Having owned this album for almost a year now, perhaps I’m a bit slow off the mark with finally writing about it. But, better late than never, and here are my opinions to add to those of countless other (well, 34) ciao members.

**INTRO**

A couple of years ago, Christina and Britney were both living very different lives to those that they are now. Britney was at the height of her fame, shacked up with Justin and incapable of putting a foot wrong. On the other hand, Christina was fairly well know, but still bleach blonde and releasing harmless, tinkly pop tunes that, let’s face it, weren’t going to do her huge favours as far as superstardom was concerned. But, after considerable re-invention on both sides, the tables have somewhat turned and we have Britney’s latest album panned by critics worldwide (although I quite like it, lol) whilst Christina has suddenly bloomed as far as credibility is concerned, with a much funkier, R ‘n’ B sound to this album, from which she has squeezed no less than five hit singles.

**THE TRACKS**

Now, there’s quite a few tracks – twenty, although four of them are Janet Jackson style interludes – so I’ll keep the descriptions brief. If you have the album already, or simply don’t care, feel free to skip this bit and head straight for My Thoughts!

--Stripped Intro

This is a series of media soundbites talking about Christina and the way she is viewed by the public. Soon her own voice kicks in, explaining in song that in this album she will be showing her true self, regardless of other’s opinions.

‘No hype / No gloss / No pretense / Just me / Stripped.’

--Can’t Hold Us Down

One of the singles released. Li’l Kim features on this track, a commentary on double standards as far as men and women in relationships are concerned. Christina has chosen to start of with a strong, feminist message, about how men are considered better if they get around, whilst a woman will get labeled a slut. This is an upbeat number and quite a summery tune, but definitely not one of my favourites.

‘If you look back in history / It’s a common double standard of society / The guy gets all the glory, the more he can score / While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore.’

--Walk Away

This is a song about a relationship that is enticing, but ultimately bad for you. It starts out quite laid-back, but escalates into a very powerful track, with a beautiful melody and lots of emotion. Christina’s vocal talents shine.

‘Your love was like candy / Artificially sweet / I was confused by the wrapping.’

--Fighter

Another of the singles released, this is a song of thanks to an ex-boyfriend who has treated her badly, but no hard feelings (or not many) because he has made her a stronger person through the pain. With a catchy chorus, killer bass line, strong message and effortlessly stylish vocals, this was bound to be a hit.

‘If it wasn’t for all of your torture I wouldn’t know how / To be this way now / And never back down / So I wanna say thankyou.’

--Primer Amor Interlude

Sexy guitars with Christina seductively whispering Spanish over the top.

--Infatuation

This continues on the exotic theme as Christina waxes lyrical about a Latin lover against whom her mother has warned. This is an extremely sensual, exotic sounding track, the vocals are seductive and heartfelt. This is one of my favourite tracks on the albums, the instrumentals and the odd Spanish word whisks you away.

‘Ay mama / You seem to forget / I never will let / A man control my emotions / But when he smiles / I feel like a little child.’

--Love’s Embrace

A pretty interlude of less than a minute that merges smoothly in to the next track.

--Loving Me 4 Me

The first really laid back track on the album, gentle and relaxed. It talks about a man who loves Christina for who she is, and about the special bond they have. In my opinion, her voice is fantastic on this track, it sounds much more effortless but also controlled than some of the others, and yet still just as emotional and powerful.

‘Doesn’t matter about the money I make / Or what I do / Or that I’m a star.’

--Impossible

Alicia Keys is a guest on this track, with backing vocals and stunning piano playing. This is a ballad about how hard it is to love someone who won’t let you in, or give you an emotional connection. Again, strong, emotional vocals are supported by a great backing instrumental.

‘It’s impossible for me / To give you what you need / If you’re always / Hiding from me.’

--Underappreciated

A song about when the spark goes out of a relationship and the girl is left feeling unloved, with a kind of jazz or blues feel to it. This song is just a little too similar to the one before it to be able to notice it much. It is a good track, but not as good as Impossible, so is a bit of a let down coming straight after it.

‘Now it’s hard to turn your head away from the TV set / Taking me for granted / Frankly, it’s gotta quit.’

--Beautiful

Penned by the insatiable Linda Perry, this is the one track on this album that everyone is bound to have heard, whether they know it or not. It’s a deceptively simple melody, but so powerful and emotional it was bound to be one of the favourites. Admittedly on the first few listens, it sounds incredibly cheesy and a bit like a filler song, but it grew on me really well.

‘No matter what they do / No matter what they say / The sun will always, always shine.’

--Make Over

This song gets slated quite a lot for being a bit different. The verses are inoffensive, but at the chorus Christina starts to shout with a much more gravelly voice than usual. The backing track is fantastic, it’s got a funky flair to it that would make even the most musically illiterate of people tap their feet. There is swearing in the chorus, which some might not like, but I adore this song, it’s a breath of fresh air just as the tracks are all starting to get a bit samey.

‘I don’t need nobody trying to make me over / I just wanna live simple and free.’

--Cruz

Another case of two very similar songs together, but these are similar in content only, Cruz is much more laid back with a piano backing and more laid back lyrics and vocals.

‘See, I’m leaving today / Livin’ it / Leavin’ it / To change.’

--Soar

This one’s about personal worth, and the capacity everyone has for change. It talks about the potential young people have to become great and do great things, no matter what their peers think of them. I love the lyrics to this whole song, I think they’re really inspirational and wish I’d had this album when I started high school and there was always a lot of pressure to conform.

‘Don't be scared to fly alone, find a path that is your own / Love will open every door / It's in your hands / The world is yours / Don't hold back and always know / All the answers will unfold / What are you waiting for / Spread your wings and soar.’

--Get Mine Get Yours

Again, a song that comes just in the nick of time to stop the tracks feeling samey and dull. This is an upbeat tune about a no-strings relationship where the guy is getting all emotional and jealous when she is with other guys. I like this song because whilst I don’t necessarily agree with gratuitous no-strings sex, it turns the tables a bit with the woman as the one who is making no commitments and ‘using’ the guy for her own pleasure. The vocals are extremely seductive and sensual.

‘The feelings that you caught / Ain’t my fault / Can’t help your jealousy.’

--Dirrty

Yes, two r’s, thankyou very much. This was Christina’s explosive comeback, when she donned *that* leather chaps / thong outfit. Controversial as it was, it took the charts by storm. However, I think anyone who bought the album because of this catchy, controversial, saucy single will have been disappointed, at least initially. For me, this track is completely out of place on the album, and seems the most unnatural to Christina. The ‘shouty’ vocals of Make Over are back, but with less power and less meaning in the lyrics. This is a great song for dancing to, but somehow doesn’t feel at home on this album.

--Stripped. Pt 2

Almost done guys! This is a continuation of the intro track. Basically, Christina is sorry she’s not a diva, or a virgin, or a slut, because that would be so much more interesting for us and the media, but she is who she is, okay?

--The Voice Within

Another single, written as advice to a young girl, to always trust her instincts and not get pressured into anything. I love this song, again it’s got beautiful inspirational lyrics, and is pretty sound advice.

‘Young girl, hold tight / Soon you’re gonna see a brighter day / Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed / It's so hard to stand your ground when you're so afraid.’

--I’m OK

This one is quite a controversial song, as it’s about her father who used to be in the Army, and abused both Christina and her mother. It’s obviously a very personal, emotional song, and must have been difficult to write and record.

‘Bruises fade father, but the pain remains the same / I still remember how you kept me so afraid / Strength is my mother, for all the love she gave.’

--Keep On Singing My Song

The final track (at last!) is a bit of a let down, again it suffers from being preceded by two ballads and so seems a touch samey. Also it’s much longer than most of the others, so seems to go on a bit. Basically it’s about Christina, and how she won’t succumb to pressure but do everything her way.

‘They can say what they wanna say about me / But I'm gonna carry on / I'm a keep on / Singin' my song.’

**MY THOUGHTS**

Well, say what you like about Christina, but I don’t think you can really deny the fact the she can belt out a tune. Perhaps she doesn’t do it to your taste exactly, but this is one of the reasons for Christina’s success – she has gone for a sound she loves without worrying about who will like it. She’s definitely not afraid to throw herself heart and soul into the music, abandoning all inhibitions. This really allows her to show off her voice, and makes every track stronger than technically it should be, because she really feels what she is singing. Out of 16 genuine tracks, Christina has had a hand in at least the lyrics of 14 of them, which is pretty impressive. Of course, there are pitfalls here, one of which is that I find she does tend to go on a bit. If she’s not slating an ex-boyfriend, she’s singing about her terrible childhood, or complaining about men in general, or reprimanding society for their standards. This can get a bit tedious, and it’s only thanks to a few upbeat songs every so often that this isn’t a major problem.

When trying to draw comparisons between Christina and other artists, the closest I could get was that a few of the ballads mid-album were slightly Alicia Keys in style, but when she has written and guested on one of these tracks, this is only to be expected. Other than that, I could think of no other artist that is particularly similar.

The songwriting on this album is incredible. There are some beautiful melodies and cracking bass lines. The pure imagination that must have been involved is stunning. However, with appearances from Alicia and Linda Perry, to say nothing of Larry Gold, who writes for R Kelly, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston and Justin Timberlake; Scott Storch, who is huge in America for his work with Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes and Dr Dre; and Matt Morris, who won four Grammy nominations for his work on this album, and for the co-writing of Kelly Clarkson’s hit, Miss Independent, then this is only to be expected.

**CONCLUSION**

I’m definitely recommending this album! I have met few people who don’t like it. The sheer range of styles and breathtaking vocals for me, is enough to make this a must-have, and with twenty tracks, there’s bound to be something you like. Available at 8.99 on Amazon.co.uk, and the same on CD-wow.co.uk., it won’t even break the bank. Enjoy!