Novastreamusic

Christina Aguilera has copped a lot of flack over the last few years, her previous album Bionic was a commercial disappointment, but took the singer to new heights that she had never been to before. While the singer herself has compared Bionic to Kylie Minogue’s Impossible Princess and Madonna’s American Life, I cannot help but agree. I still listen to a lot of Bionic to this day and believe like the albums mentioned that it will become one of those albums to treasure that was truly ahead of its time.

Moving forward Aguilera has taken a few years break to do a movie (Burlesque) and the soundtrack, as well as hosting America’s number 1 talent show The Voice, it was no secret that Aguilera was crying out to do another album and get back to performing. The result is Lotus, Aguilera’s latest album that is packed full of so many hits, it is a surprise that she has been able to keep it under wraps for so long.

The album is one of her best since Stripped and it seems that Aguilera has found a balance between the sexiness of Bionic and the authenticity of Back In the Day. Working with producers Linda Perry, Cee Lo Green, Max Martin and The Dream, it is no surprise that this mixed bag comes out perfectly and is one of the best albums of 2012.

All Christina Aguilera albums have an intro song, I don’t know why critics pay it out so much as it happens on every single one, but alas Lotus is no different, and this is one of the best intros she has ever done. You can hear that Aguilera poured her heart and soul into this and is very similar to the rebirth image that she showed during Stripped.

It is no surprise that Aguilera enlisted her Voice co-judges to help with this album, and this shines as both songs featuring Cee Lo and Blake Shelton are two of the highlights of the album. Make The World Move features both vocals and production from Green and is the feel-good dance track that NEEDS the single treatment. The hauntingly beautiful duet with Blake Shelton is only a bonus track, but serves as one of the staples of this album (it is only available on the deluxe edition!)

Aguilera truly is the voice of our generation, and while she is attempting to keep up with today’s audience, she does an outstanding job of keeping her music relevant without compromising the integrity of her powerful voice.

The only real criticism I had for Lotus was the mixed messages that sometimes are portrayed. In one song she is telling the audience to “Shut Up” and “If you can’t hand it you can suck my…” and then in the next track she is bleating “Turn up the love, turn down the hate” and then singing “Spin around in circles on my middle finger” This can feel a little like she is sending mixed messages but it really isn’t that big of a deal, Lady GaGa has been doing that for years and everyone sees ok with it. The album is great enough that this doesn’t make a huge impact.

Tracks To Look Out For : Lotus (Intro), Make The World Move, Your Body, Shut Up, Army Of Me, Around The World, Best Of Me, Circles, Let There Be Love and Red Hot Kinda Love.

Lotus is in stores and on I-Tunes November 22

^Review by Alaisdair Dewar