Back to Basics

Before even looking, I knew the community reviews were going to be a dumpster fire. Not every album is going to be Led Zeppelin II. The whole point of using this site is to broaden your horizons. It's embarrassing seeing people reacting to this album like they're being asked to shoot the family pet. I agree that it's not a great album. It has some of her best songs on it, but the entire album has one specific vibe to it that gets a bit old very quickly. She's a phenomenal singer, but it all feels a bit one-trick after a few songs. The backing tracks all sound a bit samey after a while too. Some of them are very sparse too. And I'm not sure that this album is as deep as she seems to think. Still, it's not horrible. You guys are just babies.

I somehow feel a bit sorry for her here, maybe she’s a victim of her own success? As a teen pop superstar phenomena I’ve never really taken her seriously. She’s devastatingly attractive, has a massive voice, she is writing all her own stuff and working with brilliant producers. But it is still a bit too pop for me. I get the feeling this album will catch some hate on here, but if you can get past the perfect pop packaging she’s a very talented artist and there are some good tunes on here.

Love me some Christina and not ashamed

Tried to listen with no prejudice. Disc one is fairly painful; unchallenging dusty beats with Xtina moaning over the top. Disappointed to find out most of it was produced by DJ Premier. 'Thank You' was frankly embarrassing, as was the section naming famous musicians. Saying "Billie Holiday" out loud doesn't musically align you with your hero, it just reminds me that I could be listening to something better than this. The songs on disc two weren't all that, but were a far better use of her voice.

Christina is apparently the queen of releasing bloated, saccharine albums with ironic titles. Multiple tracks on this album have a distracting vinyl crackle that fades in and out constantly. I thought it might be a problem with Spotify, but it turns out this was an intentional production choice, which is baffling. Best track: Without You

Some excellent ballads with jazz and other influences What a voice, comparable to Adele Favourite song: Mercy on Me

I fail to see how a bog standard, basic pop album is something that must be listened to before you die. Genre defining? No. Ground-breaking? Hardly. Paradigm shifting? Not even close.

It’s a long album, but you can choose any song and be blown away by her talent. Definitely changed my view of her, since I always just had her a generic pop star in my head. My bad.

I liked the first disc well enough, although I felt a bit like an outsider… especially through the Thank You song at the end (seems she and her fans are having a personal moment I didn’t feel entirely comfortable listening to). I wasn’t sure I was up for a second disc. To my surprise that second disc really connected with me! The best Christina I’ve listened to. Fantastic!

I previously thought Christina Aguilera was a pop artist because of other people's songs that she was featured in. But this album clearly shows she is confident working with a variety of genres, so one of the themes of the album - getting inspired by old-school rap and soul music - works really well. The songs themselves also cover a variety of moods and themes so that anyone can find something to enjoy: the vibe varies from sweet to bold, from heartbreaking to weird and funny. And yet, the album does not feel disjointed, but rather a genuine expression of Aguilera's different sides as a person and interests as an artist.

Too long, every song almost sounds the same.

Can’t believe it’s my first time hearing this. Front to back bangers

Long, samey and rather shouty.

I procrastinated a lot on this one. I was basically like, “what can I do other than listen to a double album by Christina Aguilera that’s been removed from the book?” I’m not saying that this is my personal hell (not even close - that would be having to listen to anything by The Grateful Dead), but there are a lot of other things I would rather listen to than this. Pop music isn’t for me. It’s disposable, often doesn’t transcend the era it was recorded. If that makes me a snobby asshole, so be it. I won’t deny Christina Aguilera’s talent, she’s a great vocalist, but life is too short to try and force yourself to enjoy things you don’t have much interest in.

“This is my back to basics album.” *releases an 80-minute double album with the most excessive mid-00s production possible*

Was she that big back then? So much that we need to hear at least 2 of her albums before we die? I don't think so. There are more popular, and better-sounding, and more influential 21st century pop than her, which aren't included in the list.

Jesus CHRIST pick a fucking note already! This fucking sucks. And there is a LOT of it. I'm so fucking mad I have to listen to this shit. It's going to ruin my day. Like how fucking vapid do you have to be to play voice mail from fans praising you in the middle of your album?

She's clearly a very talented singer but this severely did not need to be a double album. It's incredibly bloated. I'm not sure what was more uncomfortable to listen to, the horniness of "Nasty Naughty Boy", which features literal sex moans a la boys goofing off in a middle school classroom, or the 5 straight minutes of ego stroking on "Thank You".

The intro song is so corny I'm sorry. I think I didn't really like any of the self-referential songs (Still Dirrty) because they were very plainly written and just not very interesting. The \"Thank You\" interlude was also weird to me? The sampled fan voicemail selections were... interesting. The second half opens... interestingly... with Nasty Naughty Boy, which was. A song. It's incredible how sexual some of these tracks are while also being decidedly not sexy.

Such a long and terrible album....honestly nothing redeeming about it. 1/5

This woman can sing

It started of fine and there were some moments i liked, but it went for way to long and there are some really bad moments too. Couldve been tolerable if it was like half as long. But then it still wouldnt be good, i would just not hate listening to it as much.

I’m at a 5. Christina Aguilera is one of those artists where she had undeniably big hits, and yet I can’t really think of anything past the major ones, like Genie in a Bottle, What a Girl Wants, or Moves Like Jagger. Going into this, I expected her vocals to be great, and the pop sensibilities to click really nicely, but I wasn’t really sure how compelling of a package the whole thing would be – based on the bigger hits I knew, she had a really specific vibe that might’ve felt a little jarring over the course of a full album, especially in this case, where it’s 78 minutes long. Thankfully, she shut down my expectations rather quickly – this is the sort of pop album that I’ve been waiting for on the list, even more so than Britney’s debut album. It fits the right sort of sassy, overproduced, hip-hop influenced, confident mid-2000s vibe that I adore, since Disney & Nickelodeon bit on this style hard as hell when they were trying to make pop stars (and kinda succeeded, for the most part). That's the stuff I grew up on, so this clicked super well for me. This feels like it’s around the peak of that style, and I think it really shows; this is hard-coded to 2006, even with the 60s vibe she tries to set at the start of the album. In some weird way though, with this style coming back in fashion for the mid-2020s, mixed with the more simplified & streamlined pop stylings of the 2010s, this feels oddly modern, now? Either that, or I’m just hitting the nostalgia pill hard with this style of production, which feels sort of lost nowadays. Either way, I really liked this – talk about a vocal showcase, my goodness. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know she was THIS good. Occasionally, she oversteps the boundaries of each track with an overdone vocal flourish that borders on parody, but for the most part, she’s right within the vocal range she should be to keep her presence really strong, projecting a sort of operatic power that feels like only Adele or a few others really have nowadays. She dips into everyone else’s bag though; there are points here where she sounds like Whitney, or Celine, or Mariah, or Janet, and there’s more than a few times where she just absolutely bites “Crazy in Love” by Beyonce, most blatantly and egregiously on “Here to Stay”. Still, though, what a fucking voice – “Mercy on Me” in particular seems undeniably powerful, even as someone who’s sort of lost his faith. As far as the production goes, I already touched on it, but I thought it was really good throughout – a few moments where the instrumentation feels like a bit much for the subject matter, sure, but the energy was great throughout, and usually fit the tone of each track really well. Whether it’s gospel, 60s pop, 70s funk, a Mary J. Blige-esque rap cut, or glittery 90s ballads, the variety of styles here still feels cohesive, despite the amount of producers from track to track, and it keeps the full 78 minutes feeling pretty fresh. It certainly helps that the lyrics on this album are pretty good; Christina (or her team of writers) know how to write some catchy fucking hooks & bridges, and the vocal structure on the verses feels great. When she has to go into full storytelling mode, it’s usually compelling (see: "Oh Mother"). In case it wasn’t obvious, I REALLY fucking liked this. A few overproduced moments, and a few awkward tracks (see: “Nasty Naughty Boy”, which still has great production regardless), but this is right down my alley for 2000s diva pop. I see that 2.74 average on the website, and I call a little bit of bullshit on it – if this were anyone but “Christina Aguilera” as the artist, or some random singer they’ve never heard of, this would be at a higher average on the website. It’s a protest vote against this style of music, same as Britney’s album, and I think it’s petty as hell. Granted, I’m the type of petty to want to drag Kid Rock down to the worst album on the site, or at least right next to Haut de Gamme, but I digress. I think it’s impossible not to have fun with this; even if you barely pay attention to the lyrics, her voice and this production is just super fun, and really easy to vibe to. I could keep gushing about this album, and how effectively it uses its two discs a la Outkast’s Speakerboxx / The Love Below, but I’ve already typed 788 words, and I think the music would say more than I could. So, yeah, it’s a 5 for me. One of the easiest I’ll personally give – I am a total unabashed sucker for this style, though, so I can understand someone else being cold on this. Probably shouldn’t be any less than a 3, though. Maybe a 2 if it really is THAT grating.

How have I been sleeping on her???

When I said that Stripped was a long, epic album, I didn't realize we weren't through. Woah! This did really feel long sometimes, but man it also packs a lot of amazing stuff in it! I'm impressed! I'm blown away! A powerful tribute to the women who inspired her.

Her voice is amazing, not my preferred musical style, but she is good.

That's not my taste in music, but pleasant music

Christina Aguilera is a very talented vocalist, I think. I enjoyed listening through the double album which was a surprise, usually double albums feel like a huge slog. Maybe teenage nostalgia carried me through some of it. Ain't No Other Man was the track I liked best.

Uplifting album, beautiful voice.

Despite being so long and having benefited from some trimming, this is actually a great pop album. Very cool application of older styles of music such as Jazz, Blues and Soul into a modern day Contemporary R&B and Dance Pop frame. Needless to say, top notch vocals too. Key tracks: Ain't No Other Man Here to Stay Candyman Hurt

Really great voice, really great songs

2nd album of Aguilera from this list and I honestly understand the hype. She's versatile, powerful with her voice, her production team done everything right. I'm gonna say it once again: you can't ask for much more in this genre.

I'll admit it, this was banging.

The album has a lot of energy, and Aguilera’s voice and personality is always entertaining. I liked the switch to the “old style” tunes starting with Enter the Circus, and Candyman is classic. My only complaint is that the album is too long - I got tired of the vibe of the first half of the album, but that’s why the vibe switch was good.

this would get a five if there weren’t a few songs that were too long. she’s great.

She's just really horny But some great fucking music

Doesn’t deserve all the one stars here. Is it a masterpiece? No, but it’s a fun listening and I feel that the love and flirt with jazz is genuine.

It's very 2000s if you're into that

Production is too busy, mostly over-sung but the talent is undeniable

My poptimism must be back in full force, for I overlook the distractions of faux-analog to pronounce the first volume of Back to Basics 75% successful. Christina's voice explodes with power and pretty much never lets up, noted length-induced fatigue aside. The sustained performance over 00s RnB is pretty unique, but the second disc is more interesting if a smidge less impressive. The double LP is certainly sprawling, doesn't feel the need to vary overmuch, yet gets away with a very small number of skips.

Christina Aguilera does pop to perfection so this album does not disappoint on that front. It has that speakeasy flavour that I remember being popular at the time but it doesn’t date the album too badly. The length was daunting and I think it could have been much shorter but it flows well and keeps hitting highs all the way through.

Way way better than expected. One I'd never have checked out.

Une Christina Aguilera des grands jours qui samplera les choristes et invitera d'ailleurs Kad Merad en duo sur le morceau en question. En parlant de choristes, j'en profite pour vous partager une anecdote. Quand j'étais en classe de CP, la maîtresse nous annonça un beau matin qu'un monsieur allait nous apprendre des chansons. Ce vieux monsieur arriva bel et bien accompagné de ses mystérieuses intentions (je suppose maintenant qu'il était pédophile). Nous apprîmes donc lesdites chansons, totalement idiotes au passage, et n'entendirent plus parler du vieux pédo pendant plusieurs mois. Vers la fin de l'année, alors que nous étions tranquillement en train de travailler en classe, celui-ci se pointa pour nous annoncer que nous allions nous produire le lendemain soir dans une grande salle de concert devant des milliers de personnes. "Tu te fous de notre gueule ?" répliqua l'ensemble de la classe. Vous vous en doutez, nous avions complètement oublié ses chansons à la con et le concert fut une cacophonie.

Très belle prestation de la part de Christina, malgré une longueur d'album absolument insoutenable, Deux albums 4/5 d'affilé, ce n'était plus arrivé depuis des millénaires

I really quite enjoyed many tracks on the album…more than I expected. I think that if the album ran shorter I would have liked it more.

For the world of pop, although it leans heavily to R&B, this is a very ambitious album. It experiments in original ways that still keep the album enjoyable. The songs are beautiful and, it goes with saying, so is Christina’s voice. The production is impeccable. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it overstays it’s welcome, however, if one didn’t think the project was becoming repetitive on disc one, than one must have felt it on disc two. For an hour and nineteen minutes, it still makes an incredible effort in that all the songs sound fairly individual. I enjoyed it, great album. 4/5

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would

This was way better then I expected it! Wow, I did miss it back then I guess. I can’t remember any song. But hey now I know it and can go back to when I want to

I thought this site's least favorite genre was electronic music. Nope. Early 21st century pop. Always gets slammed. This wasn't all that bad. Ballads were a bit dull but the music was fun.

Well, today is July 4th and also my 500th album. I was really hoping for Bruce Springsteen's Born In The U.S.A., but, here we are with my second and final Christina Aguilera album. The randomness of the universe does not appear to care about my hopes. As much as I didn't want to see something like this come up today, I'll give it a fair shot. I thought Stripped was very good, so this album might surprise me too. Just like Stripped, this album was full of Christina's excellent vocal talents. As I mentioned on my review for Stripped, this isn't my favorite era of pop music, but man, the singing on this album just blows away its contemporaries. To top it off, this album featured some great production that really bolstered the 'back to basics' theme. However, that theme really held the album back on the first half. I felt like the sound was really repetitive on the first half, and Christina really didn't do a lot with the album's theme. The whole name dropping section of "Back in the Day" is probably the best example of the lackluster nature of the first half of the album. "Ain't No Other Man" was one of the few songs I recognized off of this album, but it's a fun song, worthy of being easily recognizable. "Oh Mother" was also great. I liked that it was similar to "I'm O.K." off of Stripped, but with the focus shifting to Christina's mother. When the second half of the album started with "Enter the Circus," I was afraid that the album was going to take a weird turn. However, as soon as Christina's vocals started, that fear was put to bed. The second half of the album didn't feel as confined by the back to basics theme, and had more exploration of sounds and themes. "Candyman" was the second song off of this album that I recognized, and it instantly evoked a visual of that old LG 2 Chocolate commercial from the aughts. Man, phones have come a long way since then. I enjoyed the sexual energy and lyrics of "Candyman," and it was the most fun song on the second half of the album. "Hurt" was the last song that I recognized, and I enjoyed its lyrics and epic sound. Overall, this album was fine. The biggest downside of this album is that it was restrained by its theme, and a good portion of the tracks felt like filler. It's a long album, especially for something that feels a little one-dimensional for a good portion of its run time. Still, Christina Aguilera is an amazing vocal talent, and there's some solid production work on this album as well. Back To Basics isn't as good as Stripped, and that's okay.

The title is a misnomer. So over produced with the face 50s sound and other business going on.

Ahh why do these albums have to be so long? This was two albums smashed together for no reason. In isolation I dind't hate either, but together it's dumb. I liked the 2nd one more. Still because of the excessive length I disliked it. Cut out the fat and make something good.

Vintage aesthetics are perennially wrung out in pop music, and this album seems-self aware of that fact. As a matter of fact, that’s dang near one of the theses of the album. But I don’t give points for self-awareness. Christina’s vocal delivery is a great match for the album, however. She has an aggressive, over-the-top rendition of a vintage voice, which is absolutely made for a 2000s vintage pop album. Unfortunately however, this album is a rocket ship with no fuel. Christina builds the foundation for unique ideas about vintage promiscuity and womanhood, and reaches farther back for samples than many of her peers, but the ideas hardly ever go anywhere. What makes the album unique, feels almost buried under unremarkable love songs and the excess of 2000s album structures. If the trends had been in Christina’s favor, maybe this album would have aged better with other artists building on it. Alas, the pop zeitgeist would be looking to the future instead of the past for about 5 years following this album, so it stands alone. And this is not an album that benefits from standing alone.

This exercise presents the odd revelation, such as this: despite my being mostly a “vocals optional”* kind of listener, there are certain singers who bring involuntary quivers to my ears and knees, and Christina Aguilera turns out to be one of them. This is not a good album: the first half is passable, but lacks the bangers of its predecessor; the second half is an unfortunate descendent of Madonna’s “Hankie Pankie” period. Yet Cortina’s charisma and sheer belt kept me interested. I had fun until the faux-jazz smothered it. She’s one of the few pop singers of her generation I could pick out in a blind lineup. The loudly saucy lyrics also kept my spirits up. I’m guessing some might turn their noses up at the wobbly mix of emancipatory vibes and “I’m diiirtyy” provocations, but life’s too short to have your cock and not eat it. Simon, this reminded me that I only put two pop songs on my playlist for our 2003 Deep South trip and that “Beautiful” was one of them. Can you remember the other? *Steve Albini

Annoying record with middle of the road RnB music of a singer that prefers vocal acrobatics to decent singing. And it goes on an on and on...

The second disc was a lot better than the first. Without wanting to put words into the artists mouth it definitely felt more like what they wanted to make whereas the first disc felt a bit, manufactured, for lack of a better term which made it a bit difficult to get through. Most of the songs on the first disc were written by half-a-dozen people, whereas the second just a couple. Felt a lot more personal and a lot more interesting. Stand out songs: - Welcome - Hurt

I see this gets a lot of hate on here, and it seems to be pretty justified. At a minimum, she answers the question "how strong was the cocaine in 2005?" quite definitively. Otherwise, how can you explain the hubris of the first song, the overlong track list with no major tunes nor significant variety, or the ear-bleeding cringe of the "fan messages" sampled on "Thank You" (what's worse, if these are real or if they were made up in the studio? I can't decide). The back half is a bit better (i.e., most words are sung using the correct amount of syllables, and there are some amusing Viz-level entendres in the lyrics) but that's not saying much. Sorry, Xtina - too long and too shit even for a 2

I've always found Christina Aguilera's voice spellbinding, and I've had the Stripped album for many years, but never owned any of her other albums. I knew a couple of the songs on this one, but that's all. I don't know if it was a good thing, or a bad thing that the project presented me with this album yesterday, but I was going through something at the time, so maybe the impact of listening to it was amplified by that. Needless to say on some of the numbers (not the raunchier tracks obviously :) ) listening nearly brought me to tears, and certainly put a lump in my throat (the raunchier numbers stimulated a swelling elsewhere, but that's another story). All jesting aside though, Back to Basics had quite a profound effect on my mental state, and triggered a range of good, and not so good, emotions. - ensuring that it would stay in my memory much longer than many of the albums I've listened to as part of this project. Even if it wasn't so memorable, perhaps because of the circumstances, I know I will experience the sound of this double album for a long time to come, since I'm giving it five stars and adding it to my Tidal library. Any negatives? Well, I will say that I would prefer that some of the tracks were not laden with effects meant to make them sound vintage, but with a voice as good as Christina's, I can forgive anything.

Christina’s voice fits into old-school soul & jazz very well. Both discs are great but my personal tastes have me gravitating towards the old-school hip-hop/soul fusion songs on the first disc. favs: Ain’t No Other Man, Slow Down Baby, Back in the Day, Makes Me Wanna Pray, F.U.S.S., Candyman, Save Me From Myself, Hurt least fav: Welcome

Wow, that woman can sing. Mercy on Me, please Christina. Between Wings and Christina Aguilera, I have a lot of music to catch up on. This project is turning out to be one of the most rewarding projects in recent years. Thanks queen for voice.

What a fantastic voice. I had probably only ever heard 2-3 of these songs before but I really loved this listen. There's a really soulful bend to much of this. Really enjoyed.

AWESOME

Why not what a time

Her Music is just incredible snd her voice out of this world

Love

Soft 5 here. The excellence of Christina Aguilera's singing cannot be understated here. She's amazing in all senses of the word. I take issue with portions of Disc 2. It has great tunes, but lacks the cohesion Disc 1 seemed to have. But this album was definitely worth the listen and will definitely be revisited. Hard to pick a favorite here because I liked so many, but I'll go with 'Ain't No Other Man' and 'Hurt' for Disc 1/2 respectively.

She's so talented

Mg casi todo el álbum. Mg la cantante.

I appreciate this. She is an excellent singer and some of the song were well timed for where I am now.

Forget Beyonce or Taylor Swift, give me this lady Any day. Beautiful voice. Loved it

Not my style but a good production

Nice.

Christina Aguilera was one of the performers in the 90s reboot of the Mickey Mouse Club, and she may be the most talented of that very talented bunch. Her dynamic voice has an impressive range, and allows her to create pop songs with the sounds of R&B and soul tracks. Back to Basics is an impressive double disk - 85 minutes with 22 tracks. The content is certainly not "basic." Several tracks are orchestrated and performed like vocal jazz standards from the 40s. The incredible range of the songs is impressive. While the album received mixed reception from critics, it was very well received commercially. This album, and the tour that followed, propelled Aguilera into superstar status - a performer with far more range and creativity than "just" a pop music star.

Came into this album sceptical and I bloody loved it! The sample of Genie in a Bottle in Thank You threw me but I really liked it! The whole of Disc 2 in itself is a masterpiece and a joyous listen. The opening 2 tracks were mint, candyman was great in a different way. Nasty Naughty Boy turned me on a little. And the rest of the disc was just mint. Listened to this album twice because it was that good.

Classic album. I still like Stripped overall more. I would put that one over this for this list imo

I was fully expecting this to be the lesser known and less good album from an artist whose good album is already gotten but goddamn was I wrong. As a gen zer who only knew Christina Aguilera from moves like jagger and sorta genie in a bottle, I never realized that she has probably the best voice of the 00s maybe the 21st century. She can pull off the most operatic and full throated vocals as well as the slower and quieter tracks. She was going for a tribute/theme of old 50s/60s icons and she actually managed to pull it off without sounding out of her league. Candyman and nasty naughty boy were my favorites but I can’t really think of a track I didn’t like.

Couldn’t find this album on iTunes but I listened to her Essentials. Lots of well-known songs.

Wow. CA can sing. I guess growing up and being anti-pop and having genie in a bottle being rammed into your brain you kinda tune some things out. Really impressed with vocal talents and going away from poppy vibes and going for soul. This album being 2 disc you’re gonna have a couple sleepers but she could have easily put a solid 12-15 tracks for one mega bang. Anyways it was really good.

A tour de force. Is there any better guilty pleasure then Christina cheerfully belting out old timey tunes about sex? Ain't No Other Man and Candyman are just good fun. Hurt is a beautiful counterpoint. A great collection of songs sung by one of the great singers of our generation.

Heel sterk popalbum. De jazz en soul uit de 20s zijn heel sterk te horen. Ook ballades als 'Hurt' zijn prachtig

Of course Christina’s voice is fantastic! There wasn’t a single song that I didn’t enjoy, and most of the album (all but three songs) were new to me. This felt like two completely separate albums, and I honestly feel like the album would’ve benefited by being released as two separate albums. It was almost too much Christina at once. Especially since the two halves of the album are so stylistically different from each other, I think two 30-40 minute albums would’ve been better than one almost 80 minute album. But anyway, this is 4.5 stars for me.

So damn cool. Lot of energy

I feel like the greatest artists always have a signature style and Aguilera's voice is so unique that it makes me cum instantly. Back to Basics draws back the curtains and stabs a dagger of joy into your back. Faultless.

Another revelation - strong songs, excellent voice, eclectic mix of styles, excellent production. Was not expecting to like but I really enjoyed. Will listen again.

Never listened to anything but singles, which I have mostly enjoyed. I would be hard to describe myself as "a fan", but I'm interested in seeing where this goes. Wow- I really enjoyed this. I grew up in the 90s- a time when pop music made us choose sides- Biggie v. Tupac; Nirvana v. Green Day, Britney v. Christina; Backstreet v. NSync. 25 years ago, I said that Christina would win, because her voice would win, even after she didn't have a 15 inch waist and she couldn't dance. (That's not me being judgmental- blame the record industry.) I'm pretty sure I'm correct. Christina's voice on this album makes every song worthy of repeat.

"Basics" is subjective here (it probably cost a few million to produce), but every track is just so slick and enjoyable.

I was really blown away by the first disc of this album, and while not as energetic, the second disc still has some good tracks regardless. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

She has an amazing voice and this was a great showcase for it.

Fun music.

Fun pop working as a revue of fun pop through the ages, her voice is in great form.

Christina Aguilera's *Back to Basics* is a bold, ambitious double album that pays homage to the music of the 1920s–1950s while blending it with contemporary pop, R&B, and hip-hop influences. Released in 2006, the album marked a significant artistic evolution for Aguilera, showcasing her vocal prowess and creative vision. Below is an in-depth review of the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics The lyrics on *Back to Basics* are deeply personal and reflective, drawing heavily from Aguilera's life experiences. Themes of love, empowerment, resilience, and nostalgia dominate the album: - **Personal Struggles**: Tracks like "Oh Mother" delve into Aguilera's tumultuous childhood with an abusive father. The song is heartfelt and raw, echoing Madonna's "Oh Father" in its emotional depth[1][3]. - **Romantic Devotion**: Songs such as "The Right Man" and "Save Me from Myself" celebrate her relationship with then-husband Jordan Bratman. These tracks explore themes of healing and trust after past traumas[1][5]. - **Empowerment**: "Still Dirrty" revisits Aguilera's sexual independence from her earlier hit "Dirrty," challenging societal scrutiny of female sexuality[1]. - **Tributes to Musical Icons**: "Back in the Day" name-drops legends like Etta James and Marvin Gaye while celebrating their influence on her artistry[1][5]. - **Defiance**: The interlude "F.U.S.S." (an acronym for "F--- You Scott Storch") takes aim at producer Scott Storch for declining to work on the album. It’s a bold expression of creative independence[1]. While the lyrics are often poignant and empowering, some critics found moments of immaturity or overreach in Aguilera’s attempts to align herself with musical greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James[3]. --- ## Music Musically, *Back to Basics* is a fusion of old-school jazz, blues, and soul with modern pop and R&B elements. The album is split into two discs with distinct styles: ### Disc 1: Contemporary Meets Retro - This disc leans heavily on hip-hop beats and urban influences while incorporating retro elements like horn samples. - Tracks like "Ain't No Other Man" blend funk-infused R&B with brassy instrumentation, creating a vibrant soundscape that complements Aguilera’s powerhouse vocals[1][2]. - Gospel influences shine through on "Makes Me Wanna Pray," which features a choir-backed arrangement reminiscent of classic soul music[2]. - Songs like "Slow Down Baby" and "Understand" balance traditional R&B with contemporary production techniques[1]. ### Disc 2: Vintage Homage - The second disc delves deeper into vintage sounds with live instrumentation and minimal sampling. - "Candyman," inspired by The Andrews Sisters’ "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," is a swing-infused romp that captures the playful energy of 1940s big band music[1][5]. - "Nasty Naughty Boy" channels sultry jazz club vibes with its blaring horn sections. - Tracks like "I Got Trouble" evoke Bessie Smith’s bluesy aesthetic through lo-fi production techniques[1][4]. While the musical diversity is impressive, some critics argued that the stylistic shifts between tracks could feel disjointed. Others felt that certain songs leaned too heavily on pastiche without fully modernizing their influences[3][4]. --- ## Production Aguilera served as the album’s executive producer, collaborating with an eclectic mix of producers including DJ Premier, Linda Perry, Mark Ronson, and Rich Harrison: - **DJ Premier** brought his signature jazz-influenced hip-hop style to tracks like "Intro (Back to Basics)" and "Ain't No Other Man," marking his first foray into pop production[1][2]. - **Linda Perry**, Aguilera’s longtime collaborator, handled much of Disc 2’s vintage-inspired production. Her work emphasized live instrumentation over digital sampling[1]. - The production aimed to create a “throwback” sound while maintaining contemporary relevance. However, some critics found the execution uneven, particularly on tracks where retro elements felt forced or overly theatrical[3]. --- ## Themes Thematically, *Back to Basics* explores: 1. **Nostalgia**: Aguilera’s love for 1920s–1950s music permeates the album. She channels the glamour of classic Hollywood through both her sound and visual presentation as her alter ego Baby Jane[1][5]. 2. **Empowerment**: From asserting her independence ("Still Dirrty") to celebrating her fans ("Thank You"), Aguilera uses the album as a platform for self-expression and gratitude. 3. **Healing**: Many songs reflect Aguilera’s personal growth after overcoming childhood trauma and finding love. 4. **Tribute**: By referencing iconic artists in both lyrics and musical styles, Aguilera positions herself as a torchbearer for their legacy. While these themes resonate strongly in many tracks, some critics questioned whether Aguilera’s vocal delivery—often characterized by melismatic runs—overshadowed the emotional subtlety required by such material[3][4]. --- ## Influence *Back to Basics* was both commercially successful and critically divisive: - It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and topped charts in over 15 countries. As of 2013, it had sold over five million copies worldwide[1]. - The album earned multiple accolades, including a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Ain't No Other Man"[1]. - Its ambitious blend of genres set it apart from contemporaries like Britney Spears and Pink, solidifying Aguilera’s reputation as a versatile artist willing to take risks[4][5]. However, its influence was somewhat muted by its polarizing reception. While some praised its innovation and homage to classic music styles, others criticized it as overly indulgent or inconsistent. --- ## Pros 1. **Vocal Performance**: Aguilera’s vocal range and power are undeniable throughout the album. 2. **Ambitious Concept**: The fusion of vintage genres with modern sensibilities showcases Aguilera’s artistic vision. 3. **Standout Tracks**: Songs like "Ain't No Other Man," "Candyman," and "Hurt" highlight her ability to balance commercial appeal with creative experimentation. 4. **Personal Lyrics**: The emotionally charged songwriting adds depth to many tracks. 5. **Visual Presentation**: The Baby Jane persona and retro aesthetic enhanced the album’s thematic coherence. --- ## Cons 1. **Inconsistent Execution**: The dual-disc format sometimes results in uneven pacing and cohesion between tracks. 2. **Overproduction**: Some critics felt that certain songs were weighed down by excessive vocal runs or theatrical arrangements. 3. **Polarizing Style**: While innovative, the retro-modern fusion didn’t resonate with all listeners. 4. **Length**: At over 90 minutes long, some felt the album could have benefited from tighter editing. --- ## Conclusion *Back to Basics* is a daring exploration of Christina Aguilera’s artistic identity that blends nostalgia with modernity. While not without its flaws—such as occasional overindulgence or uneven pacing—it remains an ambitious project that highlights her vocal talent and creative vision. For fans of genre experimentation or retro-inspired music, *Back to Basics* offers a rich listening experience that stands out in Aguilera’s discography.

She's sweet as always, but the selection is not that great

Well that was great. I knew Christina Aguilera was highly rated but she's always just been Genie in a Bottle to me, but this album was really good and had a lot of depth.

This type of artist isn’t usually my cup of tea but I am really impressed with her voice.

Rating: 8.5/10 Probably the most surprising rating to date, this is an excellent pop album with fantastic singing and production. Christina is consistently excellent and the production is varied enough to make this a fun listen from start to finish. There are about 4-5 songs I would definitely cut but the vast majority of this was excellent.

Powerful vocals! I thought a double album of her voice would be too much of the same thing, but she plays in many different styles throughout.

I admit I groaned when this came up yesterday; the thought of an hour and twenty of early 2000s pop didn't appeal. But I split it into two sessions (disc 1, disc 2), and was very surprised how listenable I found this. She's got a good set of pipes.

Not my thing at *all*, and its too long, but it's still one of the most diverse and downright best pop albums of the 00s, commercial or otherwise. What the fuck is wrong with you people?

Not sure why this needed to be two, completely different albums in one but both were pretty good.

liked this much more than expected, even played it again. good mix of music and particularly likes the cabaretesque songs.