Single Review: Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"

BRITNEY SPEARS
Hold It Against Me (3:49)
Producers: Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald
Writers: Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, Bonnie McKee, Mathieu Jomphe
Publishers: Various
Jive Records

"Hold It Against Me," the hotly anticipated new Britney Spears single, inevitably arrived on the Web a day ahead of its scheduled release, with Spears writing on Twitter, "Don't #HOLDITAGAINSTME for coming out early." It's easy to see why the pop star didn't want to wait: with its throbbing bassline and pulsating kick drum, this Max Martin/Dr. Luke mind-meld is in a hurry to get where it's going. The track's balance between club-ready verses and a soaring pop chorus (which melodically recalls the verse from Dido's "Thank You" sampled in Eminem's "Stan") is more reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas' recent hits than anything in Brit's formidable singles catalog. While lyrics like, "If I want your body now/Would you hold it against me?" don't earn points for originality, "Hold It Against Me" is a winner and a tantalizing teaser of Spears' forthcoming, still-untitled album, due in March.