With the enormous amount of hip-hop music taking over the radio waves, it feels good to hear a change of tunes that bring us back to the root of where music today began. After four years of waiting, Christina Aguilera's third album, Back To Basics has finally been released.

She's reinvented herself once again to platinum blond curls and dark red lips for a more glamorous look. She puts her dark locks and skimpy outfits away to reveal the most in-depth and personal album she has made thus far (but not to worry, fellas, she hasn't completely lost her "dirrty" touch). Her soulful and extremely powerful vocals once again prove she is the real deal and nothing will stop her.

The emphasis on Back to Basics is performing the beats that inspired Aguilera to become an artist. She mentions Etta James, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin as a few of many musicians she grew up listening to. Christina's goal for the album was to use early 1900s music as the dominant tone in combination with the hip-hop groove of current music trends. In her first single "Ain't No Other Man," there is background music of jazz trumpet, piano and saxophone. Even in her video, the backdrops are of her on stage dressed with feathers in her cap, suspenders and sequined dresses in tribute to this time period.

This single also pays homage to hubby Jordan Bratman. A large portion of the album is dedicated to his love and sincerity that helped her deal with the most extreme of conflicts in her life. In the track "Save Me From Myself," she sings with a soft tone about Bratman being there to help pick her off the ground when at times it seemed that she could never get back up — "when I'm about to fall/ somehow you're always waiting with your open arms to catch me/ you're gonna save me from myself."

Aguilera continues singing the effects of her abuse-laden past presented on Stripped with Back to Basics. In the song "Oh Mother," she goes back in time to sing about her violent father and the harm he caused her mother and the family. It is a very emotional track that easily makes the listener feel for her as she reveals, "he took his anger out on her face/she kept all of her pain locked away/ oh mother/ we stronger/ for all of the tears you have shared/ oh mother/ don't look back/ cause he'll never hurt us again/ so mother I thank you/ for all that you've done and still do."

A fun track on the album that may be an unexpected billboard hit is "Candyman." It is a swing type of song that is catchy from the first note. The catchy beats coupled with great lyrics bring listeners back to the early music era and are sure to induce an impromptu dance session.

Back to Basics was a daring album from Aguilera after a four-year hiatus from the industry. With an unusual twist of beats that don't follow the rap craze music is living through right now, she brings light to the time of music that influenced all generations. Once again, she shows her versatility in vocal styling and music that works to create a successful album.

Grade: 5 out of 5