A good vocalist controls the voice, something Christina is incapable of
352800
Like most of my reviews, I do not feel the need to review each and every song in depth. All I need to do is tell you what I think, then let you decide whether or not I'm right. Recently, I have been bombarded with "praise" for Christina's return to music. Critics claiming her to be the best vocalist in America, and the majority of people considering this legitimate, worthwhile music.

First of all, as for Christina being the best vocalist in America, I disagree. Not one of the tracks on this CD has a single moment in which Christina actually has control over her voice. Even the shortest phrases are filled with a more than plentiful amount of vibrato. No note is left unsuspended, and if you're looking for any attempt at sounding soulful, sighful, or inspired, then you won't find it; unless your definition of any of the above words happens to be a WHITE woman belting out minute long vocal solos as if she were Aretha Franklin or Gladys Knight.

And trust me, while I am not a real fan of singers such as Knight or Franklin, there is a degree of professionalism and more than anything, vocal ability that sets them apart from any other in their class. Singers such as Aretha find their power in being able to control their voice, you never feel as if they are using every last breath, or as if they're trying to show you how wide their vocal range is. Perhaps another good example of this would be Frank Sinatra, he is not the most impressive singer in technical terms, but the way he knows his voice, the way he can work around his limited range and still sing any song perfectly, and the sheer power that comes from the control he has over his voice made him who he is. The fact is, opera singers [professional ones, at least] can control their voice to a 1/32 difference in notes, allowing for the inflections and rich tapestry that is opera. They aren't belting, they're not pushing their voice to their limit, they're simply reading a sheet of music and reproducing it accordingly.

Likewise, I will say Christina Aguilera's voice will not send shivers down your spine unless you simply don't know anything about music. This album is quite the extreme opposite of Norah Jones, while Norah seems to sing every single song as if she is half asleep and dead bored, Christina seems to turn even a sweet love ballad into a loud, angry, "Look, I can sing three octaves above middle C" scream fest, to the point that Aguilera should give up pop and become the lead vocalist of a heavy metal/screamo band.

If you are truly interested in young performers, I suggest you listen to Mandy Moore's self titled third album. As far as modern 20th/21st century vocalists, she is a much better example of what a voice should be like. Mandy Moore has incredible control over her voice, and her range, while not able to go as high as say, Mariah Carey's [not that I think she is a good vocalist either] is a lot more varied and definitely capable of more inflections and feeling coming out through pop songs and light ballads.

More than anything, don't let the hype get to you. Visit your local community college, even an average vocalist can belt for 2 minutes like Christina can. "Stripped" wasn't "genius" or "sheer perfection" like some people here would want you to believe. The same applies to "BACK TO BASICS", there will always be a music snob telling you how great Christina Aguilera is, and trust me, they're not right.

And for the people who actually want jazz or blues, I HIGHLY suggest you listen to the backcatalogs of Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald, in fact, I'd even suggest you listen to Mahalia Jackson, and even Yolanda Adams. If you truly want gospel, R&B, and blues, don't turn to an ex "Mickey Mouse Club" member, turn to someone who actually understands what it means to sing the blues, to someone who can actually sing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and make grown men cry, not to someone whose previous opus was a rather uninspired raunch fest whose main gimmick was "SHE'S NAKED ON THE COVER!!!!!"
735250
there are some artists that should keep on doing what they do best...they are solid and dependable and never really make any new statements, while still putting out great music.  christina always tries for something new.  imho, this album is similar to madonnas "erotica".  the whole thing is about bdsm...strong versus the submissive...the yin and yang of being a mighty, yet vulnerable woman.  i picked this up this morning when target opened at 8 and have listened to it a couple of times.  of course her voice sounds great, even when it is all bionic-y sounding.  its fun, and i am sure that some of these songs will be thundering out of the clubs this summer in all manner of remixes.  the slow ones, are vintage christina with a slight variation in how they sound...due in large part to sia's involvement.  the linda perry track is very recognizable and a great ballad (it was also used on the "hope for haiti" charity album).  i am glad she still collaborates with ms. perry.  i don't see why anyone wouldn't want to put out the extra money for the deluxe version.  the added songs fall right in line with the rest of the album.  it is cool to hear how some of the dance numbers give homage to that 80's sound.  its a potpourri of styles, tempos, and vocal acrobatics (or not).  the inside artwork is great.  again, expressing the different sides of christina aggressive/passive.  any comparisons to madonna or lady gaga should be looked at as paying tribute.  however,  christina was wild before lady gaga was even on the scene and were as lady gaga is totally on the avant garde end of style, christina just bounces around to who she feels comfortable being for the length of an album.

so, all in all, this is a great album to start off the summer with.
3658979
There's a place in all of us who can't help but enjoy bubble-gum pop.  You may not admit to it in public, but if it's on the radio, you know you're singing along.  There's nothing wrong with that!  It's ok!  It's meant to be catchy and fun, all your music doesn't have to make serious political/social statements.  Christina Aguilera's self-title debut is great for that reason.  Who knew such a little girl could have such a big voice!  And a really great voice it is.  She's production, but not as cookie-cutter as, say, Britney Spears.  This cd offers up some genuine fun music.  Track #5 is probably the best (IMHO)  A good party song, easily sung along with, even if we don't sound like Christina.  Unfortunately, the first 4 singles were definitely the best on this cd.  If the rest of the tracks had sounded as good, I would have given it 4 stars.  Unfortunately, the rest of the tracks just don't grab you.  With the exception of "Reflection" (track #6), the fun, perky pop songs are her best bet.  It'll be interesting to see how she fairs the Sophomore jinx.
3517158
Not a horrible album, and the exhibition of talent and musical craft is definitely there, but what I have a difficult time overlooking is the "whining" vocal style.  At times it almost becomes a flat-out distraction.  I am not referring to a sense of passion or conveyance within the song being sung, or the lyrics, but a literal style in which the singer is singing.  Only one other vocalist has ever had a singing style that annoyed, distracted, or repulsed me more than this one (Darius Rucker of Hootie and Blowfish... ironically, he improved when he went solo, and his voice took on some life).  It's that aspect alone that will prevent me from investing in any more albums by Phosphorescent, unfortunately.
399009
Christina is on top of her game. The stage show is elaborate, the band is comprised of top musicians, and her voice is in fine form. VERY impressive concert and it shows that she just keeps on getting better and better. I like the Back to Basics theme, gives her more of an outlet to really show off her great vocal range, much more so than her last album, Stripped. Anyways, this dvd is definitely enjoyable and a must have for Christina fans.
4330622
Annie Lennox

Diva

Annie Lennox has a great voice but has not always had the greatest songs.  Even in her Eurythmics albums, there had been a glut of fillers among the greats.  In this solo album, Annie gives us a very beautiful collection of songs with no hit of filler, but her performance is too restrained.  This album leaves you with an impression that Annie is being to precise, to controlled, to give the songs the full power of her talent.  It makes you wish she would just cut loose and sing it from the heart instead of for the microphones.  Yet, with that being said, this is still a Great album.  Her restraint keeps this from being a true Masterpiece, but it is still a great one.  Five Stars.
3751653
Sounds like the vocals have been auto tuned. For 10 bucks, why not download a real artist? Something tells me she self-produced. I say that only because my aunt Mary did the same thing during a mid-life crisis. Don't get me wrong, this Grace Haggerty (assume that's her real name, can't imagine someone would make up the last name 'Haggerty') definitely has some natural talent, but for the money, you can have Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion or hell, even Brittany Spears. I'm holding out for the Taylor Swift Christmas album. But first, Taylor will have to get dumped by a deity. (although I suppose John Meyer considers himself a deity)
279293
I have to give credit to pop princess Christina Aguilera for the audacious career move she has made in releasing a two-disc set full of such relatively eclectic music at a time when the music industry is turning its back on the format. True, she is vocally more talented than Britney, Jessica and the rest of her helium-filled sorority, but she isn't as versatile as she or her handlers would want us to believe. That's not to say she will not achieve that level someday, but at the ripe old age of 25, Aguilera lacks the interpretative skills of any of the veteran singers she is trying to mimic here from Lady Day and Aretha down to Whitney and Mariah. She is still a singer who feels more comfortable showing off her gymnastic melisma than a sense of nuance and maturity.

The first disc, however, is a solid showcase for her very specific talent thanks to the street-savvy production work of Gang Starr's DJ Premier. By far, the best song on the whole set is the highly charged lead-off single, "Ain't No Other Man", with its James Brown-inspired horn riffs, girl-group sass and the most infectious hooks of the summer. It sounds like prime Whitney with a welcome gutsy edge. "Makes Me Wanna Pray" is a sturdy soul shouter for Aguilera, benefiting from Steve Winwood's familiar Farisa organ which makes the song sound like a Spencer Davis Group outtake. The fifties-style doo-wop of "Understand" (with a great sampling of soul diva Betty Harris), the loping Quincy Jones-style of "F.U.S.S.", and the breezy, Stevie Wonder-lite "Without You" are all catchy in their radio-friendly ways. The disc unfortunately ends with too much self-aggrandizement with her overly defensive "Here to Stay" and her blowing air-kisses to fans on the egotistical "Thank You".

While the first disc benefits from its relative consistency, the second disc suffers from its abundance of pretension. Produced by Linda Perry, Aguilera's songwriting partner on "Beautiful", it starts with an overly moody Cirque de Soleil-style downer, "Enter the Circus"; rebounds somewhat with the power ballad "Welcome" but then gets stuck in WWII-era pastiche with Aguilera's Andrews Sisters impersonation on "Candyman", a note-for-note rip-off of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B". The chanteuse cheekiness on "Nasty Naughty Boy" works for the most part, but the muffled scratchiness of "I Got Trouble" doesn't really help her get closer to the hard-earned melancholy of Bessie Smith. Self-indulgence is a major problem throughout as she seems to be channeling Streisand on "Hurt", Billie Holiday on "Mercy on Me" and an unlikely combination of Blossom Dearie and Fiona Apple on "Save Me from Myself". The last track, "The Right Man", is one melodramatic wedding song, but she actually handles it with aplomb.

It's a bold experiment for Aguilera that shows off her burgeoning talent, but it's premature for her to tackle the variety of vocal stylings she tries to display here. If she waited a decade or just released the first disc by itself (without the last two tracks), I think she would have come across as far more impressive and far less precocious.
2840751
A year and a half after its release, Christina Aguilera's sophomore album "Stripped" is a phenomenon; one of those rare occurences, it is a CD that exploded in popularity through word of mouth (besides the risque video for "Dirrty", there seemed to be no promotion at all) and has been an immense impact on music sales charts around the world.
Christina Aguilera, once living in the shadow of Britney Spears (a highly unfair situation by any talent-lover's standards), has since established herself as one of the most popular and gifted singers of her generation. She does not indulge in the glossy, mass-hysteria hype that propels the likes of Justin Timberlake and Beyonce Knowles to the dizzying heights of fame, but that seems to suit her just fine; unlike nearly every other singer of her generation, Christina knows she will be around for a long time, and "Stripped" has confirmed that.
Jettisoning the meaningless pop that tainted her self-titled debut, Aguilera decided to move on to better things. She brought us "Stripped", an album so dense with emotion and melody that it even captured the attention of non-believers. Eighteen months in the making, the album is an experimental piece that succeeds on almost every level. From the writhing sexuality of "Dirrty" and "Get Mine, Get Yours" to the flamenco psychedelia of "Make Over", Aguilera proves that she has not only grown up, but has developed an edge that sets her on an infinitely higher level to her pop counterparts.
However, there are a few glitches in an otherwise perfect 78 minutes; "Soar" is beautifully sung but trite, "Fighter" is somewhat overproduced and "The Voice Within" is purely Mariah-by-the-numbers - quite unexpected with a producer like Glen Ballard on board. Having said that, those are only three songs out of twenty (including four interludes), and even the worst songs on "Stripped" are a glowing alternative to the trash that infects the charts these days.
Despite the amazing number of potential singles on the album, critics called "Stripped" an unfocused and incoherent CD, largely due to its covering many genres. In my opinion, this is what makes the album so special; no two songs may sound the same, but they all have a common theme: getting over the pain of the past to become a strong and independent individual.
Finally, the album has two major attributes that propel Aguilera to a deserved "diva" status: the slinky, swooning blues of "Walk Away" and the shocking nakedness of "I'm OK", an ironically-titled and emotional account of the singer's childhood with an abusive father. These two particular tracks show Aguilera's daring - her inhibitions gone, she reveals herself to her audience and establishes herself as the kind of singer Britney and Beyonce could never be.
Whether or not Christina Aguilera will ever achieve the full respect she deserves (her losing the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album to Justin Timberlake was a joke), she has nevertheless created the perfect foundation for her future.
2900721
Ever since the first time I saw Christina with "Genie in a Bottle" on TRL, I knew she was different from the rest of the crowd. Unfortunately, she was put in the same catagory as every other pop artist out there, but with this album, "Mi Reflejo," she outdoes everyone, including her own debt album. She has an extraordinary voice, and finally she got to use it! I love all the songs, especially the ballads sound amazing. I love the remakes of the old songs, especially the one for Genie in a Bottle, I have to say I'm not a really big fan of "La Mujer," I think the english one sounds better, but other than that the entire album is fabulous! Even if you are not a real pop fan, this album will amaze you, this girl can SING! Although I don't speak much spanish myself, I find myself singing along to all the songs! Music breaks cultural barriers, and with a voice like Christina's, she can do anything. It may be a little too soon to say this, but I honestly think she can be compared to the greats, even at such a young age, I think it's obvious that she will be the next Mariah, Celine, and Whitney, maybe even sooner than we think. This girl, no sorry, woman, will be around for a long long time, far beyond any of her female rivals. But what did you expect, people with talent always come out on the top! Christina, rock on!
2866110
I won't lie, I was a huge fan of Christina's first album, and was eagerly awaiting her sophmore effort.  I'd hoped that someone would tell her to cool the overdramatic flourishes that seemed to pepper all of her live performances, but nevertheless I was anxious to hear her follow-up.  I have to say when I saw the video for "Dirrty" as well as her outfit (the hankerchief one) at the awards show, I was really dissapointed.  I figured she'd pulled a Mariah.  I was wrong.  This CD is good.  This is definitely one book that can't be judged by it's cover.  The songs are strong, the talent is stronger.  I won't go into a track listing except to say that I agree with the other reviews, and that "Beautiful" is worth the price of admission.
3251467
Yes, the songs are all ballads, and all are fairly dark in their outlook, but Justin Currie's voice and vocal approach really work with this sort of thing. That world-weariness that's always been in his voice suit this sort of song perfectly. And I don't find it depressing; rather, it seems wistful, which is a very different feeling, and much more enjoyable. The recording happily makes the most of his voice by mixing it out front and dry, so the nuances in his singing come through. Unfortunately, instruments backing him are mushy to the point where it's often hard to tell what chord he's singing over. The strings are indistinct, the bass and drums are soupy and loose, and the piano is hollow sounding. That production undermines the melodies, which are, as usual, sterling. Still, this is only a distraction because the songs themselves are so strong, and they deserve the best possible production.
741275
Don't get me wrong, this cd has some really good tracks, but it's not one of those CDs u can listen to all the way through.  She has a lot of talent, and maybe on her next CD she can fully use it.
3241291
This is Christina's best album yet!! Her voice is so strong, she sings with such emotion. I never ever get tired of listening to this CD!! I love Christina, she rulezz!!
560052
I'm not a fan of Christina, but actually like this collection of songs.  There's been a few complaints about releasing this "pre-fame" demo material, but I think it's a response to her legal hassles rather than a reflection of the actual material.
Will this end her career?  I doubt it very much since other performers are putting out worse material these days (such as Mariah Carey) and most of these demo songs have a nice feel to them.  Christina's voice also sounds quite good on most of the tracks with the trademark inflections and growl.  The music and lyrics are more of the problem than the vocals. The simple structure of tracks like "running out of time" or "just be free" actually works well as dance songs.
If this really is demo material, it shows why Christina got signed and went onto bigger and better things.
4836865
I heard "something inside of me" on the radio a couple of weeks ago and decided at that time to purchase the cd when it was released.  I really enjoyed the band throughout the cd, unfortunately, jada's vocals are weak in my opinion.  It was a good attempt and I can tell she may have the rage and angst required to perform this style of music, but she doesn't have any vocal range.

I do want to mention that I really enjoy track #4, I can live with the vocals for this one.
484900
they're terrific at what they sing, but it's more pop-oriented than I'd like. wish they would challenge themselves with some classical rep.