CD/Music Review: Christina Aguilera: Back to Basics

 

Back to Basics, released in 2006, is a two-disc album by Christina Aguilera. It contains 22 tracks in all, 13 on the first disc and 9 on the second. It also has a bonus video track. It is her fifth studio album and was her first in three years, following 2002's Stripped. On it, Aguilera continued to assert more control over her music, acting as a producer on the album and co-writing all of the tracks, many of which with Linda Perry. 

Most of the songs on the album use samples from other songs. While the album is still a pop album, it is not all bubblegum kid-oriented pop. The songs have more mature, adult themes that reflect her being older and having gotten married. Like her prior albums, this mixes pop, R&B, hip-hop, and soul, and also incorporates swing and jazz elements. It has a mix of dance numbers and ballads that highlight Aguilera's vocal range. Only a few songs from the album were released as singles, of which the songs Ain't No Other Man and Candyman were the biggest hits. 

The CD liner features many pictures of Aguilera with the production notes and lyrics printed over them, and a thank-you note on the final page. Ultimately, the album is good, despite not having as many big hits as her prior albums. It has a good mix of songs, many of which are worthy of inclusion on a pop playlist. If you liked her prior albums, this is worth listening to.