounds like a natural sequel to "Blackout," which in itself isn't a bad thing, there are some heartening signs of growth. Her voice is beginning to sound more human, a result of a tad less studio manipulation and perhaps even training to soften her tinny edge. And her lyrics make her sound more human, too. Whereas on "Blackout" Spears seemed oblivious to the self-destructive behavior that made her life a disaster, "Circus" finds her taking ownership of her flaws. While she may sing, "I'm a put-on-a-show kind of girl" on the title track, she also demonstrates what sounds like believable anger, affection and contrition. Most striking, Spears is in full-on confessional mode on the effectively somber "Blur," singing from the perspective of an out-of-control woman who "can't remember what I did last night."
"Circus" is still a humble, radio-friendly pop album with more sass than depth. But for those open to accepting Spears as a legitimate star, she's done her part to earn their respect.
Rating (five possible): 3-1/2

"IN THE CITY," Kevin Rudolf (Cash Money/Universal Republic)

The tenuous alliance between rock and urban music took a positive turn when songwriter/producer/guitarist/singer Kevin Rudolf joined the lineup at hip-hop's Cash Money label earlier this year. But the Miami-based New York native didn't just fall out of the sky and into an improbable deal with the label for his "In the City" debut: Rudolf has previously worked with Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Black Eyed Peas -- all of whom have done their share of melding pop and rock and rap.
"In the City's" first single, "Let It Rock," is an explosively satisfying anthem featuring Cash Money's own Lil Wayne in a key supporting role as Rudolf whips through electro-rock power chords, melodic chorus and pounding braggadocio.
Although other tracks aren't quite as rewarding, "In the City" scores again with the bombastic title-track opener, with the twisting testosterone of a "Welcome to the World" featuring Rick Ross and with an "N.Y.C." where Nas upstages Rudolf. Also, when Chad Hugo of the Neptunes steps in to help Rudolf produce "She Can Get It," the tandem concocts a rowdy, comical high.
Rudolf's apparently a rocker at his core, however, and when he ventures out without his guest rappers and assistant hip-hop producers on "In the City," he's prone to stumble.
In contrast to the innovative songs on "In the City," tracks such as "Livin' It Up," "No Way Out," "Scarred" and "Great Escape" are downright confounding -- regressive retreads of forgettable 1980s pop, throwaway throwbacks that bring to mind New Wave's anemic underbelly. And, inevitably, Rudolf drives home the aimlessness of these songs with embarrassing guitar solos.
Nothing kills street cred like nerdiness.
Rating: 3

"BEYOND THE HORIZON," various acts (Warner Classics and Jazz)

BBC DJ Charlie Gillett is your tour guide to world music on the new compilation "Beyond the Horizon." He knows his stuff and he knows how to relay it, though there's no sense of urgency to the sprawling collection.
That must be because it's a world tour.
Gillett, host of the weekly BBC World Service show "A World of Music," brings all manner of sonic adventure aboard "Beyond the Horizon" -- 34 tracks packed onto two discs for a total listening time of more than two-and-a-half hours.
Considering there are few English lyrics on "Beyond the Horizon," the extensive release could prove an endurance test for many listeners. And while Gillett could probably provide endless details about the differences between tracks, those who can't pick out the subtle nuances typifying various world-music instruments and rhythms will likely only hear similarities. It doesn't help that so many tracks stretch beyond the five- and six-minute mark.
Still, Gillett makes the compilation entirely palatable, at least as background music, with a keen sense of tracking whereby one song logically leads to another in a progression that takes the audience on a gradual broad journey.
Some 28 countries are represented here, from Uruguay to Uzbekistan, and Gillett favors acts from Africa and South America. There's also a healthy presence of women performers, and chances are the average American won't recognize a single name in the entire collection.
While the sound tends to have a Third World feel with focus on instruments such as the oud and the kora, "Beyond the Horizon" ventures past all genre restrictions, sweeping through tango, rumba, electronica, jazz, cabaret, burlesque, pop, reggae and hip-hop.
Gillett also features eccentric musicians and charismatic singers who periodically punch through with offbeat charm.
With a collection this exhaustive, Gillett can afford to include a bit of just about everything.
Rating: 3-1/2

(E-mail Chuck Campbell of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at Campbell(at)knews.com.)
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