I have no idea how I ignored Kate Bush's 50 Words For Snow and Britney Spears Femme Fatale. These were two very, very good albums but they didn't have staying power.
Spears was a dance bonanza with "Till The World Ends" a classic dance track and "Hold It Against Me" a dog, which harmed sales. But she pulled it through in the end, just through her relentless singlemindedness. Any sort of self-revelation aka "Piece Of Me" was over and done with, what Spears was offerring was a pure pop product, it was their to be danced to and it was there to be a hit. And despite its lack of context anywhere but at the dancefloor it delivered the goods and then some.
Kate Bush returned to ask for her ball back. And who can blame her, with the Florence Welch's of the world owing her such a debt of gratitude., with her sound so big in the UK right now. Snow needs seem listening to but it will get to you eventually, the songs are long, moody explorations of winter based upon piano and reaching its zenith with her Elton John duet "Snowed In At Wheeler Street". An eight minute masterpiece that is not merely John's best work in decades, but a strange exploration of déjà vu and former lovers. The entire album is of an amazing quality. Both of these albums are among the years best