In the Zone

Britney Spears

Jive Records

The day has…

In the Zone

Britney Spears

Jive Records

The day has arrived. You can finally sleep well again, now that your nerves have calmed and the restless nights filled with anticipation are over. Ladies, your boyfriends no longer have to put up with you biting your nails because you’re worried about when you’re going to have time to get to the store.

What else could I possibly be talking about but the latest Britney Spears CD to hit stores? We’ve seen every magazine cover and read every article confirming the date of her newest musical venture. In the Zone is finally here; I’m sure your boyfriends are ecstatic.

Critics warned about the new sound Spears was experimenting with, and though In the Zone is undoubtedly Spears-ish, her songs cover more controversial topics than that of “E-Mail My Heart,” from Spears’ debut album, …Baby One More Time.

The latest songs are reminiscent of earlier Spears’ CDs, but with a more club-like approach. For instance, the first song off her newest album – the song that’s been on TRL so many times that even your grandma has the lyrics to “Me Against the Music” down pat – has the DJs at fraternity parties spinning it on repeat for all those scantily clad girls. And if this is the case, we know she’s back and triumphing.

And she’s going about it the right way. How better to return to the world of fake hair – and hope to make her ex jealous – than by doing so with her make-out buddy, Madonna? Even if she is a former little Mouseketeer, Spears still has no prayer against that woman. But it can only help Spears’ album’s success.

Though I have already been caught several times by my roommates dancing to “Toxic” and “The Hook Up,” I would never use her lyrics on my AOL Instant Messenger profile. After all, her song messages aren’t taxing on the brain. However, I’m glad Spears elaborated on the message behind “Me Against the Music,” on a recent episode of MTV’s “Making the Video,” because the song is just that deep. Please. I love the girl, but none of her songs needs a psychologist to explore its meaning.

Unless, of course, you listen to the track titled, “Touch of My Hand,” a song about self-pleasure at its finest. I guess that is a great introduction to the following track, “The Hook Up.” While I may sound like I’m kidding – until my roommate told me, I did think “Touch of My Hand” was about a handshake – what else do you expect from a girl who ran out among the teeny-boppers to purchase the CD from Miss “Oops … I Did It Again?” I swear – I’m not 14.

Overall, the CD has a few great tracks that are a mix between techno and club music, with several slow songs to mix it up, a stretch from “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman.” Perhaps Spears discovered this with a touch of her own hand.

Go out and get it. You don’t want to be the last of your friends to own the new CD that I’m sure will give Christina some competition after getting dirty.