SkyHigh76 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Excellent review! I love in-depth reviews like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Spent Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Yes, me too. Thanks for posting this latest review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robster Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 A review from the staff at madonnarama.com We had the opportunity to listen to the full MDNA album and wanted to share our first impressions with our readers. How we do this? How do we review the album of the most accomplished female pop singer of all time? Two rules : be honest and do not try to please everybody. Some can’t be pleased. If it’s catchy, they’ll say it’s too catchy, if it’s elaborate, they’ll find it too complicated. First, MDNA is an album full of surprises. It’s more than just another dance record. It’s personal, dark, fun and even silly at times So here we go, our very own review of Madonna’s MDNA… track by track! 1. Girls Gone Wild Strong solid start to the album, very catchy unapologetic 90s-inspired powered pop and totally in your face. Still not convinced? Turn the volume up! 2. Gang Bang A very dark deep house track with a little dubstep interlude dealing with murdering your lover and going to hell for it. It has Quentin Tarentino’s amazing “Death Proof” movie written all over it. William Orbit and the Demolition Crew did a tremendous job on this song which is partly spoken. Oddly there’s something sexy in this track as if it was inspired by the Erotica era. Think “Goodbye to Innocence” meets “Thief of Hearts” but way more edgy. “Bang Bang shot you dead. Shot my lover in the head… Now my lover is dead and I have no regrets.” Madonna ends the song with “Now if you’re gonna act like bitch, you’re gonna die like a bitch.” A favorite. 3. I’m Addicted First, people should understand that the snippet posted by Perez Hilton is the ending of the song. With its infectious beats, amazing futuristic sound and really cool lyrics about love being like a drug (“Feels like a drug and I can’t get enough”), you can’t help but end up being addicted yourself. At some point, the song even has a 90s Prodigy’s “Out of space” vibe to it. 4. Turn up the Radio Another collaboration with Solveig and yes, the song has hit written all over it. We understand why Madonna’s Team would release it as a single. It’s very mainstream pop so people will love it for sure. Very happy and uplifting. 5. Give me all your Luvin’ Perfect for the Super Bowl. Happy song and perfect first single that did extremely well considering it was leaked on the Internet, months before. 6. Some Girls Electronic fury. You’ll either love it or hate it. The lyrics are really cool “Some girls got an attitude. Fake tits and a nasty mood”, “Some girls make a scene, shoot their mouth and talk obscene”… 7. Superstar Madonna mentions Brando, Travolta and James Dean in what seems to be the only filler in the album. Sweet but forgettable, Madonna goes “Oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la love the way that you are, oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la that’s what you are.” Oh well… 8. I Don’t Give a... This one’s Minaj’s second appearance on “MDNA” and it’s one of the best songs of the album. Penned by Madonna, Martin Solveig and Nicki Minaj, Madonna sings unapologetically about her personal life, her marriage and how she does not care about people’s judgements. The chorus goes “I’m gonna be ok. I don’t care what the people say. I’m gonna be alright I heal fast and I’ve got it right.” The ending is just amazing. Nicki Minaj says it best “There’s only one queen and that’s Madonna, bitch.” 9. I’m a Sinner A catchy happy sexy psychedelic 60′s-inspired song in the continuity of William Orbit’s previous creations for Madonna. Think “Beautiful Stranger” meets “Ray of Light”, and believe it or not, the sound remains very fresh and new! The lyrics are fun and serious at the same time, with Madonna taking responsability for being a sinner. She cites saints (Jesus, Mary, St Christopher, St Anthony…) and talks bible. A perfect fit. 10. Love Spent We expected a heartfelt ballad but we got an electro-pop number that opens with a combination of banjos and violons. Madonna dabbles with vocal distortion while asking her latest male subject: “Love me like your money”. Monstrous and addictive. 11. Masterpiece More than just a Golden Globe winning song, Masterpiece is perfection. 12. Falling Free This song is slightly melancholic, yet uplifting at the same time. No beat, a naked voice. Madonna sings about how liberating the power of love is. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vocals, for sure. This showcases Madonna’s voice at its purest. A piano, a guitar, some violins with Madonna singing “Deep and pure our hearts align. Then I’m free, I’m free of mine, I let loose, don’t need to know. We’re both free, we’re free to go”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ditaluver Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Thanks :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest groovyguy Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Lots more reviews coming ... GQ Recommends @GQRecommends Off to listen to the new Madonna album #MDNA at Abbey Road. Will report back... Glamour Magazine UK @GlamourMagUK We're off to listen to Madonna's #MDNA at Abbey Road! Tres exciting. Will let you know how it goes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest groovyguy Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 http://www.madonnarama.com/posts-en/2012/03/07/madonnas-mdna-track-by-track-review/ Someone please post it. I'm on my phone Thanks, dita! Madonnas MDNA: Our Review Track-By-Track We had the opportunity to listen to the full MDNA album and wanted to share our first impressions with our readers. How we do this? How do we review the album of the most accomplished female pop singer of all time? Two rules : be honest and do not try to please everybody. Some cant be pleased. If its catchy, theyll say its too catchy, if its elaborate, theyll find it too complicated. First, MDNA is an album full of surprises. Its more than just another dance record. Its personal, dark, fun and even silly at times So here we go, our very own review of Madonnas MDNA… track by track! 1. Girls Gone Wild Strong solid start to the album, very catchy unapologetic 90s-inspired powered pop and totally in your face. Still not convinced? Turn the volume up! 2. Gang Bang A very dark deep house track with a little dubstep interlude dealing with murdering your lover and going to hell for it. It has Quentin Tarentinos amazing Death Proof movie written all over it. William Orbit and the Demolition Crew did a tremendous job on this song which is partly spoken. Oddly theres something sexy in this track as if it was inspired by the Erotica era. Think Goodbye to Innocence meets Thief of Hearts but way more edgy. Bang Bang shot you dead. Shot my lover in the head… Now my lover is dead and I have no regrets. Madonna ends the song with Now if youre gonna act like bitch, youre gonna die like a bitch. A favorite. 3. Im Addicted First, people should understand that the snippet posted by Perez Hilton is the ending of the song. With its infectious beats, amazing futuristic sound and really cool lyrics about love being like a drug (Feels like a drug and I cant get enough), you cant help but end up being addicted yourself. At some point, the song even has a 90s Prodigys Out of space vibe to it. 4. Turn up the Radio Another collaboration with Solveig and yes, the song has hit written all over it. We understand why Madonnas Team would release it as a single. Its very mainstream pop so people will love it for sure. Very happy and uplifting. 5. Give me all your Luvin Perfect for the Super Bowl. Happy song and perfect first single that did extremely well considering it was leaked on the Internet, months before. 6. Some Girls Electronic fury. Youll either love it or hate it. The lyrics are really cool Some girls got an attitude. Fake tits and a nasty mood, Some girls make a scene, shoot their mouth and talk obscene… 7. Superstar Madonna mentions Brando, Travolta and James Dean in what seems to be the only filler in the album. Sweet but forgettable, Madonna goes Oooh la la youre my superstar, oooh la la love the way that you are, oooh la la youre my superstar, oooh la la thats what you are. Oh well… 8. I Dont Give This ones Minajs second appearance on MDNA and its one of the best songs of the album. Penned by Madonna, Martin Solveig and Nicki Minaj, Madonna sings unapologetically about her personal life, her marriage and how she does not care about peoples judgements. The chorus goes Im gonna be ok. I dont care what the people say. Im gonna be alright I heal fast and Ive got it right. The ending is just amazing. Nicki Minaj says it best Theres only one queen and thats Madonna, bitch. 9. Im a Sinner A catchy happy sexy psychedelic 60′s-inspired song in the continuity of William Orbits previous creations for Madonna. Think Beautiful Stranger meets Ray of Light, and believe it or not, the sound remains very fresh and new! The lyrics are fun and serious at the same time, with Madonna taking responsability for being a sinner. She cites saints (Jesus, Mary, St Christopher, St Anthony…) and talks bible. A perfect fit. 10. Love Spent We expected a heartfelt ballad but we got an electro-pop number that opens with a combination of banjos and violons. Madonna dabbles with vocal distortion while asking her latest male subject: Love me like your money. Monstrous and addictive. 11. Masterpiece More than just a Golden Globe winning song, Masterpiece is perfection. 12. Falling Free This song is slightly melancholic, yet uplifting at the same time. No beat, a naked voice. Madonna sings about how liberating the power of love is. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vocals, for sure. This showcases Madonnas voice at its purest. A piano, a guitar, some violins with Madonna singing Deep and pure our hearts align. Then Im free, Im free of mine, I let loose, dont need to know. Were both free, were free to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 What's up with the abuse of "unapologetically" this era?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 She is a fish out of water, a bat out of hell, apparently. So those lyrics that someone posted months ago that everyone laughed off are real. Can someone post it again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 "There's only one queen and that's Madonna,bitch!" ---from Nicki's rap on "I Don't Give A" I love it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessie Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 A review from the staff at madonnarama.com We had the opportunity to listen to the full MDNA album and wanted to share our first impressions with our readers. How we do this? How do we review the album of the most accomplished female pop singer of all time? Two rules : be honest and do not try to please everybody. Some can’t be pleased. If it’s catchy, they’ll say it’s too catchy, if it’s elaborate, they’ll find it too complicated. First, MDNA is an album full of surprises. It’s more than just another dance record. It’s personal, dark, fun and even silly at times So here we go, our very own review of Madonna’s MDNA… track by track! 1. Girls Gone Wild Strong solid start to the album, very catchy unapologetic 90s-inspired powered pop and totally in your face. Still not convinced? Turn the volume up! 2. Gang Bang A very dark deep house track with a little dubstep interlude dealing with murdering your lover and going to hell for it. It has Quentin Tarentino’s amazing “Death Proof” movie written all over it. William Orbit and the Demolition Crew did a tremendous job on this song which is partly spoken. Oddly there’s something sexy in this track as if it was inspired by the Erotica era. Think “Goodbye to Innocence” meets “Thief of Hearts” but way more edgy. “Bang Bang shot you dead. Shot my lover in the head… Now my lover is dead and I have no regrets.” Madonna ends the song with “Now if you’re gonna act like bitch, you’re gonna die like a bitch.” A favorite. 3. I’m Addicted First, people should understand that the snippet posted by Perez Hilton is the ending of the song. With its infectious beats, amazing futuristic sound and really cool lyrics about love being like a drug (“Feels like a drug and I can’t get enough”), you can’t help but end up being addicted yourself. At some point, the song even has a 90s Prodigy’s “Out of space” vibe to it. 4. Turn up the Radio Another collaboration with Solveig and yes, the song has hit written all over it. We understand why Madonna’s Team would release it as a single. It’s very mainstream pop so people will love it for sure. Very happy and uplifting. 5. Give me all your Luvin’ Perfect for the Super Bowl. Happy song and perfect first single that did extremely well considering it was leaked on the Internet, months before. 6. Some Girls Electronic fury. You’ll either love it or hate it. The lyrics are really cool “Some girls got an attitude. Fake tits and a nasty mood”, “Some girls make a scene, shoot their mouth and talk obscene”… 7. Superstar Madonna mentions Brando, Travolta and James Dean in what seems to be the only filler in the album. Sweet but forgettable, Madonna goes “Oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la love the way that you are, oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la that’s what you are.” Oh well… 8. I Don’t Give a... This one’s Minaj’s second appearance on “MDNA” and it’s one of the best songs of the album. Penned by Madonna, Martin Solveig and Nicki Minaj, Madonna sings unapologetically about her personal life, her marriage and how she does not care about people’s judgements. The chorus goes “I’m gonna be ok. I don’t care what the people say. I’m gonna be alright I heal fast and I’ve got it right.” The ending is just amazing. Nicki Minaj says it best “There’s only one queen and that’s Madonna, bitch.” 9. I’m a Sinner A catchy happy sexy psychedelic 60′s-inspired song in the continuity of William Orbit’s previous creations for Madonna. Think “Beautiful Stranger” meets “Ray of Light”, and believe it or not, the sound remains very fresh and new! The lyrics are fun and serious at the same time, with Madonna taking responsability for being a sinner. She cites saints (Jesus, Mary, St Christopher, St Anthony…) and talks bible. A perfect fit. 10. Love Spent We expected a heartfelt ballad but we got an electro-pop number that opens with a combination of banjos and violons. Madonna dabbles with vocal distortion while asking her latest male subject: “Love me like your money”. Monstrous and addictive. 11. Masterpiece More than just a Golden Globe winning song, Masterpiece is perfection. 12. Falling Free This song is slightly melancholic, yet uplifting at the same time. No beat, a naked voice. Madonna sings about how liberating the power of love is. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vocals, for sure. This showcases Madonna’s voice at its purest. A piano, a guitar, some violins with Madonna singing “Deep and pure our hearts align. Then I’m free, I’m free of mine, I let loose, don’t need to know. We’re both free, we’re free to go”. Oh please, someone that calls Masterpiece PERFECTION is not reliable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crux Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 It's really difficult to keep track of ALL this amazing MDNA stuff with all this news constantly pouring in. It's wonderful but really giving me a massive headache shooting from one thread to another. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. Love Madge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xanthium Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 It's really difficult to keep track of ALL this amazing MDNA stuff with all this news constantly pouring in. It's wonderful but really giving me a massive headache shooting from one thread to another. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. Love Madge. I know right The descriptions of some of these songs sound really good. Most excited about Gang Bang, I Don't Give A, Falling Free, I'm Addicted and Love Spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolidayGuy Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I don't know if "Masterpiece" itself is perfection (it's pretty good), but her vocals on it are some of the best she's had in some time. Classic pop Madonna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crux Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I know right The descriptions of some of these songs sound really good. Most excited about Gang Bang, I Don't Give A, Falling Free, I'm Addicted and Love Spent. Gang Bang sounds fabulous. I mean "If you’re gonna act like bitch, you’re gonna die like a bitch.” Do you know which track Perez is putting up today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Perez is putting up "Love Spent" today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crux Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 "Love Spent" today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollhouse Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 "7. Superstar Madonna mentions Brando, Travolta and James Dean in what seems to be the only filler in the album. Sweet but forgettable, Madonna goes “Oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la love the way that you are, oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la that’s what you are.” Oh well…" the other reviewer said this should be a single definitely and its amazingly catchy hit.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollhouse Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Madonna's new album MDNA: track-by-track review Neil McCormick give's the first verdict on Madonna's forthcoming album MDNA. 11. Masterpiece Sweet, gentle love song with a Spanish guitar loop, a light beat and flowing melody, filled out by synthetic strings. The theme song for her critically panned film W.E., she may have been thinking of Prince Edward when she wrote “honestly, it can’t be fun / To always be the chosen one”, but the message applies just as much to Madonna herself. For most of this album she seems determined to demonstrate that a 50-year-old mother of four can still cut it with the kids at the club. Yet, perversely, she sounds most at ease when she calms down a bit and acts her age. 12. Falling Free The first five tracks of MDNA are all produced by hit techno teams and the results are digitally sparkling, catchy and contemporary. The second half of the album is presided over by William Orbit, and while not as immediately hook laden, there is more sonic depth and invention. But only on the album closer is there a suggestion of a musical life beyond the hit parade. With a cascading, beatless melody and poetic, free form lyrics, Madonna’s pure, dreamy vocal has her declaring herself “free to fail.” It is a song about letting go, by a woman who, most the time, seems to be holding on very tightly indeed. Although out of character with the rest of this youth-focused electro dance pop confection, it suggests that Madonna may actually have musical and emotional places to explore when she eventually tires of setting the pop pace. MDNA is released on Interscope on March 26 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/9127093/Madonnas-new-album-MDNA-track-by-track-review.html Suggestion to Neil McCormick. Available at your local grocery store almost 20 years ago: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ditaluver Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 everyone interprets music differently. I love the reviews but ultimately it all comes down to how it makes me feel! and Madonna hasn't failed me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xanthium Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Falling Free and Love Spent sound like their gonna have a vibe like Mer Girl, I Deserve It, and Gone. And that sounds DELICIOUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernatural Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 sucks these recent reviews don't include bonus tracks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyHigh76 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 sucks these recent reviews don't include bonus tracks I was thinking the same thing.I guess they were only allowed to listen to the 'standard edition' of the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Oh please, someone that calls Masterpiece PERFECTION is not reliable! any review that raves about gmayl/ggw/masterpiece is hard for me to take seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannylex Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Masterpiece is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessie Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Masterpiece is great. Great but not PERFECTION! Perfection is something like LIVE TO TELL! I don't even consider Masterpiece great, for me it's a good song. Not even great, much less PERFECTION. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renee205 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Well i for one love Masterpiece and I do think it has its flaws but heck it is their opinion I think they are entitled to that be it anybody agrees or not. If they find it perfection, I suppose they are in agreement with the Hollywood Foreign Press...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensch Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Well i for one love Masterpiece and I do think it has its flaws but heck it is their opinion I think they are entitled to that be it anybody agrees or not. If they find it perfection, I suppose they are in agreement with the Hollywood Foreign Press...... I find it to be perfection in its simplicity. There's nothing wrong with it. It's only boring to those who expect more and for the film it's certainly "perfect." I hear that song on repeat so much more than any of the other releases so far, I can't wait for the remixes and hope they do it justice. But, again, to each it's own. And of course, Love to Tell is wayyyyy better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBoxx Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Popjustice review. http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6074&Itemid=9 We went to listen to 'MDNA' last week and after one listen decided that it was - as we tweeted - fucking amazing. We listened to it again this afternoon to double check. As it turns out, we were right. Obviously we'll need to live with the album and like most listeners we'll form our very very final verdict many months from now, but on two listens 'MDNA' is a stunning modern Madonna album. It's not perfect but it its extraordinary high points are great enough to compensate for odd sequencing and occasional misfires. If you were worried, stop worrying - there is lots here to be excited about. Here is some track by track 'action'. 1 GIRL GONE WILD It is hard to believe that someone smart enough to make this music also made the decision to release 'Girl Gone Wild' as a single. As singles leading into albums go, this is Madonna's all-time worst. But don't give up - and cross your fingers that other people haven't given up either - because what comes next is very good indeed. Also, in defence of 'Girl Gone Wild' it does seem slightly better when you've heard the rest of the album, and the spoken word intro, in which her voice sounds a little bit like another female singer whose name we can't quite put our fingers on, is fantastic. Mind you, in terms of setting out an album's stall, 'Girl Gone Wild' is a stall piled high with jars of human shit. MELODY: 4 LYRICS: 2 SOUND: 6 CLUB APPEAL: 6 MADONNAFACTOR: 3 2 GANG BANG This throbbing electro mood piece is the album's true opening number whose SFX-laden backing rises subtly throughout the song's duration, taking in monotone, thudding robotic voices, a line about keeping enemies close, and a chorus of "bang bang shot you dead shot my lover in the head". "I made a decision I would never look back," Madonna sings at one point. "So how did I end up with one eyed jack?" The track is strewn with sound effects of gunshots, spent cartridges hitting the floor, wailing sirens, police radios, and cars whizzing past, with a bowel-emptyingly seismic dubstep breakdown in which Madonna drawls: "You have to die for me baby... How could I move on with my life if you didn't die for me baby? If you didn't die for me baby?" And then it crashes back in for some more chorus. And then it breaks down for a pulsating, sparse-sounding spoken word middle eight. It all gets quite camp and silly at this point. "My love is dead and I have no regrets," Madonna screams. "He deserved it. And I'm going straight to hell. And I gotta lot of friends there. And if I see that bitch in hell, I'm gonna shoot him in the head again. Cos I wanna see him die over and over and over and OVER AND OVER NOW DRIVE BITCH, I SAID DRIVE BITCH. And while you're at it DIE BITCH. That's right, drive, bitch." It's over the top - it's slightly reminiscent of the hyperreal 'Natural Born Killers' feel of - and amazing. MELODY: 3 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 9 MADONNAFACTOR: 8 3 I'M ADDICTED The pivotal point of this track is part of the clip that fuckwit Perez Hilton had on his site yesterday, the arms-aloft arcade rave breakdown bit where Madonna bellows "I NEED TO HEAR YOUR NAME", and any worries about the production of Madonna's vocal on 'MDNA' - following weedy-sounding performances on the first two singles - go out of the window with 'I'm Addicted'. We love the big crashing electrowallops and the "it fits like a glove, I'm addicted to your love, I'm a dic-dic-dic-dic, I-I-I-I-I'm addicted to your love" bits, and the climax of this song is fucking ridiculous. In the song's final minute or so the mood in the room at the playback this afternoon - full of journalists and media people - visibly altered. It looked a bit like a sight of relief. MELODY: 7 LYRICS: 6 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 9 MADONNAFACTOR: 10 4 TURN UP THE RADIO We've mentioned a few times - based only on the short clip that appeared in that weird sampler thing that came out last month - that it feels like 'Turn Up The Radio' would have made a better lead single for 'MDNA'. Hearing it now, in the context of the entire album, we regret to inform you that we were right all along. We take no pleasure in having been completely spot on about this. RIGHTNESS IS A CURSE. Basically you know 'Hung Up', right? And you know how it had that sort of propulsive energy? And you know how it sounded nowish and classicish at the same time? And you know how it was frenetic and exciting but also elegant and smart? And you know how the lyrics were pretty simple but not offensively stupid? And you know how Madonna's vocals sounded great? And BLAH BLAH FUCKING BLAH? Well 'Turn Up The Radio' isn't quite as good as that but where 'Hung Up' hit 10/10 on all counts 'Turn Up The Radio' manages at least an 8/8. Okay so YES it includes the line "when the world starts to get you down and nothing seems to go your way" (yeah alright 'The Cast Of Glee') and YES there's a dodgy "moth to a flame" moment, but bloody hell, this is a cracker. It seems to hurtle from 'Ray Of Light'-flavoured beginnings to a thumping post-Daft Punk electrobanger main bit without a second thought. There's a great bit near the start where the music's rising in the background and Madonna sings "you feel the wind on your face and your skin and it's here that I begin my..." and the song crashes in just as she sings "...story". There another bit where she's singing about making the speakers blow, and there's the subtle sound of a speaker blowing. 'Turn Up The Radio' does exactly what you want it to do when you want it to do it. In the breakdown she sings: "I don't know how I got to this state, let me out of my cage cos I'm dying - turn up the radio, turn up the radio, don't ask me where I wanna go, we gotta turn up the radio." This is an escapist anthem about leaving wherever you're stuck, getting in a car, whacking some amazing music on the stereo and putting your foot down. In other words, it's still only when she's dancing that she feels this free (WARNING: Popjustice does not condone dancing and driving), and it's still music making the people come together. It captures a brilliantly teenage sensation ("only music can save my from my shit life" but) makes sense of it in a song that doesn't sound like she's trying too hard to be down with the kids. It's funny, some people think that freedom is about changing the way people around you think about life. Real life is sometimes a bit more complicated than that, and sometimes freedom is about being able to leave the cunts behind to get on with their useless lives. And that's what this song is about. MELODY: 8 LYRICS: 8 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 10 MADONNAFACTOR: 10 5 GIVE ME ALL YOUR LUVIN' You've heard this one. We still don't know what to make of it. We're not that keen, but we don't hate it. 'Give Me All Your Luvin'' is proof that sometimes you can listen to something many, many times and still not have any idea whether it's any good or not. 'Apols'. MELODY: 5 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 7 CLUB APPEAL: 5 MADONNAFACTOR: 5 6 SOME GIRLS It starts with some rave sirens and leads into a list of types of 'girls' - "some girls wanna be on top", "some girls got a filthy mouth", "some girls living for the weekend", "some girls get their freak on" and so on - before a two-stage chorus hits. Sonically it's like an updated version of 'Music' era electronic sound, hard but warm at the same time with a grinding digital undertone, and the song seems to twist slightly in the middle eight with a flash of Orbity guitar sounds. It's very fashionable to say that an album is 'full of singles', but the best albums always have brilliant tracks that aren't supposed to be singles and just hold the whole experience together. Nobody's ever going to say this is the album's best song, but nobody's going to take it off their customised iTunes 'MDNA' playlists, either. Oh don't pretend you're not going to do it. You'll be taking 'Girl Gone Wild' off for a start. Don't lie. Yes you will. MELODY: 7 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 9 MADONNAFACTOR: 8 7 SUPERSTAR The 'device' in this track involves Madonna comparing her 'beau' to various famous people ("you're my gangster, you're my Al Calone / You're my Caesar, stepping into his throne"). It's all intended to be complimentary although we're not sure the bit about James Dean "driving fast in your car" is going to pan out that well. Madonna also explains what she is going to do for her partner, two of these things including "give you a massage when you get home" (alright then) and "play you a song on my guitar" (no thanks love). There's a big, pretty-sounding chorus which includes the flighty hook "ooh la la you're my superstar" and the lyrically and melodically brilliant "I'm your biggest fan it's true / Hopelessly attracted to you". Like a few tracks on 'MDNA' it takes a long time to develop into the banger it ends up as, and it's another song whose pace is derailed by a slowed-down, dubsteppy breakdown: "You're Bruce Lee with the way that you move, you're Travolta getting into your groove / You're James Dean driving fast in your car, you're the hot track of a super-duper star / You're my superstar." The lyrical reference points in this are all quite interesting - if you consider the youth-obsessed reference collaborators of the first two singles (here's an LMFAO remix! Here's Nicki Minaj! Here's a song that sounds like something David Guetta shat out!) and how uncomfortable it all feels, 'Superstar' offers a glimpse of something far more comfortable in its own skin. All the reference points ("you're like Brando on the silver screen" etc) will mean very little to your average 17-year-old. We suppose the idea is that they're icons whose imagery transcends generations blah blah blah but after all the aggressive positioning of the first two singles it's great to hear Madonna relaxing into this sort of song. The lyrics about being in love are a bit soppy but love makes you go a bit soppy when you're doing it right, right? MELODY: 8 LYRICS: 6 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 8 MADONNAFACTOR: 9 8 I DON'T GIVE A This is a mid-tempo electro dub-pop sort of affair. It opens with some rapping reminiscent of 'American Life' in which the demands of day-to-day life are listed ("no time for a manicure ... got to call the babysitter ... I can take a helicopter, I don't even feel the pressure"). This gives way to a chanting "I'm gonna be okay, I don't care what the people say, I'm gonna be alright" portion and the statement "if you have a problem, I don't give a...". It's a bit on the posturing side, but then it feels like the music parts in the middle for a stark and jarring blasto of emo: "I tried to be a good girl, I tried to be your wife, diminish myself and swallow my light, I tried to become all that you expect of me, and if it was a failure I don't give a..." And then there's some "I-don't-give-a-uh-uh-uh-uh" backing vocal chanting business, and Nicki Minaj's arrival is heralded by a brief dubstep gloomwobble. There's a good "I'm not a businesswoman, I'm the business, woman!" line from Nicki, then the track comes back in and Nicki goes "there's only one Queen and that's Madonna, bitch", at which point the whole song gives way for a deranged orchestral choral chanting segment. The song ends on that epic note but it feels, a bit, as if the breathtaking and brilliant segment in which Madonna directly references her experience of marriage is slightly tossed away in a song that, in most other areas, seems a lot less personal. MELODY: 5 (8 for the seriousface bit) LYRICS: 5 (8 for the seriousface bit) SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 4 MADONNAFACTOR: 5 9 I'M A SINNER 'I'm A Sinner' marks the point where 'MDNA' kind of splits in two and William Orbit takes over. There are strong 'Ray Of Light' and 'Beautiful Stranger' references among this song's psychedelic stomp, with the chorus a simple "I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner I like it that way". The middle eight is great, with the music dropping out while Madonna lists various religious people. It's like BIBLE 'VOGUE'. "Hail Mary full of grace, get down on your knees and pray / Jesus Christ hang on the cross, died for our sins it's such a loss / St Christopher find my way, I'll be coming home one day / St Sebastian don't you cry let those poison arrows fly." The beat kicks back in while Madonna's still going: "St Anthony [something we didn't catch, we'll just hand in our journalistic badge and gun now then shall we] lost and found, Thomas Aquinas stand your ground." Then there's a big payoff line but we couldn't figure out what she was saying which was a shame. Again there's no way this is single material, but it's a vital part of the MDNADNA. MELODY: 7 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 4 MADONNAFACTOR: 7 10 LOVE SPENT You'll find this track somewhere between 'Ray Of Light', 'Impressive Instant' and 'Hung Up', with some banjo business chucked in for good (?) measure, but don't get excited - we'd say this is more 'deluxe edition bonus track' than 'album track'. The best lyric here is "take me into your arms until your last breath ... Hold me in your arms until there's nothing left". Which stuck us as rather pleasant. The song does build into something quite special by the end. MELODY: 6 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 5 MADONNAFACTOR: 7 11 MASTERPIECE By this point it's about time for a breather so this propermadonnaballad pops up at just the right moment. We love this song. It's the only one on the album that sounds this conventional, but because the album's gradually been winding down from the mentalness of the opening few tracks, then through the Orbit section, it doesn't feel like it sticks out too much. MELODY: 6 LYRICS: 7 SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 0 MADONNAFACTOR: 7 12 FALLING FREE This is a really simple ballad with stripped down production: warm synths, some strings and, after a while, some plinking piano. Again, there are direct references to the 'Ray Of Light' era, particularly 'Drowned World / Substitute For Love'. The best bit is a wail of "I'm fallin' free". ENDS ON CELLO. MELODY: 6 LYRICS: 8 SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 2 (could work with a massive donk stuck on it though) MADONNAFACTOR: 5 13 BEAUTIFUL KILLER This is one of the songs we'll probably need to listen to a lot more before we figure out what we think about it all. The thing is, the Stockholm-syndrome-meets-S&M lyrics ("can't really talk with a gun in my mouth, maybe that's what you've been dreaming about") and gun imagery (the song ends on a gunshot) put it too close to "Bang Bang". Maybe that's why this ended up as a bonus track, which is a shame because sonically and melodically it's good enough to be on the main album - it's a chunky belter with an insistent guitar riff reminiscent of Felix's 'Don't You Want Me' riff. There are amazing bits where Madonna whispers "beautiful killer" and the song shifts gear brilliantly into a beautiful tuneful middle eight. "What happens now?" Madonna asks. "I need to know how the story goes, are we together? I love you forever." And then some strings appear. Then it drops out and bangs back in as a big four-to-the-floor thunderer. All that is good. It's just those lyrics. "Maybe I'll let you shoot me down," Madonna sings, "cos you're a beautiful killer with a beautiful face, a beautiful killer and you won't leave a trace." We don't know if the lyrics are supposed to be exciting and sexy; like 'Girl Gone Wild', they just feel mundane. Maybe we just need to be told what they're about. Maybe that will help it all make sense. MELODY: 7 LYRICS: 3 SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 8 MADONNAFACTOR: 7 14 I FUCKED UP A beat-heavy ballad in which Madonna accepts responsibility for things going tits up (technical Relate terminology, use with caution) relationshipwise. "I fucked up, I made a mistake, nobody does it better than myself," she sings in the chorus. "I'm sorry, I'm not afraid to say, I wish I could take it back but I can't." There's no reading between lines needed here - lyrics like "I blamed you when things didn't go my way" and "somehow I've destroyed the perfect dream. I thought we were indestructible..." are raw and passionate. The pace picks up with a drum 'n' bassy bit for the second verse when talking about the things they could have done ("written our names across the sky"), then in the song's final moments it slips back into the downbeat song we started off with, like a resigned shrug that it's all finally over. MEGASADFACE. MELODY: 6 LYRICS: 8 (they're a bit naff but it's good to hear Madonna singing them) SOUND: 9 CLUB APPEAL: 2 MADONNAFACTOR: 8 15 THE B-DAY SONG This one works as a curiosity but it's a bit ropey 'TBH'. Best off as a bonus track. MELODY: 5 LYRICS: 2 SOUND: 6 CLUB APPEAL: 3 MADONNAFACTOR: 4 16 BEST FRIEND This is a great way to finish off 'MDNA' - a sparsely produced, stuttering electro ballad with some questionable lines ("I miss the countryside where we used to mate and "you wrote me poetry, you had a way with words") but some incredible ones too: "maybe I challenged you a little bit too much". The chorus is great but the moment of genius comes at the very end of the song. The music stops, and Madonna sings the one thing you always need to tell yourself when you're still coming to terms with the end of something brilliant. "It wasn't always perfect," she sings in complete isolation. "But it wasn't always bad." MELODY: 7 LYRICS: 6 SOUND: 8 CLUB APPEAL: 0 MADONNAFACTOR: 6 17 GIVE ME ALL YOUR LUVIN' (LMFAO REMIX) We can only deduce that this has been included to ensure that a pretty great album is bookended by total shit. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? It's a shame 'Confessions' wasn't a bit longer ago or that 'Hard Candy' wasn't so patchy because we'd really like to be able to say 'this is Madonna's best album since Confessions' and for it to mean something. We suppose it does mean something - that 'Hard Candy' was a bit of a blip in an all-together-not-bad run of albums from one of pop's best people. And yes we might be a bit excited by it all having just heard it a couple of times etc etc etc, but if you're going to tell us we can't get excited by a Madonna album you can fuck off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Barthes Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Popjustice review. http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6074&Itemid=9 Ok i share their thoughts on GGW so reading how much they like the rest of the album this review makes me jizz ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Ok i share their thoughts on GGW so reading how much they like the rest of the album this review makes me jizz ! yep! agreed popjustice also crashed for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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