Britney Spears

"In the Zone"

Jive Records

Grade: C+

After taking a six-month hiatus, locking lips with Madonna and several revealing interviews, Britney Spears is determined to show the world what she really feels about sex, heartbreak and some other taboo subjects in her fourth album "In the Zone."

Spears has come a long way from her bubble gum pop days. In this album Spears, who co-wrote eight of the 13 songs on the record, is able to convey her more sexual side.

The disc would not be recommended for her younger audience, but more for women her age who are experimenting with themselves and other men sexually.

Her first single, "Me Against the Music," a duet with her idol Madonna, is her tribute to dancing in the clubs. The song has a catchy beat that keeps listeners ready to "get on the floor and lose control."

Other songs from the disc, such as "The Hookup," "Breathe on Me" and "Early Morning," prove that Miss Spears is no longer a girl and very much a woman with her seductive voice and sexy lyrics telling guys how to dance with her and tempting them into bed.

Most of the album has upbeat songs that have a techno feel to them. However, some songs have a little slower pace, including "Everytime," Spears' way of dealing with her heart-wrenching breakup with Justin Timberlake, her boyfriend of two years.

The few ballads on the record are similar to her recent "Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman." The songs reflect the softer side of Spears.

The most controversial song on the album is "Touch of My Hand," a song about the power of being alone and discovering herself through masturbation. In the song Spears says that masturbation is "not a sin" and that she cannot "control herself."

"In the Zone" mixes club beats with timeless ballads about heartbreak and love. Hidden beneath the fun beats, Spears' voice is not much of a stretch from a local talent show.

-- By Jordan Marshall, Staff Writer