This morning, I made one of my increasingly rare trips to the Temptation Zone (at least until I find some sort of employment, real or otherwise). My primary acquisition target was, of course, The Two Towers, which I successfully procured. Any guesses as to the other item I was contemplating?

Here's a hint: Anyone watching any major network tv during the past week would have been hard pressed to avoid some mention of this one.

Hint #2 (dead giveaway): Here's hoping my site doesn't get crapflooded after this gets posted.

Yep. At the $9.99 introductory price, I couldn't resist a copy of the new Britney Spears album In The Zone.

Having taken one complete listen, I feel fairly confident in saying that anyone who liked her previous stuff (especially the Britney album which preceded it) will like it. Anyone who wasn't into her sound before probably won't go for this one either. It's hyper-produced cotton candy for the ears. Bright, shiny, and fun to devour every now and then, but I wouldn't recommend trying to make a steady diet of it.

As a special bonus, Madonna also makes a guest appearance on the first track. (As if I didn't already have enough reason to listen.)

Thankfully, the Britster has finally ditched any remaining traces of the "little girl" vibe present in previous works. (That was the one part of her act that had always sort of wierded me out. Ever since Baby One More Time, I liked the music. I liked the sexy act. But tying it in with less-than-subtle stuff about children was, frankly, a bit creepy.)

Yes, now Britney is all grown up. She's even learned how to masterbate!

Honestly, having not examined the lyrics to all the tracks in-depth yet, my early impression is to classify the entire album as a grand act of crass vanity. How many artists make a habit of putting their name not just into the credits, but also the content of the lyrics themselves? (It's doubly ironic that Britney has adamently stated repeatedly that the songs she sings are NOT necessarily about her personally.)

Oh well. Mind games, really. It's all mind games.

Early favorite track: Breathe On Me, with Me Against the Music as a close second. (Links to the lyrics included for idle reference. My choices are influenced mostly by the sound, and not so much the words.)