MDNA Press Reviews

There¹s a fun moment at the end of the video to the first single Give Me All Your Luvin, when Madonna flings a baby doll off camera and away from her breast. It isnt a subtle marker of starting anew with her loyal audience of gays and good-time girls, but it is comically satisfying nonetheless. Party Madonna is back and she wants us to know it.

Teaming up with producers Martin Solveig, Benny Benassi, The Demolition Crew and old hand William Orbit, MDNA is a dose of what she does best. While that may seem like just dance music, there is more to Madonnas oeuvre than that.

Girls Gone Wild, the biggest pop stomper on the album, kicks off with a reference to Act of Contrition from Like a Prayer. The production might sound like she¹s been listening to a fair bit of Rihanna, but whos counting. Madonna brings her own authority, creating the kind of anthemic party song that she does best, the kind where everyone from your three-year-old niece to your 60-year-old mother gets up on the dancefloor. Much of MDNA is about having fun, but despite that, this is a dark album. If Like a Prayer was her divorce record and Hard Candy suffered, one senses, from being put together as her relationship with Guy Ritchie was falling apart, then MDNA is a fuck you to her marriage, the life that came with it, and partly to herself for losing her identity in a partnership. Shes out to recapture who she is, and she has demons to slay.

The strangely titled Gang Bang sees her singing in a weird theatrical drawl about taking revenge on a lover who ruined her life. Shot you dead, shot my lover in the head…Im going straight to hell…Ive got a lot of friends there, she deadpans before yelling, Drive bitch, die bitch!. Its kind of stupid, kind of amazing, kind of funny and kind of fucked up but gives the album one vital ingredient to Madonna¹s success that all contenders, apart from Lady Gaga, have never clued up on: drama.

The Solveig-produced I Don¹t Give A..., is one of the album¹s tour-de-force moments. Beginning by recounting a typical day, it becomes intensely honest, and is, as is her way, a telling-off of her critics. Love her or loathe her, Madonna has made her name by raising a middle finger to, well, just about everyone. Wake up, this is your life, children on your own, gotta plan on the phone, meet the press, buy a dress, do all this to impress…do ten things at once and if you don¹t like it I don¹t give a…. Its here that she makes specific reference to her ex-husband. I tried to be the perfect wife…I diminished myself…it swallowed me…if I was a failure then I dont give a…. The track builds to a genius, choral, almost Tim Burton-esque conclusion.

This strongest, most immediate section of MDNA continues with Turn Up the Radio, which begins like a delicate ballad as she pleads with the listener to stop for a moment, to get away from the world through music. It may sound trite but there¹s urgency in its simplicity. It transforms into the albums most pounding moment, reaching a climax that threatens to blow the speakers. Some might find it unusually generic, but she makes it her own and fans will be happy to have a dancefloor filler that will shake the clubs and would happily find a slot on the next series of Glee.

One of the later highlights is Superstar, surely the sweetest song Madonna has released since Cherish. It twirls along, an open-top summer anthem, serenading a new lover with a hypnotic chorus. It¹s simple and pretty and a perfect song to sing on her summer concerts and should definitely be a single.

MDNA ends, as recent Madonna albums do, with deep melancholia, from the Orbit-produced Falling Free, one of the saddest songs shes ever written, through to the confessional I Fucked Up on the Deluxe Edition, accompanied by Beautiful Killer, a fun, 80s-sounding, strings-laced tribute to French actor Alain Delon.

Overall, this might not have the serious pop intensity of Confessions, its not as drastically new or experimental as music critics might like, but its fun, fucked up, dancey and full of drama. Its what her fans have been waiting for: a wallop enough of an album to put her back up there, at checkmate against Lady Gaga, who, despite her brilliance, doesnt quite give you songs that are as easy to disco dance to as some of these are. Is Madonna still the Queen as Nicki Minaj gabs at one point? On the strength of MDNA, its hard to argue against.

[Note to Monsters: Lady Gaga is frikkin amazing, too. Don¹t kill us.]

4 STARS ****

MDNA is released on March 26 on Interscope

March 3, 2012

http://boyculture.typepad.com/

Stepping Into Her World: The MDNA Listening Party

Tonight, a dream came trueI was invited to Liz Rosenberg's office for a Madonna listening party. It wasn't for Like a Prayer and this wasn't 1989, but MDNA lived up to my expectations and Liz always surpasses them.

In a nutshell: Write my Orbituary, MDNA is a beautiful killer.

As I was about to share with my new pal Sergio Kletnoy, seeing that legendary profile on Liz in the New York Times in '92 (a backlash pill meant to allow for something positive to be said about Madonna at a time when she was being excoriated everywhere) made me want to be in her nerve center so badly. My longtime friend Giulio got to visit Liz in her Warner Bros. offices (complete with the hair dryers from Blond Ambition!) a few years ago, but her new digs are still special.

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Got there early to find only a couple of people (it was later packed) ignoring the fabulous hors d'oeuvres and cupcakes, things Madonna probably hasn't eaten since she was dating Basquiat and was stealing food out of Dumpsters. The sound was pumped to the point of distortion, with "Gang Bang" blaring. It's an assault-on-the-senses kind of ditty, so it was perfect to walk into a wall of it.

My Russian doll Sergio arrived, we finally met in the flesh and I spent most of my time engrossed in conversation with him about our mutual obsession. It was like sex addicts meeting to talk about favorite blowjobsit went on and on and never got old. Also got to chat with Liz's beautiful and indulgent assistant Nadia (she must know that fans like Sergio and I should probably be handled with tongs and Hazmat suits, but like the wife in The Painted Veil, Nadia mixes and mingles out of the goodness of her heart) and my longtime so-many-mentor Denis, and of course with lovely Liz.

People seemed to be having fun so were either acting and couldn't wait to declare Madonna over once back in front of their computers or were actually enjoying the record.

The highlight of the night was when Liz and Nadio cranked "Gang Bang" and danced to it at the head of the table for everyone. "'Gang Bang' is my favorite song, go figure," Liz announced.

I'll do a full review after I've legitimately heard this album in a focused setting, but here are some thoughts to chew onat least it's not from someone anonymous!

"Girl Gone Wild" (still listed as "Girls" in my hand-out, oopsy) opens the album and is, for my money, a scorching-hot song. Is it "Madonna?" No; she didn't write it or anything. But it's a terrific opener and undeniable (to me) fun. "Gang Bang" is like "GGW" on female Viagra (chocolate?)it's a dark, driving club stomper, aggressive as hell. It has a techno edge that reminded me superficially of "Control" by Traci Lords. (A song I love. And please don't take any of my comparisons too literally; there was nothing that sounded...reductive.) Mika came up with this???

"Turn Up the Radio" is a sweeping, joyous pop-dance song as anthemic as "Get Together," one of my very favorite post-Ray of Light songs. "Give Me All Your Luvin'" sticks out like a sore thumb on this album. I remain a fan of it, but it's not near the top of my MDNA list.

Loved hearing "Superstar," complete with Lola singing backing vocals! A charming and fluffy song ("ooooh, la la!") that felt for me like "Little Star" had grown up and was having fun.

The suite of songs "Love Spent," "Masterpiece" and "Falling Free" is probably going to please any Madonna fan I've ever met. They're beautifully sung and are not cursed with oversimplified lyrics, nor do they sound like they care much if asinine radio programmers will like them. "Falling Free" is my fave song of the album so far, gorgeously sung, a total stand-out. Go, Joe Henry! Keep it together, indeed.

Now, I'd heard the bonus tracks were to die for, but who knew that a rumor would be true times 10? "Beautiful Killer" is a fucking great Orbit song. How in the HELL this is not on the album proper, how in the HELL this is not a title track, I'll never understand. Even the cringe-inducing title "I Fucked Up" turns out to be a really pretty, plaintive pop song. "B-day Song" didn't seem to have its guest starM.I.A. was M.I.A.

I genuinely loved most of what I heard. I would be shocked if many people didn't feel this was a vast improvement over Hard Candy which, let's be honest, was a good record. There are definitely songs on here that are personal, uplifting and inspiring mixed among the far louder "I'm still hot and young, fuck me in any hole you can!" club crushers.

There are five album configurations as of February 21, 2012:

STANDARD EXPLICIT ALBUM/ALL ACCOUNTS/PHYSICAL & DIGITAL

(1) "Girl Gone Wild"

(2) "Gang Bang"

(3) "I'm Addicted"

(4) "Turn Up the Radio"

(5) "Give Me All Your Luvin'"

(6) "Some Girls"

(7) "Superstar"

(8) "I Don't Give A"

(9) "I'm a Sinner"

(10) "Love Spent"

(11) "Masterpiece'

(12) "Falling Free"

STANDARD EDITED ALBUM/ALL ACCOUNTS/PHYSICAL & DIGITAL

Has all the same songs in the same sequence with no "Gang Bang"

DELUXE EXPLICIT ALBUM/ALL ACCOUNTS/PHYSICAL & DIGITAL

Same as first configuration, continues with:

(13) "Beautiful Killer"

(14) "I Fucked Up"

(15) "B-day Song"

(16) "Best Friend"

(17) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Party Rock Remix) ft. Nicki Minaj & LMFAO

DELUXE EDITED ALBUM/WALMART EXCLUSIVE/PHYSICAL EDITION

(1) "Girl Gone Wild"

(2) "I'm Addicted"

(3) "Turn Up the Radio"

(4) "Give Me All Your Luvin'"

(5) "Some Girls"

(6) "Superstar"

(7) "I Don't Give A"

(8) "I'm a Sinner"

(9) "Love Spent"

(10) "Masterpiece"

(11) "Falling Free"

(12) "Beautiful Killer"

(13) "B-day Song"

(14) "Best Friend"

(15) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Party Rock Remix) ft. Nicki Minaj & LMFAO

(16) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Laidback Luke Remix)

SUPER BOWL DELUXE EXPLICIT/ITUNES EXCLUSIVE/DIGITAL VERSION

Same as second version but continues with:

(17) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Party Rock Remix) ft. Nicki Minaj & LMFAO

(18) "Love Spent" (Acoustic Version)

gemini1313 · March 3, 2012

i cant wait!

gemini1313 · March 3, 2012

thanks for sharing!

interesting read. ive always loved the song cirtiques right before her albums drop.

builds the excnietment

karbatal · March 3, 2012

I don't know if it's a good idea to read these toughts. I recall before AL was released that in the listening party somebody labelled "Mother and Father" as a "one of the biggest 'hands in the air' songs she's ever written".

neutrocks · March 3, 2012

I don't know if it's a good idea to read these toughts. I recall before AL was released that in the listening party somebody labelled "Mother and Father" as a "one of the biggest 'hands in the air' songs she's ever written".

Well, it is, if you minus the lyrics. Seriously, I love "Mother and Father", but the lyrics and composition do not fit. It's a great song composition, but the lyrics on that one shouldn't have been so introspective/personal. She probably should have made the song more acoustic.

Shane · March 3, 2012

I don't know if it's a good idea to read these toughts. I recall before AL was released that in the listening party somebody labelled "Mother and Father" as a "one of the biggest 'hands in the air' songs she's ever written".

LMAO. Well, I love MAF and think it's a great dance track, but this description just about made me lose it!

March 3, 2012

None of reviewers mentions “Some Girls" and “I’m addicted”. I wonder what they sound like and if they’re the filler tracks on the record.

Shane · March 3, 2012

None of reviewers mentions “Some Girls" and “I’m addicted”. I wonder what they sound like and if they’re the filler tracks on the record.

I said the same thing yesterday, we don't know a thing about either. Maybe they didn't leave an impression? So intriguing. Then again I don't remember hearing anything about "Don't Tell Me" before the Music release. Or was it "Nobody's Perfect.".

mtzlplk · March 3, 2012

WOW, this is the only physical ONE-DISC release that exceeds the Standard content... will hardcore MADONNA fans pick this up too?

DELUXE EDITED ALBUM/WALMART EXCLUSIVE/PHYSICAL EDITION

(1) "Girl Gone Wild"

(2) "I'm Addicted"

(3) "Turn Up the Radio"

(4) "Give Me All Your Luvin'"

(5) "Some Girls"

(6) "Superstar"

(7) "I Don't Give A"

(8) "I'm a Sinner"

(9) "Love Spent"

(10) "Masterpiece"

(11) "Falling Free"

(12) "Beautiful Killer"

(13) "B-day Song"

(14) "Best Friend"

(15) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Party Rock Remix) ft. Nicki Minaj & LMFAO

(16) "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (Laidback Luke Remix)

LSD · March 3, 2012

Loved hearing "Superstar," complete with Lola singing backing vocals! A charming and fluffy song ("ooooh, la la!") that felt for me like "Little Star" had grown up and was having fun.

Always loved Little Star :inlove:

Dying with anticipation :grr:

Mensch · March 3, 2012

Well, it is, if you minus the lyrics. Seriously, I love "Mother and Father", but the lyrics and composition do not fit. It's a great song composition, but the lyrics on that one shouldn't have been so introspective/personal. She probably should have made the song more acoustic.

It is a great song nonetheless. Not her best song ever written but anyhow, isn't the whole American Life album like that. I thought that was the point of the record...introspective, electronica.

The Peter Rauhofer remix is to die for though!

And I'm glad my instincts were correct about Bday Song. I think Bday Song and GAYL will be the only songs I cringe when I think of them being a Madonna song. She was probably having a good time and wanted to be cheesy and fun and now her people probably told her as nicely as possible that it doesn't fit with the rest of the record and she probably was insistent that it remains somewhere on the record so they pushed it to the deluxe version.

I don't care cause at the end of the day, no matter how cheesy it is, it's new Madonna music so f-it, I may not LOVE GAYL but it's not the end of the world. The end of the world is if we don't ever get the official GAYL remixes they reportedly made with the MADONNA-ONLY edits and the Masterpiece Orchestral version lol. I want something new from these two songs damnit and there's nothing I hate more than the thought that Nicki Minaj is going to be heard on my new Madonna album...I need to get my MacBook pro immediately so I can edit the bitch out!

March 3, 2012

The MDNA Listening Party

Sergio Kletnoy on MDNA

On MDNA

First things first:

#MDNA is exactly what you think it is, a massive-boombastic-in-your-face-electric-don't-give-a-fuck-full-of-energy album.

#MDNA is Madonna's fuck-you to everyone who says she's past her prime, an emotional rollercoaster that takes u 2 the club & back 2 reality.

#MDNA is not revolutionary, it's not new but it's now, it's current w/classic Madonna hooks, great & cheesy lyrics & it made me want 2 dance.

For me, #MDNA as a full album is better than HardCandy or COTDF, apart from Hung Up of course which is in my top 5...Most of the songs would fit perfectly on the radio, by the way they sound, energy, fun and amazing hooks...

The album is pop music at it's best... It has something for everyone, it's classic Madonna, it's current and it's fun. I LOVED it, it's Madonna going back to her roots of real dance music...

The flow of the album was like a huge rollercoaster, it went up it went down it made u want to get off & then right b4 it sucked u back in.

Deluxe version with the bonus songs is so much better, my 2 fave songs were on the the deluxe...

Throughout the entire album I just couldn't help but think that this is the most commercial Madonna album, full of hooks, energy and love. It was a major fuck u to everyone who talks shit, It was fun, uptempo, full of energy and Nicki saying Madonna is the Queen.

Let's get 1 thing straight, Madonna sounds great, but u r not buying this album 4 vocals, she is having a blast & u can feel it all over. Madonna sounds like she's having a blast, it has something for everyone, I think that every Madonna fan is going to have a diff fave song.

U will go nuts when u hear it... Gang Bang, Love Spent, Beautiful Killer, I Fucked Up, Superstar, I'm a Sinner is MAJOR! The slower songs are: Love Spent, Masterpiece, Falling Free and even I Fucked Up (even though it has cursing in it). My 3 favorite tracks? 1. Beautiful Killer... 2. Love Spent... 3. I Fucked Up.

The album is so much fun, it's a 9 out of 10, if we could lose 1 or 2 songs, it would be a 10... I think most Madonna fans are going to L.U.V it! If you are a Madonna fan you will LOVE it! It is pretty fucking kick ass!

It still feels so surreal listening to the album, half of the songs I don't even remember because it all happened so fast... I honestly wish I could have listened to the album all night, it was so damn good, some songs are much better than others...

I honestly did not mind vocals on GGW, but compared to the rest of the album they did sound a bit flat... She sounds so alive.

Madonna sounds amazing! Gang Bang has so much attitude, it feels like an explosion, an atomic bomb, a massive fight between good and evil...Best part of the night, Madonna's publicist dancing to Gang Bang, the joy in her eyes and face was infectious, it was clearly her fave song.

Turn Up The Radio Straight up dance/pop record, it's fun, cheesy and current... It's not my fave but I wouldn't turn it off...

Honestly, Give Me All Your Luvin is the only song on the album that sticks out like a sore thumb and @mattrett completely agrees...

Lola makes a guest appearance on Superstar, it's adorable, fun, with an amazing hook and I wanted to play it over and over and over again.

I'm a Sinner - I remember loving it, but honestly don't remember the details because foolishly I did not write my thoughts down...It was mid tempo but I did not write down my thoughts... I was just trying to listen...

Love Spent is a beautiful mid-tempo pop record... It's Miles Away meets Nothing Fails meets Love Profussion, it was pretty & warm..

Falling Free is an ode to 60's, reminded me of Mer Girl, ambient, pretty, hypnotic and trippy.

From deluxe edition:

'Beautiful killer' - it's bad-ass, kick-ass & so fucking cool. No wonder it's a tribute to Alain Delon AKA France's James Dean. Hands down, my fave song on the album, it had so much energy, so much swagger, coolness and attitude... 10 stars!

Only Madonna can make lyrics like I Fucked Up sound beautiful and melancholy and yet so full of energy and life.

...this is just my opinion, Bday Song was just ok... It did not move me like most of the songs on the album... Honestly, it did not stand out, it was a bit cheesy and if I had it my way, it would be off the album... But it could grow...Didn't love it... It did not stand out to me, the lyrics were a bit childish and if I had it my way it would be the first to go.

neutrocks · March 3, 2012

It is a great song nonetheless. Not her best song ever written but anyhow, isn't the whole American Life album like that. I thought that was the point of the record...introspective, electronica.

The Peter Rauhofer remix is to die for though!

And I'm glad my instincts were correct about Bday Song. I think Bday Song and GAYL will be the only songs I cringe when I think of them being a Madonna song. She was probably having a good time and wanted to be cheesy and fun and now her people probably told her as nicely as possible that it doesn't fit with the rest of the record and she probably was insistent that it remains somewhere on the record so they pushed it to the deluxe version.

I don't care cause at the end of the day, no matter how cheesy it is, it's new Madonna music so f-it, I may not LOVE GAYL but it's not the end of the world. The end of the world is if we don't ever get the official GAYL remixes they reportedly made with the MADONNA-ONLY edits and the Masterpiece Orchestral version lol. I want something new from these two songs damnit and there's nothing I hate more than the thought that Nicki Minaj is going to be heard on my new Madonna album...I need to get my MacBook pro immediately so I can edit the bitch out!

Well, we haven't heard B-Day song, so I can't properly judge. Though, I don't "cringe" when I hear GMAYL. I guess that's a personal thing. But I'm not sure how GGW is any less fun than GMAYL? Neither song are really serious or introspective. Both are quite silly and full of life. Just two different sounds. Certainly, I agree GGW has a little more oomph, but it doesn't make GMAYL a bad song for myself.

I don't try to not to read too much into reviews other than the excitement and enthusiasm. It seems Madonna tends to include something off the wall on all her albums if not just plain silly. Maybe B-Day Song is one of those songs. I certainly thought that of SPANISH LESSON. I thought the same of CRY BABY on I'm Breathless or BYE BYE BABY on Erotica. If it's all in fun, than I'm not going to take it too seriously, nor feel like I have to "cringe" when hearing it. But again, we can't really compare B-DAY song with any of her songs, since we haven't heard it yet. What one person states, doesn't speak how millions will feel.

Mensch · March 3, 2012

Well, we haven't heard B-Day song, so I can't properly judge. Though, I don't "cringe" when I hear GMAYL. I guess that's a personal thing. But I'm not sure how GGW is any less fun than GMAYL? Neither song are really serious or introspective. Both are quite silly and full of life. Just two different sounds. Certainly, I agree GGW has a little more oomph, but it doesn't make GMAYL a bad song for myself.

I don't try to not to read too much into reviews other than the excitement and enthusiasm. It seems Madonna tends to include something off the wall on all her albums if not just plain silly. Maybe B-Day Song is one of those songs. I certainly thought that of SPANISH LESSON. I thought the same of CRY BABY on I'm Breathless or BYE BYE BABY on Erotica. If it's all in fun, than I'm not going to take it too seriously, nor feel like I have to "cringe" when hearing it. But again, we can't really compare B-DAY song with any of her songs, since we haven't heard it yet. What one person states, doesn't speak how millions will feel.

Good point. I guess I just don't like the chants and I don't like Nicki's addition (that's really the only point I cringe, when I hear the beginning of her vocal.)

I was super thrilled when it leaked and thought it was cute for a demo and enjoyed that. I guess when I realized it didn't change for the better except for MIA's 15 second bit, I was a bit turned off that it was the single. Honestly, that was probably it! Me, listening to the demo and creating an expectation long before we knew anything for certain and now that's the feeling I've carried along up until this point, where I'm just like, whatever. Once i heard GGW, i feel relieved remember all I know imma love the album. Some people will like it and some won't. I don't care for GAYL and think the fan-made Allessio Sylvestro remix should've been released as the single at least! Lol

agclef · March 3, 2012

Like everyone else keeps saying I CAN'T WAIT for this album!!! I feel like a lot of positive vibes have been swirling about around it - plus the already SOLD-OUT tour, another great time and reason to be a Madonna fan.

neutrocks · March 3, 2012

Good point. I guess I just don't like the chants and I don't like Nicki's addition (that's really the only point I cringe, when I hear the beginning of her vocal.)

I was super thrilled when it leaked and thought it was cute for a demo and enjoyed that. I guess when I realized it didn't change for the better except for MIA's 15 second bit, I was a bit turned off that it was the single. Honestly, that was probably it! Me, listening to the demo and creating an expectation long before we knew anything for certain and now that's the feeling I've carried along up until this point, where I'm just like, whatever. Once i heard GGW, i feel relieved remember all I know imma love the album. Some people will like it and some won't. I don't care for GAYL and think the fan-made Allessio Sylvestro remix should've been released as the single at least! Lol

I guess I just didn't have any huge expectations. And MIA and Nicky's part is about 25 seconds combined. If anything, it added a little more flavor to the song for me.

But I've been a fan from the mid 80's. So I've seen and heard it all. At this point, I'm just happy she's still doing her thing. I don't think she's just "phoning it in" as someone once said in one of these threads regarding her songs. She's done so much shit, it's kinda hard to top herself anymore. And while she's hardly falling into a category of an aging pop star, too many people are trying to push her into that direction. I don't see her doing that just yet. She's always trying to break the rules of what society sets and prove she can do whatever she wants no matter if she's a woman or fifty years old. And you can bet she'll be shaking her coochie when she's sixty and seventy. She's Madonna.

Shane · March 3, 2012

I guess I just didn't have any huge expectations. And MIA and Nicky's part is about 25 seconds combined. If anything, it added a little more flavor to the song for me.

But I've been a fan from the mid 80's. So I've seen and heard it all. At this point, I'm just happy she's still doing her thing. I don't think she's just "phoning it in" as someone once said in one of these threads regarding her songs. She's done so much shit, it's kinda hard to top herself anymore. And while she's hardly falling into a category of an aging pop star, too many people are trying to push her into that direction. I don't see her doing that just yet. She's always trying to break the rules of what society sets and prove she can do whatever she wants no matter if she's a woman or fifty years old. And you can bet she'll be shaking her coochie when she's sixty and seventy. She's Madonna.

I like what someone wrote about her changing the way we view sexuality in women over 50 and whether that impact will be felt years from now. However, I also agree with the person who said that you can't use Madonna as an example because she is just not like anyone else before or since. Just in a league of her own, alone.

SkyHigh76 · March 3, 2012

I guess I just didn't have any huge expectations. And MIA and Nicky's part is about 25 seconds combined. If anything, it added a little more flavor to the song for me.

But I've been a fan from the mid 80's. So I've seen and heard it all. At this point, I'm just happy she's still doing her thing. I don't think she's just "phoning it in" as someone once said in one of these threads regarding her songs. She's done so much shit, it's kinda hard to top herself anymore. And while she's hardly falling into a category of an aging pop star, too many people are trying to push her into that direction. I don't see her doing that just yet. She's always trying to break the rules of what society sets and prove she can do whatever she wants no matter if she's a woman or fifty years old. And you can bet she'll be shaking her coochie when she's sixty and seventy. She's Madonna.

I agree.Madonna really has nothing to prove.She's done so much,achieved so much.How could she possibly top herself? Like you,I am just thrilled that she's still out there,doing her thing,giving us new music and incredible tours.Unlike many of her peers,she hasn't self-destructed and destroyed her career.

Shane · March 3, 2012

I agree.Madonna really has nothing to prove.She's done so much,achieved so much.How could she possibly top herself? Like you,I am just thrilled that she's still out there,doing her thing,giving us new music and incredible tours.Unlike many of her peers,she hasn't self-destructed and destroyed her career.

Amen! Love that she rides high time and again without self-destructing! Honestly I think that is why some hate her, though. People like to judge a Courtney Love for breaking down, but secretly they wish Madonna would too. Or just go away. Never happened, though!

neutrocks · March 3, 2012

Amen! Love that she rides high time and again without self-destructing! Honestly I think that is why some hate her, though. People like to judge a Courtney Love for breaking down, but secretly they wish Madonna would too. Or just go away. Never happened, though!

That's one cool thing about Madonna. As much as the tabloids spew shit about her, not once is it really anything but silly gossip. They can't pin a personal meltdown or drug overdose on her. She's proved that she's one tough lady. No matter what you say about her, for the most part it will go ignored. She vents through her lyrics from time to time, but she's all business. It's so strange for a woman who has shared some intimate details of her life or supposed interests, we've yet to see Madonna as herself. We've seen little glimpses from time to time, but she manages to have a tight control on what's going on during her down time.

coco · March 4, 2012

thanx groovy :thumbsup:

it was difficult finding them in the other thread

very excited to read joe henry's involved

March 4, 2012

heres a summary of everything we know so far

http://mymdna.com

mymdna is a new site from my friend. check it out! its awesome!

March 4, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/SergioKletnoy

More from Sergio Kletnoy

Do any songs sound too experimental or progressive/avant-garde in any sense? I did not get that feeling, it's all pop music with edge... Nothing sounded like it was trying too hard...

It's a great Madonna album, I don't like comparing albums, it's an awesome mix of everything great Madonna has to offer. I personally loved it, it's a great mix of pop, dance, midtempo & ballads. She sounds like she is having so much fun!

The deluxe was pretty long, I listened to it twice and it took close to 3 hours... nothing weird, some of the lyrics were dark.

Gang Bang - It's so infectious! Lots of singing & some killer speaking. Gang Bang totally reminded me of "Thief Of Hearts" from Erotica, the tone,attitude, energy, M owns that song! Madonna is the master and Gang Bang is her slave lol... She owns that bitch! Matthew Rettenmund ‏ tweeted that "Gang Bang" has a Transvision Vamp echo to me in spite of being resolutely clubby.

BDay Song - It was very hard to tell, if she (MIA) was I missed it... But then again, I did not like BDAY song, so maybe she's still on it...

Some Girls & I'm Addicted - Honestly can't even remember what Some Girls & I'm Addicted sounded like, both uptempo dance records...

On Nicki's Verse on "I Don't Give A" : All I remember is that it wasn't as short as on GMAYL, but don't remember anything about it, I was way too excited. It wasn't short, I just don't remember what she talked about, I was way too excited and did not pay enough attention... It honestly went by so quickly that the only part I remember is Nicki saying Madonna is The Queen...

Superstar is awesome, upbeat, great hook, I was told Lola sings a little on it, it sounded cute and fun...

March 6, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/neil_mccormick

Neil McCormick

@neil_mccormick

Daily Telegraph music critic. Occasional Author. Eco worrier. Bad son. Good dad.

Home is where the heart is · http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/neil_mccormick

Neil McCormick ‏ @neil_mccormick

Spent yesterday writing Sinead O'Connor interview. Today is all about Madonna. What better way to spend International Women's Week?

Another MDNA review coming soon?

acko · March 6, 2012

SO where and when did Rolling Stone say it was better than expected?

SkyHigh76 · March 6, 2012

Madonna | March 4, 2012

Madonna: Early ‘MDNA’ reviews say she is Queen again

Edward Daily

San Diego Music Examiner

First, the bad news: San Diego’s Z90.3 has not yet added Madonna’s amazing new single “Girl Gone Wild” to its playlist. The good news: It has only been out for a week and they may add it later.

In even better news, MDNA has opened up to early spectacular reviews. Matt Rettenmund, a well-respected music critic and magazine editor, has said that MDNA is much better than Madonna’s last album, Hard Candy, which he liked as well. He says, “Write my obituary—MDNA is a beautiful killer.

Attitude Magazine says the following:

“It’s what her fans have been waiting for: a wallop enough of an album to put her back up there, at checkmate against Lady Gaga, who, despite her brilliance, doesn’t quite give you songs that are as easy to disco dance to as some of these are. Is Madonna still ‘the Queen’ as Nicki Minaj gabs at one point? On the strength of MDNA, it’s hard to argue against it.”

Popjustice and Rolling Stone Magazine have tweeted that the album is far better than they expected, but they won’t be giving full reviews for the next week. This column expects to have a review later this week as well. Keep up the good work, Madonna!

datf · 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.

1. Girl Gone Wild

A lean, sleek, electro stomper kicks proceedings off the way Madonna means to continue – with the machine tooled precision of 21st century techno-pop, balancing the twin requirements of radio friendly hooks and dance floor drive. “Girls they just wanna have some fun,” suggests our fearless leader.

Now where have we heard that idea before? This not particularly original notion is the album’s central manifesto: innocent amusement over introspection.

2. Gang Bang

Despite an unfortunate title that younger fans would be advised not to google, this is not (thankfully) some brutal sex romp. Rather, the title is a misguided attempt to distinguish itself from Sixties pop classic Bang Bang, from which Madonna borrows the central image of murdering an errant paramour: “Bang bang, shot you dead / Shot my lover in the head”. Sparse and atmospheric, with a stripped back electrobeat and low, drawling vocal, buoyed by bursts of sub-bass and developing into a solid techno groove, its one of the album’s odder and most interesting tracks, only sullied by Madonna’s dedication to leaving no lyrical cliché unturned. She is a fish out of water, a bat out of hell, apparently.

3. I’m Addicted

Arpeggiated synth sequences build into fizzing swells and stabs, bleeping and swooshing all the way. Very effective digital pop that will sound fantastic loud and hard on the dance floor but, like so many songs on Madonna’s 12th studio album, lyrics appear to have been added as an afterthought. Does anyone really need another song about being addicted to love, comparing the rush of hormones with narcotics? The vocal cuts and stutters, so that Madonna repeatedly declares herself to be a dick, dick.

4. Turn Up The Radio

Even in the age of the internet, it is still the radio that holds romance for our 50-year-old pop queen. Lush, shimmery keyboards frame a slow start, with Madonna seeking space from the crowd (or rather, in an effort to use every cliché available, “the maddening crowd”), before a nice, wonky synth launches a solid pop belter. Madonna finds herself “sucked like a moth to the flame” but the slamming dance floor outro should distract from lyrical banality.

5. Give Me All Your Luvin’

Is the spelling meant to distinguish it in search engines from ZZ Tops’ Gimme All Your Lovin’? Madonna’s serial appropriation of perennially overused ideas might almost be passed off as some kind of pop parlour game.

The first single is the lightest, frothiest track on the album, deliberately dinky and cute, built on a burbling eighties synth and glam slam drum pattern. Its prime purpose appears to involve Niki Minaj and MIA represent all next generation female pop stars by swearing allegiance to the Queen with the chant of “L-U-V Madonna!”

6. Some Girls

Let’s give Madonna the benefit of the doubt and assume she didn’t know the Rolling Stones already have a song called Some Girls. Anyway, you’d never find Mick and Keith shaking their stuff to a mid-tempo groove with a deep electro bass line and stabbing synths. Producer William Orbit plays tricks with Madonna’s vocals, from intimate to echoed, tinny to seductive, but the intention is apparently not to portray Madonna as some kind of every woman: “Some girls are not like me / I’d never wanna be like some girls” she rather tartly declares.

7. Superstar

Sweet and summery, with a shimmering ambience built up from a ringing guitar loop and echoing tom tom pattern that might have been constructed from Beatle drum fills. The poppy melody and “ooh la la, you’re a superstar” singalong chorus houses a lyric so clumsy its obtuseness almost sounds deliberate: “You can have the password to my phone / I’ll give you a massage when you get home”. For someone determined to keep up with the kids, Madonna’s retro references for ideal men may leave the youngsters baffled: Brando, Travolta, James Dean, Bruce Lee and Abe Lincoln (cause you fight for what’s right”).

8. I Don’t Give A

There is real energy to this Martin Solveig production. Madonna delivers a raised middle finger to the world in general, and ex-husband Guy Ritchie in particular: “I tried to be a good girl / I tried to be your wife / I diminished myself / And I swallowed my light / I tried to become all / That you expect of me / And if I was a failure / I don’t give a …” (I’ve been trying to think of an obscenity that rhymes with “me”, but maybe I am missing the point). The ending twists into a big, autotune choral coda with the drama of a techno Carmina Burana. An album highlight, though Niki Minaj’s explosive rap rather shows up Madonna’s more static delivery.

9. I’m A Sinner

With Orbit back at the controls, this is reminiscent of the uplifting thrill of Ray of Light. Constructed on a drum loop, it pulses along with a fluid almost Sixties keyboard, building to a big, declarative chugging gospel techno ride, with Madonna exultantly declaring that, like St Augustine, she wants to be saved, but not quite yet. A breakdown into a recitation of Saints (Christopher, Sebastian and Anthony all get a name check) is effective, and it ends with “ooh ooh”s cheekily reminiscent of Sympathy For The Devil. Fun.

10. Love Spent

Gypsy string loop and brief, treated Spaghetti Western banjo flourishes introduce an almost organic feel to a very synthetic, stylised album. A pop song about love and money (topics the Material Girl frequently conflates) it weaves elegant electro patterns and builds to a big, throbbing chorus.

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

SkyHigh76 · March 7, 2012

Madonna's new album MDNA: track-by-track review

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/9127093/Madonnas-new-album-MDNA-track-by-track-review.html

Neil McCormick give's the first verdict on Madonna's forthcoming album MDNA.

1. Girl Gone Wild

A lean, sleek, electro stomper kicks proceedings off the way Madonna means to continue with the machine tooled precision of 21st century techno-pop, balancing the twin requirements of radio friendly hooks and dance floor drive. Girls they just wanna have some fun, suggests our fearless leader.

Now where have we heard that idea before? This not particularly original notion is the albums central manifesto: innocent amusement over introspection.

2. Gang Bang

Despite an unfortunate title that younger fans would be advised not to google, this is not (thankfully) some brutal sex romp. Rather, the title is a misguided attempt to distinguish itself from Sixties pop classic Bang Bang, from which Madonna borrows the central image of murdering an errant paramour: Bang bang, shot you dead / Shot my lover in the head. Sparse and atmospheric, with a stripped back electrobeat and low, drawling vocal, buoyed by bursts of sub-bass and developing into a solid techno groove, its one of the albums odder and most interesting tracks, only sullied by Madonnas dedication to leaving no lyrical cliché unturned. She is a fish out of water, a bat out of hell, apparently.

3. Im Addicted

Arpeggiated synth sequences build into fizzing swells and stabs, bleeping and swooshing all the way. Very effective digital pop that will sound fantastic loud and hard on the dance floor but, like so many songs on Madonnas 12th studio album, lyrics appear to have been added as an afterthought. Does anyone really need another song about being addicted to love, comparing the rush of hormones with narcotics? The vocal cuts and stutters, so that Madonna repeatedly declares herself to be a dick, dick.

4. Turn Up The Radio

Even in the age of the internet, it is still the radio that holds romance for our 50-year-old pop queen. Lush, shimmery keyboards frame a slow start, with Madonna seeking space from the crowd (or rather, in an effort to use every cliché available, the maddening crowd), before a nice, wonky synth launches a solid pop belter. Madonna finds herself sucked like a moth to the flame but the slamming dance floor outro should distract from lyrical banality.

5. Give Me All Your Luvin

Is the spelling meant to distinguish it in search engines from ZZ Tops Gimme All Your Lovin? Madonnas serial appropriation of perennially overused ideas might almost be passed off as some kind of pop parlour game.

The first single is the lightest, frothiest track on the album, deliberately dinky and cute, built on a burbling eighties synth and glam slam drum pattern. Its prime purpose appears to involve Niki Minaj and MIA represent all next generation female pop stars by swearing allegiance to the Queen with the chant of L-U-V Madonna!

6. Some Girls

Lets give Madonna the benefit of the doubt and assume she didnt know the Rolling Stones already have a song called Some Girls. Anyway, youd never find Mick and Keith shaking their stuff to a mid-tempo groove with a deep electro bass line and stabbing synths. Producer William Orbit plays tricks with Madonnas vocals, from intimate to echoed, tinny to seductive, but the intention is apparently not to portray Madonna as some kind of every woman: Some girls are not like me / Id never wanna be like some girls she rather tartly declares.

7. Superstar

Sweet and summery, with a shimmering ambience built up from a ringing guitar loop and echoing tom tom pattern that might have been constructed from Beatle drum fills. The poppy melody and ooh la la, youre a superstar singalong chorus houses a lyric so clumsy its obtuseness almost sounds deliberate: You can have the password to my phone / Ill give you a massage when you get home. For someone determined to keep up with the kids, Madonnas retro references for ideal men may leave the youngsters baffled: Brando, Travolta, James Dean, Bruce Lee and Abe Lincoln (cause you fight for whats right).

8. I Dont Give A

There is real energy to this Martin Solveig production. Madonna delivers a raised middle finger to the world in general, and ex-husband Guy Ritchie in particular: I tried to be a good girl / I tried to be your wife / I diminished myself / And I swallowed my light / I tried to become all / That you expect of me / And if I was a failure / I dont give a … (Ive been trying to think of an obscenity that rhymes with me, but maybe I am missing the point). The ending twists into a big, autotune choral coda with the drama of a techno Carmina Burana. An album highlight, though Niki Minajs explosive rap rather shows up Madonnas more static delivery.

9. Im A Sinner

With Orbit back at the controls, this is reminiscent of the uplifting thrill of Ray of Light. Constructed on a drum loop, it pulses along with a fluid almost Sixties keyboard, building to a big, declarative chugging gospel techno ride, with Madonna exultantly declaring that, like St Augustine, she wants to be saved, but not quite yet. A breakdown into a recitation of Saints (Christopher, Sebastian and Anthony all get a name check) is effective, and it ends with ooh oohs cheekily reminiscent of Sympathy For The Devil. Fun.

10. Love Spent

Gypsy string loop and brief, treated Spaghetti Western banjo flourishes introduce an almost organic feel to a very synthetic, stylised album. A pop song about love and money (topics the Material Girl frequently conflates) it weaves elegant electro patterns and builds to a big, throbbing chorus.

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 cant 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, Madonnas 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

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