For her third album, Christina Aguilera does away with the crotchless leathers and multicoloured hair extensions and goes for a grown-up look - one that's supposed to remind us of Jean Harlow, but looks more like Traci Lords. Even though this double disc is her way "to get inside the
minds of every legend I've ever wanted to stand beside", like everything she's done it's about as subtle as the sucking-lollipop image that accompanies Still Dirrty.
Still, it's fun if you don't try to work out which era she's infatuated with, and her voice is as powerful and impressive as ever.
Former Gangstarr producer DJ Premier infuses disc one with sophisticated hip-hop cred through horns, crackling vinyl and old soul samples, a combination best summed up on the incendiary anthem Ain't No Other Man. Understand is another astounding example of her gymnastic voice suiting Premier's vintage beats.
But it's a big call for Aguilera to say she's as worthy as the "jazz makers", the "ground-breakers", and everyone from John Coltrane to Minnie Ripperton. What made these people great was that they wrote innovative music and sang about interesting themes - they didn't go on and on about themselves. Here, Aguilera's favourite themes resurface - the little girl lost, the slapper, the young woman with the troubled family history, all delivered in her big, grunty, black-woman blues scale.
The second disc, produced by songwriter to the stars Linda Perry using only analogue equipment, revisits burlesque, faux 1940s jazz and Hollywood kitsch. It succeeds when Aguilera invests her emotions without sounding overwrought - Mercy On Me , for example, is a great soul song.
But when it comes to Candyman, where she contrasts skat singing with lines like "he's a one-stop shop, makes the panties drop" or Naughty Nasty Girl, which is sung as though she's an x-rated Jessica Rabbit, it's cringe-worthy stuff that doesn't sit well next to pulling-the-heartstring ballads like Hurt. It's a shame this isn't a true tribute to her heroes in the form of covers. Aguilera has the voice - all she needs is the style.
Label: Sony/BMG
