(Adams)
Album: Femme Fatale
This marked the first official collaboration between Spears and will.i.am, a working relationship that has yielded mixed results, to put it mildly. While he was executive producer of the underwhelming Britney Jean album, “Big Fat Bass” is one of three tracks they did together where he also lends his vocals, and it is the best of the three. To his credit, he went big with the sound. For this heavily promoted non-single, performances depicted Britney literally emerging from a thumping speaker. The piano overlay adds an interesting element, reminiscent of Fatboy Slim’s 1999 hit “Praise You.” Lyrics have never been will.i.am’s strong suit, and if you couldn’t tell from the title, “Big Fat Bass” is no exception. In fact, he teased the “BFB” initials prior to its release and fans guessed as to what the new track might be called, a risky venture considering many were left disappointed and confused by the big reveal. His rap is also the low point on the track. That said, “I can be the treble baby you can be the bass” is one of my personal favorite Britney lines, and what makes this song work is that Spears doesn’t seem to take it too seriously either. Her vocals are over-treated beyond recognition in the verses (a sin he would repeat on Britney Jean) and the nearly five-minute running time means that the song has worn out its welcome a bit by the end. Still, it’s fun and irreverent with enough redeeming qualities to make it a satisfactory album cut on an overall excellent album.
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