Any new song by Lady Madonna is bound to attract intense scrutiny from fans, media and of course the ever-so -caustic element of the blogging world. It's been 3 years since Madonna embraced disco with her Abba-sampling "Hung Up" and the dance til you drop album Confessions On The Dancefloor. Since then she's adopted a baby, signed a new deal and recorded a song for the Live Earth concerts called Hey You. Dubbed Hey Poo by the fans, it certainly wasn't her finest moment. And while i was one of the very few people who quite liked leaked "The Beat Goes On" (Instrumentation!), it didn't bode well for the forthcoming album Hard Candy. But then this little gem dropped on an unsuspecting public...
And clearly I like it. A great deal. It is indeed my most overplayed song on my mp3 player at this very moment. Much like the insiduous r'n'b tinged groove Secret did for Bedtime Stories 14 years ago, this song sets out the manifesto for the forthcoming album. It's a persistant r'n'b dance groove, full of trumpeted horns, dirty backroom (dark room?!) rhythms and of course the delectable synth fuelled chorus, where Madonna trades lines with hot pop boy de jour Justin Timberlake. And it's all very exciting and thrilling to listen to. Clearly, Madonna wanted a song that was contemporary AND that radio would pick up on. And with this she has that. My problem with it however, is that it doesn't stand up as unique and as goosebumps inducing as some of her other lead off singles that were dripping in innovation and style (think of when you first heard Like A Prayer, Vogue or Erotica). That doesn't mean it's not a good song - it means Madonna is a victim of her own success and the high standards she has (unwittingly?) set for herself. This is a good tune, a fun tune, a danceable tune - but it could have been equally as successful sung by Nelly Furtado or Gwen Stefani. I'm wondering when Madonna chose to follow the current pack of female faves rather than lead it?
I have no doubt that the song will be a success (it's already number 7 in the UK top 40)- but would it not have been more exciting if Madonna were to have come back with something similar to this years most hypnotic electro groove to date? I'm talking about the spine tingling magic Sam Sparro has created on the outstanding track Black and Gold. Full of slow building and crackling synths, his voice shepherds in a new era of pop that pays homage to the past with a firm eye on the future. It's all quite lovely and all quite exciting. So while I remain true to Four Minutes and eagerly anticipate Hard Candy, i long for Madonna to take the reigns of pop again and usher in a brand new era...
Stream Four Minutes here...
Coming soon - my favourite Madonna moments...
And clearly I like it. A great deal. It is indeed my most overplayed song on my mp3 player at this very moment. Much like the insiduous r'n'b tinged groove Secret did for Bedtime Stories 14 years ago, this song sets out the manifesto for the forthcoming album. It's a persistant r'n'b dance groove, full of trumpeted horns, dirty backroom (dark room?!) rhythms and of course the delectable synth fuelled chorus, where Madonna trades lines with hot pop boy de jour Justin Timberlake. And it's all very exciting and thrilling to listen to. Clearly, Madonna wanted a song that was contemporary AND that radio would pick up on. And with this she has that. My problem with it however, is that it doesn't stand up as unique and as goosebumps inducing as some of her other lead off singles that were dripping in innovation and style (think of when you first heard Like A Prayer, Vogue or Erotica). That doesn't mean it's not a good song - it means Madonna is a victim of her own success and the high standards she has (unwittingly?) set for herself. This is a good tune, a fun tune, a danceable tune - but it could have been equally as successful sung by Nelly Furtado or Gwen Stefani. I'm wondering when Madonna chose to follow the current pack of female faves rather than lead it?
