Customer Reviews

BIONIC - DELUXE (Explicit)

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(31)

 

 

Since this album supposedly leaked weeks ago, the buzz was not so favorable. I waited until the release today to take it in for what it was and, as expected, it just totally wasn't true. I don't know what people were listening to, or if they even know music enough and/or the delivery of the artist behind it, to jump to these conclusions.

The thing that divides Christina from many of her peers is the fact that she knows music--she gets it--and she knows how to craft an actual album. She's an artist, apparent in the way she reinvents her sound with every release. She takes her time, which is evident in the 3-4 year gap in between her projects. She researches her options and isn't afraid to 'go there,' which is why she rarely repeats producers and collaborators. You get that if you know music, you don't if you're more accustomed to what radio feeds you and content with the smoke and mirrors of the industry.

'Bionic' is a departure from 'Back to Basics,' and a slight throw-back to 'Stripped' only in fluidity and brass. Half of the album is a mix of dance-electronica-pop, which is the direction she hinted she was going in after the conclusion of the 'Back to Basics' era. The other, soul-adult-pop.

The set begins with the Switch-assisted 'Bionic,' which sounds like a left-over from a Santigold or M.I.A. album. It's different, probably more effective as just an album intro, but it definitely makes noise and grabs the listener. The lead single, which probably shouldn't have been her reintroduction to music listeners' ears personally, 'Not Myself Tonight,' is heavy on synths and bass, but it gets better if it alone left much to be desired. "Woohoo" featuring Rap's golden girl of the moment Nicki Minaj starts out eerie and stark before gaining momentum with the title on repeat through-out the entire 5 minute plus song. 'Elastic Love,' another Switch track, has an 80s electric-pop vibe and sounds like old Fannypack, but is exceptional nonetheless even if Christina doesn't do much singing. 'Desnudate' is another bold dance track with much Spanish/Latin influence musically as well as lyrically; Tricky Stweart works his magic for what sounds like something better suited for Shakira or a back-in-the-day Gloria Estefan. 'Glam' and 'Prima Donna' follow suit as Tricky continues to deliver a dance/house vibe that does the first half of the album justice.

The mood changes with the 'Morning Dessert' intro that should be in my opinion an entire track. Very R&B and soulful, a definite stand-out among all the other intros. It sets up 'Sex For Breakfast,' a smooth, mellow R&B jam where she channels her inner R. Kelly perfectly. Linda Perry provides her best and allows Christina to shine vocally for the first time on the album with 'Lift Me Up' which is a ballad and definite contender for a future single. 'All I Need' and 'I Am' are both lite, airy pop tracks beautifully concocted with the help of Sia. She provides even more depth to Christina's amazing tone with 'You Lost Me,' which she recently debuted on American Idol's season finale.

'I Hate Boys,' 'My Girls,' and 'Vanity' bring the uptempo/dance vibe back to the album with sassy lyrics and attitude, closing the regular album. The leftovers on the Deluxe Version are notables and should've been included as part of the original project. Santigold and Switch's 2 contributions, 'Monday Morning' and 'Bobblehead' show her versatility, one pop and the other flirting with Baltimore House and New York club music. 'Birds of Prey' is haunting and reminds you of a Bjork track while 'Stronger Than Ever' has a vocal arrangement that seems somewhat similiar to 'You Lost Me' as it was done by Sia/Sam Dixon. 'I Am (Stripped)' is an acoustic version of the original.

'Bionic' is a slightly stronger album than 'Back to Basics' in terms of drive and direction, but not so much vocally. Most of the dance tracks unfortunately are very busy and focus more on the beats as opposed to her voice. It's safe to say that any artist, especially one whose voice doesn't quite match Christina's range, could pull them off. I think this poses a problem to some loyal supporters, fans, and people who just admire her voice. I don't think however this is a waste of her talent and voice just because 50% of the album is not her belting out notes like we're so accustomed to, and just down right 'sangin'. It offers many singles for future promotion and a little something for every ear and every Christina fan. In terms of her revamped, sexed-up image and the comparisons, all I can say is she wasn't the first blonde-haired pop b**** to do this, and she won't be the last, so comparisons can go both ways if it's only on the surface. I just find it odd that she gets pitted against someone else who came out AFTER her.

With over a decade in the game to her name, I think it's pretty safe to say that Christina knows what she's doing, even if her harshest critics fail to realize it. The music speaks for itself.

It's been four long years since Christina Aguilera released her last studio album, 2006's "Back To Basics." Whereas that album was a throwback to artists and sounds of yesteryear, Christina goes in an entirely different direction on "Bionic." We got a preview of her new sound on "Keeps Getting Better" in 2008. Christina is an artist that I have admired for a very long time, so my expectations and excitement for "Bionic" were high, and frankly I was not disappointed. After having listened to this album for over a month now, it has become my personal favorite of Christina's. Personally, I very much enjoy the whole sound of the album. "Bionic" is sort-of like a patchwork of where popular music is right now, and where it might be headed. It also harkens back somewhat to themes that Christina explored on her "Stripped" album in 2002, such as independence, and having confidence within yourself.

Unfortunately, this album has not been received all that well with listeners, which I think is a shame. There is much to admire here. The ballads, which make up the heart of the album, are among the best ballads she has ever done. "I Am," "Lift Me Up," and "Stronger Than Ever" are amazing. The up-tempo tracks are very good as well. It's impossible for me not to love "Not Myself Tonight," "Elastic Love," "Glam," "Prima Donna," and "Vanity." Overall, I feel that "Bionic" is her most thoroughly enjoyable album from start to finish. Her amazing vocals are well utilized here. While some of the lyrics are not high are by any stretch of the imagination, the album is pure fun to listen to.

There are many different version of "Bionic" available for purchase. These versions include an edited standard version (yuck), an "explicit content" standard version (better, but not the best version available), a deluxe "explicit content" version which has five more songs on it, and an Itunes deluxe version. I have the deluxe version on vinyl record as well as the Itunes deluxe version which is worth it, since it contains an additional song not on the deluxe version. The deluxe version tracks are actually among the best, and should have been on the standard album version.

Here are my song ratings:

1. Bionic - A great way to start the album. It sets things into motion very nicely, and I like it a lot. (4.5/5)

2. Not Myself Tonight - I actually like this song a lot. This is just a fun song that gets me pumped. (5/5)

3. Woohoo (Featuring Nicki Manaj) - This song is basically five and a half minutes of Christina singing about her......never mind. Fun, but not a favorite of mine. (3.5/5)

4. Elastic Love - This is a very fun song. I love the sound of it. (4.5/5)

5. Desnudate - This song is so fun and sexy, and I love it. (5/5)

6. Love & Glamour (Intro) - This is an intro. Not much to say about it.

7. Glam - I like the attitude on this song. Almost makes me want to pretend to be a fashion model. Almost. (4/5)

8. Prima Donna - Fantastic song about being confident and having fun. Love it. (4.5/5)

9. Morning Dessert (Intro) - Another intro.

10. Sex For Breakfast - Very sensual and sexual song. I love Christina's vocals on this one. (4/5)

11. Lift Me Up - I love this song so much. She sings it beautifully. (5/5)

12. My Heart (Intro) - Another intro. This one is very cute.

13. All I Need - Here Christina is singing about her husband and son. I love it. (4.5/5)

14. I Am - My second favorite song on the album. This song is just amazing. (5/5)

15. You Lost Me - Another fantastic Christina ballad. Hopefully this will be a big hit for her. (4/5)

16. I Hate Boys - This song makes me laugh. Being a boy, obviously I don't hate boys. Just pure silliness. (4/5)

17. My Girls (Featuring Peaches) - This is a pretty cool song. I love the melody. Lots of attitude to be found here. (4/5)

18. Vanity - This song has attitude in spades. I just love this song. It's such a great confidence booster. (5/5)

19. Monday Morning - Great song, I really love the melody of this one. (4.5/5)

20. Bobblehead - This song is a little weird, but pretty funny. (4/5)

21.Birds Of Prey - One of my favorites. Pretty kooky and weird, but very enjoyable. (5/5)

22. Stronger Than Ever - An amazing ballad. Love it. (5/5)

23. I Am (Stripped) - A stripped down version of "I Am." I love this version too. (5/5)

24. Little Dreamer (Itunes version only) - I love this song so much. It has become my favorite song on the album. This really should have been available on all versions, not just the Itunes version. It's so good. (5/5)

Overall: 4.5/5

While I've never considered myself a huge Christina Aguilera fan, I've always admired her ability to reinvent her image and her sound with each new record she puts out. From trashy bubblegum girly girl to classy burlesque babe, her voice and songwriting skills have proven she can successfully pull off just about anything. And that's why her latest album, Bionic has me scratching my head, because while it's obvious she's still very much a creative soul, I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what her mission is this time around. She throws a lot at you and none of it makes much sense when taken all together.

My main concern is why a mature woman (or so she seems in interviews and live footage I've seen) would intentionally dumb herself down with low-class garbage like "Woo Hoo," "Vanity," "Bobblehead" and a handful of other tracks that would better suit one of the other numerous young girls trying to break into the music industry (or the never-evolving Britney Spears). I'm all for strong women and speaking your mind, but find it ironic how she feels the need to whore herself out to get the message across. There's also a good amount of electronic voice effects, rapper guest spots, and crude lyrics, which isn't necessarily terrible, but in 2010 that approach has a very "been there, done that" connotation and is actually quite embarrassing coming from an artist like Christina Aguilera who generally is considered a visionary, not a follower. Even some of the better dance tracks, like "Desnudate" and "Not Myself Tonight" never fully amount to a distinctive, catchy melody and will probably require repeat listening to appreciate, though prove to be a lot of fun if you don't think too hard.

Where this CD really shines is the ballads, which Christina has always excelled at. On tracks such as "I Am" and "You Lost Me" we finally get to see the mother, wife, and HUMAN sides of Christina. She still knows how to put her voice on display in all its raw and powerful glory, thank goodness. The only downfall is that she puts all these slow songs together in the middle of the album and it can be rather sleep-inducing if listened to straight through. I'm sure others will disagree with me on this, but the TRUE highlight of the album is the bonus track "Birds of Prey." An ambient, haunting track with Arabic undertones, I would like to see a full-length album with this sort of influence in the future.

Anyway, I guess that just goes to show one advantage of having a 79-minute identity crisis - everyone should be able to find at least a song or two to really connect with. Variety is always a good thing. But unlike her previous releases, listening to the whole CD from start to finish is quite a struggle. Heck, even trying to write a halfway decent review of it has given me a headache, lol. In the end we'll have to assume that Bionic is the result of some inner need of the artist that we as listeners will probably never fully comprehend. The truth is, it's either a brilliantly ironic artistic statement that's flying right over most of our heads, or she just had no sense of direction whatsoever for this project. It's a thin line and I really can't say which might be more true. Go ahead and give it a try for yourself, because as polarizing as all the reviews are, that's probably going to be the only way to gain any real insight.

When I first heard that Christina was going to do an electro-pop album, I was a little skeptical because I don't like that kind of music too much, but to my surprise, I actually like the album. I think she puts just the right amount of dance and ballads of it. I couldn't decide whether to buy this album or not, but I decided to. I can't really say that I have any stand out tracks, but I can say, the two song I don't really care for are "Sex for breakfast" and "Bionic." Those are mediocre tracks for me. All in all, I would still give this album 5 stars.

This could be her best CD yet. I'll have to pop in "Stripped" again to compare...but this album has such a variety of music, lyrics, beats and creativity. "Bobblehead" is great, made me laugh. I'm glad she's a little filthy again, she can pull it off, unlike some other artists out there.

When I first heard "Not Myself Tonight", I couldn't stop tapping my foot. It was a good first single and it was a throwback to her Dirrty days. When I finally got her album, the first song that caught my attention was "Bionic". The intro is great and it's a good opener for what kind of CD this is. Of course, Christina hasn't left her ballads hanging. She has highlights like Sex For Breakfast and Lift Me Up. All the negative reviews on Christina Aguilera needs to stop. She's not trying to be like Lady Gaga because she has said she wanted to do a futuristic theme before Gaga came onto the scene. Her album is creative and very artsy.

Favorites:
Sex For Breakfast
Life Me Up
Bionic
Elastic
Vanity
Prima Dona
Stronger Than Ever
I Am
You Lost Me
Monday Morning
Bobblehead

I first listened to this album when it came out in 2010. I hated it for the most part with the exception of Not Myself Tonight, You Lost Me and Lift Me Up. As the pop music scene has evolved over the past year with Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, I notice that that Xtina came out with a really great futuristic album at the wrong time. It also did not help that she made negative comments about the Mother Monster which brought on the wrath of her Little Monsters. If I had a crystal ball and had the ability to hear the onslaught of cheesy Europop/electronic music ahead I would have called Christina a genius. When you ignore the press and external things that have no bearing on the quality of her music, I see a well crafted and original pop album. Musically, Christina went a little too left of field for her public and her management team failed to properly promote her so that the mainstream could accept such a drastic change. The album's concept is cohesive, wonderful! My main criticism is that she has too many sexual and narcissistic type of songs. She is not Britney, leave that fluff to her. Other than that, Bionic is awesome.

4.5/5 stars

This album is hardly a peek into the future of music. It(to me) is more retro sounding than anything. Given the electro vibes and heavy synthesizers. However, having said that, the ballads are some of the most beautiful I have heard in the last few years. Plus the uptempo tracks, with the possible exception of GLAM(a hugely overrated song)are all fun and energetic. But more to the point Christina's voice is genuinely the best in pop music and just the sound of it put this album into a league of it's own when compared to the rest of the current pop club.

Ok, so I'll start by addressing the obvious `Gaga' comparison here. I don't think that's all too fair. If you want to compare her to any artist currently making an impact in music, then M.I.A. or Santigold would be better comparisons. Sure, there is some Gaga here, especially on her first single; but tracks like `Bionic' and `Elastic Love' scream a little more ambitiousness. That said, Christina claiming that she has been doing this for years and isn't copying anyone is a little preposterous. Christina has never released anything like this in her career. This is the in thing at the moment, and so there is no problem with her delving into it, but don't try and pretend like you are a pioneer in this genre.

Still, it sits rather nicely on her.

`Bionic' is a solid album. It is no different than any of Christina's other offerings as far as quality. There are some ridiculously great songs here and a few filler pieces. She continually releases solid albums, but she has yet to fully deliver a brilliant `track for track' album. There are always a few of those `filler' tracks.

Maybe she should think about shortening her track lists. This deluxe version offers even more tracks (five more to be exact) and while some of those tracks are pretty good, I still think that 23 tracks (24 of you managed to get your hands on `Little Dreamer') is rather excess (granted, three of them are intros).

So the album opens with the explosive `Bionic', which lets you know right out the box that Christina is going to giving you something very different than her usual fare. One thing I must say about Christina is that she, much like Madonna before her, shows versatility in her music, and the fact that she can color her genre with music that is in complete contrast of anything she's already done is highly commendable. `Bionic' is a nice opening track. It is very industrial, and she does sound like a robot in many parts of the song (the idea, I'm sure). The best example of Christina's new direction is `Elastic Love'. That track just kills. I love Santigold, and this song really screams her influence. The musical arrangement is engaging and Christina's vocals are compelling. I love the robotic monotone, and the chorus calls to mind Depeche Mode. I love her influences here.

`Woohoo' is trashy fun, as apposed to `Desnudate', which is trashy bland. In fact, I kind of all sorts of love the vulgarities in `Woohoo'. Christina has always tried to push her own boundaries, and this is another example of that. I also kind of love Nicki Minaj, and she graces this track with her energetic rhyming. `Desnudate' lacks any of the fun here. I had high hopes for it, but the chorus is just horribly bad, and blandly obnoxious. I will say that Christina's vocals on the verses are stunning. I just wish that there was more to this song.

Now, you could say that songs like `Vanity' and `I Hate Boys' are influenced by Lady Gaga, and I'd be willing to accept that. They do have the same structure as her tracks, but like I said, this is a popular genre twist as of late and so you can't really find fault with an accomplished artist like Aguilera trying her hand at it as well.

`Not Myself Tonight' is a fun single, and like Justin Timberlake, Mrs. Aguilera has decided to spice up her image with strategically placed F-bombs. This song is far from as successful a transition as `SexyBack' was, but it works. It does seem a little obvious and trashy and clichéd, but the beat is infectious, and Christina can sell nearly anything. `Prima Donna' works better as a whole. Christina is obviously comfortable here. This sounds much more like something she would have released on `Stripped', and it rests very nicely on her. `Vanity' is completely self-centered and arrogant, kind of like Lady Gaga's music, and it is a lot of fun. I actually love the whole "never mind I am" parts in this song.

Infectious and quotable!

Songs like `My Girls' (which feels like a hybrid of Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga) and `I Hate Boys' are fun. `My Girls' has enough originality to make it stand out, while `I Hate Boys' tends to feel a tad too familiar. It is a lazy track. Sure, it's fun but it just isn't noteworthy (except for that `all too short' bridge).

`Glam' is just awful; a surefire Madonna homage that just doesn't really work.

The slinky `Sex for Breakfast' may not be all that inventive, and this same concept has been explored better by other divas (Mariah Carey's `Babydoll' comes instantly to mind), but this is still an infectious song.

And then we have some of the best tracks on the album; Christina's ballads. Despite her new direction, Aguilera shines the brightest when she's doing what she does best; hitting Mariah Carey notes and stirring our heartstrings. She does just that on tracks like `Lift Me Up', a beautiful song that calls to mind Corinne Bailey Rae. `I Am' may be my favorite track on the album; sincere and earnest and beautifully controlled. `You Lost Me' is sure to be a standout track for nearly everyone who listens to this album. Much like `Beautiful' or `Walk Away', this song is poignant, moving and just has the ability to sink deep inside your soul. `All I Need' is another stunning track. Understanding the meaning behind these words is also very, very emotional. I think for any parent, these words are going to invest themselves in your heart. I also love the playfulness of the musical arrangement, and Christina's vocal work. It adds a layer of admiration for youth.

Of the deluxe album's bonus tracks, The `I Am' stripped version is BY FAR the best. It is just as magnetic and beautiful as the original. I was so pleased to see this here. `Monday Morning' is spunky, if not a tad underwhelming. It just doesn't make much of an impact. `Bobblehead' is ridiculous amounts of fun. I love the HEAVY M.I.A. influence here. If you've read my review for M.I.A.'s latest album you'd know that, while I admire her, I find her to be almost too chaotic for her own good. This song sounds like M.I.A. done right, slightly more focused while still maintaining a serious amount of energy. It also calls to mind Missy Elliott, and that is always a good thing! `Birds of Prey' is darker and has a more constrictive vibe. It works on certain levels, but it also lacks something for me. It has a restrained sense of theatricality, and I respect that. I just don't think it nails it as well as it intended to. `Stronger than Ever' is a decent track, but it comes off forgettable. This is easily her weakest ballad on the album.

If you have `Little Dreamer' then smile, since it is one of the best tracks on the album. There is such purity here. This is a song that is just sweet and charming and endearing and so much fun to listen to. I just love songs about parental love for a child, and this is such a beautiful example of how well that can work.

For me, the intros splattered throughout the album are all unnecessary, but whatever. Overall this is a solid album. I don't understand all the negativity surrounding this album. It is fun, engaging, memorable and entertaining from start to finish. Sure, she has a few missteps, but nothing unforgivable. I can't wait to see what she delivers next.

If you are interested, here is my personal track ranking:

1) I Am (both versions)
2) You Lost Me
3) Elastic Love
4) Lift Me Up
5) Little Dreamer
6) Woohoo
7) All I Need
8) Bobblehead
9) Bionic
10) Prima Donna
11) Vanity
12) Birds of Prey
13) My Girls
14) Not Myself Tonight
15) Monday Morning
16) Sex for Breakfast
17) Stronger than Ever
18) Desnudate
19) I Hate Boys
20) Glam

It's been a full year since the unfortunate and completely avoidable demise of Christina's electro-pop disc Bionic. Hopefully time and a more open mind has shown this release in a better light. Not Myself Tonight, while not the best choice for the first single, is a fun dance song as well as the title track, the giggly crassness of WooHoo, glassy Elastic Love, and spicy Desnudate. The slinky Morning Dessert should've been a full song and the ethereal R&B based Sex For Breakfast channels Janet Jackson's baby makin' jams with flying colors. Once again the songstress kills on the slower songs, turning in a smoky Fiona Apple-eaque performance on the torchy You Lost Me and working her magic on Lift Me Up and the sweet ballad All I Need, a dedication to her young son Max. I Hate Boys and My Girls are slightly immature yet carefree sing-a-long tunes and Christina's playful, over the top narcissism makes Vanity an excellent closer.

I've finally gotten around to checking out the deluxe edition (I know I'm REALLY late, but stay with me) and it's perplexing to me why none of the bonus songs made it on the regular edition of the record. They all fit the electronic claims Christina was going for and would've made killer singles. The cool, new wave-influenced Monday Morning pays no mind to the party poopers of life ("They told me to use my head and keep my focus straight/Shame on all of you for being stiff and so straight-laced ... Long as that floating feeling I get in the moment/Makes it really worth it") while the clitter clattering beat of Bobblehead mocks girls who think "it's cute to act real dumb". The chants of "When you talk all I hear is Wah, wah, wah" and Christina's Valley Girl meets Paris Hilton impression are hilarious.

Birds of Prey scares the crap out of me, but I can't get enough of it. Over a haunting Arabian backdrop, Aguilera's ghostly vocals warn of the soul vampires who prey on the weak and the lost. "They watch and they feed/They take what they need/They bite as you bleed", she whispers. She also does this creepy Indian cry at the end that'll give you shivers. Stronger Than Ever is a Fighter-like ballad co-written by Sia Furler. "I'm tired of walking on eggshells, so terrified to fail/And in order to please you I've abandoned myself/And though it used to hurt me when you pushed me away/I'm stronger than ever, you made me this way!" Radio gold, this one! I Am (Stripped) is a more sparse take of the original track found on the regular edition. She sounds alot like Alanis Morissette on both of them.

The more I listen the bonus tracks, the more annoyed I am that Bionic was set to fail before it hit the ground. What moron at RCA thought placing the songs based on Christina's initial vision should be relegated to the deluxe edition? Not to mention the promotional campaign was sloppy and the single choices horrendous. Something tells me the Dirrty diva's upcoming record will more than make up for what happened and blow everybody away. In the meantime, give this one some more spins.