In The Zone

11/11/2003 3:00 PM, LAUNCH
Dan Leroy

Turns out, those folks who insisted there was a deeper meaning to That Kiss between Britney and Madonna were right. But you have to hear In The Zone to discover that the message was, "Play tonsil hockey with me, young lady, and I'll show you how to make a sophisticated turd of an album like my last one." Well, Madge sure tries on the numbing dance drone "Me Against The Music," possibly the worst celebrity team-up since Mike Tyson and Robin Givens. And Britney's forays into adult club culture with the likes of Moby ("Early Mornin'") and R. Kelly ("Outrageous") as her guides are also all 'tude and no tune--a deadly combination for a singer too weak to salvage a song on her own. But while the kiddie trance and dirrty hip-hop are as blatant a bid for credibility as young Brit's moans upon discovering the joys of all-night raving and her own hand, the pop princess of old keeps peeking through the steamed-up windows, and ultimately saves the disc from disaster. The giddy "Toxic" and "Brave New Girl" have the hooks and innocence to equal any of Britney's past bubblegum classics. They're also better than anything Madonna's done in ages. Remember that, Brit, next time she wants a smooch.