Snap judgment on Britney Spears' 'Womanizer'

And so we awaken to a new Britney Spears single (here's the best version we've found so far on Youtube) to distract us from the collapse of yet another major financial institution. (Shout out to all my peeps in the "Washington Mutual" state!) "Womanizer" is just the shot of Jolt Cola pop fans need right now: It's mechanical as heck, sure, and predictable too, but somehow it still draws you in. More like grabs your collar, forces you down onto a cane-back chair and yanks you in. Oh, wait, that's the choreography for the upcoming video.

The good: Retro-futurism takes a roller coaster ride via the snappy staccato beats crafted by the young Atlanta-based production team the Outsydas. It's clean and contemporary but also invokes the quick-witted style of vocal groups like the Andrews Sisters -- a style Brit's rival, Christina Aguilera, has mined to great success before. The highly manipulated vocal complements Brit's Mississippi Valley Girl diction; though she's been turned into a robot (again), she actually sounds engaged. And the lyric, about the kind of girl power that's focused on besting one obnoxious man, is also vintage and contemporary at the same time -- more feminism as individualism, which we all know is hot at the moment.

The bad: This song most emphatically does not swing. The very things that pull in a listener -- the song's jerky repetitiveness, the catchy staccato elements, Britney's voice pushed against your ear -- are going to get really irritating after three days of this song being everywhere.

The conclusion: Britney's back. She actually seems to be awake this time. This is only the beginning.

What do you think of "Womanizer"?

-- Ann Powers

Photo by Achim Scheidemann / EPA

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Comments

[Erin]

She delivers... its good.. its catchy. Not as robotic as "blackout". I agree with the author.. she does seem to be awake this time LOL! Lets face it, britney's never been a deep artist, never tried to be, never claimed to be... so lets remeber that before we over analyze it. As for the rest of the album, i'm hoping for a more mature dance sound("Gimmie More") and more of a pop/hip hop sound mix like she had in "in the zone" which has been BY FAR her best work.

[joe m]

Anything by Britney will be good.
This is good but not great.

[Erick]

"Womanizer" seems to remind us of all why the American public fell in love with Britney's music in the first place. While we continue to be screwed over by our "President" and the crappy economic state that has resulted from his lack leadership, the release of "Womanizer" gives us all 3.5 minutes to simply escape it all. Just like her previous singles, Britney doesn't set out to create a pseudo-intellectual song, she just wants us to get up and dance and we love her for that.

While I'm a bigger fan of "Gimme More"'s dark, haunting mesmerizing production and subdued vocals, "Womanizer" turns out more enjoyable because as Powers states, "she sounds engaged" this time around.

We thought she was crazy, she has us crazy.

[Tony]

I love it..
it will be everywhere i know
but it will defitinely make for her comeback
and yes..
we need some bubllegum distraction with
the economy like it is right now

[ruby]

it is a good song !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nurken]

She's a legend! That's it!

[mano]

well..i think after ive been a big manic fan of blackout album till today sept 26th
womanizer came through my ears..so fast..so highly futuristic..electronic..engaged..and just fresh style..i think she just knew that blackout was the start to be more than just she can be..a great artist..and yes we dont have to over analyze it..she just love music dancing and to be on top as she always was and will be..as talnted in choosing the beats cant escape our bodies..
boy dont try to front..i just know what u r..
i love it..hot sexy catchy and just the thing we need..
im sure the other song mannequin will be another hit..im just proud of my legendry miss britney spears

[Eduardo]

Yay!!!
the return of mindless bubble gum pop.
I love it of course, I'm tired of pop artists trying to be deep [rihanna with Take a Bow-LAME], anyways, Britney is the epitome of what pop is and should be, always with songs that really don't mean anything but your just hooked and in love and they really let you stray away from all the problems because while listening to the song all you can picture is Britney doing some sexy dance on top of some muscle-bound naked model. forget lame popstars that try to be deep and lame, here's Britney Spears in her return to POP!

[kaelie]

it doesn't matter what album britney makes, she's already proven that she will be a legend...and the fact that she's on the right track and she seems to really be focusing on her life and career is a very good sign and i am soooooo happy she's on her way to taking her title back as the pop princess!!...she's a sweet person and i will buy her album...

[connor.]

It's not AMAZING but it's GOOD. More than adequate pop song from the genre's Queen.

[Jacob]

"Womanizer" is certainly much better than PCD's "When I grow up", and Rihanna's "Disturbia" (probably the two biggest Female hits right now), and It stands out from all the other songs released in the last few months. It has a different sound to it, and is unique. It completely obliterates "Keeps Getting Better" by X-tina!

[Jackie]

I'm not even a Britney Spears fan, and I'm ashamed to say I like it!

[Jackie]

I'm not even a Britney Spears fan, and I'm ashamed to say I like it!

[kev]

The song is very catchy and definitely bound to be one of Britney's essntial songs. The song isn't as natural Britney's other songs, such as "Baby One More Time," but it's not as artifical as "Gimme More." The song is much like a mix between "Toxic," "Ooh Ooh Baby," asong from her album Blackout, and the element of Christina Aguilera's "Keeps Getting Better." The song is bound to be all over the charts and anywhere else as well.

[Lissa from Sweden]

I think this is a great song . I love it !!!!
Its the best song she did ever...
I cant stop listening to it ...
Shes really back at last =)

[Mark]

HOT HOT HOT!!! Britney's back and here to prove her talent and show she's not the slutty easy woman people think she is. And that's great. People will say her voice is overdigitalized? Well her voice sounds a bit artificial even at natural. And I like it! This song reminds me the music of radar with the melody of ooh ooh baby. It's modern, catchy, hot and most of all it's Britney!! Just wish she stops playback performances and she sings for real. Britney's got talent damn!!

[kev]

Some people are criticizing this song. But it actually sounds awesome! Like a mix between "Toxic" and "Ooh Ooh Baby" Her voice is tampered with, but it sounds more natural than artificial, not like a robot.

[fronta-a-a]

Very catchy. Since the time twas released, i'v been listening to it all the time. The song would make you chant the "front-a-a-a and the you are-a-a-a". It would be cool to hear all the people chant these lines...

[KN]

I think it is catchy!
and suited to the pop now.

Obviously she catches so called trends.

[Tim]

g'day from Australia

i made a website about her new comeback album and songs so check it out dudes

http://BritneySpearsCircus.com

thanks heaps man

[USAEconomicCrisis]

I love it!!

This is going to be the anthem of the economic depression

[michael]

Wow its a stormer!U want to blast britneys music +dance your blues away!This is hot as ice.It is amaezin to have her revved up+soooooooo ready to go!!!!!Cant stop playn it!

[tyra]

I was hooked on the song at first but i'm already sick of it:(

[Знаменитости тут]

The new single is to repetative. Gimme more was repetative but not an annying repetative but womanizer is too annying....it gets on your nerves...she could have done much better. Pussy cat dolls new song when i grow up is way hotter and fresh then womanizer. But I still love britney and I hope she continues to get better.