Back To Basics
by Christina Aguilera
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Aug 15, 2006
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 651 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 584 out of 651
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 651
  3. Negative: 52 out of 651

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  1. PEDROMFR
    Feb 28, 2023
    3
    BORING.
    Here's what I think. Christina was so worried with being compared to big music legends that she ended up releasing music for the critics, rather than for her pop fans. The problem is that not even the critics liked it.
  2. VictorG
    Dec 22, 2007
    0
    GREAT ALBUM!
  3. BeefJerky
    Oct 19, 2006
    0
    i like how people think "she found herself" when she doesn't make her own music or her own image. Get a clue people. This is bad music for people with no taste. They found a pretty girl with a pretty face and told her to sing this song and wear these clothes. American Idol without the voting and just as phony.
  4. charlottef
    Oct 1, 2006
    0
    shes so boring and just because you have a powerful voice doesn't mean it's any good
  5. SabrinaT.
    Sep 21, 2006
    0
    This album is boring and self-indulgent.
  6. ToddW
    Sep 21, 2006
    0
    Christina, Fergie, Jessica, and Paris. Will someone please lock the studio? If I want to hear self-congratulative whining, our Secretary of Defense has more to offer than these imposters. I implore all of you who gave this album a positive number to visit your local independent record store and strap on a pair of headphones. If you tolerate this, your children will be next.
  7. DaveH
    Sep 12, 2006
    3
    It's NOT a little crass and self-centred, it's EXTREMELY crass and self-centred, just like the boring bimbo who released it.
  8. MyraP.
    Sep 6, 2006
    2
    The album is too overdone, and Christina never really embodies the music she's so desperately trying to emulate.
  9. mattD
    Aug 29, 2006
    1
    Honestly, buy something else. It's the same thing you hear off every other album that's involved in Pop music today. Just buy something else like reaplugs. It will help you get through this clutter of cat fighting and whiny vocals of another self obsessed girl who can't get guys out of her head. She should just make a passionate album, like the song "Beatiful". Her time is Honestly, buy something else. It's the same thing you hear off every other album that's involved in Pop music today. Just buy something else like reaplugs. It will help you get through this clutter of cat fighting and whiny vocals of another self obsessed girl who can't get guys out of her head. She should just make a passionate album, like the song "Beatiful". Her time is wasting away. In a few years, she'll be makin stupid moves to garner attention.… Expand
  10. CorinneH
    Aug 17, 2006
    1
    This album is cluttered, clunky and self-obsessed. If you want to listen to several hours of Christina singing about herself and how wonderful she and her husband are to the tune of old jazz, then this album is for you.
  11. BrianK
    Aug 16, 2006
    2
    A misfire on so many levels. It would probably take several pages to fully flesh out everything that is wrong with the album. To start off with, Christina comparing herself to the great singers of our time (Ella, Etta, Nina, among others) is preposterous. Yes, she is a phenomenal singer, easily the strongest one on the radio right now, but peeling away the shine of her vocal acrobatics A misfire on so many levels. It would probably take several pages to fully flesh out everything that is wrong with the album. To start off with, Christina comparing herself to the great singers of our time (Ella, Etta, Nina, among others) is preposterous. Yes, she is a phenomenal singer, easily the strongest one on the radio right now, but peeling away the shine of her vocal acrobatics reveals a staggering immaturity and lack of emotion in her voice 95% of the time. She lacks the timelessness and artistic generosity that is required of greatness -- it is and always will be about Xtina. And this is a huge thing on the whole record; her pride is beaten into your skull over and over again. Where to start on other things that are wrong... too broad a vision leads to lack of focus; too much belting and riffs deaden their effect; attempts at jazz come off as loungy and second-rate. But the real killer, the biggest unforgivable sin, is the track "Thank You." It is, in my opinion, the absolute worst kind of music that can be made -- music that not only makes the rest of the album worse, but also makes you feel bad for both the artist and the artist's fans. A handful of tunes that work (the most notable being "Candyman") redeem the album from a 0 or a 1.… Expand
  12. miguelr
    Aug 15, 2006
    0
    she is trying so hard , if you want to be a respectable artist stop copyng everbody else
  13. DaveW
    Aug 15, 2006
    2
    I'm sorry, but overall this CD is a mess. It's like Christina is trying to hard. The production, her vocals, everything. Too over the top. "Makes Me Wanna Pray" is like faux gospel and it comes off really fake. "Ain't No Other Man" suffers from her oversinging the song. Most of disc one is a piece of garbage. The only good songs come from disc 2, and there aren't many. I'm sorry, but overall this CD is a mess. It's like Christina is trying to hard. The production, her vocals, everything. Too over the top. "Makes Me Wanna Pray" is like faux gospel and it comes off really fake. "Ain't No Other Man" suffers from her oversinging the song. Most of disc one is a piece of garbage. The only good songs come from disc 2, and there aren't many. In fact, the only spectacular song is "Save Me From Myself," a song that entices chills without Aguilera screaming like a madwoman. It's easily her best song to date. Too bad most of the record is nothing like that song. Less is more, Christina. You may say you went back to basics, but really you went as over the top as possible on this one. Better luck next time.… Collapse
  14. moolalotsa
    Aug 15, 2006
    0
    Hideous music from the most delusional and empty-headed pop star ... EVER. Someone deflate her bloated head and charge her for making such awful music. Truly the worst pop star of all time.
  15. MandyD
    Aug 14, 2006
    0
    Isn't even worthy of being released. She's so fake.
  16. LanieL
    Aug 14, 2006
    3
    Only like a few songs, but even among those I can only listen to half the song. I really cannot take her screaming. A lot of this album is very boring to me. I love Understand, Save me from myself, Without You. Don't like F.U.S.S. Wtf is Enter the Circus? Back in the Day is BORING! Thank you is annoyingly egotistical. Lyrics are decent except for the hypocrisy of Here to Stay and Only like a few songs, but even among those I can only listen to half the song. I really cannot take her screaming. A lot of this album is very boring to me. I love Understand, Save me from myself, Without You. Don't like F.U.S.S. Wtf is Enter the Circus? Back in the Day is BORING! Thank you is annoyingly egotistical. Lyrics are decent except for the hypocrisy of Here to Stay and FUSS (assuming its about Mr. Storch) In Here to Stay she says she doesn't pay attention to the negative kind, yet she has FUSS on the album. Good job not paying attention!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Most Discussed Album of 2006
8
#8 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. The Guardian
    40
    Beyond the retro instrumentation, however, it's unclear what Aguilera has really learned from her idols.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    Aguilera doesn't have the gravitas of her heroes, and her forays into bluesy torch singing and '40s-style swing are stiff and mannered. But she needn't genuflect before the past -- she can make her own glorious kind of 21st-century noise.
    Read full review
  3. musicOMH.com
    40
    This rather bloated record should be regarded as a disappointment - an interesting one, but a disappointment none the less.
    Read full review
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