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The "Turn Up The Radio" Video Thread


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M did seem pretty passionate about the song. I remember her saying in an interview that she just wanted to send out positive vibes and spread love around with the song, or something along those lines....

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I don't see GMAYL's lyrics as this desperate bid to recapture her youth; they're too vague and simplistic (a la Hung Up) to mean much of anything. If anything, that's GGW's problem (despite it being a better song), and she was far more blatant in her desire to look/sound young circa the Hard Candy era, and I was one of the first people to point that out. She had to start somewhere I guess, earning back her mojo.

But I think this Madonna we see now is different. Right now I think people just have a problem with her dating young dudes and not trying to sugarcoat it, showing off her body confidently, openly slapping Lady Gaga in the balls, and being completely and utterly indifferent to the opinions of others around her. It was easy to give Madonna kudos despite her failures during the American Life/British Wyvern era because she was buckling to humility, dressing frumpy, being a doting wife/mom, and backtracking on her escapades from the early 90s, etc. People liked seeing her that way because it was comfortable for them. Now that she's obviously not interested in being Sugar & Spice, it's easy to call her out and call her desperate, etc. But really, she's just being Madonna, and the conventional attitude she had years ago was the fluke; not this.

Well, to your point about the lyrics, I had similar problems with HU. I strongly disliked the lyrics and vocals when it first came out. They still bother me in relative terms, but the production ultimately won out for me.

When I hear people criticize Madonna for dressing the way she does at her age, it immediately makes me want to defend it, and I often do. I think it's ageist and sexist to suggest that Madonna shouldn't dress in leotards or flash her tit at 53. However, at the same time, it strikes me as a little desperate in the sense that I don't think she knows what to do or what to say anymore. She's repeating images and themes from her earlier work and the only difference is that she's now much older. I will defend her right to dress and behave however she wants, but I personally believe she's going through a crisis of identity (where do I belong in the cultural landscape at 53? What else do I have to say? How can I remain relevant and keep people interested?). I also think she's rediscovering a lot of her more youthful, sexual side because she's single again. That's to expected. But the "fluke" period you're talking about lasted 10 whole years, and they were NOT, in fact, the Guy Ritchie years. It started in 1995. She said all she had to say about sexual repression, people weren't getting it, so she put her clothes back on and turned to motherhood and spirituality, etc. We got Evita, Lola, Ray of Light, etc. And the AL era proved she could be confrontational and provoative and have a point of view without it having anything to do with sexuality. I wouldn't call any of that "conventional." I truly believe it was the failure of AL and her growing older and less relevant that led to Confessions, the leotard, Justin Timberlake, etc.

But we've gone on a huge tangent here, haven't we?

Still looking forward to the TUTR video and long overdue single!

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I don't consider the Ray Of Light years to be Madonna's modest years at all. She was still overtly sexual in her videos and performances ('98 VMAs anyone) - the only difference was that she was wearing pants. '95-'96 were modest in the way she dressed because of the preparations for Evita, but let's face it even then she still had a sass about her. It's not just the way Madonna dresses that I am talking about - it's her attitude, and she became extremely submissive and oddly apologetic during her time with Guy. It all started when she met Guy, and it ended with him too.

The repetition of images and themes from past work could be minimized as having nothing to say but clearly a huge amount of passion went into the visuals, and the self-referencing doesn't seem like it's there just because she didn't know what else to do. It seems like it's there to re-establish herself in the wake of all the Lady Gaga scandal - and it has worked to a degree. And it's not like she went out on tour wearing the slip dress from Like A Prayer for Transgression, or dug up the old cone bra for the Masc/Fem section. The visuals are still new, still very inspired, and it sure as hell beats the non-event that were her visuals from the Hard Candy era.

Oh and of course the failure of American Life stung; that's why she sought out to come back in a huge way for Confessions, but the whole "MADONNA WANTS PEOPLE TO THINK SHE'S YOUNG" thing is so overblown IMO.

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I don't consider the Ray Of Light years to be Madonna's modest years at all. She was still overtly sexual in her videos and performances ('98 VMAs anyone) - the only difference was that she was wearing pants. '95-'96 were modest in the way she dressed because of the preparations for Evita, but let's face it even then she still had a sass about her. It's not just the way Madonna dresses that I am talking about - it's her attitude, and she became extremely submissive and oddly apologetic during her time with Guy. It all started when she met Guy, and it ended with him too.

Oh and of course the failure of American Life stung; that's why she sought out to come back in a huge way for Confessions, but the whole "MADONNA WANTS PEOPLE TO THINK SHE'S YOUNG" thing is so overblown IMO.

Yeah, she was still very sexual during the ROL era, but it wasn't so IN YOUR FACE as it has been since 2005. But I agree with you, it was all about her attitude.

About the transition between AL and COADF, some people were saying that COADF was some sort of "damage control" after the cold reaction to AL, and that she needed to "go back to her roots" to show everyone that she was the same whore from the 80s and 90s, not only because of her image, but also because of her music, because she turned into Acoustic Esther. I agree just a little with this, but the music and the visuals for COADF were top notch, so no complains there. It was like a hybrid between ESTHER + DITA + EARLY MADONNA. Great times.

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This will hopefully serve as an explanation to not just you, but to everyone else on here who doesn't seem to get why some of us dislike the song so much. It's true that it's an innocuous trifle, and maybe not worth hating out of context. If it were just an album track, I'd probably feel the same way about it that I do about "Superstar." Filler. Not very good. But nothing to scream and holler about (GGW is more offensive lyrically and vocally). But, and this is the thing, it's what GMAYL represents that makes it so hateable. Not only was it chosen as the lead single (after it was leaked months earlier to very mixed response, with very little changed), but the lyrics and chant are indicative of overall trends in Madonna's recent output that have disappointed many fans. The obsession with trying to sound/look young and pander to youth, etc.

Regarding the other tracks you mentioned, AL was indeed embarassing. The sound wasn't a big move forward after the Music album, and the lyrics and especially the rap made many people cringe. But she was at least trying to say something, and even if the quality and taste level were in question, you can't dispute that it was Madonna doing whatever the fuck she wanted, saying what she wanted to, without caring about radio or mass acceptance. So while the song might be mediocre and a bad choice for a single, I respect what she was trying to do. I can't say that for GMAYL. (For many of the other songs on MDNA, that's not the case. I like/love most of the album.)

MATM was the beginning of the end in terms of Madonna trying to recapture her youth and popularity. So in that sense, it's embarrassing. The song itself isn't so bad, just her vocals really. And it's really Britney's song, so I don't hate it as much as GMAYL, which was M's first solo single in four years. It should have been another "Frozen," or at least another "Music."

HY: Not a single. A charity one-off. It's pretty bad, but doesn't warrant the same kind of scorn as a terrible lead single that's supposed to usher in a new era for the queen of pop.

I hope that helps explain at least my point of view.

This.

"don't play the stupid game 'cause I'm a different kind of GUUURLLL..." DREADFUL. :doodlemanson:

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I don't consider the Ray Of Light years to be Madonna's modest years at all. She was still overtly sexual in her videos and performances ('98 VMAs anyone) - the only difference was that she was wearing pants. '95-'96 were modest in the way she dressed because of the preparations for Evita, but let's face it even then she still had a sass about her. It's not just the way Madonna dresses that I am talking about - it's her attitude, and she became extremely submissive and oddly apologetic during her time with Guy. It all started when she met Guy, and it ended with him too.

The repetition of images and themes from past work could be minimized as having nothing to say but clearly a huge amount of passion went into the visuals, and the self-referencing doesn't seem like it's there just because she didn't know what else to do. It seems like it's there to re-establish herself in the wake of all the Lady Gaga scandal - and it has worked to a degree. And it's not like she went out on tour wearing the slip dress from Like A Prayer for Transgression, or dug up the old cone bra for the Masc/Fem section. The visuals are still new, still very inspired, and it sure as hell beats the non-event that were her visuals from the Hard Candy era.

Oh and of course the failure of American Life stung; that's why she sought out to come back in a huge way for Confessions, but the whole "MADONNA WANTS PEOPLE TO THINK SHE'S YOUNG" thing is so overblown IMO.

Well, to your point about the lyrics, I had similar problems with HU. I strongly disliked the lyrics and vocals when it first came out. They still bother me in relative terms, but the production ultimately won out for me.

When I hear people criticize Madonna for dressing the way she does at her age, it immediately makes me want to defend it, and I often do. I think it's ageist and sexist to suggest that Madonna shouldn't dress in leotards or flash her tit at 53. However, at the same time, it strikes me as a little desperate in the sense that I don't think she knows what to do or what to say anymore. She's repeating images and themes from her earlier work and the only difference is that she's now much older. I will defend her right to dress and behave however she wants, but I personally believe she's going through a crisis of identity (where do I belong in the cultural landscape at 53? What else do I have to say? How can I remain relevant and keep people interested?). I also think she's rediscovering a lot of her more youthful, sexual side because she's single again. That's to expected. But the "fluke" period you're talking about lasted 10 whole years, and they were NOT, in fact, the Guy Ritchie years. It started in 1995. She said all she had to say about sexual repression, people weren't getting it, so she put her clothes back on and turned to motherhood and spirituality, etc. We got Evita, Lola, Ray of Light, etc. And the AL era proved she could be confrontational and provoative and have a point of view without it having anything to do with sexuality. I wouldn't call any of that "conventional." I truly believe it was the failure of AL and her growing older and less relevant that led to Confessions, the leotard, Justin Timberlake, etc.

But we've gone on a huge tangent here, haven't we?

Still looking forward to the TUTR video and long overdue single!

I agree with almost everything you say, minus the AL part. In the AL era Madonna was in a phase that she had it all, she was in her 40s, she had two acclaimed albuns on her back (ROL and Music) and felt somewhat invencible, she was at a point where she made it all in the pop world. She felt the freedom to work on whatever she wanted to and at that time she was completely over of doing pop music (i remember clearly she saying in an interview that she didnt find herself writing pop club songs anymore). AL came as a follow of her huge sucess but it didnt connect with the public, it failed terribly. She wasn't that invencible as she might have think and at the RIT (the name re-invention says a lot) she was totally in damage control mode and that situation lead to COAD that saved her career to plunge into oblivion! However, the lack of a bigger impact in the US played a huge part on her decisions that brought HC, but once again it didn't work properly as she wished. I may say that she has been fighting to recover relevancy since the AL era, but as she gets older each year this is becoming increasily harder.

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I don't consider the Ray Of Light years to be Madonna's modest years at all. She was still overtly sexual in her videos and performances ('98 VMAs anyone) - the only difference was that she was wearing pants. '95-'96 were modest in the way she dressed because of the preparations for Evita, but let's face it even then she still had a sass about her. It's not just the way Madonna dresses that I am talking about - it's her attitude, and she became extremely submissive and oddly apologetic during her time with Guy. It all started when she met Guy, and it ended with him too.

The repetition of images and themes from past work could be minimized as having nothing to say but clearly a huge amount of passion went into the visuals, and the self-referencing doesn't seem like it's there just because she didn't know what else to do. It seems like it's there to re-establish herself in the wake of all the Lady Gaga scandal - and it has worked to a degree. And it's not like she went out on tour wearing the slip dress from Like A Prayer for Transgression, or dug up the old cone bra for the Masc/Fem section. The visuals are still new, still very inspired, and it sure as hell beats the non-event that were her visuals from the Hard Candy era.

Oh and of course the failure of American Life stung; that's why she sought out to come back in a huge way for Confessions, but the whole "MADONNA WANTS PEOPLE TO THINK SHE'S YOUNG" thing is so overblown IMO.

I know it wasn't as in your face and blatant as in the past but people tend to forget that Madonna's nipples are clearly visible in the ROL CD booklet, as you mention MTV awards, Arena magazine so Esther may've been coming to fruition but Dita was still peeking through the door here and there. :)

At the time I chalked it up to her being older, in a different place in life....which in a way I guess it was, but seeing what she became when she married Guy was a little strange to me as a long time fan. That's not a dis....I adored her attitude, music...everything, she was still Madonna but it felt like a little piece of MADONNA was gone. If that makes any bit of sense. And it goes beyond her being sexual and pulling her tits out every five minutes it just felt like she was reserving herself in a way that SHE didn't even feel completely comfortable doing. I don't want to say she came across as awkward at times cuz that's a little dramatic but she kinda did honestly. Like she didn't want to do something that would piss him off. All that "Mrs. Ritchie" bullshit just seemed so out of character for her and not genuine, like it was all just to stroke HIS ego.

I'm absolutely floored when I see some fans say she's repeating her early 90's self these days and has no vision so she's rehashing images. I actually read on another :manson: forum a comment like "why bother to do JML vid interlude when it just repeats the original video." REALLY!? I just can't believe a long time fan would even say that. Furthermore, I can't believe a fan that has been around since the early 90's can't CLEARLY see what she is doing now.....especially with an album called MDNA. Some have complained about lack of a theme for this era but I find it to be one of her most cohesive and clever in a LONG time. The theme is MADONNA pretty much. I really think the line in TUTR "I don't know how I got to this stage. Let me out of my cage cuz I'm dying" sums up the last few years of her "Lady Of The Manor" years and what we are seeing now is a result of that. I honestly think her images and "theme" this era are as much about re-establishing herself in the wake of Guy Ritchie as much (if not more) than Lady Gaga. Just looking at her journey the past 12 years or so and seeing where she is at now sort of makes it all come together.

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Any stills from the video yet?

No. Tom will send a first editing to her tomorrow, so she can make her notes which will lead to the final product.

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Of course there was still some sexuality during the ROL era. It's Madonna. She's always been sexy. The "Don't Tell Me" video is sexy as hell. And she was sexy in the "Hollywood" video too. And lest we forget she was married to Guy, and still happily, during the Confesions era, when she wore that damn leotard everywhere. Her marriage to Guy certainly had an impact on her work, but you guys seem to only be remembering her children's book appearances and nothing else.

I do see the sexual "bad girl" imagery as an attempt to reestablish and remind people that she's the original, and it's certainly fun to see (especially since the early 90s is my favorite Madonna era), but it feels regressive to me (reductive?). So I have mixed feelings about it.

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The leotard was the beginning of the end, I think- and let's not forget that the bloated Mybrotherchristpher spilled the beans on how their marriage was in jeopardy right around the same time as the COADF era, which further supports my theory.

All in all, she has changed a great deal since the divorce and it's hard to deny that. It's going to influence her work. I feel like the talk about her aging inappropriately is a lot like the talk about her going too far in the 90s... It was inevitable and only in hindsight will people realize just how one of a kind Madonna truly is. For now, she's at the junction she was in '92, turning off a lot of her fans, but cementing herself as a pretty forward thinking icon.

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The leotard was the beginning of the end, I think- and let's not forget that the bloated Mybrotherchristpher spilled the beans on how their marriage was in jeopardy right around the same time as the COADF era, which further supports my theory.

All in all, she has changed a great deal since the divorce and it's hard to deny that. It's going to influence her work. I feel like the talk about her aging inappropriately is a lot like the talk about her going too far in the 90s... It was inevitable and only in hindsight will people realize just how one of a kind Madonna truly is. For now, she's at the junction she was in '92, turning off a lot of her fans, but cementing herself as a pretty forward thinking icon.

+1 YES!

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The leotard was the beginning of the end, I think- and let's not forget that the bloated Mybrotherchristpher spilled the beans on how their marriage was in jeopardy right around the same time as the COADF era, which further supports my theory.

All in all, she has changed a great deal since the divorce and it's hard to deny that. It's going to influence her work. I feel like the talk about her aging inappropriately is a lot like the talk about her going too far in the 90s... It was inevitable and only in hindsight will people realize just how one of a kind Madonna truly is. For now, she's at the junction she was in '92, turning off a lot of her fans, but cementing herself as a pretty forward thinking icon.

Seems right. After Madonna fractured or broke bones due to the horse accident, Guy Ritchie went out partying and drinking instead of being with her and it wasn't just once. Even Guy's a-hole dad stated that she probably never forgot or forgave him for what happened during that time.

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The leotard was the beginning of the end, I think- and let's not forget that the bloated Mybrotherchristpher spilled the beans on how their marriage was in jeopardy right around the same time as the COADF era, which further supports my theory.

All in all, she has changed a great deal since the divorce and it's hard to deny that. It's going to influence her work. I feel like the talk about her aging inappropriately is a lot like the talk about her going too far in the 90s... It was inevitable and only in hindsight will people realize just how one of a kind Madonna truly is. For now, she's at the junction she was in '92, turning off a lot of her fans, but cementing herself as a pretty forward thinking icon.

hmmm you turn me on when you're right....

yes the leotard was the beginning of it all.

once she fell off the horse and he wasnt there for her, thats where it all began

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I had previously thought what was going on during Confessions was an effort to fix the damage done after American Life, but it's looking more and more to me now like she was just being herself again. I do remember thinking at the time, oh finally something not aimed at pleasing Guy.

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its not the subject...but is it possible that LOVE SPENT is going to be last single from this album suporting second leg? after TUTR durring summer and GB late september done their work=?

I think we'll be lucky to get four singles. Gang Bang sounds like it's going to use the live stage version for the video if it does get a release but I can't see them investing any more effort for the minimal returns they're getting.

If TUTR does become an unexpected hit, then maybe but it's very doubtful.

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well..i dont see GB video...more something like club single with numerous remixes...like impressive instant or nobody knows me was...but...this album could be used all the time the tour is going on...and it will go until december just this first leg...TUTR will be small hit maybe this summer...even i doubt it...but well...who knows...also...GB is not comercial aswell....it will go to clubs.....so...

khm...i really think there should be one more single after that...and she could replace masterpiece with love spent accoustic later on this tour...why not...

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its not the subject...but is it possible that LOVE SPENT is going to be last single from this album suporting second leg? after TUTR durring summer and GB late september done their work=?

It needs to be I'm Addicted, really. So she can perform at the grammys where she's gonna be a winner and could be a good last promo for the album. Can you imagine MDNA being screamed over and over to a world audience?

I didnt watched the tour performance, for those who did, do you think it can be great to perform on tv?

Besides as someone pointed out IA could be the soundtrack for the Big Bang! It's divine!

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Are you serious? :mellow: This was her worst performing lead single overall. Sure it went Top 10 in the U.S., but it went to #1 in like two countries. Even "American Life" did better than that.

Yeah, and only a few of them actually bought it. Despite its decent airplay, it spent like 2 weeks in the Top 10 Euro digital single sales chart. That is NOT a favorable response by the public.

I'm dead serious, its great, yet different song what is popular now

actually its quite brilliant

only thing missing is the extended version

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It needs to be I'm Addicted, really. So she can perform at the grammys where she's gonna be a winner and could be a good last promo for the album. Can you imagine MDNA being screamed over and over to a world audience?

I didnt watched the tour performance, for those who did, do you think it can be great to perform on tv?

I think she'd have to change the performance, it's not really a standout (coming off BA, she did a different performance of Vogue for the MTV Awards)... I think Falling Free would be great for The Grammys (if she can sing it live).

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GMAYL was a light track, but the lyrics pretty much were her telling all the wanna-bes that there's one Queen and they should give their luvin' to her (or, at the least, directed to one in particular- and it following EY on the MDNA Tour adds to that theory). It was very Madonna-centric in that sense, but I still enjoy it.

Hope the TUTR video is another goodie from the album.

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I'm dead serious, its great, yet different song what is popular now

actually its quite brilliant

only thing missing is the extended version

:shock:

:sick:

To each his own, I guess.

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I know this thread is for the video not the song, but I thought I'd just mention that this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly reviewed the single. Not so good. :(

MADONNA "Turn Up the Radio"

Her Madgesty's latest single from MDNA commands us to crank up the FM station, but doesn't give us much reason to. It's flavor-free dance pabulum with vacant lyrics ("I want to escape/With a person just like you") and a blase vocal that would sound more at home on NPR. C -- Adam Markovitz

Ouch. Here's hoping the video can win a second chance for the song. [interesting that they consider this a single ... I mean, has it been released officially in the U.S.? I don't know if any remixes are available on iTunes or anything... I know EW did this with "Masterpiece," though, too. They reviewed it as a "single" -- which, it never really was a single and it wasn't even available yet. I think they reviewed it before the soundtrack was even out. But any press mention is good in that regard, I suppose. I don't recall the grade they gave it -- I think it was a B or a B-. But the tone of the review was much kinder than this one, to be sure.]

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I know this thread is for the video not the song, but I thought I'd just mention that this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly reviewed the single. Not so good. :(

MADONNA "Turn Up the Radio"

Her Madgesty's latest single from MDNA commands us to crank up the FM station, but doesn't give us much reason to. It's flavor-free dance pabulum with vacant lyrics ("I want to escape/With a person just like you") and a blase vocal that would sound more at home on NPR. C -- Adam Markovitz

Ouch. Here's hoping the video can win a second chance for the song. [interesting that they consider this a single ... I mean, has it been released officially in the U.S.? I don't know if any remixes are available on iTunes or anything... I know EW did this with "Masterpiece," though, too. They reviewed it as a "single" -- which, it never really was a single and it wasn't even available yet. I think they reviewed it before the soundtrack was even out. But any press mention is good in that regard, I suppose. I don't recall the grade they gave it -- I think it was a B or a B-. But the tone of the review was much kinder than this one, to be sure.]

Well, Madonna's going through a "shitlist" period. Something tells me if GMAYL and GGW had been relatively bigger hits than they were, this reviewer might have been nicer. But honestly, even though I think this song is harmless fun with a decent hook, they may have a point about it.

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This is the first Madonna album where I don't like any of the single choices! I've always had issues with certain singles here and there, but never all of them. I feel like she picked the weakest songs, completely void of personality. There are so many good songs on MDNA. It's so weird how she is ignoring Love Spent, which is the strongest song on the album. Does she not like it? Is it too personal to do live or release as a single?

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This is the first Madonna album where I don't like any of the single choices!

I understand the selection of GGW, to a degree. It's got a Eurotrash/throw-away pop appeal, but one I would think she would've saved for 3rd single territory. GMAYL was a horse with a bad leg right out of the gate and it should've been shot.

I've always had issues with certain singles here and there, but never all of them. I feel like she picked the weakest songs, completely void of personality. There are so many good songs on MDNA. It's so weird how she is ignoring Love Spent, which is the strongest song on the album. Does she not like it? Is it too personal to do live or release as a single?

As someone else stated in a tour thread, I don't think it was one of her favorites. After all, it was originally listed as a mere bonus track until the M.I.A. Super Bowl debacle - after which it was put on the actual album and "Bday Song" was moved to exile in the bonus material tracklist.

I hate to say this, but I think most of this album is not that mainstream, honestly. It's one of her most creative records, but not as accessible as some of her past efforts.

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