A 2008 Messy Year in Review: Which Pop Princess Released the Best 2008 Album?

Janet Jackson, Madonna, and Mariah Cannon all released albums in early 2008, and now with the pop queens out the way, the end of 2008 brings with it the return of pop culture's most adored and sometimes scorned pop princesses.

Which album should you get?

P!nk's "Funhouse"

P!nk was first out the gate scoring her first number 1 hit during the fall with "So What". So what is a bad ass, tough girl, arena rocking anthem that will surely go down as a classic. The album its self features less party anthems then the usual P!nk project, but chilling new ballads like Sober", "I Don't Believe You", and "Crystal Ball" will keep you coming back to the "Funhouse" to play.

Quiet as its kept, "Please Don't Leave me" might be the best song of her career.

4 out of 5 stars****

Beyonce's "I'am...Sasha Fierce"

Rihanna topped Beyonce in number 1 singles this year when she scored her T.I assisted 5th with "Live Your Life", but with 2 singles currently in the top 5, Beyonce A.K.A Sasha Fierce is back to even the odds and show herself to still be pop's reigning princess. The album is split into 2 cds. The first is filled with tired piano ballads that you would expect from American Idol losers like Tamyra Gray, and the second is packed with Beyonce's normal club bangers. Each cd has its good songs and its fillers, the 'Sasha Fierce' one being the stronger of the 2, but had Beyonce placed the bland fillers on each in a box to the left, she would have had a sure fire classic. "Single Ladies(Put a Ring on it)", "Halo", the Lil Wayne inspired "Diva", "Radio", and maybe even "Hello" all have potential to be massive hits.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars***1/2

Britney Spears "Circus"

Who would have guessed Britney Spears would actually comeback hard? "Womanizer" became the second number 1 single of her 10 year career in 2008, but it sucked. Even with an excellent video, it is definitely one of the weakest songs on a cd that attacks paparazzi, retreads Britney's usual blow up doll sexuality, and even speaks on other rehab mainstay celebrities in the awesome "If You Seek Amy". Unlike last year's sexy "Blackout" album, "Circus" doesn't sound phoned in, and Britney often trades in her own nasal delivery for a convincing Janet Jackson coo.

Must hear songs include the title track, "Unusual You", "Out from Under", "Kill the Lights, "Shattered Glass", and "My Baby".

4 out of 5 stars

Which album do you leave to collect dust on the shelf at Target?

Christina Aguilera "Keeps Getting Better"

Tired ass Christina Aguilera's greatest hits package leaves much to be desired. First of all, the dirty diva claims she is doing something new as usual, but is mimicking Britney, Madonna, and Kylie who have all done electronica over the past few years with much more creativity. Her hits from that boring ass third album are here, but were they really ever hits?

Baby Jane sit down.

The masterpieces that she does have she remixed so that they feel more like 2007 Britney Spears' rejects, and not the centerpieces of her impressive catalog.

Fuck it, I give her 1 star for just fucking up an amazing song like "Beautiful". I should punch her in the head for fucking that song up. It should have went to P!nk anyway.

If you still need your dose of Xtina download "What a Girl Wants," and "Beautiful".

1 1/2 out of 5 stars*1/2

TAZ

PS: If you disagree with my review, post a comment!!!

So a crack head came into the barbershop today, and he was selling the new Foxy Brown album...

That shit was irking me on so many levels. I really loved her "Broken Silence" album but this new one didn't even get a full listen. First of all, she sounded like Lil Kim on "China Doll", but with "Broken Silence" it seemed she found her voice again. On this album she sounds just like Lil Kim on down to the 'prison tales', but unlike Lil Kim, its just more annoying because she went to jail for such a stupid reason.

Fox its not gangsta to go to jail over getting your nails polished. The only dumber bitch than her is Remy Ma who thinks she can just shoot people and get away with it.

Then on top of that, Miss Brown, or should I say, Miss Rick Ross goes into bragging about her hearing as if there was something gangsta about going deaf.

Not a good look Fox.

TAZ

WOW...Even having the face of a decomposing old hag can't stop Madonna from ruling the charts...

Madonna's album was released yesterday to some of the best reviews of her career. I brought the album, and I have to say, I actually really like it. Especially the jam with Kanye West and one called "The Devil Couldn't Recognize You" or some shit like that. Either way, get this album. There is even a rumor flying around that granny will be on BET's 106 & Park. How fun is that?

Right now her album is expected to hit number 1 in the states with a little under 300,000 sold. A far cry from Whoriah's uninspired album, but sexy neverless.

Holla

TAZ

She's back...A review I found and stole(cuz I can) on the Return of Miss Erykah Badu.

I thought I was going to have to wait til 'Next Lifetime' 'til my bitch came back out with a new album. The original queen of neo-soul, sorry Jill, is back and if "Honey" is any indication she is ready to BRANG IT and LET HAVE with the first of 3 albums she is releasing this year.

Check some review I stole from some John doe blogger who went to her super sexy and super stylish album release party and listening session.

Actually the review is from the world famous YBF magazine but you know...LOL

TAZ

The YBF was on the scene for Erykah Badu’s exclusive listening session for her new album New AmErykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War. It went down last night at NY’s earthy and energetic Chamber of Mirrors. YBF NY Correspondent Tichanda hit up the event and for a review…

Erykah’s 4th World War is a funkadelic, journey through the world as Erykah sees it, lives it, and wishes it to be. She speaks her truth on the album whether describing the loss of her friend J Dilla on “Telephone”, uncovering the layers of herself and revealing the place she is in on “Me”, or calling out to the brothas and sisters on “Soldier” to wake up. There are french horns, flutes, drums, and synthesizers galore. One track even sounds as if it’s played backwards; it was like she is subliminaly trying to tell us something. While the music played we watched a film of sped up and slowed down images that looked like millions of people going up escalators in Grand Central NY, or like assembly lines for Twinkies, hot dogs, cars, and just about anything else you can imagine. It’s like she is taking a stand against mass marketed media crazed packaging and confirming to societal ideas. She wants something fresh and new. She is ready for change.There are songs where the bass reverberates strong and deep. Badu’s voice was layered in almost like an afterthought. But don’t be fooled. Take a peek at the liner notes and the lyrics and whatever you didn’t understand will quickly make sense and speak volumes to Badu’s ability to take simple words to create an assault on your senses. I swear one track had me feeling like if I’d ever thought about smoking weed for the first time - this would be my theme music! Low and behold at the end of the song she was talking about an addict and the need for a “vaccine” to cure the feins of the world. Erykah is no joke.Posters of Erykah’s notes and lyrics while she wrote the albumOn other songs, like “Telephone”, “Master Teachers”, and “That Hump” - her voice is clear, like dripping sugar over tracks, reminiscent of a new age Baduizm. You quickly know the words and will be singing along by the time the song ends. Of course the ethereal side of Erykah was revealed during a Q&A session after the listening session. She mentioned that the album is released on her birthday, Feb 26th, which also happens to be Saviors’ Day. The listening party was held during the last lunar eclipse until 2010-of course she wanted to take advantage of the energy and timing. She actually went to the roof of the building to watch before coming down to start the listening party.She also told a poignant story of J Dilla’smemorial service in which 2 heart clouds appeared in the sky. She said that his mother recounted a story of J Dilla’s painful battle with Lupus, which would subsequently take his life. She remembered that on bad days, he would become incoherent and would have conversations with people that he said were in the room with him. She said she would always ask who he was talking to, and he would say ODB, as in Old Dirty Bastard. He told her that ODB would call him on the phone and would tell him that when he crossed over to “take the white bus, not the red bus”. ODB told Dilla that the red bus would be enticing and look like a good thing, but to wait on the white bus, and it would bring him to heaven.After hearing that story, Erykah wrote “Telephone” which features Quest Love. It’s a beautiful song and one of two that got claps in the audience after being played. The other is “Soldier” - which is scheduled to be her next single.This album may not be as commercially successful as her earlier works, but that’s okay - she recorded over 50 songs just using her computer after her son showed her how to use Garageband on a new laptop. So she has another album (Part Two) which is going to be released in July. Also, one new track will be released every month on the 26th until the end of the year.Badu has a LOT going on and she remarked that she finally made the music she’s been wanting to make all her life. And it shows.