We've been somewhat critical of (or just puzzled by) the Britney Spears media tour at times as she gears up for the release of her new album, Circus.

But some of the pictures from her forthcoming Rolling Stone cover story are straight up gorgeous, conjuring up memories of her late-1990s heyday.

Take this Britney Spears photo for example ...

Well done, Rolling Stone. You may not actually cover music anymore, but this awesome gallery gets major props from us. Nice blend of artsy and sexy!

Click to enlarge any of the thumbnails from the shoot below, and be sure to check out our full libary of more than a thousand Britney Spears pictures ...