Lopez Blogs

It's always going to be difficult assessing the new work of someone so iconic, divisive and beloved as Madonna. Reaction to the first single "Four Minutes" has been mixed, but personally I love the track and am always happy for a new Madonna album to drop. I have a long history with Madonna (doesn't everyone?) that isn't as intense as some of my blogging friends. Growing up the pop sounds of Like A Virgin and True Blue filled my house. Gambler was possibly the fiercest song I'd heard at 10 years old and Crazy For You soundtracked my first yearnings of boy love. However, it was the Like A Prayer album that cemented and solidifed my Madonna love. From that album up until the Erotica set, I was utterly obsessed with her music and devoured those albums, relevant remixes and the rare original b-side (particularly Supernatural). I still think that Madonna with brown hair running around a church is one of the most powerful ideas for a comeback single/video I have seen to this day. Even I'm Breathless was a surprisingly comprehensive work and Erotica may have been one sex step to far for the world, but I was smitten and still get giddy when i hear the effortlessly glorious Deeper and Deeper. It wasn't that I fell out of love with her after that time, I was just less smitten. Indeed, Take A Bow (my favourite Madonna song ever) appeared on her next (r'n'b themed) album and the dance mixes of Don't Cry For Me Argentina literally drove me wild with excitement. I liked Ray of Light and Music well enough, but it was the juxtapositioning of the serious (and in my opinion very good indeed) American Life album with the disco groove of Confessions... that made me really excited about Madonna music again. So ladies and gentlemen, I produce what is probably the first (not really the first, it's just a saying) of a million Hard Candy reviews...

The album starts with Madonna welcoming you to her Candy Shop and frankly, stylistically or in terms of setting the tone for the album, it's not a great introduction - or maybe it is and I just want to get to the meaty stuff. This track was leaked last year and not particularly warmly received then. It hasn't improved and like I said at the time, Simon Curtis has produced the superior and more age appropriate Candy Store. It's not that I particularly want Madonna to act her age (though i had to show the back cover of her cd rather than the front - too much cooch!) but this seems beneath her somehow. Luckily it's all turned around with the current single Four Minutes. Who cares if it's Timbaland when Madonna and Justin sound this good? Marching band rhythms, horn infused backing, crackling electricity between the two leads and a great video. I still maintain that Justin looks stylistically superior and presentable next to Madonna in the clip. One minor grumble ~ everytime I hear the chanted "Madonna Madonna" I can't help but think of Robin Williams doing exactly the same in The Birdcage. Coincidence? I think not... And if you think that song is good, wait til you hear the recently leaked second single Give It To Me. By far the most "pop" moment on the album, it contains the classic refrain "got no boundaries, got no limits, if there's excitement put me in it/if it's against the law arrest me, if you can handle it undress me" (er, no thanks) set against a jaunty beat that propels the song to a huge crescendo of a finish. Not only a great choice for the next single, but this is going to be a wild song to see live.

Heartbeat (not the Steps song, though that could've made for interesting listening) is a solid dance number with lyrical nods to Into The Groove - and is a great example of how Lady Madonna can do some great pop tunes when freed from fussy production and a desire to be in vogue. Next is the quite stunning Miles Away. Oh. My. Days. What a lovely track this is. It seems more stripped of production than some of the other tracks and is benefitted for it. A subtle but shimmy-ing groove infuses the song with a passion that is matched by Madonna when she sings "so far away so far away" and despite her millions, hideous wardrobe choices and dubious adoption habits, you can't help but feel sorry for her. She's Not Me is clearly a Neptunes track and is probably the song here that best works as a progression between Confessions and Candy. It screams for additional club remixes and may well inspire some Confessions on the Dancefloor.

There are a couple of missteps on the album - mainly where the production overwhelms Madonna or there are unnecessary hip hop moments (that spoiled a few songs on the still pleasing E=MC2 set). Listen carefully and on the track Incredible there is a rather pretty pop melody floating through the ether. Unfortunately the ether is awash with overpowering guitar sounds - similarly The Beat Goes On (much improved from the leaked version - which i loved) has a quite unneccesary Kanye West cameo. When the artist cameoing is whoring out his wares and becoming more prolific than Starbucks, it's time to rethink the strategy. Also there are moments when you get the impression that Madonna is trying to push her own stamp on the songs and is drowned out by production values and a striking similarity to other artists. A little more originality wouldn't have gone amiss (if i didn't know the middle eight to the otherwise gorgeous Heartbeat was Madonna, i'd have guessed Nelly Furtado).

But that's not to say it's not a fine album. Not her best by far, but emminently listenable and increasingly funky. Stick around til near the end and you get The Devil Wouldn't Recognise You which is elevated above the other tracks by an intruiging and catchy melody and a great harmonic vocal. A worthy and fitting coda to the end of her epic Warner Bros. relationship.

UPDATE: ITV Celebrates Madonna!

Hurrah for itv.com recognising the brilliance of Lady Madonna and her immense assets :P All week the website is posting videos, interviews and lots of pics from all stages of Madonna's career. What i'm interested in is the vote for the best Madonna album ever made - you can choose from any of her top ten studio albums. My vote? Like A Prayer. How about you??

LINK: ITV.com Madonna Week
LINK: Adem's expert opinion is a - coming!
LINK: D'Luv weighs in on Madge's chart success
LINK: Yuri joins the party