Recording information: Looking Glass Studios.

Barely more than a year after her much-hyped comeback album, BLACKOUT, Britney Spears returned with another studio outing, 2008's CIRCUS. Though the title acknowledges the drama of Britney's personal and public life, the record primarily takes on the big-top theme in a general "let me entertain you" approach, as evinced by the sassy, uber-catchy singles "Womanizer" and "Circus." This dance-pop vibe extends to "Kill the Lights" and the winking "If U Seek Amy," among other tracks, proving that Spears still has the club in mind despite past unfortunate nightlife exploits. The relatively wholesome, soft-focus cover of CIRCUS isn't completely misleading, however, since Britney puts the beats and her bad-girl persona aside for mellow, thoughtful tunes such as "Out from Under" and "My Baby," gentle tracks produced by Guy Sigsworth, also renowned for his work with Bjork and Madonna. While not a drastic departure from BLACKOUT, CIRCUS is the work of a seemingly more grounded superstar, and it largely succeeds in refocusing on Britney as a performer, rather than reinforcing her status as a tabloid fixture.

Rolling Stone (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The clubby, adventurous pop on her sixth album...would have made a fine follow-up to 2003's IN THE ZONE."

Entertainment Weekly (p.69) - "[H]alfway through, CIRCUS shifts from defiant booty calls to subtler material; suddenly, it's a first-rate electro-pop album." -- Grade: B