Audio reviews - 'Britney' not for adults

"Britney" (Jive) -- Britney Spears

Ever since Britney Spears made her come-hither debut with "... Baby One More Time" at 16, she's been playing grown-up -- flirting with adult sexuality while maintaining the innocent charms of a teen-age girl.

Now, on her third disc, "Britney," the queen of teen pop is through with the balancing act. From the album's first single, the sexed-up, pulsating "I'm a Slave 4 U," to "Overprotected," in which Spears complains about being so "damn protected," it's clear Spears -- who turns 20 next month -- is ready to break out of the bubble-gum pop world.

Unfortunately, the kind of growing up Spears needs to do most is on an artistic level, and on "Britney," she shows us just how girlish she still is. It's kind of hard to take Spears' declarations of how she's "not a little girl" seriously when she coos like a naughty 10-year-old on most of the tracks, especially on the laughable remake of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." (If she truly loved rock 'n' roll, there's no way she would have subjected this classic to such a beating.)

Spears relies too heavily on the Swedish team of Max Martin and Rami, who were responsible for her early hits such as "Oops! ... I Did It Again" and "... Baby One More Time." While their staccato dance style may have seemed fresh four years ago, it's played out now, especially since it's been overused by the likes of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync.

There are some positive moments, though, such as the two Neptunes-produced tracks, which show Spears is capable of creating plenty of heat on the dance floor. Also encouraging are the songs Spears co-wrote, which happen to be among the disc's strongest tracks, including the upbeat and confident "Let Me Be." On that track Spears finally abandons the baby-girl antics and displays a vocal maturity that's lacking on most of the album. If she had more tracks like this, her leap from teen pop wouldn't be so tortured.

-- Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The AssociatedPress

"There Is No Eye: Music for Photographs" (Smithsonian Folkways, $15) -- Various Artists

Fans of the music in the film "O Brother Where Art Thou" will love "There Is No Eye: Music for Photographs."

Whereas "O Brother" focused on songs from the 1920s and 1930s, "There Is No Eye" goes much deeper into folk, country, rock and jazz.

The common theme is John Cohen, a filmmaker, photographer and musician who compiled and produced the release that accompanies a photo book.

His band, the New Lost City Ramblers, contributes one track along with tunes by Muddy Waters, Bill Monroe, Woody Guthrie and others.

One standout: a previously unavailable recording of a young Bob Dylan singing "Roll on John" during Cynthia Gooding's 1962 radio show.

-- Scott Bauer, The AssociatedPress