Christina Aguilera’s new two-disc CD, Back to Basics, features music reminiscent of a 1940s piano bar and reinstates her as the reigning queen of pop.

The two discs, each co-produced by a different person, have completely different sounds.

The first disc, produced by Aguilera and DJ Premier, has an R&B feel to it and is lighter than the second CD.

Disc two, produced by Aguilera and Linda Perry, is truer to the “throwback” idea and has a bit of a rock edge despite the horns.

The CD is inspired by music Aguilera listened to as she was growing up and uses the introduction plus an entire song to hammer in that point. She has matured immensely since her last album and the lyrics illustrate this.

Changes in her personal life are reflected in the songs on the CD. Aguilera got married last November, and nearly half of the songs on Back to Basics are dedicated to her new husband Jordan Bratman.

“Since you have arrived/like an angel from the sky/I am on a spiritual high,” she sings in “Without You,” one of the Bratman dedications. 

Her newly revived faith is evidenced in songs like “Makes Me Wanna Pray” and “Mercy On Me.”  Disc one also has a fun song scolding a man who tries to hit on her even though she’s married (“Slow Down Baby”), and a tribute to her mother for getting them through the tough times (“Oh Mother”).

She takes on criticism in songs like “Still Dirrty,” about people who think her new marriage has changed her, and “Here To Stay,” about people who say she won’t last. 

It ends with “Thank You,” a dedication to the fans for sticking with her through her career.  It includes clips of fans calling in and thanking Aguilera for getting them through things too, and ends with one fan saying “I cannot wait to see what is coming next.” Although this may sound cheesy in theory, it actually comes off as sincere and sentimental on the album.

Disc two opens with a creepy circus track that simply has an announcer speaking over circus music.  It blends into the next song, “Welcome,” which continues the circus theme. She sings about people thinking fame is wonderful and beautiful and not seeing the darker side.

The next three songs are very authentic “throwback” songs.  The first, “Candyman,” is reminiscent of the Andrews Sisters’ song “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and the second, “Nasty Naughty Boy,” channels a sexy lounge act in the ‘40s. 

“I Got Trouble,” which was recorded with a cloth over the microphone, sounds exactly like an old record being played, and is one of the best songs on the album. 

The rest of disc two is very personal, with songs like “Hurt,” about Aguilera’s father and how she hurt herself in hurting him, and “Save Me From Myself,” a nearly whispered song about her husband saving her.

The album comes to a bittersweet end with “The Right Man,” which is about her wedding and how her father tainted her idea of a “right man.”

While there are a few cheesy songs on the album, Aguilera’s latest CD shows just how much she has grown as a person and a musician. She co-produced and co-wrote everything, and the variety in this album really accentuates her talent. The lyrics are amazing and the vocals are incredible.

There’s a little something for everyone on this CD, and listeners are bound to fall in love with at least one song. Aguilera has created another fabulous record, proving that she’s here for the long run.