SHE’s certainly pulling out all the promo stops: a tearful TV interview about Justin; extolling the joys of self-love; oh-my-Gahd-ing about collaborating with Madge; cramming the gravy train with in-vogue songwriters (give it up for Cathy Dennis, the Matrix, R Kelly, Murlyn and Moby). With her position under threat from Kylie, Christina et al, Spears is said to be heading for the sidings and, on the basis of In the Zone, this may well be where she ends up. Her duet with Madonna is pretty wretched and sounds more like focus-group findings set to music than an actual song. Moby’s Early Mornin’ and R Kelly’s Outrageous come across as afterthoughts. Only Toxic, with its stale but modish Bollywood stylings (can we, by the way, call time on these?) spikes an otherwise sickly, non-intoxicating cocktail.

Jive

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