Britney’s album is “in the zone”
New album is energetic, risqué
BY Lara Hendrickson
Commentary

I am In the Zone obsessed.

Now, if you know me, right now you may be telling your friends that the person writing this article has dressed up as Britney Spears for four consecutive years in a row, whether it’s to a theme party or to Halloween or just because I think it sounds like fun. You may tell them that I called Wal-Mart (the only place opened past midnight that sells CD’s) to see if they would put her new CD out at midnight Nov. 18 so I could have it before anyone else in Fort Worth (big “no”). You may tell them that I have watched every Britney Spears video so many times I could probably do the highly choreographed dances backwards while signing the accompanying song and painting my toenails.

I know most of the young women reading this article are probably saying that I am a sellout to human-kind, that Britney Spears has a wretched voice and that you would rather kill yourself than buy her new album, but seriously ...
It is SO good!

The album, Spears’s fourth under Jive records, is a risqué addition to her list. Particularly compared to Baby One More Time, In the Zone takes sexual innuendoes to a whole new level. In fact, they aren’t really innuendoes at this point. Songs like “Breathe on Me” and “Touch of My Hand” tackle themes of ... yeah, if you need me to explain, you really shouldn’t buy the album.

But really, In the Zone is more than oozing sexuality; it is also the most energetic of all Spears’s CDs. Songs like “Outrageous” (produced and written by R. Kelly), “Me Against the Music” (the ever-so-famous compilation with Madonna) and “I Got that Boom Boom” (for all you Southern boys), make you want to get up and, for lack of a better phrase, jump around. And then there’s the oh-so-sweet “Everytime,” with a beautiful piano riff and sweet lyrics that Spears wrote herself. She hasn’t admitted it’s for Justin yet, but I personally like to think of it as the song that will get them back together. Back up off, Cameron.

So whether you think she is the devil incarnate, or that she lip synchs, or if you just plain think she’s hot, you have to give Spears credit where its due — she can make a comeback from a six-month hiatus like no one else. Truly the queen of publicity, the princess of pop and my very favorite blonde in the world (besides myself dressed as her, of course), she’s done it again.