Dynamite? Not quite - Christina Aguilera: New Songs

Christina’s new tracks from her upcoming greatest hits album have also leaked. I have mixed feelings. Dynamite, the only other genuinely new track aside from Keeps Gettin’ Better, is definitely in the same vein of this new sound she’s polishing. It’s better than Keeps Gettin’ Better, and though it’s weird to hear Christina experimenting with her voice in this way, especially when she sounds so amazing clean, it’s catchy, and her dedication to reinventing herself is clear. As it has always been.

You Are What You Are, Christina’s retooling of her hit Beautiful, is a bit too altered for my tastes. Not to sound dramatic, but I think that song meant a lot to some when it was first released, and it just doesn’t lend itself to reinterpretation very well. I mean, it sounds OK, but it’s like why bother messing with it in the first place? Genie 2.0, as indicated by her VMA performance, is awesome. I think it succeeds where You Are What You Are fails because it sounds more like a reinvention than a remix. There’s more nostalgia associated with this nearly 10-year-old song than with Beautiful, and an update is more appreciated.

Unfortunately, this new material leaves me more anxious than excited for her upcoming album (currently slated for a summer '09 release). It's not bad but it's not a new Christina that pulls you in like Xtina and Baby Jane did before. It's just kind of weird. Especially so because there isn't a focus on her vocals, which separates Christina from her pop peers. I've always been impressed with Christina's resolve to remain current and fresh, loved that she continued to challenge herself with different sounds and material, but I just never anticipated that she would move into a direction I wasn't super excited about. I don't think I can support an entire album that sounds like Dynamite. It's just not engaging enough.