robster Posted May 15 Posted May 15 1 minute ago, Confessit II said: So who’s lying That image is clearly fake! The 16 track standard CD with booklet has no print on the CD itself besides her name and title in black and the inside of the inlay and booklet are bright pink with red imagery. The 12 track standard cd has no booklet. Why would a 16 track CD show a tracklist of only 6 songs, a CD does not have sides or limits to how many songs it can carry. Definitive bullshit. Also the design, colors and font do not match the overal art direction of the album in any way.
robster Posted May 15 Posted May 15 Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”!
luizotaviobarros Posted May 15 Posted May 15 12 minutes ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Amazing. Thank you so much for this.
bard Posted May 15 Posted May 15 53 minutes ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! i can't believe we still have 7 more weeks to go...
Dickens Posted May 15 Posted May 15 59 minutes ago, robster said: . . . tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. . . . actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. . . . not much vocoder. I was particularly glad to hear these two details.
Ekubo Posted May 15 Posted May 15 5 hours ago, MCHL said: Tokyo We had posters here in Los Angeles as well
dollhouse Posted May 15 Posted May 15 4 hours ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Thanks! This clear the air, So many fantastic details, I This stage of the album release when you get to know the songs little by little
Ekubo Posted May 15 Posted May 15 4 hours ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Thanks so much
Jim34 Posted May 15 Posted May 15 5 hours ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Thank you so much for this I‘m so excited now it all sounds so good
VogueMusic Posted May 15 Posted May 15 9 hours ago, robster said: I've spent all evening and morning scouring all reports from the listening parties, compiling recaps of all the notes and comparing and verifying info with people who went to the events. Several of them confirmed multiple times that Stuart talked to Jodie Harsh about the recording process in-between tracks and introduced the tracks that were about to be played. There were apparently different playback sessions where people all got to hear a maximum of 5 or 6 tracks but a slightly different selection, because some recall hearing "School" while others do not refer to it in their recounts. School is also a track from the second half of the album. Further evidence that it wasn't simply a playback of the first half of the album. For instance, member ChooChooToYourHeart from Reddit who attended the playback: "There was an album playback for media in London today. It was Stuart being interviewed and playing tracks off CII in between." Member Justpoppin from PopSquare: "What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone, inbetween Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other." And fans like me thank you for everything you do @robster! You’re one of the few, if only, ones I immediately go to on all the boards for the most accurate info in the ongoing rumor mill. Don’t pay the disrespect any mind.
smirnoff_ice Posted May 15 Posted May 15 Thank you so much @robster for putting all that effort! This part of a new Madonna release is almost as exciting as the first listen! All the anticipation and imagination in our heads…
Geiger83 Posted May 15 Posted May 15 6 hours ago, robster said: Stuart referenced Erotica. Thank you @robster for putting all info together References to Erotica is everything I needed to hear
Confessit II Posted May 15 Posted May 15 6 hours ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Thank You so much for this
robster Posted May 15 Posted May 15 You are very welcome everyone, my absolute pleasure. This time in an album release always gives me life. All the bits and pieces, connecting the dots, the talk about the creative process, unveiling of a new era, and I’m glad I get to share it with likeminded people who get IT and HER as much as me.
Geiger83 Posted May 15 Posted May 15 1 hour ago, robster said: You are very welcome everyone, my absolute pleasure. This time in an album release always gives me life. All the bits and pieces, connecting the dots, the talk about the creative process, unveiling of a new era, and I’m glad I get to share it with likeminded people who get IT and HER as much as me.
Mr Ciccone Posted May 15 Posted May 15 EXCLUSIVE: First listen of Madonna's new Confessions II album - 'dark with filthy basslines' The Mirror's Tom Bryant was among the first in the world to hear tracks from Madonna's hotly-anticipated sequal to Confessions On a Dancefloor - and was blown away by what he heard https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/first-listen-madonnas-new-confessions-37156521
Benjl1993 Posted May 15 Posted May 15 10 hours ago, robster said: Massive post, with all the info I could find from the initial reports from people who attended the listening session in London yesterday. From people talking about it on twitter, Reddit, forums, TikTok and instagram. I've divided the comments into two sections, one talking in general about the recording process and the second with comments about each track on the record that was previewed, in the order of the tracklist. Listening Party Recap General comments about the recording process The album playback for media took place in London on may 13th at a club called Lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was hosted by Jodie Harsh and Stuart Price was there and was interviewed while playing tracks off CII in between. What was played was not a continuous mix (except IFSF into Good for the Soul which is clearly Track 2). Everything else was played standalone. In between Stuart talking - he introduced tracks individually (quick fade outs) and never said they sat next to each other. Stuart said Celebration was the start of CII and they went to the studio after the tour. Madonna enjoyed doing the Celebration tour. They didn’t go in the studio thinking they were going to do Confessions II, the project evolved into it. It’s documenting where she is at in life and who she is. The mood board for the album was revisiting clubs like Twilight, Limelight, Danceteria etc. that Madonna frequented back in the day. Recording of the album was very structured. M would come with an A4 notepad with lyrics. Sometimes she would bring the lyrics and Stuart would have some music and they would connect the lyrics with the music. It was mostly recorded in one location with the same microphone she used for Confessions 1 which Stuart had bought with all the money in his back account 28 years ago. She was very specific about the sound she wanted. If Confessions 1 was Disco House, Confessions 2 is Chicago House. A mix of dance music, spoken word, sassy beats and passionate recollection. Overall it’s house with nu-disco & influences of Detroit techno…and just good old dance pop. There’s elements of 80s house, Detroit techno & nu-disco, but the lyrics are so original it doesn’t feel like throwback. Lyrically she’s plugged into memories, not just NY but Menjo’s as a teenager in Detroit. Another random (but great) moment from Stuart. When he was asked when he knew that what he was working on was going to be Confesstions 2 he said “When she posted it on Instagram”. The album took over a year to complete. Madonna would listen to each song they recorded, start to finish everyday when she was at the gym. Stuart referenced Erotica. There is a lot of spoken word on the album about what the dancefloor means. It’s confessional but also includes songs around loss and related to world events. He talked about bit about the Abbey show. He said M’s vocals was the best he heard. I also made a note about the record was Madonna being at the height of her expression and also showing vulnerability. He referred to the album as a 16 track record and did not mention the 12 track version. He also said “Is it 16 tracks or is it one long track?” According to Lucy O’Brien tracks are mostly regular length of 3 to 4 minutes. The vocals sound intimate, up close to the mic. Also soaring in places. She can still sing, and actually there’s a lot more of her melodic vocal than spoken word. So, don’t worry. Still plenty of her singing. Her voice was stretched and treated in places, but not much vocoder. Most of the album was recorded during the night, between 10 pm to 3 am and you can tell. He also mentioned no collaborator was ever the same after working with Madonna (in a positive way) Someone asked if there was saxophone on any of the tracks to which Lucy said she didn’t hear any. Track by Track information and reaction I Feel So Free The song was played during the event in combination with track 2 “Good For The Soul” Good For The Soul A huge spiritual banger. Track 2, this mixes in straight after I Feel So Free. Good for the Soul. Begins with the lyric “Everything begins with consciousness“, so immediate Bedtime Stories vibes. Piano house chorus “Let down your hair and breathe in the air”. Stuart talked about it as exploring digital versus in real life connections. The verses are about the digital but the chorus is the antidote (“Dance in the rain, no need to explain”). Another song was a 4 to the floor track called “Good For the Soul” that had a hint of Detroit techno. “Good For The Soul” is a more straightforward dance track, with slight hint of 90s techno. The vibe that “dance is medicinal”… It’s slightly drum and bassy with an instrumental breakdown, beefy, heavy vibes it builds and builds and it’s hot. Bring Your Love As mentioned elsewhere nothing was recorded remotely. BYL was recorded in NY with Sabrina. There was an immediate physical chemistry between them as they had similar experiences at different times of their lives. He said the idea of recording BYL came up naturally and they just went “let’s get in the room and see what happens. He also said BYL was a “Fuck You” track and was about having control over your own career. And it was like “you think you know me or know better than I do? F U! bring your love!” Danceteria Danceteria will result in wig shortage worldwide. Incredible. Vogue style raps checking Basquiat, Keith Haring and … Debi Mazar. In a “oh this is so good” kind of way. “Everybody here is a work of art” A big moment in the COADF2 sessions was how they had the rough concept a song (“everybody get up and dance” was the hook I think). Madonna said she had an idea but wanted to go home and work on it. The next day she had pages of lyrics and wanted to record it straight off. Her first take was the one we hear on the final track, “Danceteria”. It’s a total banger. It was giving Debbie Harry, Lady Miss Kier but TOTAL Madonna. It’s incredible. There’s an incredible spoken word track called “Danceteria”, with her stories about clubland. Danceteria reminds me of her Vogue rap, but more gritty. And rather than being about Hollywood icons, it’s her NY friends. It got a massive round of applause when we heard it. And it’s funny too! Stuart says for “Danceteria” she used an old mic from back in the day, sellotaped together. The entire room applauded. 80s NYC disco chaos and Madonna relives the iconic club that discovered her. It’s also giving Vogue. It’s like Vogue meets COADF. It’s THE song, a hot song. The song feels like the spoken bit of Vogue but on steroids, like it just feels like she’s taken that concept, thrown it into a dance blender and turned it right up. The beat is absolutely infectious on it, and even on that first listen I was already singing the chorus. That is definitely the track I’d be spinning in clubs. When describing references for the song someone who heard it said Blondie’s “Rapture” for the Fab 5 Freddy check (he’s in there with Debi M), rap and homage to a scene. Dee-lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” for the sass and funk/house mash-up. Madonna’s “Fever (Radio Edit)” from Finally Enough Love for the 90s house and Girls Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” just for the breeziness and fun (and some sonic similarities in my mind at least). Vogue and Everybody are too easy to reference but basically imagine those two having a girls night. Danceteria proper SLAPS. Bizarre This song was played during a NYC listening party according to reports. School “School is in Session” is a line in the song. Described as a ‘deep cut’ gave me Up Down Suite vibes. Stuart said it asks who is the teacher and who is the student? Fragile An anthem for grief, written as Madonna lost her brother. This one will make you cry. The song “Fragile” is about her brother Christopher. “Fragile” is slightly slower, has elements of that icy production & synth strings of Frozen. Beautiful. It is actually very moving. You know one of those songs with a sense of yearning, like she’s grasping something out of reach. Prominent strings and a choir mixed in at some point. The drums were sort of “broken” in the verse and when the chorus comes it’s more syncopated. The deepest and most raw song, also referencing the current state of the world. Very emotional. Features the line “You’ve been hurt before”. Actually very euphoric. Love Sensation The song was recorded live in a traditional DJ setup with just 4 faders and samples. Sensational! “Love Sensation” sounded like the version played at The Abbey. Stuart said they liked to test the tracks out with a live crowd (‘testing as you go, seeing what works’). It has that big room chug and her voice is pitched quite low… It had a piano house vibe, hopeful vibes. It was one of the last tracks they finished for the album. After they finished the track, played it in full in the studio Madonna turned around towards Stuart and said “BANGER”! Thank you! Honestly this all sounds like a fever dream, I'm so excited.
Confessit II Posted May 15 Posted May 15 3 minutes ago, Anne said: So Danceteria seems to be the track that impressed people the most. That appears to be the case! It sounds very much like the ultimate vibe and track that’s sums up what’s CII is all about. Looking back to her start on the NYC dance floors surrounded by artists & creative forces that helped her become who she is today! I do think it could absolutely be the albums 2nd single and be released just before the album….. Sounds like the perfect song to take to World Cup final as well? Could this track be the big solo song all the insiders where raving about ? Because all the journalists attending the listening parties are !!!!
luizotaviobarros Posted May 15 Posted May 15 12 minutes ago, Anne said: So Danceteria seems to be the track that impressed people the most. Yes! Wonder if this is the one with the bits in Italian that Dazed (on Infinity) referred to. Speaking of Dazed, at one point they implied that there might be other featured artists on this album ("If you think this is a Madonna-only album, you're in for quite a surprise" or something to that effect). But so far no other duets have been mentioned or alluded to. Or maybe they meant associate producers?
Confessit II Posted May 15 Posted May 15 1 minute ago, luizotaviobarros said: Yes! Wonder if this is the one with the bits in Italian that Dazed (on Infinity) referred to. Speaking of Dazed, at one point they implied that there might be other featured artists on this album ("If you think this is a Madonna-only album, you're in for quite a surprise" or something to that effect). But so far no other duets have been mentioned or alluded to. Or maybe they meant associate producers? That’s something that has surprised me. Nobody has reported another collaboration besides Sabrina from any of the listening parties. But maybe they are being selective and not playing those tracks to keep the collabs a tightly held secret until release day.
Mr Ciccone Posted May 15 Posted May 15 3 minutes ago, luizotaviobarros said: Yes! Wonder if this is the one with the bits in Italian that Dazed (on Infinity) referred to. Speaking of Dazed, at one point they implied that there might be other featured artists on this album ("If you think this is a Madonna-only album, you're in for quite a surprise" or something to that effect). But so far no other duets have been mentioned or alluded to. Or maybe they meant associate producers? Well there are still 3/4 songs that have not yet been revealed...
Geiger83 Posted May 15 Posted May 15 6 minutes ago, luizotaviobarros said: Yes! Wonder if this is the one with the bits in Italian that Dazed (on Infinity) referred to. Speaking of Dazed, at one point they implied that there might be other featured artists on this album ("If you think this is a Madonna-only album, you're in for quite a surprise" or something to that effect). But so far no other duets have been mentioned or alluded to. Or maybe they meant associate producers? The Sabrina collaboration is superb and I think it’s enough. I am praying for no more collabs
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