As you might have noticed, the Britney Jean iTunes snippets leaked last night. That’s not very surprising, considering the album’s out in about two weeks.
I’m not going to do a formal review of Britney‘s album snippets because, well, that’s sort of like watching one-third of a movie and then deciding whether or not it was any good. But after listening through a few times, there is something I’m fairly confident about: I maintain my theory that Britney Jean is a largely religious record.
The term “Godney” just got way real, y’all: From “Alien” (“The light in your eyes lets me know I’m not alone”) to “Now That I Found You” (“I have felt the love! I can see the truth! I believe in faith!”) to “Brightest Morning Star” (“I lift my hands and pray”), to “Hold On Tight (“I just want to fall into His arms tonight”), there are some fairly unsubtle Christian undertones on the album. I’ve had this theory (err, fear?) for a while now, around when I heard “Passenger” — which is sort of Britney’s own “Jesus Take The Wheel” when you listen carefully.
From her recent God-oriented reading material, to shooting “Work Bitch” in the desert to be “closer to God,” to going to church every Sunday with her boyfriend, I think Britney actually went to the light and saw Jesus. Rolling Stone‘s latest article about the album sort of confirms what I’ve been saying when they ask Sia about “Brightest Morning Star.”
“Britney was extremely sweet,” says Sia. “She came in with the title ‘Brightest Morning Star’ and told me that’s how Jesus found his way. She wanted to write a kind of gospel song that wasn’t ramming it down your throat.”
That being said, she’s still got that boom boom: There are still plenty of songs that don’t fit the Religiousney bill — “Perfume” and “Don’t Cry” are break-up ballads, while songs like “Work Bitch,” “Tik Tik Boom” (a reworked GRL demo), “Til It’s Gone” (which sounds like a David Guetta banger), “It Should Be Easy” (which just sounds like a will.i.cant song) and “Body Ache” (which sounds like a “Scream & Shout” regurgitation) are evidently #SomethingMoreUrban bangerz “for the gays.” And as for “Chillin’ With You” with Jamie Lynn? Well, who knows.
But as far as the personal tracks are concerned — after all, Britney Jean is being so heavily marketed as “the personal album” — it seems like we’re about to meet Gospelney for the first time since “Someday (I Will Understand).”
So, that’s the early verdict of what’s to come: Half Urbanney, half “Go to the light and see Jesus!”-ney.
What do we do with this kind of truth? Are we ready for this side of Britney Jean? How am I supposed to know what’s right? (REFERENCE). I don’t, really. I don’t know how I feel. I need time. Love. Joy. Space. I need to hear Britney Jean in full. In the words of Brit Brit…we’ll just have to wait and see.
‘Britney Jean’ will be released on December 3. (iTunes)