Pop diva Christina Aguilera did not want the songs on "Just Be Free," recorded when she was just 14 and 15, to ever be released.

"They were made just so that I could get my foot in the door of the music business," she writes in a note included with the album. "I did not intend that the recordings would be widely released, especially after I signed with a major record label."

After listening to "Just Be Free," it's not hard to understand why the singer hoped it would stay locked up in someone's basement forever.

It's not that the album reveals some deep, dark secret about Christina's vocal talents. Actually, even as a young teenager, Christina's ability is obvious, as she jumps from note to note with both astounding volume and confidence.

But that's where the positive aspects of "Just Be Free" end. The songs themselves are terrible, dated club tracks, overwhelmed by poor effects and mundane beats.

Even Christina's vocals are harmed by the failure of someone in the studio to tell her to reign it in and cut out the 20 extra warbles and swoops on every second note.

Christina is a singer who seems to shine brightest on simpler tunes like her hit "Come On Over", where she occasionally hints at the power of her voice without becoming manic about jumping from range to range.

But true fans might want to pick up this album, anyway. If Christina sticks around (and it seems as though she will), it might be fun to compare "Just Be Free" with her new albums -- although it will definitely not be fun to listen to the album for more than two minutes at a time. (Review by Winnipeg Sun)

Track Listing