mad4mad2 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 USA today: When Madonna sings on the title track of her latest album, Rebel Heart (***1/2 out of four; out March 10), that she has "outgrown my past and I've shed my skin," she is both protesting too much and engaging in understatement. Our most durable pop star has indeed reinvented elements of her look and sound repeatedly over the past 30 years, but Madonna has retained the same essence: that of a woman who champions and demands love, in every sense of that loaded word. No single artist has been more crucial in shaping our modern view of celebrities as people who need people — and attention. As that view has metastasized into an expectation that artists share ever more of their personal and creative lives, fame's double-edged sword has grown a bit sharper. Madonna felt it last December, when two batches of early recordings from the Heart sessions -- essentially, an album in progress -- were leaked online. Her immediate response was to quickly polish remixes of the first bunch, and make them available to those who pre-ordered the album. Rebel Heart includes those six songs and 13 more; and they present Madonna at her most determined and spiritually unplugged. The sound — crafted with such hip-hop, pop and EDM names as Kanye West, Toby Gad, Avicii and Diplo — is not so much raw as purposefully lean and piercingly direct, as are the lyrics, which mine emotions from righteous anger and pain to resolute joy. Ghosttown mixes a disarmingly earnest sweetness with a stark, chilly arrangement, while on Heartbreak City, Madonna lashes out at a former lover over a shuffling hip-hop groove. The defiant exuberance of first single Living For Love gives way to the deceptively gentle, powerfully infectious Body Shop, with its tinkering rhythms and sly innuendo. There are more graphic references to sex, and two song titles include a mild an expletive. A disciple, Nicki Minaj, pops up on the frisky B---ch I'm Madonna, in which the titular star chants, "You're gonna love this. ... You can't touch this." Madonna could be parodying followers — some of whom have absorbed her through Minaj and other younger stars — who have been inspired by her confidence and marketing savvy but are often less intuitive about things like desire and pain, be it their own or others'. Madonna asserts both her enduring indomitability and her vulnerability, even getting self-referential a few times. On Veni Vidi Vici, she charts the past via song titles — "I saw a Ray of Light/Music saved my life" — then passes the mic to Nas, who recalls his own rise, rather more flamboyantly. Nas raps playfully at the end, "Madonna on the track/Nas in the back." But each is a survivor, and Rebel Heart celebrates that increasingly rare bird with a bittersweet vengeance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 yes i think they count http://www.metacritic.com/publication/usa-today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 yes i think they count http://www.metacritic.com/publication/usa-today Unfortunately not in the music section Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Critics are loving Heartbreak City and Body Shop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamifero Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 OT, did she produce the Agent Cody Banks movies? http://www.metacritic.com/person/madonna?filter-options=movies&sort_options=date&num_items=30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombigbee Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 So her best review so far is ineligible. Iconic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 So her best review so far is ineligible. Iconic. It has always been the case with Madonna. I remember the best MDNA reviews (not that they were justified) were not counted either even though they were from professional publications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ditaluver Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Why aren't they counted? It's all so stupid and confusing to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Well the number of people who will see this this USA Today review is probably a lot higher than the number who will check metacritic (or even know what it is), so it's still great! No bad reviews yet. Elysa Gardner who wrote this is a big fan like Farber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapple Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 So Far the rating is 69. NY Daily News................80 The Telegraph.................80 Rolling Stone...................70 Slant Magazine...............70 Uncut..............................60 Q Magazine....................60 Shouldn't the rating be 70 though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 So Far the rating is 69. NY Daily News................80 The Telegraph.................80 Rolling Stone...................70 Slant Magazine...............70 Uncut..............................60 Q Magazine....................60 Shouldn't the rating be 70 though? Some publications hold more weights than others. And they still haven't added the Mojo review yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapple Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Thanks! ^^ Quietus does count. They gave Taylor Swift an 80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick00 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Haven't heard the album yet, but pretty disappointed with a few of the ratings listed here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Haven't heard the album yet, but pretty disappointed with a few of the ratings listed here.The reviews have all been good so far! As for RS, they gave ROL and MUSIC 4 stars, and the amazing LAP review was 3.5. So they weren't going to suddenly give RH a 5. Plus, the members who have listened to the album are basically saying it's amazing, and we should trust them over the critics. These good reviews are just icing on the cake. Don't let it dampen your spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick00 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 ^ Thanks for your positive spin, There has been so many people quickly judging M as of late & I'm hoping the critics are able to write an objective view on RH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnian Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The Album is incredible and just like how LAP was rated better later, I think the same will apply to Rebel Heart. There's no way this album wont be received better than any she's put out in the last decade. It's superior on all levels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaspoe Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Each is a survivor, and Rebel Heart celebrates that increasingly rare bird with a bittersweet vengeance. Best interpretation of the overall theme of the album yet––better than Madonna's! Here's a critic who's actually trying to engage and understand the work on its own terms, not on what Madonna should be doing or what her albums should sound like. I also love that this is the first reviewer who tries to understand Madonna's sense of humor: "On BIM, Madonna could be parodying followers." Not necessarily exactly what I would say (I think the song is dissing anyone who tells her to "act her age"), but it's much better that taking the song literally and criticizing its shallowness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyoyo Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2015/02/27/madonna-with-rebel-heart-on-sleeve/23889591/?hootPostID=558af240c812d515fc7ccdf04071f91cUSA TODAY REVIEW (***1/2 out of four;does this count for metacritic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Msig Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2015/02/27/madonna-with-rebel-heart-on-sleeve/23889591/?hootPostID=558af240c812d515fc7ccdf04071f91c USA TODAY REVIEW (***1/2 out of four; does this count for metacritic? It seems that USA Today doesn't count for Metacritic's music section - only their reviews of movies and tv shows count.Otherwise, it would be an 88, bringing the average score up from 69 to 73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 https://twitter.com/ptabakis/status/571796959373225985 Unfortunately the reviewer from Pretty Much Amazing (counts for metacritic) is going to give the album a bad review. Guess what? He's a Little Monster who has dissed M on Twitter. Shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katypatra Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 ^^^ not fair at all!! If he is known to be her hater, then his review is biased and should NOT count!!! Also, I am pissed at Rolling Stones for giving RH 3 and a half stars out of 5!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt420 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I've never understood why so much importance is placed on Metacritic. The fact that certain reviews "can't" be counted kind of undermines their whole "system" to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt420 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 https://twitter.com/ptabakis/status/571796959373225985 Unfortunately the reviewer from Pretty Much Amazing (counts for metacritic) is going to give the album a bad review. Guess what? He's a Little Monster who has dissed M on Twitter. Shocking. Wtf is Pretty Much Amazing?? Sounds like some cheap ass blog that 2 fags may care about......and THAT is going to count for the (apparent) "holy grail" known as Metacritic yet a reputable publication like USA fucking TODAY somehow DOESN'T count?? See, that's why Metacritic is as good as meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katypatra Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Ok, honestly, we shouldn't attack him when we don't know how he rated Rebel Heart. Some fan called him a piece of shit. Really? Wait till you see his review! Insulting him is NOT going to help, but may only piss him off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Barthes Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Can i ask a question ? Why is it so important to you that she scores high on Metacritic ? So you can shove it in the face of fans of other popstars during your crazy internet fights on social medias ? Shove it in the faces of relatives who diss her ? So you feel better about yourself because in a twisted way by loving her album and praising it, it is like praising your taste and you because you like the album too ? Either way you need to detach and don't pay attention to what others say, don't look for people's approval of what you are or LOVE (or let what you like and love define you). Will you love Rebel Heart less if it's not a critical and commercial success ? Will you appreciate it less ? Do you need the approval of people you don't know and don't care about or with whom you usually disagree ? You need to detach and appreciate things for what they are and trust your taste because it's the most subjective thing out there, nobody is right or wrong, it's a reaction based on personal feelings. People will always hate things for the same reasons you love them. It's a war you can't win and it's highly unproductive. Listen to the album and enjoy it instead of looking for approval or fighting people who no matter what will hate something because they just don't like the person, you'll never make me like something gaga does, i just can't because she makes me sick to my stomach in disgust, it does not mean she does not make good things, i just don't like her at all because she embodies everything i hate (namely privilege) so anything that comes from her will ALWAYS be shat on by me and there's nothing one can do or say to make me change. Some people are the same with Madonna, you need to accept it and deal with it. Sorry for the lecture but before hysteria strikes i wanted to point this out, especially to younger members caught up in these online pop singers wars as if they were football teams. Enjoy the ART not the competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katypatra Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 You make a point, but you're not entirely correct. I for one don't have a desire to "shove it" into anyone's face. I simply want this amazing album to have a score that it deserves! This is justified by a simple fact: I am a fan!! I want other people to know that this album is fantastic, because it is! I don't want people to think it's crap, because it's not! How else can I explain this to you, I don't know. P.S. no offense but I also wanted to point out that your first paragraph sounds like it was written by a little monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 because Madonna deserves better. she's already being ignored by radio now and now this amazing album gets low ratings? like I said: it's just not fair. she works really hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katypatra Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I feel offended by "your twisted way of loving the album" wtf? Like Nikki said, it's because Madonna deserves better!! She deserves praise for this amazing album!! And yes we do have good taste, but that has nothing to do with the fact that we want Madonna get credit she deserves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loowee Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Can i ask a question ? Why is it so important to you that she scores high on Metacritic ? So you can shove it in the face of fans of other popstars during your crazy internet fights on social medias ? Shove it in the faces of relatives who diss her ? So you feel better about yourself because in a twisted way by loving her album and praising it, it is like praising your taste and you because you like the album too ? Either way you need to detach and don't pay attention to what others say, don't look for people's approval of what you are or LOVE (or let what you like and love define you). Will you love Rebel Heart less if it's not a critical and commercial success ? Will you appreciate it less ? Do you need the approval of people you don't know and don't care about or with whom you usually disagree ? You need to detach and appreciate things for what they are and trust your taste because it's the most subjective thing out there, nobody is right or wrong, it's a reaction based on personal feelings. People will always hate things for the same reasons you love them. It's a war you can't win and it's highly unproductive. Listen to the album and enjoy it instead of looking for approval or fighting people who no matter what will hate something because they just don't like the person, you'll never make me like something gaga does, i just can't because she makes me sick to my stomach in disgust, it does not mean she does not make good things, i just don't like her at all because she embodies everything i hate (namely privilege) so anything that comes from her will ALWAYS be shat on by me and there's nothing one can do or say to make me change. Some people are the same with Madonna, you need to accept it and deal with it. Sorry for the lecture but before hysteria strikes i wanted to point this out, especially to younger members caught up in these online pop singers wars as if they were football teams. Enjoy the ART not the competition. Simply because fans want their favorites to earn critical and commercial success? Reviews don't change our opinions but positive ones will attract more audience. A LOT of people check out Metacritic for new stuff/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I've never understood why so much importance is placed on Metacritic. The fact that certain reviews "can't" be counted kind of undermines their whole "system" to me. Exactly. Just call it slightly arbitrary. But I guess little anonymous blogs run by people with a bit of money or certain bitter tasteless fags' online journals count more than USA Today. 3.5 out 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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