Back to Basics
| Christina Aguilera
Back to Basics
Back to Basics is the fifth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on August 15, 2006 in the United States through RCA Records as a double album. Serving as executive producer, she enlisted a wide range of producers, including DJ Premier, Rich Harrison, Rob Lewis, Mark Ronson, and Linda Perry. Recording sessions began in January 2005 and ended in April 2006, taking place at several studios in the United States and the United Kingdom.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Rolling Stone
Aguilera demonstrates that the fetish extends beyond her wardrobe.
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Slant
Though the material is strong throughout, it could have been whittled down to a single disc’s worth.
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The Guardian
Back to Basics doubtless has enough potential hits to secure Aguilera's position in this decade's pop pantheon but, on the terms that the singer herself defined, she's no Billie Holiday.
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Sputnik Music
Every once in a while Aguilera will release an innovative record of undeniable quality, like Back to Basics.
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music OMH
This rather bloated record should be regarded as a disappointment – an interesting one, but a disappointment none the less.
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BBC
Christina Aguilera's back, flexing her formidable vocal cords on double album, "Back to Basics"
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ALL MUSIC
Smartly, she followed this path for her third album, the sprawling, deliriously entertaining double-disc Back to Basics.
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Pop Matters
Back to Basics is a challenging piece of pop that manages to look backwards and forward at the same time.
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INDEPENDENT
Full of shrill diva disco-pop, but an additional album on which she unveils her "new direction", full of simulated blues and big-band swing.
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I Do Lator
Amidst all that pop positioning, Christina’s goal behind this album was to capture the sounds of the 1920s through the 1940s. She sort of accomplished it.
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Entertainment
Aguilera doesn’t have the gravitas of her heroes, and her forays into bluesy torch singing and ’40s-style swing are stiff and mannered.
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The Music Box
Her latest effort Back to Basics is a considerably flawed affair.
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Common Sense Media
Many of the mixes sound a little drab, and some judicious editing could have made the album feel more focused, but if you're a true-blue fan, Back to Basics provides a lot of Christina to sink your teeth into.
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Xtina Web
She strives hard to be a classic soul singer here, she can’t help but sound like herself, and surely there is no other big-budget pop album in 2006 that bears the stamp of its auteur so clearly.
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Plugged In
Some good stuff, but this double-disc specializes in mixed messages from a gifted vocalist wanting absolution and the freedom to expose her "naughty" side.
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The New York Times
Christina Aguilera, That Dirrty Girl, Cleans Up Real Nice.
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The New York Times
Honey They’ve Shrunk the Pop Stars (but Christina Aguilera Fights On).
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alloy
Aguilera proved to us once again that she's an originator and innovator by belting out an album filled with quality material.
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RTE
A shame coming from a once risqué artist, who seemed to poke fun from making elastic bands out of social boundaries.
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IGN
Back To Basics is anything but basic.
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The Baltimore Sun
Less strident and quite a bit more ambitious than anything Aguilera has attempted before. It demands not just our attention, but our sympathy.
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Pop Rescue
Christina’s vocals throughout are flawless, and at times her vocal style is wonderfully playful with the musical styles.
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This Must Be Pop
Usually I’d marvel at the value for money but in this case there are too many boring songs getting in the way.
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