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Liberation arrives in 2018, six years after Lotus, by far the longest stretch of time between Christina Aguilera albums. During that hiatus Aguilera wasn't exactly in hibernation but she wasn't prominent, taking a couple of seasons off from the televised singing competition The Voice to raise a child and spending as much time onscreen as she did on-stage when she re-emerged in the middle of the 2010s. Aguilera may have been omnipresent in showbiz but she was largely absent from the pop charts. Save a handful of duets -- "Moves Like Jagger," which appeared in 2011 in the first flush of The Voice's success; "Feel This Moment," a 2013 Pitbull hit; "Say Something," a 2013 Great Big World single featuring Christina on vocals -- Aguilera hadn't reached the American Top Ten since 2008's "Keeps Gettin' Better," fanbait added to her hits collection of the same name.
Lotus was designed to reverse this downward trajectory, but despite having its share of gleaming dance-pop, it didn't generate a pop hit. Liberation seems to be constructed as a response to its failure, as it finds Aguilera abandoning shiny hooks for hip-hop beats and smoldering ballads. Despite the fleeting presence of Kanye West and Anderson .Paak, who are both credited as producers, Liberation isn't a record designed for the clubs. Much of the album is devoted to moody moments of self-reflection and anthems of empowerment, giving the distinct impression that Aguilera is figuring out how to mature within the confines of chart-oriented music. Certainly, Christina spends a fair amount of time singing about lasting love and motherhood, even offering a MeToo anthem in the form of "Fall in Line," a dense, angry duet with Demi Lovato. Such reflection and measured outrage lend Liberation a gravity lacking in other Aguilera records, and its sober perspective carries over to "Sick of Sittin'," an infectious piece of diamond-hard funk that finds Aguilera leaning into a newfound rasp in her voice. Christina's growth as a writer and singer helps balance her lingering sentimental streak, a tendency that can occasionally curdle into the saccharine. This stickiness can be a shade too mawkish, but the greater flaw of Liberation is how its blend of R&B reflection and tense testifying doesn't seem to be an easy fit on any format in 2018. This weakness is also a strength, as it shows that Aguilera didn't take an easy route with Liberation: she instead found a hybrid between the personal and commercial, which makes the record resonate emotionally no matter what success it may or may not have.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rob Moose, Viola - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Tim Fain, Violin - Nicholas Britell, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Caitlin Sullivan, Cello - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Richard Rodgers, Composer, Lyricist - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Oscar Hammerstein II , Composer, Lyricist - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Allen Story, Composer, Lyricist - Linda Glover, Composer, Lyricist - Ilsey Juber, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - Kanye West, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Lawrence Brown, Composer, Lyricist - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Noah Goldstein, Composer, Lyricist, Engineer, Co-Producer - Rob Moose, Viola, Violin - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Hudson Mohawke, Co-Producer - Horgay Gordy, Composer, Lyricist - Che Pope, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Ross Birchard, Composer, Lyricist - Nicholas Britell, Strings - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Tayla Parx, Composer, Lyricist - Jahron Brathwaite, Composer, Lyricist - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Janne Schaffer, Composer, Lyricist - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Whitney Phillips, Composer, Lyricist - Anderson .Paak, Producer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Melvin Henderson, Composer, Lyricist - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Brandon P. Anderson, Composer, Lyricist - Jarius "J MO" Mozee, Guitar - Mell Beats, Producer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - N/A - Spoken Words, Composer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Sofia Bratman, Speaker - Charlotte Elder-Groebe, Speaker - Summer Rain Rutler, Speaker - Aria Sage, Speaker - Lily Bratman, Speaker - Ashley Morente, Speaker
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mark Williams, Composer, Lyricist, Co-Producer - Audra Mae, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - Mitch Allan, Vocal Producer - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Demi Lovato, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Robinson, Engineer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Recording Engineer - Jon Bellion, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - GSP, Producer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Raul Cubina, Composer, Lyricist, Co-Producer - Ryan Svendsen, Trumpet, Fluegelhorn - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Christina Aguilera feat. Demi Lovato, AssociatedPerformer - Jonny Simpson, Composer, Lyricist, Recording Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Keida, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Background Vocal - Che Pope, Co-Producer - Makeida Beckford, Composer, Lyricist - Bryan Nelson, Composer, Lyricist - Julia Michaels, Composer, Lyricist - Kosine, Producer - Marcos "Kosine" Palacios, Composer, Lyricist - Justin Tranter, Composer, Lyricist - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Tayla Parx, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - Shenseea, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Background Vocal - Bryan "Composer" Nelson, Producer, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Chinsea Lee, Composer, Lyricist - Christina Aguilera feat. Keida & Shenseea, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Dumbfoundead, AdditionalStudioProducer - Whitney Phillips, Composer, Lyricist - Anderson .Paak, Producer - Goldlink, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - D'Anthony Carlos, Composer, Lyricist - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Tayla Parx, Composer, Lyricist - JONATHAN PARK, Composer, Lyricist - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Brandon P. Anderson, Composer, Lyricist - Sang Hyeon Lee, Composer, Lyricist - BRLLNT, Co-Producer - Christina Aguilera feat. GoldLink, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Scott Robinson, Engineer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - MNEK, Producer, Engineer, Programmer, Background Vocal - Julia Michaels, Composer, Lyricist - Uzoechi Emenike, Composer, Lyricist - Kate Stewart, Background Vocal - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Kirby Lauryen, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Sandy Chila, AdditionalStudioProducer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Dean, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Tauheed Epps, Composer, Lyricist - Ronald Brown, Composer, Lyricist - Ilsey Juber, Composer, Lyricist - Kanye West, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Noah Goldstein, Engineer, AdditionalStudioProducer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - 2 Chainz, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Pope, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Ernest Brown, Composer, Lyricist - Ty Dolla $ign, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Carlton Mays, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Kirby Lauren Dockery, Composer, Lyricist - Da Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Co-Producer - Bibi Bourelly, Composer, Lyricist - Tyrone Griffin, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Tayla Parx, Composer, Lyricist - Charlie Heat, Co-Producer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - Christina Aguilera feat. Ty Dolla $ign & 2 Chainz, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Danchick, AdditionalStudioProducer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Sango, Producer - Che Pope, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Sean Seaton, Composer, Lyricist - Neenyo, Producer - Pro Logic, Recording Engineer - Kai Wright, Composer, Lyricist - Rene Hill, Composer, Lyricist - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Tayla Parx, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer - XNDA, Composer, Lyricist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Christina Aguilera feat. XNDA, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Tim Anderson, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer, AssociatedPerformer - Ilsey Juber, Composer, Lyricist, Background Vocal - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Darhyl "Hey DJ" Camper Jr, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, AssociatedPerformer - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Lauren Evans, AssociatedPerformer - Teddy Geiger, Composer, Lyricist - Erik Hassle, Composer, Lyricist - MANNY MARROQUIN, Mixing Engineer - Christina Aguilera, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Malina, Engineer - Chris Galland, Mixing Engineer - Oscar Ramirez, Engineer - Eric Frederic, Composer, Lyricist - Carlitos Del Puerto, Bass - Tom Peyton, Composer, Lyricist - Gamal "Lunchmoney" Lewis, Composer, Lyricist - Ricky Reed, Producer, Guitar, Programmer - Vincent Colaiuta, Drums - Robin Florent, Assistant Engineer - Roget Chahayed, Piano - Elizabeth Komba, Background Vocal - Scott Desmarais, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Liberation arrives in 2018, six years after Lotus, by far the longest stretch of time between Christina Aguilera albums. During that hiatus Aguilera wasn't exactly in hibernation but she wasn't prominent, taking a couple of seasons off from the televised singing competition The Voice to raise a child and spending as much time onscreen as she did on-stage when she re-emerged in the middle of the 2010s. Aguilera may have been omnipresent in showbiz but she was largely absent from the pop charts. Save a handful of duets -- "Moves Like Jagger," which appeared in 2011 in the first flush of The Voice's success; "Feel This Moment," a 2013 Pitbull hit; "Say Something," a 2013 Great Big World single featuring Christina on vocals -- Aguilera hadn't reached the American Top Ten since 2008's "Keeps Gettin' Better," fanbait added to her hits collection of the same name.
Lotus was designed to reverse this downward trajectory, but despite having its share of gleaming dance-pop, it didn't generate a pop hit. Liberation seems to be constructed as a response to its failure, as it finds Aguilera abandoning shiny hooks for hip-hop beats and smoldering ballads. Despite the fleeting presence of Kanye West and Anderson .Paak, who are both credited as producers, Liberation isn't a record designed for the clubs. Much of the album is devoted to moody moments of self-reflection and anthems of empowerment, giving the distinct impression that Aguilera is figuring out how to mature within the confines of chart-oriented music. Certainly, Christina spends a fair amount of time singing about lasting love and motherhood, even offering a MeToo anthem in the form of "Fall in Line," a dense, angry duet with Demi Lovato. Such reflection and measured outrage lend Liberation a gravity lacking in other Aguilera records, and its sober perspective carries over to "Sick of Sittin'," an infectious piece of diamond-hard funk that finds Aguilera leaning into a newfound rasp in her voice. Christina's growth as a writer and singer helps balance her lingering sentimental streak, a tendency that can occasionally curdle into the saccharine. This stickiness can be a shade too mawkish, but the greater flaw of Liberation is how its blend of R&B reflection and tense testifying doesn't seem to be an easy fit on any format in 2018. This weakness is also a strength, as it shows that Aguilera didn't take an easy route with Liberation: she instead found a hybrid between the personal and commercial, which makes the record resonate emotionally no matter what success it may or may not have.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 00:49:19
- Main artists: Christina Aguilera
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA Records Label
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
(P) 2018 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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