MDNA

At first, MDNA does not seem to come full circle: there are clearly different strands in this album, I will keep the best (and biggest) for last. 1- The 'dancey' songs, like 'Girl Gone Wild', 'Turn up the Radio', these are not anything very new, catchy, no doubt, but one expects more from the Queen of Pop. 2- The 'mashup' songs. @Give me all your Luvin'' is a famous example: this is, in my humble opinion, Madonna's worst song ever. Really hard to understand why it was chosen as the first single. 'I don't give a F*' is another, much more successful example, which I believe tells us where Madonna is trying to go: it's a continuously changing song, which has a 1980s rap to it, much more electro line throughoput and ends like a Gregorian Hymn. THis is the most 'evident' confaltion of genres on the album, but not the only one. The others are more subtle, and maybe Madoonna is telling us that she is trying (as she did with 'Ray of Light') to throw disparate genre, like rap and medieval music together, and create a kaleidoscopic effect. 3- Ballads, from a very 'classical' pop ballad, winner of teh Golden Globe 'Masterpiece', which is a very, very beautiful song, but it seems clear why this was not chosen as a single: the orchestration is, by Madonna's Standards, old, 'Live to Tell' time (1986). There are several songs that are either mid or slow-mid tempo, but the greatest masterpiece in the album is 'Falling Free'. Simply Madonna's best song ever. 4- A more subtle, very 'retro' sounding theme runs through most of the album: 'BDay Song' is an example, yet 'I'm a Sinner'is a much much more interesting one: it goes back to 'Beautiful Stranger', with much elegance and many flourishes, but it also samples 'Sympathy for the Devil' by the Stones: and what a suitable choice for am album which explores Madonna's deepest darkest sides and a journey towards the light, with a prayer bang in the middle. 5- FINALLy: the clearly experimental new sound, which stands out in the album, at times delicately, at times violently. All the best tracks tend in this direction: 'Gang Bang' is a masterpiece, with hearbeats and a sinister lullibying melody, as well as an explosion and very 'electro' arrangements. 'Falling Free' also strongly belongs to this group: I will just leave the song to speak for itself. It's just amazing. 'Love Spennt', the fourth single, which will open the series of experimental singles, is a beautiful song as well, it starts with Mandolins, and progresses through puns, heart-felt confessions to a sudden change. What seems clear is that most songs are actually two or more tracks together. Why all this? Well, we need to remeber that Madonna took a 4 year holiday... She is now narrating the whole of her carrer and only giving us a sample of where she is going. The choice of the first singles has been controversial: why choose the worst tracks, when there are clearly amazing songs on this album? I think the answer is two-fold: Madonna had to reingage with a very young audience, the 12, 13, 14 year olds, who may not yet buy the single, but are being led by the hand along Madonna's impressive career, from 'Everybody' in 1982 till now. If she had chosen an experimental single, yes, the older, richer generation, the ones who love (like me) 'Ray of Light' and the even cleverer ones who realise thaty 'American Life' is one of her best albums, but they understand longer discourses, they do not judge an artist of Madonna's standing by a single, not even an album, not even 3 to be honest. They WILL hear (and soon) the next string of singles ('Love Spent' the first, tehn likely 'Gang Bang', (Falling Free' and maybe 'I'm Addicted' or 'I'm a Sinner'. Yes, this will end up being like 'True Blue' a 6 or 7 singles album, and how many people fell in love with Madonna when they hear 'La Isla Bonita'? So cleverly kept as the very last single. The album still has the best 1st week this year worldwide as well as in the US, and has sold in 3 months as more than Rhianna's latest effort has done in 9, but Madonna is not competing with the current rising princesses: she knows she is one of the greatest Colossi (with The Beatles, Elvis and Michael Jackson, and in most cases she has smased all their all-time records). Madonna does not have the current few years' hit artists, as William Orbit says, she is the greatest music artist alive. Madonna is talking directly to history, to posterity, she is leaving critics something that will make sense to them in 10 years time (when she might, just might retire, given her continuous impressive success. Does she care to beat her own record of number 1s in the US (152, more than twice the Beatles)? No. Does she care to beat her own all-time record collection of number ones with an album (39, 'Confessions' snatching it from the Beatles). No, and yet she collects 51 with this, and with NO promotion. Did she care to have the most viewd music event in the history of TV (SuperBowl), yes, and in fact she did it. Does she are to smash her own 1st AND 2nd position as the most successful tours ever in history by a music artist? Maybe, and in fact she will have the 1st, 2nd and 3rd by the end of this year. So why this album? Madonna quietly makes the acquaintance with the very new generation, who will get to love her soon (oddly enough, as soon as they have spending power!), and keeps the more refined music listeners waiting a bit. Not a TV appearence, nothing to promote the album, why? Not just because her number 1 position is guaranteed, but because promotiion WILL start AFTER the Tour. I have one criticism ( on top of her wosrt song ever): I think the album's ambition is far too big. It really covers the widest spectrum of influences, sounds, genres ever in music history, I can hear monks singing as well as Violent femmes in this album. But the 5 stars go for a few things: 1- The courage to experiment with such a breath of genres. 2- The music, orchestration and arrangements, they are really great. 3- Her best song ever, 'Falling Free', from someone with more hits than The Beatles AND Elvis put together, to give us this jewel right now is pure grace. 4- Her voice: Madonna's voice has been growing and growing. Voices should peak around 30-35 year of age, hers has been getting higher and higher, yet with more and more depth (her timbre is much richer now than it ever was), and stronger and stronger. On average this album is an octave hiher than her previous two. Madonna's voice currently has the widest range o(it's the 'biggest' sort of, though not necessarily the 'loudest') of any interanational artist 3.2 octaves measured in live performances (lowest not in 'Open Your Heart', Highest in Ray of Light), that compares favourably with Dear Whitney (who had, till she lost her voice a much louder voice, a stronger projection), more than twice as big as Adele's and with the longest breath (17.5 seconds, measured live at Live 8, half a second longer than Whitney Houston ever could). So, is this a 'round' album? Maybe not, maybe it's a sketch of things to come. Is Madonna the most impressive artist alive. NO DOUBT.

Most of the reviews out there completely and on here as usual, ignore the contents of this album instead, they stick to either trashing Madonna's age or indeed, her personal life. And to be honest the rest are just imature Lady GaGa fans hoping that they will somehow derail Madonna's career with pathetic, poor reviews?! LOL nice try kiddies! Glad to say that Madonna always was a canny woman, she knows that the critics are out to derail her no matter how good the music is, and you know the music is good when not one of the reviews trashes it! Instead they turn their attention to pithy personal attacks on her... "oh she shouldnt be wearing that", "oh she shouldnt be saying this". Madonna lost patience with the media decades ago and here on MDNA it shows! For this album is a great big middle finger to ALL out there who tell her she shouldnt!!! Shouldnt wear skimpy clothes, shouldnt date younger guys, shouldnt dance provocatively and simply shouldnt release music that puts half of her young pretenders to shame! Whilst nearly all of Madonna's contemporary's seem to be permanently stuck and recessed in Madonna's older years (Lady GaGa constantly mining Madonna's past anyone?), the iron lady of pop herself seems intent on pushing things forward, ok so she hasnt worked with anyone new on this album, but the people she has chosen to work with know their craft inside out and on MDNA is shows. This collection bubbles with beats, thumps with bass and has killer hooks flooding from every track. I am hard pressed to find a dud amongst this lot... more accessible than anything on Ray Of Light, more contemporary than the stuff on American Life and certainly more dancefloor friendly than anything on Confessions (bar Hung Up); MDNA shows Madonna at her riveting best! Stand out tracks have to be the opening single and its already banned video Girl Gone Wild, the electro clash jaunt Some Girls and the blindingly brilliant Love Spent. The whole collection shimmers like a neon glitterball, it is brilliant from start to finish and makes artist like GaGa seem 'reductive', it certainly shows how that young pretender takes herself far to seriously for her own good anyway! Or as Nikki Minage claims on the track "I dont give a...", "Theres only one Queen and thats Madonna... B*TCH!". Never a truer word said! Welcome back Madge!

As Madonna is nearing her mid 50's it's a rare breed that an artist her age is still recording original contemporary material when most of her peers are happy to tour on their old hits and release covers albums. That said her recent singles chat positions indicate that she is no longer appealing to the modern kids that buy singles these days, it's really surprising this hasn't happened sooner, can you name anyone her age still relevant and contemporary around at the moment? So MDNA comes along and there were initial cries of "Why hasn't Madonna got Red0ne to produce the album" ? Well remember Madonna has always been a trendsetter not follower, so having lady gaga's producer would've smacked of desperation, hence we get benny Benassi/Martin Solvieg and longtime producer Willam Orbit who makes a more than welcome return here. MDNA isn't likely to win Madge any new fans ( as mentioned previous,her recent chart positions would certainly indicate this) but it's a solid,if somewhat disjointed return to the dance arena she is most comfortable in. The album basically falls into 3 categorise - Club bangers (produced by Benny Benassi) Dance/pop songs (produced by Martin Solveig) and mid tempo ambient pop songs (produced by Wiliam Orbit) - After listening to this album quite a few times, the clubby tracks prod by Benassi come off the worst, not terrible, but forgettable and probably won't be that memorable to fans in the coming years. Martin Solveig though proves he's a deft hand with the kind of sound Stuart price employed on "COADF" a few years back and i hope Madonna teams up with him again on the next one. Most of all though it's her material with William Orbit here that most suits herat this stage of her career, whilst she doesn't embarrass herself with the club tracks like "Girls Gone Wild" and "Some Girls" (actually as good as anything GaGa had on her last album) at this stage of her career she should be moving away from this type of track and leave it to the kids. Orbit's work here is as good as his material form the "Ray Of Light" album and i really hope Madge does another full album with the man, if ever there was a perfect fit musically it's Orbit and Madonna. "Masterpiece" and the albums best song "Falling Free" show that Madonna is still a very good songwriter and Orbit's understated production add much depth to both. Girls gone wild - 7.5/10 Gang Bang - 6/10 I'm Addicted 6/10 Turn up the Radio 7.5/10 Some Girls 8/10 Superstar 8/10 Give me all your loving 7.5/10 I don't give a.. 6/10 I'm a sinner 8/10 Love spent 9/10 Masterpiece 9/10 Falling free 10/10 Bonus tracks Beautiful killer 9/10 I F.... Up 7.5/10 B-Day song 4/10 Best friend 5/10 Give me all your lovin remix 5/10 PLEASE BUY THE DELUXE EDITION! the 4 tracks here are a mixed bag but the first 2 tracks should've been on the main album. The brilliant "Beautiful Killer" should've been the first single, a really catchy pop dance anthem. "I F***** Up" is also another top William orbit produced song. "Best friend" is just average and less said about "B-Day song" the better!! A terrible pop ditty that is more suited to her "Like a virgin" era, a woman in her 50's should not be singing this type of song, this is the sort of song you can imaging Little Mix singing..awful. Not her best album but far from her worst. This shows that there's still life in the old girl yet! 4/5

I have listened to this album over and over since I bought it approximately one month ago. My initial thoughts were that there were too many dance tracks & not enough ballads. The first 10 tracks are all upbeat numbers and the last 2 tracks are ballads. I have now reconsidered my opinion based on the fact that the upbeat tracks are in the main very good, dance/pop songs. Some of the reviews I have read have been very scathing but I have come to love this album. There are no obvious duff tracks. Some people seem to be critical of the fact that there are tracks which feature other artists (Nicki Minaj & MIA). I think this is a good thing. Why shouldn't Madonna try to reach out to the younger generation as well as her established fanbase. Another criticism is that the lyrics are basic & not very meaningful. I don't care about the lyrics as long as I get to hear a good song. Too much emphasis is put on lyrics sometimes. Love Spent is a great pop song & Masterpiece is a brilliant ballad. Turn Up The Radio is an uncomplicated made for airplay track and I'm A Sinner is another highlight. I would be surprised if true Madonna fans can't see the merits of having this album in their collection in the long term.

After hearing the first single I was totally disapointed, it was too much of Glee and rather sounding like a hit from the 50's or 60's, without the rapping of Minage and Kia, anyway enough about that' the album is excellant and well worth buying, tracks like Turn Up The Radio could give her another number one hit, it has summer hit written all over, so Madge if your'e reading this get it out there..... lol, I'm Addicted is another sure fire hit, suprisingly Masterpiece is actually a very classy track, another stand out track is I'm A Sinner and could also hit the top of the charts, all in all this is an excellant album and has been worth the 4 year wait, other tracks worth listning to are Some Girls again summer sounding, Love Spent is very up lifting and again hit status.......... Go buy this album and enjoy it loud and louder it has something to like all the way from start to finnish' with the exception of Gimme All Your Luvin........ George (London)

Madonna is back with a cracking album after the slight disappointment of Hard Candy. Make no mistake nothing prepares you for just how good MDNA is. I had heard previews of the tracks but on full high quality sound this album just blows you away. From infectious pop like 'Turn Up the Radio' (try listening to this without cranking the volume up to full), to beautiful ballads like 'Falling Free' this album just delivers in a way only Madonna can. She also firmly sets her sights on her ex with songs like 'Gang Bang' where it's no coincidence the title sounds like it could be from one of his films. This is some of her best and most personal work since the classic 'Ray of Light'. Easily her best album in years. Madonna continues to surprise and excite after 30 years in the business. Truly a living legend.

I have only listened to this album once so far and based on that I think it is a lot better than her last effort. However, having said that I am sorry to say that the 'disco' Madonna has had it's day - No more please Madge!! The best tracks by a mile on this release are the last two or three on Disc 1 and the first 4 of disc 2. That is the Madonna I really love. Nice ballards and bright breezy pop. For those she is certainly the Queen. Just ditch the disco next time and stick to the type of songs you do the best, oh, and don't leave it so long before your next album is released. My advice is buy the 2 disc version because if you just buy the 1 disc one you will only own two of the six 'best' songs on the album.

Madonna's big comeback album went straight to number one in the UK, and rightly so, but quite soon after slipped away from the charts and was seemingly forgotten. This album is great. It's got variety in the music, and while it may not be Madonna's greatest ever album, it is far from second rate, and the poor sales performance just doesn't reflect the quality of the album at all. My only 'disappointment' is the use of the 'F' word. I'm not offended by it, but it disappoints me when my favourite artists feel the need to use it in their material. It's so not necessary. If you like any of Madonna's work over the last 10 years and don't yet have MDNA then you should get it! You won't be disappointed, and you might just be pleasantly surprized.