[Dictator Trump / US politics thread 🚽]

What do you even say or do anymore? I’m not really shocked over this tweet. He’s been pandering to the dark underbelly of this country since he strode down that escalator. The outrage empowers him and his supporters, they justify, deflect, and point the fingers back at whomever he’s attacking. They tip toe around what says or tweets and gently slap his hand or tell us to focus on his ‘policies’ and what he ‘does’, not what he ‘tweets’ .

He’s revving up his base for 2020 and this is what does it. My hope is that there are enough moderates left who either didn’t vote at all or couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary that are so fed up with this behavior that hey’ll come up in numbers like they did last fall. It’s my hope. But to be honest, I’m not very hopeful at this point. 

[Madame X album general discussion]

6 hours ago, I Don’t Search I Find said:

Posts like this are counter productive by highlighting negativity unnecessarily. You’ve been warned about this before by me and Kim. Stop picking at scabs stirring drama and lashing out at forum members like you have in other threads otherwise your suspension will be longer next time.

 

[Madame X album general discussion]

Madonna is not going to be nominated for a VMA or for Album Of The Year at the Grammys. Nor will she be performing at the VMA’s. And nor should anyone here want her to do so. The last thing she needs is Twitter blowing up at the slightest misstep or ‘offensive’ comment she makes if she dares to speak. 

Does she deserve an album of the year nomination with Madame X? I would say absolutely. Especially with the dire state of pop music right now. She dared to do something FAR different than anyone else out there and while she got favorable reviews, she still got her fair share of unnecessary eye rolls. ‘Ohhh Madonna’ is what critics seemed to say while praising the album. 

It’s fine. Erotica wasn’t nominated for a god damn thing and it’s all of a sudden become this early 90’s critical darling. Her work is easy to dismiss upon its release for some critics as self indulgent or scattered or clunky or not cohesive enough or any other phrases or words that are popular at the time. But it’s far more difficult to dismiss her albums as time goes on when people look back and realize that she wasn’t appreciated for putting herself on the line and taking risks that other pop stars don’t take. 

I suspect this era will be looked at as turing point in her career the same way Erotica was. An album that wasn’t mainstream but set the precedent of what it means to be a pop star at 60. 

[Madonna new New York Pride thread]

8 minutes ago, FreeMySoul said:

I cried reading this 

[Madonna new New York Pride thread]

Such a beautiful performance.

Even though I wasn’t personally enthralled with the setlist, she put on one hell of a show that was clearly enjoyed by those in attendance.

I read through some of the comments in the previous threads and some were shocking and striking in their tone and content. Instead of appreciation, there was condemnation. I remember during the Hard Candy era back in 2008 thinking that she didn’t have ‘much time left’ when it came to her dancing, choreography, and energy. This wasn’t because I doubted Madonna could continue at the pace she was going at, it was simply because of.....her being a human being. We age. We grow old. We lose stamina and flexibility. 

Yet, she proved us all wrong and went on to do one of the most taxing, physically exhausting, and boldest tours of her entire career with both Stick & Sweet and MDNA. 

WHAT POP STAR DOES THIS IN HER 50’S?

Madonna did. And she continues to do it. Again and again. 

The notion that she was stiff or slow or whatever else you want to say during the Pride performance is beyond mind boggling. She was fluid. She was beautiful. She was on fire. She gave it her all as a 60 year old woman who has been performing and dancing her entire life and who’s body is naturally slowing down. I can only wish to Vogue into my 60’s and move the way this woman does, and WHEN I tear up a dance floor at 60 years old to Vogue the way I do now, I’ll have Madonna to thank for blazing a trail and breaking down the barriers of age and shattering the limitations of what means to be ‘old’.

I hope she never stops. Never slows down. I hope she performs at the 75th anniversary of Stonewall at 85 years old and has another generation in the palm of her hands. 

[Madonna NYC Pride thread]

Absolutely fab performance. Flawless. Loved that sang Vogue and didn’t lip sync. 

Still a lackluster and short set list tho. American Life was good, but completely unnecessary 

[Madonna NYC Pride thread]

I suppose American Life is appropriate. It’s just not a very good song. It’s clunky and awkward. 

I’ve really developed a love for I Rise so I’m pleased to hear it live. 

Future is a jam. End of. 

Vogue is a no brainer. 

God Control could either be a home run or a complete disaster live. I can’t imagine she’s going to do this unless it’s going to be a production and big on theatrics. I personally hope she saves it for the tour. 

Still baffled she’s not whipping out Express Yourself and Deeper and Deeper. They’re not just anthems, they hold an extremely personal and important place in the gay community. They’re coming of age songs for so many of us and it’d mean a lot to that crowd to hear them live on the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. 

Extremely excited for this performance regardless of what she sings. 

[“God Control” thread. Video OUT NOW!!!]

Why does Discodonna remind me of Selina Kyle and TypewriterDonna reminds me of Catwoman from Batman Returns? 

This video is so brilliant. I’ve watched it 5 times this evening. 

[“God Control” thread. Video OUT NOW!!!]

Well first it needs to be stated that she has without any shadow of doubt reclaimed herself as the Queen of Music Videos. 

Medellin, Dark Ballet, and God Control are 3 of her best videos since the 90s. Rich. Captivating. Moody. Complex. Intricate They all sweep you away and take INTO the video with her. I haven’t felt that way from her music videos since Frozen. 

But this. THIS is a masterful video that perfectly captures the carelessness in which we all glide through our lives never expecting to be mowed down by a firearm at a nightclub, festival, movie, church. Places that were once havens of entertainment or worship or education are now fertile ground for mass shootings. She captured this PERFECTLY and BRILLIANTLY. 

What saddens me tho is how little it “shocked” me. Because this type scenario has happened time and time again. And unless the body count is through the roof, into the dozens, mass shootings don’t even resonate like they did even 10 years ago.

I’m beyond proud of Madonna for this. While Taylor’s using drag queens for her own gain and cheap, shameless self promotion, Madonna is featuring drag queens to make an actual statement. And a profound one at that. This is what artists do. Not mere pop stars. 

Cheers to her. Bravo. I’m truly floored. 

 

[God Control video - OUT NOW!!!]

Yeah this topic has generally been ignored by most pop artists. They post about it when a mass shooting happens or will have a moment of silence at one of their shows if they're on the road. But it's mostly hogwash and lip service. 

If this video is everything it's shaping up to be, it's really the first REAL moment when someone in the music industry finally put something out that will turn some heads regarding the shameless, senseless, and vile gun culture that has completely consumed this country. The way people worship their firearms is terrifying to me. And this is coming from someone who grew up with a family full of RESPONSIBLE gun owners and hunters. I am NOT one who believes in completely banning guns. But even the majority of hunters out there are for far stricter gun control measures than we currently have. They're not the problem. It's the crazy, conspiracy believing, brain washed monsters who have complete ROOMS full of semi automatic weapons. 

No sane human being believes semi automatics should be accessible to the general public. The types of guns that are completely legal to sell out there is criminal. It's absolutely criminal. And it's the NRA that pushes this paranoia for people to believe they need these kinds of weapons. They're basically a terrorist organization at this point. 

It's all sickening. 

Good for Madonna for doing this. I hope it offends everyone it needs to offend and that FOX News has her on BLAST for the next 24 hours. It'll mean she pissed off the right people.  

[“Crave” thread]

This song is so gorgeous. So lush and somber. It's crept into my top 20 Madonna songs of all time. I really can't get enough of it.

While I recognize the brilliance of God Control and Dark Ballet, Crave is kind of 'the' single of this era for me. It has everything a classic Madonna needs: A gorgeous melody, beautiful vocals, and a bridge that's up there with her absolute best. This will go down as another top 10 hit that should've been. 

[Madame X vs Rebel Heart]

 

Medellin/Living For Love

Dark Ballet/Devil Pray

God Control/Ghosttown

Future/Unapologetic Bitch

Batuka/Illuminati

Killers Who Are Partying/Bitch I'm Madonna

Crave/Hold Tight

Crazy/Joan Of Arc

Come Alive/Iconic

Extreme Occident/Heartbreak City

Faz Gostoso/Body Shop

Bitch I'm Loca/Holy Water

I Don't Search I Find/Inside Out

Looking For Mercy/Wash All Over Me

I Rise/Best Night

Funana/Veni Vidi Vici

Back That Up To The Beat/S.E.X

Ciao Bella/Messiah

Soltera/Rebel Heart

 

Madame X: 8

Rebel Heart: 11

This is about what I expected. Some of these were excruciating; Crave/Hold Tight, Crazy/Joan of Arc, I Don't Search I Find/Inside Out.

And Body Shop is a jam. It's fun, quirky, breezy, and such a lyrically clever song. Plus the tour performance was ace. Wise Madonna fans 'understand' this. 

[“Killers Who Are Partying” thread]

I love how this song just snakes along. It’s got this ominous, foreboding vibe to it. This might be a weird comparison but it’s kind of like a stripped down, acoustic sister to Skin. 

[“God Control” thread - video coming #soon]

Deeper and Deeper meets What It Feels Like For A Girl

[“Bitch I’m Loca” thread]

It's a fun song that's not meant to be taken seriously. They were both obviously just having a good time in the studio and came up with this. Totally in offensive and one of her best 'silly' songs in a long time. I almost see as an interlude really.

But I still don't like it on the album. 

[Madame X: Your top 5]

In no order.

1. Crave
2. Come Alive
3. I Don't Search I Find
4. God Control
5. Killers Who Are Partying

[“God Control” thread - video coming #soon]

What the hell does she have to lose by releasing anything 'controversial' these days? Not a fucking thing. 

Nowadays a 'controversy' by anyone that breaks at 9am - politician, celebrity, - is old news by 5pm. She'll get some buzz with this video and she'll get some flack by the usual bunch of pearl clutching, woke, Twitter tappers and that will be that. 

I mean, I read in some review of Medellin that she was 'insensitive' by even putting the word 'cartel' in the song. Are you kidding me? This is where we're at? Dissecting a pop song lyric by lyric and showcasing 'outrage' over the phrase 'cartel for love'?

It's no wonder she enjoys singing Future since the song seems address this very type of eye rolling behavior.

I hope the video is graphic. I hope it's shocking. I hope it gets my heart beating. I hope it offends as many people as she can hope to offend. I hope MADONNA is trending ALL GOD DAMN DAY LONG the day the video is released regardless of if it's positive or negative.  

[Madame X debuts at 1 on the Billboard 200]

It’s almost kind of emotional that she hit #1. Like here she is at 60 years old with an album that may be her least accessible to the general public hitting #1. All without an ounce of support from radio. 

Proud fan moment. 

[Your Madame X]

3 hours ago, CzarnaWisnia said:

I disagree. I don't like the tracklist as it is, I am free to change it as I see fit. I don't find it disrespectful to change it.

Exactly. 

I’m constantly switching up track lists from albums that already have perfect sequencing. The idea that this an OMG A COMPLETELY UNTOUCHABLE ALBUM PLS LEAVE IT HOW SHE INTENDED IT is laughable. 

 

[Your Madame X]

I don’t really think this album needs to be tinkered with when it comes to sequencing. You kind of lose the entire point of she was trying to do with this record if you start cutting and pasting with Madame X. 

That being said, as much as adore I Don’t Search I Find it kinda sticks out like a sore thumb on the album. In my opinion, it would’ve been better on Rebel Heart. 

[Madame X album general discussion]

7 hours ago, Crystal Coffin said:

And of course I mentioned the Boys for Pele comparison days ago - every M fan who loves Tori Amos should understand what we are trying to say. The two albums emanate very similar enigmatic vibe. I can also hear traces of Sufjan Stevens, and I would even say that if PJ Harvey ever makes a pop album, it would sound like Madame X. 

Thanks for the reminder. And continuously telling us what we should and should not understand. 

[Madame X album general discussion]

The more I listen to this album, the more it reminds me of Tori Amos' Boys For Pele. Both are sprawling, cryptic albums which while I don't believe are extremely cohesive, work brilliantly as a collection of songs due to the sequencing. Both are probably the hardest albums in their discography for critics, casual fans and the general public to digest. And both are rich and diverse and cover a multitude of genres and sounds that neither artist had done previously in their career. 

This IS her best album in terms of sequencing since Music. And it IS a Madonna ALBUM that's hard to listen to in bits and pieces. For instance, I simply can't listen to Killers Who Are Partying without having Crave come on right after. And while I was listening to Crave on its own for weeks, I need to hear Crazy afterwards. This is exactly how Boys for Pele was for me. It was impossible to listen to Blood Roses without hearing Father Lucifer afterwards. 

Madame X is a fascinating album with a lot of twists and turns. 

With Rebel Heart, she released 3 of her most radio friendly singles since Hung Up to absolutely no avail. Ghosttown and Bitch I'm Madonna ESPECIALLY should have been huge in their own right. And she knows as well as we do that if any other pop artist 30 years younger were to have released them, they would've been huge. I'm happy she didn't double down on that strategy and try to do it again with sugary hits in hopes of radio play. I'm happy made an album on her own terms, knowing full well that nothing she does is going to garner much radio play this late into her career. 

[Madonna on Jimmy Fallon]

Funny story about Fallon....

Years ago we had my boyfriends (now husband) sister over for dinner. She’s a pretty big pothead so afterwards we smoked and sat down to watch tv. Now, mind you I don’t smoke weed very often so when I do I get pretty fucking high and at the time I didn’t know his sister nearly as well as I do now. 

A Capital One commercial came on and Jimmy Fallon was their spokesperson then. Being SO high and COMPLETELY forgetting that his sister was IN THE ROOM I blurted out: 

“He’s so fucking cute. I would sit on his face in a second”

My boyfriend just yelled “JASON!”

And his sister completely died. Then we all  started laughing so hard it hurt. Needless to say it was the ice breaker that I needed with his sister. She has never let me live that down. 

So yes. I’ve always loved Jimmy. Add to the fact it’s obvious he’s a huge Madonna fan and that makes him even more perfect. 

Adorable interview. Loved the dance off. She looks incredible and I’m just blown away that she can still move like that. It’s almost inhuman. 

[Madonna on Jimmy Fallon]

I guess I’m not really surprised she isn’t performing. She just really seems to be doing her own thing this era and doesn’t seem to really give a fuck about any kind of proper promo. 

She probably saw how little the return on investment she had with all the promo she did for RH and thought why bother. 

Sad really. She still has a fan base that will happily watch anything she does and has a whole host of incredible new songs that don’t need a lot of bells and whistles to perform. 

Crave. I Rise. Killers Who Are Partying. Extreme Occident. Crazy. 

I do love her on Fallon tho. 

["Future" thread]

I'm also gonna sing the praises of Future. I think the song is extremely clever from a lyrical standpoint and she finally nailed the whole dancehall genre to a tee. I'm never one for rap guest stars, but Quavo is perfect for the songs vibe.

I also don't get why it's so outrageous that she MIGHT be performing this for Pride. I think it's a fine choice.