Christina Aguilera

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Christina Aguilera

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Don't write Ms. Aguilera off as the next Britney Spears. Unlike Britney's babyish and mechanical voice, Christina sounds soulful and powerful. (NOTE: Someone said that Christina herself was the only one making the Mariah/Whitney comparisions...not true. Christina has said that both singers are influences, but SonicNet, MTV, and many others have compared her voice to them.) Here's my little review:

1. GENIE IN A BOTTLE: A cool dance track. It sounds MUCH better on stereo than on the radio, though. It doesn't showcase her singing as much as the other songs, but is still a good song, though nowhere near the best on the album.

2. WHAT A GIRL WANTS: This one's got more of an R&B feel, which is cool. I also love the meaning of this one. Plus, the remix is really cool, and should be another hit once it comes out.

3. I TURN TO YOU: Oh. My. Gawd. How can you listen to this, then call her a one-hit wonder? That part at the end where she holds that long note...incredible. I'd like to see Britney TRY to do that.

4. SO EMOTIONAL: This is one of my favorites. It's got this cool bluesy feel but is danceable. I also love the lyric "It's either black or white, that's right. We're making love while we're in a fight." That basically sums up life.

5. COME ON OVER: Another great one. It's fun to dance to, but she sounds great even on fast songs. Her voice just has so much substance, so much soul.

6. REFLECTION: Christina scores another wonderful ballad. This one's got a great message that I really can relate to, and Ms. Aguilera's voice adds so much more to it. Very powerful, very wonderful. As far as ballads go, only "I Turn To You" (by Christina), "I Wanna Love You Forever" by Jessica Simpson, and "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" by BSB can possibly compete with this one.

7. LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS: A fun, dancable song. And her voice sounds great. As always. I especially like "I feel like a little girl who wants to know can you come out and play"

8. SOMEBODY'S SOMEBODY: Very cool. It's got that R&B feel to it, but still has that special something that makes Christina Aguilera's music differant than everyone elses's. It's the perfect song to listen to when you want a girlfriend or boyfriend.

9. WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME: Yet another hit! Is there anything this girl cannot do? She goes really high on this one, which I doubt that other female pop singer can do...I won't mention any names.

10. BLESSED: A sweet song. Uh, that's all I can say about it.

11. LOVE WILL FIND A WAY: Another great dance song you can just groove, too, but is still enjoyable when you feel like chilling.

12. OBVIOUS: A beautiful ballad, though not her best, it still is one of the best I've heard. She ends a FANTASTIC album with three words: Isn't it obvious? Isn't it obvious that she's headed somewhere?

One thing people often neglect to consider is that Christina Aguilera was not signed to create art. Before you explode on me hear me out. If you look at her record, she wrote none of it. CA was signed to sing an already written script that has proven itself profitable by people with half her talent and comeliness. This record is product just as much the Clearasil face pads that her fanbase run rabid for so it is unfair to attack her for what she has no control over.

That said, it is more accurate to judge her merit for the parts that she does control. CA obviously has huge star appeal. She is beautiful, works in front of a camera well and while the intention of the record was to sell her looks and the pop formula, CA has shown herself to be more valuable than what she was sold for. There are some minor vocal flaws like her tendency to sing in her throat, instead of her chest, especially on high notes, but CA shows surprising range, tone and control, the last of these being the most striking. Moreover, what sets her apart from the other 'teen queens' is her soulful delivery. Falling short of Lauryn Hill's power, CA is on par with Mariah Carey who is an obvious influence.

With this album Christian Aguilera is like a good actress that has been given a bad script. For what it is worth she does a good job at maximizing it. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE if she gets to write her own music in the future. If not, she at least needs writers that are willing to take chances, an advantage of success that she is likely to receive shortly. Material will tell the tale as to whether she will remain relevant after her peers have faded away. If CA can continue to get, or begin writing, songs that better highlight her talent, she will be in it for the long haul. Be assured, this girl is not Debbie Gibson and even though the verdict is still out on CA, the odds look good and her future, bright.