Madame X is Madonna's fourteenth (fifteenth in my opinion since I count I'm Breathless) studio album following 2015's Rebel Heart. Prior to releasing the album on June 14th, 2019, Madonna released five singles from the album - "Medellín," "I Rise," "Crave," "Future," and "Dark Ballet" (links to my reviews of these singles can all be found here). I will begin my review with the third track titled "God Control"
since the first track is "Medellín" and the second track is "Dark
Ballet," both of which I have already reviewed. "God Control" (similar
to "Dark Ballet") is definitely different for Madonna because it doesn't
stick to one genre. It careens from piano-driven pop, to gospel-like
choir (similar to songs such as "Like a Prayer" and "Living for Love"),
to straight out disco. The fact that the song is so disco-driven is
ironic because it's a disco record in 2019 and is more disco than
anything that she has ever done, including her material from the early
'80s. My favorite part of the song is when it transitions into disco,
and Madonna, in a high-pitched and saccharine tone of voice that reminds
me a great deal of the Barbie character from the Toy Story
films, says, "This is your wake-up call. I'm like your nightmare. I'm
here to start your day." I also love the chorus in which she sort of
raps: "People think that I'm insane. The only gun is in my brain. Each
new birth, it gives me hope. That's why I don't smoke that dope." As I
will likely discuss again in this review, Madame X is probably
Madonna's most political album thus far, and this song (along with
others such as the aforementioned "Dark Ballet," "Future," and "I Rise")
serves as a perfect example of that as it lyrically touches upon people
being in denial of the dark state of the United States (and ultimately
the world) right now: "Everybody knows the damn truth. Our nation lied;
we've lost respect. When we wake up, what can we do? Get the kids ready;
take them to school." I have seen a lot of fans say that "God Control"
is their favorite song from Madame X (and they have consequently
rejoiced at the fact the song is the latest to be adapted into a music
video), and while I don't think that it's my favorite song from the
album, I do definitely agree that it's a highlight. It's one of the most
experimental songs that Madonna has done in a long time.
I have also seen some fans cite "Batuka" as their favorite Madame X song, and that I definitely
do not agree with. I am not even sure what the title means or what it
has to do with the lyrics of the song except for the fact that the song
features the The Batukadeiras Orchestra of Portugal. (Madonna lived in
Portgual for a while prior to her work on Madame X, which is
likely one of the primary reasons why there is so much Latin style on
the album.) The song begins on a beat that reminds me a lot of the
opening of her Rebel Heart song "Veni Vidi Vici,"
and the song is punctuated by what sounds like a tribal drum. Madonna's
parts (which are more chanted than they are sung) are echoed by the
aforementioned choir. Even though, as just stated, Madonna's parts are
not even truly sung (they are more so chanted), she still has her voice
heavily filtered electronically, and too much vocal manipulation is
actually one of the primary complaints that I have regarding the album
overall. I totally understand that electronic music often uses
autotuning and vocoder for a certain effect, but it's far too heavy
handed on a lot of Madame X and rarely seems to serve much
purpose (as is the case on "Batuka"). Another issue that I have with
"Batuka" is that it's redundant. The chorus of the song is simply as
follows: "'Cause it's a long way ('cause it's a long way). It's a long
way (it's a long way). 'Cause it's a long day ('cause it's a long day).
It's a long day (it's a long day)." Repetition sometimes works in a
song's favor (the chorus of MARINA's song "Forget"
is, in my humble opinion, a perfect example), but it really doesn't
here, especially because the choir echoing everything that Madonna says
gets a bit annoying after a while. The only thing that I do appreciate
about the song is that like many of the songs on the album, it features a
strong sociopolitical stance such as when it asserts, "...so don't
judge a human (don't judge a human) 'til you're in their shoes ('til
you're in their shoes)..." "Killers Who Are Partying"
is a highlight for me. It features a Latin-influenced instrumental with
a mellow beat with Madonna giving examples of people who are oppressed
around the world: "I will be gay if the gay are burned... I'll be Islam
if Islam is hated... I'll be a woman if she's raped and her heart is
breaking." I find these lyrics interesting because she already is
some of these things (such as a woman), but regardless, it carries a
powerful message of empathy and being there for others who are in pain.
It reminds me of this classic quote.
"Crazy" is another Madame X song that I really
like, definitely serving as a highlight for me. It features a steady
waltzy rhythm that reminds me a bit of Avril Lavigne's song "Tell Me It's Over,"
which is one of the main reasons why I love it. I also love it because
of its catchy and playful tone and melody. Unlike many of the other
songs on Madame X, "Crazy" isn't really political in any way,
instead seeming to primarily address an ex (or possibly current) lover:
"I spent all night waitin' up. It's gon' be the last night I wait up for
you." The song seems to overall be telling a lover that she isn't going
to change for them, that what they see is what they get and that they
can pack their bags if she is too much for them. What I especially love
about "Crazy" is its reference to Madonna's classic song "Like a Prayer"
when Madonna sings that "I bent my knees for you like a prayer." "Come Alive" is catchy and sounds to me like it could easily belong on her 2012 album MDNA. I love the jovial melody and its positive message of wanting peace and for the world to reach its potential. "Extreme Occident" might be my favorite song from Madame X, although it might be closely tied with "Looking for Mercy" and "Dark Ballet." "Extreme Occident" is actually the song that was used in the album trailer
(which was titled "Welcome to the World of Madame X"), which kind of
makes sense because the song is about the cyclical nature of traveling
to find one's identity ("I came from the midwest. Then I went to the far
east. I tried to discover my own identity."), and similar to MARINA's
Electra Heart persona (which I honestly think was constructed much more
efficiently), Madame X is a fantastical character whose many titles
(such as professor, head of state, housekeeper, equestrian, prisoner,
student, teacher, etc.) are metaphors for the many facets of Madonna's
own identity. I love the beautiful and mournful melody of this song and
the soft pizzicato and piano.
The song also brings in tribal drums a little bit less than halfway
through which is an interesting and unexpected turn (something of which Madame X offers a lot). As I said, it might just be my favorite song on the album, which is kind of funny because it moves into "Faz Gostoso" (a collaboration with Anitta) and "Bitch I'm Loca" (like "Medellín" and his own song "Soltera," a collaboration with Maluma) - my least two favorite songs on the album.
"Faz
Gostoso" is an upbeat pop song that is mostly in Portuguese (which
could admittedly be one reason why I don't much like it) and is
technically a cover of a popular Portuguese song of the same title.
I will admit that it features a catchy melody and kind of sounds a
little bit like something that Gwen Stefani might do, but I just can't
click with it, which is probably, as I said, primarily because I don't
speak Portuguese (and most of the song is in Portuguese). I believe that
the title translates roughly to "Does It Good" (but if, like me, you
don't understand the language and really want to invest some time in
learning what it is saying in English, you can look here on Genius for the English translation). "Bitch I'm Loca" (which, of course, means "Bitch I'm Crazy," and that I already knew) has an upbeat reggae-like rhythm (reminding me a bit of her Rebel Heart song "Unapologetic Bitch").
Although, once again, I don't understand most of the lyrics, I did run
the lyrics through Google Translate (since Genius, for some reason,
doesn't provide any translations for this song), and many of the lyrics
are sexual, which isn't at all a surprise. The second verse, for
example, translates approximately to, "I want to be your bitch, also
your baby. Then, do not complain when that little girl bites. I like to
be on top, see how you get turned on. Then, do not complain when you
bite that mouth (hey, hey, hey, hey)." Although, as I said, I don't much
care for the song, I do kind of appreciate the frisky spoken part
between Madonna and Maluma at the end of the song. Madonna says, "So
nice to meet you, Mr. Safe." Maluma returns the greeting with, "So nice
to meet you, Mrs. Crazy. Where do you want me to put this?" Madonna
responds by saying, "Um, you can put it inside." Leave
it to Madge. I am by no means a white supremacist or ethnocentric or
anything even remotely similar, so I do appreciate the fact that Madonna
is (and honestly always has) representing languages and cultures other
than my own, but it does unfortunately create a disconnect when I can't
really relate to the song because I can't understand most of it. Even
looking translations up doesn't completely open that barrier.
Madame X then offers up "I Don't Search I Find," interesting because it definitely brings me back to the Madonna of the early '90s - sounding reminiscent of tracks such as "Vogue" and "Deeper and Deeper." (I have, in fact, seen other fans say that it reminds them of her 1992 album Erotica,
and I agree 100%.) It reminds me especially of "Vogue" because of its
strings accompaniment which power a disco-infused '90s dance beat. It
lyrically reminds me a bit of her Rebel Heart song "Veni Vidi Vici" as
it seems to feature a similar theme of self-confidence and assertion,
but as is the case with a handful of Madame X songs, there really
aren't many lyrics featured in the song, as a lot of the song is just
lyrics repeated. "Looking for Mercy" is another highlight on the album
for me not only because I love its low synths (which remind me of Rebel Heart's song "Inside Out")
but also because I relate to its message of feeling like you're
constantly hitting roadblocks and just wanting to catch a break: "Teach
me to forgive myself, outlive this hell." I am also reminded a bit of
the Rebel Heart song "Joan of Arc"
because both songs speak of trying to (or at least wanting to) appear
stronger than you really are. In "Joan of Arc," Madonna sings, "I can't
be a superhero right now. Even hearts made out of steel can break down.
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet. I'm only human." Here in "Looking for
Mercy," she sings, "On the outside, I'm strong." I love the song's
combination of the aforementioned synths, the strings, and the choir;
it's such a beautiful song, and it's criminal that it's not on the
standard edition of the album (only the deluxe), especially since I
think that it would make a much better closing track than "I Rise" does,
which closes the standard edition and the digital deluxe versions of
the album. The two-disc hardcover CD release features three bonus tracks
on a separate disc (which is kind of silly because they could have fit
on the same CD) - "Funana" (a fun and upbeat electropop song which
mentions several deceased musicians such as Aretha, Avicii, Bowie,
Elvis, Whitney, etc., another song that should not have been relegated
to a deluxe version as it is one of the album's best), "Back That Up to
the Beat" (a reworking of an unreleased but leaked demo from the Rebel Heart sessions which I much prefer), and "Ciao Bella" (honestly a pretty forgettable electronic dance track, although it's very reminiscent of Music, which makes sense given Mirwais's involvement).
Madame X
is undoubtedly Madonna's most political album to date, tackling issues
such as racism, ethnocentrism, violence in schools, gun control,
homophobia, Trump's policies, etc. Although I very much prefer the last
album Rebel Heart, one thing that I will give Madame X is that it's more tightly focused. Even though Rebel Heart has some of Madonna's best songs of her career ("Living for Love," "Ghosttown," "Inside Out," "Messiah," "Addicted," etc.), it is all over the place both stylistically and thematically, but Madame X
definitely offers a tighter sound and narrative. It's also a lot more
experimental than anything that she has done in a while. A lot of fans
have been critical of how Madonna is more so following trends rather
than starting them nowadays, and while there are a couple of songs on Madame X
(especially "Crave" - even though I love it) that sound rather generic,
the album overall isn't continuing that pattern. Most of Madame X
doesn't seem interested in radioplay, as songs like "Dark Ballet"
(which should have been closer to the end of the album if not at the
very end) and "God Control," for example, sound nothing like top
40 pop radio today. I am not usually a fan of pop musicians
collaborating with rappers (Nas, for example, ruined "Veni Vidi Vici" in
my opinion), but I actually enjoy most of the collaborations on Madame X,
especially the one on "Crave," as the song wouldn't even remotely be
the same or as good without Swae Lee's gentle and soulful cooing. Even
the lead single "Medellín" (about which I felt kind of indifferent upon
its initial release) has grown on me, and I now love it. Madame X
is, however, certainly not my favorite Madonna album and isn't even in
my top five. For starters, as I already discussed, there is a disconnect
for me personally because of the language barrier and there being so
many songs in Spanish and Portuguese. I also, as briefly discussed
before, don't feel that the album's intended theme of partitioned
identities via the character of Madame X is conveyed very well. "Killers
Who Are Partying" and "Extreme Occident" are the only two songs that
really express it, and it's rather weak even then. (As advertised
before, if you're looking for a pop album that does an excellent job of
storytelling through an alter ego, look no further beyond MARINA's 2012
album Electra Heart.) There is also, as mentoned, way too much
vocal manipulation on the album. All in all, however, I am definitely
more satisfied with Madame X than I had expected to be.
"Dark Ballet" is the fifth single from Madonna's upcoming studio album Madame X, due for release on June 14, 2019. The single is preceded by "Medellín" (which I reviewed here), "I Rise" (which I reviewed here), "Crave" (which I reviewed here), and "Future" (which I reviewed here). I saw a fan on Facebook refer to "Dark Ballet" as this generation's "Bohemian Rhapsody," and while I do think that it is a fantastic and amazing song, I sincerely doubt that it will ever reach the iconic nature of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (especially since not even Madonna's most iconic singles such as "Holiday" or "Like a Prayer" have quite reached that status). I do, however, understand the comparison in musical style because the song keeps switching between different musical genres and styles, and like "Bohemian Rhapsody," it features (as the title would suggest) a ballet part as well as an intro and an outro (or coda). I love the piano accompaniment in "Dark Ballet" and am definitely looking forward to hopefully hearing the instrumental of the song. I especially love the very fast and fantastical piano solo that breaks through a little less than halfway through the song - the part of the song that is ultimately (to me, at least) the apex or climax of the song. This is quickly followed by playful synths that lead into vocals so distorted that they're nearly impossible to understand (reminding me a bit of songs like"Impressive Instant" and "Hollywood" which makes Mirwais' involvement in the song's production pretty obvious) over a sampling of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's easily recognizable "Dance of the Reed Pipes" from his 1892 ballet The Nutcracker. Similar to previous singles "I Rise" and "Future," "Dark Ballet" urges us to start caring more about our surroundings and the world in which we live: "'Cause your world is such a shame," Madonna sings in the chorus of the song, 'cause your world's obsessed with fame, 'cause your world's in so much pain... 'cause your world is up in flames." It asserts its message from the perspective of the historic Joan of Arc (to whom Madonna also alluded on her Rebel Heart song of the same name) who was executed by being burned alive at the stake (in part because of the crime of cross-dressing and in part because her claims of visions were regarded as heresy), which Madonna directly touches upon in these lyrics: "You can cut my hair and throw me in a jail cell, say that I'm a witch and burn me at the stake." (I especially love these lyrics because they remind me of In This Moment's song "Joan of Arc" in which frontwoman Maria Brink sings, "...and I wage my war 'cause either way, you'll burn me at the stake.") "Dark Ballet" is by far the most experimental track not only from what we have heard from Madame X thus far but is also one of the most experimental tracks from her entire catalogue so far, and it's definitely my favorite single thus far from Madame X. (I am finally starting to feel a lot more confident about this album!) I do, however, find it a bit odd that it is the second track on the album because it definitely sounds like a closing track.
"Future" is technically the fourth single released from Madonna's upcoming studio album Madame X (set for release on June 14th, 2019), preceded by "Medellín" (which I reviewed here), "I Rise" (which I reviewed here), and "Crave" (which I reviewed here). "Crave" remains my favorite single released from the album so far, and "Future" definitely has not solidified any confidence in this upcoming album. (I definitely think that it's probably going to go down as one of my least favorite Madonna albums of all time.) "Future" features rap vocals from Quavo, and while I do like the tropical beat and the horns (giving the song a bit of a ska flavor and reminding me of No Doubt songs such as "Underneath It All"), I am kind of annoyed by the song's repetition. (If you look at the song's lyrics, for example, you will see that most of the song is really just a handful of lyrics that are repeated over and over again.) The song also doesn't really feature a catchy hook, as the melody doesn't really ever go anywhere all that fun or interesting. What I will say about this song, however, is that even though it doesn't feature many lyrics and features a really simple structure, the lyrics that are featured are meaningful, as the song is addressing people living in the past, unwilling to embrace change and diversity: "Not everyone is coming to the future. Not everyone is coming from the past." The song's lyrics do remain hopeful, however, as they encourage people to make an effort to change so that they can come into the future: "You ain't woke. Come here woke, and hear the broken. Come give hope; come give life. Only get one, so we gotta live it right... Open your mind. Open your eyes." I, as I said, love the message of the song, but it musically doesn't do a whole lot for me, but who knows? It could very well grow on me. As previously stated, "Future" now makes four songs released from Madame X, so I am wondering if Madonna will release any more singles before June 14th. Five singles would definitely be pretty excessive, but that seems to be the nature of the music business nowadays - more emphasis seems to be placed on singles as opposed to albums, and it really makes me miss the old days. (I am definitely starting to sound like an old geezer, but I digress.)
"Crave" is technically the third single from Madonna's upcoming studio album Madame X (due for release on June 14th, 2019). (I saw a fellow fan on Facebook say that Madonna has apparently announced that "Crave" is the album's second official single, but I am saying third because we have thus far had "Medellín," "I Rise," and now "Crave" all released as singles, but I guess that "I Rise" is intended as a promotional single and not an actual official single.) Although I am still a bit apprehensive about the direction of Madame X (as I discussed in my reviews of the first two singles here and here), a little bit of faith has been restored after having heard "Crave" because I really like this one, and it's my favorite song of the three that we have heard thus far. The track begins with acoustic guitar under Madonna's opening verse: "I'm tired of being far away from home, far from what can help, far from where it's safe. Hope it's not too late. Rush, rush, rush on you. Love, love, loved on you. Love you like a fool, put my trust in you." The first line of the song about being tired of being far away from home is likely inspired by Madonna's actually being far away from home, as she has been spending a great deal of time in Portugal (which is said to have inspired the Latin flavor of the overall album, which one can definitely hear in "Medellín"). I really love the pacing and rhythm of Madonna's verses, and although the song does have a bit of a generic R&B beat to it (something that I have seen a lot of fans negatively criticize, which I can totally understand), I overall love the song for what it is - a catchy and above average pop song. I even like Swae Lee (whose name I recognize from his collaboration with Post Malone titled "Sunflower") being featured on the song even though I usually don't much care for rappers being featured on pop artists' songs. (Nas, for example, ruined the final version of Madonna's song "Veni Vidi Vici" on her most recent album Rebel Heart.) Lee also contributes some singing (not just rapping) to the song, and I really like his singing voice. (I am even tempted to check out his own discography to see if there is anything that I might like, since I also like the aforementioned "Sunflower" song.) The song is lyrically pretty straightforward, as it is about being deeply attracted to and maybe even addicted to someone: "You're the one I crave," Madge sings in the song's chorus, "and my cravings get dangerous" (reminding me a bit of the Rebel Heart song "Addicted" in which she uses phrases such as "the drug that I crave" and "I'm attracted to the dark"). "Crave" is, as I said, very catchy and is definitely the catchiest of the three songs so far, but I really, really hope that I am wrong about Madame X. I have seen some fans (including a friend of mine) say that Madonna used to set trends but now follows them, and I, for the most part, agree. "Crave" (as much as I truly love it) does seem to be following a trend, but one reason why I love Rebel Heart as much as I do is that I feel like, for the most part, Madonna was just doing what she wanted to do on that album without worrying too much about current trends; it is, after all, definitely not a very mainstream album, with the lead single "Living for Love" even calling back to the gospel flavor of "Like a Prayer." I seriously doubt that Madame X is going to top Rebel Heart (I mean regarding quality, not financial success), but as a longtime Madonna fan, I am still, of course, eager to hear what more the album has to offer.
"I Rise" is the second single released from Madonna's upcoming studio album Madame X, a bit of a comeback album considering the fact that it has been four years since the Queen of Pop has released an album (2015's Rebel Heart). I prefer the song to the album's first single "Medellín" (which I reviewed here), but it is still far from being a highlight from Madonna's overall catalogue thus far. The song begins with light static as if it's a vinyl being played with the needle just having made contact with it (a technique also used on "Erotica"), which is quickly interrupted by Emma Gonzalez, who, along with David Hogg, has been a rabid activist for gun control after witnessing and surviving a shootout in February 2018 at her high school in Parkland, Florida. In the intro of "I Rise," Gonzalez angrily and passionately asserts, "...Us kids don't know what we're talking about, that we're too young to understand how the government works! We call B.S.!" The audio was likely lifted from a rally/protest, and the sentiment definitely sets the tone and the stage for the remainder of the song. "I Rise" calls back to political songs from the Rebel Heart era such as "Freedom" (this song even borrows a line from "Freedom": "Freedom's what you choose to do with what's been done to you"), "God Is Love," and "Revolution" (all of which ended up on the cutting room floor and were not used on the final product). "I Rise" addresses rising against tyranny and becoming stronger as a result of trauma, abuse, and hardships, my favorite lyrics being these from the first verse: "There's nothin' you can do to me that hasn't been done. Not bulletproof, shouldn't have to run from a gun" (which obviously makes sense in tandem with Gonzalez being at the beginning). Near the end of the song, the orchestral accompaniment featured reminds me of "Vogue," and the song also sort of has a folktronica flavor that reminds me a bit of American Life, my favorite Madonna album so far. I have seen some fans criticize the song for the melody being relatively static and never going anywhere interesting, and I agree to an extent; it's definitely not the catchiest song that she has ever done, although the chorus (especially since it keeps repeating "I rise") feels anthemic, which is very likely the point (in that it's probably intended to remind listeners of a chant being called out at a rally or protest - again calling back to the song's intro). I have also seen some fans criticize her use of a vocoder on the song's vocals, comparing it to Cher (who definitely overuses autotuning and vocoding in a lot of her music), and while I do understand that, I don't find it anywhere near as annoying or egregious as I do in "Medellín." I definitely appreciate the culturally relevant and important lyrical content and am definitely hoping for more of that from Madame X (the standard version of which will actually close with "I Rise"), but I have to admit that after now having heard two songs from the upcoming release (scheduled to drop on June 14th, 2019), I am a bit worried about this album's direction and am afraid that I am not going to be too fond of it. (I feel that way primarily because I am not overly impressed by either single thus far.) Two songs also isn't anywhere near enough material to make that judgment yet, however (especially since they are very different from each other), so only time will tell.
Madonna (considered by many to be the Queen of Pop) has finally returned to the music scene (following her 2015 album Rebel Heart) after a pretty lengthy hiatus with "Medellín," the first single from her upcoming studio album Madame X
(which is set for release on June 14th, 2019). "Medellín" (the title of
which being in reference to the city in Columbia where collaborative
vocalist Maluma was born) is Madonna's first single since "Hold Tight"
(which was released in July of 2015, so it has been nearly four years).
The song (as previously mentioned) features guest vocals from Latin pop
vocalist Maluma and is very Latin pop oriented itself. Madonna is
certainly not a stranger to infusing Latin beats and Spanish lyrics into
her music. She did it on her hit single "La Isla Bonita" (which she has performed on every single tour since its 1986 release) and on 2008's Hard Candy's "Spanish Lesson"
track. "Medellín" offers a catchy chorus, and I love Madonna's
whispered vocals when she says "1, 2, cha-cha-cha" and "Slow down,
papi." Overall, however, I consider the track to be one of the weaker
tracks from Madonna's career thus far. Not only are its Latin style and
heavy hip hop beat simply not to my usual preferred style of music
(which is saying a lot because I am a very eclectic music listener), I
also don't like Maluma's rap (Is it rap? I am honestly not even too
sure) parts because they are in Spanish, and as a non Spanish speaker, I
can't much appreciate verses of a song that I can't comprehend (although Billboard does graciously offer an accurate translation here). I do like Madonna's filtered vocals in the verses which remind me of her 1998 album Ray of Light (probably my second favorite Madonna album, my first favorite being her 2003 album American Life),
but there are parts that are aggressively auto-tuned in a cringe-worthy
sort of way, especially when she sings "I felt so naked and alive" in
her second verse. I can get behind auto-tuning when it's used in a
stylistic sort of way, but it just feels utterly unnecessary here. While
I don't much care for the song, however, the music video
is visually gorgeous and cinematic and is unlike anything that I have
seen in a while from any artist, but I am ultimately hoping for some
more introspective and meaningful songs from Madame X, which, as a
reminder, is scheduled to drop on June 14th! (Here is to hoping that a
leak doesn't lead to an earlier release date as infamously happened with
Rebel Heart four years ago!)
When the Rebel Heart era started, my friend David (who is also a huge fan of Madonna) and I decided that we would make it a point to see her live this time around. We made such plans early on and vowed that we would make it happen come hell or high water. Here's the thing about Madonna. She's talented when it comes to performing, songwriting, dancing, and even singing (I say even because some people dispute this, saying that her ability to sing live without any digital aid is not that great, something that I think that she has proven wrong on more than one occasion), and she has obviously left a legendary mark over the last thirty+ years, but I will just say this - there is a line from her unreleased leaked track "Two Steps Behind Me" that says that "tickets are going to cost," and even though I am taking that out of context, it certainly is true. Two tickets for me and my friend costed over $300, and those were for pretty shoddy seats. We were not only at a considerable distance from the stage but also had a side angle (photograph of my view of the stage is inserted below), which prevented me from seeing quite a bit, such as many of the tour videos that played behind dear Madge. Really good seats close to the stage costed anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000, and no, I didn't accidentally add extra zeros. That was obviously out of the question, and it amazes me that anyone in their right mind would be able to afford that. It really makes me wonder who sets these prices. If it's Madonna herself, then as much as I respect her as an artist, it would seem that she has a bit of a superiority complex. Then again, though, if people are actually willing to pay that kind of money, then I guess that it's reasonable that someone would take advantage of that.
Several months before attending the show, David and I created our own setlists. I think that his was more of a dream setlist, but I did my best to make mine as realistic as possible. I was anxious to see how close that I would be. This is the setlist that I created:
- Illuminati
- Iconic
- Borrowed Time
- Hollywood
- Hung Up / Addicted
- Ghosttown
- Give Me All Your Luvin'
- Bitch I'm Madonna
- Girl Gone Wild
- Vogue
- Borderline
- Turn Up the Radio
- Give It 2 Me
- Unapologetic Bitch
- Devil Pray
- Holy Water
- Erotica / S.E.X.
- Human Nature
- Veni Vidi Vici
- Rebel Heart
- Celebration
- Like a Prayer / Living for Love
I was, however, way off on my predictions. The only "dream" inclusion was a mashup of "Hung Up" and "Addicted." I knew that she wouldn't perform "Addicted," anyway, let alone perform it mashed up with "Hung Up" (but I sure do wish that someone would do that). Although I was wrong about what song that she would open with, my expectation was that "Iconic" would, at the very least, be near the beginning of the show, and I was right about that, as the show opened with "Iconic." I was also right about "Devil Pray" and "Holy Water" being played back to back, but it was actually in reverse order and closer to the beginning of the show. Aside from that, I was terribly wrong, and it really pains me to admit that I was, overall, disappointed with what I got. I would have preferred my setlist. For starters, Madonna closed with a pretty generic performance of "Holiday," violating my expectation that she would close with "Living for Love" (since closing with the lead single from the associated album is essentially what she has done since the Drowned World Tour in 2001). The main reason why I was disappointed with that is that she has closed so many tours with "Holiday," so it was nothing new. The Who's That Girl world tour, The Girlie Show, and the Re-Invention World Tour all closed with "Holiday." I was also really disappointed with the "Living for Love" performance itself. It was essentially the same performance that we have seen in the past (with the cape and the minotaurs), and I was quite honestly fine with that. It worked in the past, and I didn't mind being presented with something familiar but also still fresh. What I didn't like, however, was that it was a remix that was performed, a remix that essentially killed the power and strength of the chorus.
I did not spoil myself regarding the setlist prior to seeing the show. I wanted to be surprised by what I heard, but before going in, I determined that she would most definitely perform "La Isla Bonita." I didn't put that on my predicted setlist because it didn't occur to me until afterward that Madonna always performs "La Isla Bonita." It must be a favorite of hers because ever since the song was released on True Blue in 1986, she has performed it on every single tour. It's a good song and is certainly a classic, but it's getting old. I found myself really disappointed with the setlist overall because aside from the Rebel Heart songs that she performed, most of the songs that were included were old songs from the eighties that have been done time and time again ("Burning Up," "Material Girl," "Everybody," "Lucky Star," etc.). I understand that they're classics, but absolutely nothing from American Life (my favorite Madonna album and also the album that I feel fits the best with the rebel theme) was performed, and only one song between Music and Rebel Heart was performed, which was "Candy Shop" from 2008's Hard Candy. "Candy Shop" is not a single, but this seems to be another song that Madonna enjoys performing live because she has done so on every tour since the Sticky & Sweet Tour. Although they were not on my setlist (because, as I said, it was primarily meant to be a realistic prediction, not a dream setlist), I really would have liked to have heard more Rebel Heart songs like "Inside Out," "Wash All Over Me," and "Hold Tight." It is also a sin that she didn't perform "Veni Vidi Vici" because even though it isn't really one of my favorites from Rebel Heart, the reflective, introspective nature of it made it a necessity to perform on the tour, and it should have either been near the beginning of the setlist or near the end.
There were, for me, three primary highlights of the show. The first was the fourth song performed, a medley of "Holy Water" and "Vogue." This performance reminded me of The Girlie Show (the tour to promote the 1992 album Erotica), primarily because of its provocative, sexual nature (see performance here). I remember leaning over to David and saying that if she hadn't already taken heat from conservatives, she surely would. Much to my surprise, I have not seen any related headlines. Another highlight for me was her acoustic performance of "True Blue." Although an oldie, she hasn't performed the song in nearly twenty years, and, as I said, it was an acoustic rendition (see here), and it was absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait for a studio version to surface. The third highlight for me was the title track, "Rebel Heart." Although I was disappointed (but not the least bit surprised) that she performed the album version of the song as opposed to the superior Avicii demo version, it was still such a surreal experience to hear the melody live. The Avicii demo is the first song from this era that I (and probably most Madonna fans) heard, and I was blown away by how good that it was. If the album had collectively lived up to the standards set by that demo, then it most certainly would have been her best album yet. Although I couldn't see it all very well, a video played while Madonna sang the song, a video featuring fanmade artwork and whatnot, and near the end of the performance, I felt overwhelmed by emotion and got teary-eyed. As I said, it was just a really surreal experience to hear that song being performed live in front of me.
The majority of the remainder of the show was, however, rather disappointing, especially since, overall, it did not match the intended goal of the era - which was, as it has been put (even in the intro of the show), a revolution. "Messiah" is a beautiful song, one of my absolute favorites from the album, and although I am glad that it was included at all (I honestly didn't expect that it would be), it deserved to be actually performed rather than serve as an interlude. I really enjoyed most of the outfits (especially this utterly beautiful, colorful dress worn during the middle section of the show), but as I said, I didn't have the greatest view. That's why I can't really effectively review the dancing, the props, etc.; I didn't get a good view. In fact, David tried to point out a depiction of the Last Supper to me, but I couldn't see it. It's a shame that tickets to see her are so majorly overpriced because I would have immensely enjoyed myself had the seats been better. Madonna seemed really free and happy, and all that I could think throughout a majority of the show was how lucky the people on the bottom floor near the stage were. Even the merchandise was majorly overpriced. I got a t-shirt because I wanted a keepsake, but it was $40. Hoodies were, I believe, $75. David and I wanted programs but did not get them because I believe that they were $30 apiece. Again, I don't know who decides on these prices, but it's ridiculous. Seeing Madonna was on my mental bucket list, and I feel so lucky and blessed that I was able to make that a reality, but if I were ever to see her again, it probably wouldn't be unless it were close and/or if I had the money to afford (a) better seat(s) because otherwise, I don't think that it would be worth it. I think that I will get much more out of this tour when I see it on blu-ray or DVD than I did seeing it live.
Madonna's new music video for the song "Ghosttown" was just released two days ago, and I can safely say that I believe it to be the best music video that Madonna has released in years. Reflecting back on her career, I can think of very few music videos that I enjoy as much as I enjoy this one. Upon learning that "Ghosttown" would be a single and that production of the music video would begin soon, I was both happy and apprehensive - happy because "Ghosttown" is one of my favorite songs from Rebel Heart but apprehensive because I wasn't sure whether or not I should expect a grand-scale, epic music video, not after the disappointing video for the first single. For "Ghosttown," I envisioned Madonna sauntering through some sort of desert or wasteland; I really wanted the music video to reflect the post-apocalyptic nature of the song. However, I feared that I would not get what I wanted; I feared that I would get some sort of generic and sexy video that wouldn't do much to reflect the song, but I was pleasantly proven wrong. This video is amazing.
I think that what I love the most about this music video (as opposed to the aforementioned "Living for Love" music video) is that it is very cinematic, both artistically and in the fact that it has a narrative and tells a story. The video starts with warnings being broadcast over the television, warnings such as "This is an international emergency message; please, stand by for instructions" and "Nuclear devices have detonated in the following cities..." We then see a distraught Madonna getting up from a filthy bed and moving to her vanity, where she holds and kisses a photograph of her mother. The photograph of her mother is a wonderful, beautiful touch that might lend to the idea that the song can be interpreted in more than just one way. There is the obvious way of interpreting it, which is that two people are holding on to each other after some sort of apocalyptic event, but perhaps, Madonna also intended the song to be a message from her mother, telling her that even though she is gone, she will be her fire, her light, and her cover. There is often at least one place on her albums for her mother (such as "Promise to Try," "Mother and Father" and so forth).
Madonna then kicks the door to her residence open and shows us an industrial world in flames, through which Madonna saunters with her majestic green cape. She finds and picks up a top hat, which totally complements her outfit and looks great on her. Cars are on fire, street signs are down, and Rebel Heart promotional posters have been destroyed (of course). She then comes across a merry-go-round and a swing-set and plays on them because, well... you know... it used to be her playground. I think that her playing on the playground is symbolic of finding hope in a seemingly hopeless place, light in a seemingly dark place. We then see another character in the video played by actor Terrence Howard. He seems to be an assassin who is also trying to stay alive by staying close to fire to stay warm and so forth. Eventually, he and Madonna find each other, and after a relatively lengthy dancing sequence shared between the two of them, the ending of the music video offers more hope. The two of them rescue a lost and seemingly abandoned child (whose parents probably died) and walk off with him and a dog into a smoky and industrial horizon. The ending suggests that they will form a new family and start new lives together, where their pasts won't matter and where they can, perhaps, manage to start building a brave new world. I simply adore this music video so much. It was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who is certainly no stranger to Madonna, as he has directed several of her music videos in the past. Bravo to all who were involved, as this is easily Madonna's best music video in years.
Shortly after we officially got six tracks from the album ("Living for Love," "Devil Pray," "Ghosttown," "Unapologetic Bitch," "Illuminati," and "Bitch I'm Madonna"), I wrote a review of that release, considering it, I suppose, as a sampler EP. For this full review, then, I will avoid repetition by starting with the seventh track, "Hold Tight." I will do my absolute best to review the album objectively and not compare each and every song to its demo version(s), but in some cases, that will be difficult to do. Regardless of whether or not we are comfortable discussing it, demo versions did unfortunately leak, and the diehards listened. How could we not? Some of them are exceedingly better than the final album versions (in my opinion), which makes it a bit difficult to review the album objectively. "Hold Tight" is an example of a song that I think was weakened when it made its way to the final product. The song kicks off sounding like it could potentially be a song from the early part of her career but quickly becomes closer to 2015. The song is somewhat similar thematically to "Ghosttown" in that it is about love conquering chaos. The problem with this version is that it is drastically tranquilized and loses its energy and danceability. The eighth track on the album "Joan of Arc" is a very confessional track displaying a very vulnerable, broken Madonna. Lyrically, the song is about not really being as strong as you seem or pretend to be, about actually being quite vulnerable and sensitive. Madonna admits to how negative press, negative rumors, etc. actually causes damage. This is another song that I wish had not been altered as much as it was. The demo version is strictly acoustic and sounds almost like an American Life outtake. The final version adds a poppy beat that sucks the emotional power out of the song.
"Iconic" is one of my favorite tracks from Rebel Heart. I remember reading that Madonna would be pushing limits and boundaries on the new record, and I think that this song is a perfect example of how she did just that. The song does not sound like a song that would normally be on a Madonna record; it sounds like a really intense remix, and I don't think that the song shows an interest in charting. The song is chaotic and noisy in a really epic way, and it has a dark, industrial sound to it. The song features a spoken intro by Mike Tyson and a rap verse by Chance the Rapper, the latter of which I could do without, but overall, as I said, this song is definitely one of Rebel Heart's highlights. "HeartBreakCity" is a soft piano ballad that expresses anger toward an ex-lover for making promises that he eventually broke, breaking her heart in the process. The song has an interesting marching beat added to it, which I love; it adds a really emotionally compelling element to it. The eleventh track is titled "Body Shop" and is a track that seems to make me a black sheep of the Madonna family. Many reviewers highly praise this track, citing it as a highlight, but this is a weak spot on the album in my opinion, with weak lyrics of car metaphors acting as sexual innuendo and a terribly simple melody. The folky sounding song admittedly makes interesting use of what sounds like it might be a ukulele, but overall, the song really doesn't do much for me.
"Holy Water" was co-written with Natalia Kills, which I think is quite obvious. It follows Natalia's typical style and reminds me of her track "Controversy." The song's hook "Bitch, get off my pole" reminds me considerably of the line "Hey, get off my cloud" from Gwen Stefani's new track "Spark the Fire," although that is mere coincidence. The song is groovy and industrial and samples Madonna's classic hit "Vogue." Thematically, the song accomplishes little, as it is merely about having cunnilingus performed on her, with the rhetorical question (asked to assure her lover that he is not committing a sin), "Don't it taste like holy water?" By the end of the song, I find myself wishing that he would answer already so that she would stop asking. "Inside Out" is one of my favorites from the album, but this is another one that I cannot refrain from comparing to the demo version because I find the demo version to be far superior. The demo version is dark and industrial with a beat begging to be danced to; the dark danceable nature of the track reminds me a bit of Madonna's 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor album. Had the demo version been used, "Inside Out" would certainly be another example of a boundary-pushing track on the album, but the album version is considerably quieted down and made a bit more generic sounding. I do like both versions but prefer the demo version. Regardless of which version is being discussed, however, the song has a sweet message to it, as it suggests that love should be about being vulnerable to each other, confiding in each other, and not keeping secrets from each other. "You're beautiful when you're broken down" is arguably the most telling lyric of the song.
"Wash All Over Me" closes the standard version of the album, and while I do believe that it makes an excellent conclusion, both lyrically ("If this is the end, then let it come...") and melodically, it is nearly blasphemous that the title track is left over as an extra on the supplemental editions. "Wash All Over Me" is a track that has multiple versions, as in addition to the final album version, there are four demo versions. This is a case, however, of actually preferring the album version over all others. "Wash All Over Me" is a beautiful song that (perhaps unintentionally) samples a few lyrics from the unreleased track "Liquid Love," and it is about coming to terms with your surroundings and accepting things the way that they are rather than try to perfect everything. It is atmospheric and features piano, another marching beat, and a very light, ambient electric guitar. It is a wonderful song and is one of my favorites, but the deluxe edition continues with what is certainly my least favorite song on the album - "Best Night." "Best Night" starts on a very interesting note - electronically altered chanting voices over a fluctuating electronic sound, but the song continues with a very generic beat and simple lyrics about a one night stand. Over a rather annoying buzzing accompaniment, the song's chorus monotonously and repetitively says, "I'll make this the best night of your life." That's quite honestly the most that I can reasonably say about this track; it is, in my opinion, one of the weakest tracks that Madonna has ever released throughout her career, but perhaps the song's one highlight is the break near the end of the song when Madonna uses a spoken word verse deeply reminiscent of her "Justify My Love" 1990 hit.
I did not like "Veni Vidi Vici" (Latin for "I came, I saw, I conquered," which is the song's main hook) at first, but it grew on me a bit. I honestly still consider it to be one of the weaker tracks on Rebel Heart, though, especially since it is such a Madonna-centric song that should not feature a guest artist addressing his own biography. This song would be so much stronger without Nas's unnecessary vocals. What is so great about this song, though, is that it is a reflection on Madonna's career, using lyrics that reference some of Madonna's hits over the years (including "Holiday," "Into the Groove," "Express Yourself," "Like a Virgin," "Borderline," "Vogue," "Justify My Love," "Like a Prayer," "Open Your Heart," "The Power of Good-Bye," "Ray of Light," and "Music"). It is a decent pop track but does not need Nas's rap; his rap is specific to his career and doesn't belong on her album. The seventeenth track is titled "S.E.X." and is about precisely what the title suggests - sex. The song is basically a Sex 101 class directed toward a lover, fearlessly referencing many sex elements and acts such as handcuffs, blindfolds, leather mask, perfume, underwear, fishnets, satin sheets, candle light, leather belt, golden shower, latex thong, etc. I find the reference to golden showers to be unnecessarily bawdy, but overall, I like the song, which has a hip-hop beat and haunting piano chords.
The eighteenth track is "Messiah" and is definitely a highlight. It is a track that should have been included on the standard edition of the album. The song is piano-driven (which I love) and also features several Pagan references (which I also love). The Pagan references are to the sun god and the moon goddess and to casting a spell to help someone realize that he loves you. It is quite possible that "cast a spell" is meant to be taken figuratively, not literally, but I truly believe that Madonna was trying to capture a Pagan theme here, especially in conjunction with the reference to the sun god and the mood goddess. Like "Wash All Over Me," the song sounds like it could be a good conclusion to the album, but the song ends with the sound of a heartbeat, leading in to the title track. This is another one that I hate having to compare to a demo version, but it most certainly cannot be avoided in this case because the song was destroyed. The first demo of the song that leaked was Madonna at her absolute best, a powerful, feel good pop/rock track that made Madonna more human than she had possibly ever been. What we get on the album is stripped of its epic power, as it is acoustic and backed with a painfully generic beat that I am pretty sure was supplied with a drum machine. Gone are the beautiful "rebel heart" chants found in the original demo, and this version is so weak in comparison. It makes me sad when I listen to it, but at least the far superior version is available to us. "Rebel Heart" should be included on the standard edition of the album, especially since it is the title track, but it is not. I am not sure what shaped that decision.
"Rebel Heart" closes the deluxe version of the album, but Madonna fans were treated to an even more enhanced version of the album, the super deluxe version of the album, which includes four bonus tracks and two remixes of "Living for Love." The physical edition features a second disc with these six tracks included. The disc opens with "Beautiful Scars," a very lighthearted, poppy song pleading with a lover to accept her for who she is, flaws and all. It is a really decent pop song, but I don't mind it having been scrapped from the standard edition and the deluxe edition. Next is "Borrowed Time," which is another song that was unfortunately ruined. The first demo version that we heard of this song was absolutely epic in its electronic power, and the electronic break found in the original demo version is stripped from the album version. Lyrically, the strength of the song still stands, as it is a song about avoiding hatred, violence, prejudice, and so forth, because all of us are going to die someday and are living on borrowed time; we should therefore make the best of the time that we have. Musically, however, it is essentially ruined. Following that is "Addicted," quite possibly my all-time favorite song from this era. The song sounds like a Confessions song, sounding deeply reminiscent to me of "Hung Up." The song is full of energy and is one of my favorite songs to which to dance. Lyrically, the song covers not being able to give up on someone even though he continually hurts you. The "Living for Love" remixes notwithstanding, the super deluxe version of the album closes with "Graffiti Heart," a summery Owl City-esque song comparing love to art. It fits with the Rebel Heart theme well and consequently probably should have been included on more than just the super deluxe version.
Other tracks that are technically included on the album are "Autotune Baby" and "Queen." "Autotune Baby" is included on some editions of the album, but I hardly feel slighted by the fact that the United States edition excludes "Autotune Baby" because it is a very weak track in my opinion. The song opens with the sound of a baby crying and the sound of a rattle; the baby's cries soon become sing-songy as they are autotuned (on par, of course, with the song's title). The autotuned cries of the baby serve as a primary factor of the song during the verses (which I find to be quite annoying) whereas the accompaniment of the chorus sounds almost like a sixties girl group pop song. Thematically, the song captures an adult's desire to be infantilized by a lover, something that I actually believe to be quite common; some of us enjoy feeling safe and secure with another human being, similar to how a baby feels safe with its parent(s). "Queen" is a wonderfully beautiful song that was included in a twenty-five track leak of the super deluxe leak of the album (which included "Autotune Baby" and "Queen" in place of the two "Living for Love" remixes), but I don't think that "Queen" ended up making any cut of the album, which is unfortunate because it is one of my favorites. It sounds like the perfect conclusion to the album and really should have been the closing track to Rebel Heart.
Several songs on Rebel Heart had me worried that the album was Madonna's farewell piece. Songs such as the title track, "Wash All Over Me," "Veni Vidi Vici," and "Queen" sounded very much like farewell songs. The title track is a deeply confessional track that may, in fact, be the most confessional track that she has ever released, and it looks back on her life, proud of all that she has achieved even though she had to make mistakes along the way. There has been no announcement, however, of the album being her final album, nor has there been any announcement that the Rebel Heart Tour (which I will be attending in Brooklyn in September) will be her final tour, so I don't think that rebel hearts have anything to fear as far as that is concerned. Rebel Heart is quite eclectic; unlike most of Madonna's albums, it doesn't have a centralized sound and is all over the place musically. To some people, the album comes off as convoluted and messy, and to some extent, I can agree with that. I just wish that some of the weaker songs such as "Best Night" had been switched out with some of the strong songs such as "Never Let You Go" (another song that sounds like a Confessions outtake), "Alone with You," "Trust No Bitch," and "Heaven." I also wish that the title of the album had been accentuated more with some of the thematically appropriate songs like "Freedom" and "God Is Love," as opposed to the flux of sexual songs that we get. (See my edition of the album here, which I consider to be far superior.) All in all, however, Rebel Heart is a huge improvement over 2012's MDNA and is full of fun energy and boundary-pushing sounds that possibly make the album one of Madonna's best. If only some of the better versions had been chosen over the ones that were chosen, I would be certain of that.
Earlier today, my best friend pointed me to a list that someone compiled, a list of the thirteen most under-appreciated Madonna songs to date. I found myself disagreeing with most of the list, primarily because he/she apparently limited the list to singles. I, therefore, decided to compile my own, so here is, in no particular order, my list of the most underrated and under-appreciated Madge songs to date.
Honorable Mention - "Spotlight" [from You Can Dance]
This is an amazing song about self-empowerment that gets little to no attention. Even though it was released internationally as a single, it was given no music video and is not on any of the three greatest hits collections. It's a shame that it receives such little attention.
13. "Animal" [Hard Candy outtake]
Hard Candy is one of my favorite Madge albums; it is definitely in my top five. There are so many songs on that record that should have been singles; however, there are also songs on the album for which I don't care much (such as "Incredible" and "Spanish Lesson"). "Animal" is a song that was recorded during the Hard Candy sessions but did not make the final cut even though, in my opinion, it is one of Madonna's best songs to date. What could go wrong with a ridiculously catchy song about utter sexual dominance?
12. "Thief of Hearts" [from Erotica]
"Thief of Hearts" is actually one of the very first Madonna songs that I ever heard because my older sister Ellen had it on a mixtape that she made when she was younger. I have fond memories of hearing it when she played her mixtapes as she cleaned the house. I remember being fairly young and giggling at the word "ass" in the song. How immature. This song will always have a special place in my heart for the sentimental reasons, and it's also one of the best songs, if not the best song, from Erotica. Given that it was not released as a single, however, only the fans who go beyond the singles and hits catalog are familiar with it.
11. "Like It or Not" [from Confessions on a Dance Floor]
With lyrics like "Cleopatra had her way, Matahari, too; whether they were good or bad is strictly up to you" and "Can't have the femme without the fatale," "Like It or Not" is one of my favorite feminist anthems ever. The lyrics are so strong and memorable, and the melody is catchy. I love how the song has a dark tone to it, and it is probably my favorite song from Confessions.
10. "Intervention" [from American Life]
This album as a whole is underrated and under-appreciated. It is my favorite Madge album of them all, and beautiful songs like "Intervention" are the reason why. "Intervention" is a love song that was apparently written about one of her children, but the beauty of it is that it doesn't need to be kept inside those walls. When my relationship started in 2009, this song brought me so much joy because, for me, it was applicable to my significant other, and the beauty and simplicity of the song brought me to tears.
9. "X-Static Process" [from American Life]
Indeed, I love American Life so much that I have not one but two tracks from it on this list. "X-Static Process" has come to mean so much to me. I have and have always had the tendency to see beauty in others without an ability to see much in myself, and this applied most specifically to my relationship. I saw him as superhuman, godly even, while totally overlooking the ways that I was special and beautiful myself, and I think that many of us do that. "I always wished that I could find someone as beautiful as you, but in the process, I forgot that I was special, too."
8. "Gone" [from Music]
"Gone" is a beautiful acoustic song that closes the standard edition of Music, and I quite honestly don't have many words for it. Along with "Paradise (Not for Me)," it is one of my favorite tracks from Music.
7. "I Know It" [from Madonna]
"I Know It" is my favorite song from the first album, and I consider it pretty criminal that it wasn't released as a single. I am sorry, but it trumps "Lucky Star."
6. "Candy Shop" [from Hard Candy]
Some people may disagree with my decision to place this song on this list given that the Sticky & Sweet Tour was named after lyrics in this song. However, this is one of several songs from Hard Candy that I strongly believe should have been singles (along with "Heartbeat" and "She's Not Me"), and for a song that did, indeed, inspire the name of the tour, it doesn't seem to get much love. I am the diehard Madge fan who hunts down remixes (even fanmade ones, as they are sometimes really, really good), and I have very few remixes of this song because they're very hard to find. This album in general doesn't get much love. I see a lot of people criticize Madonna for "selling out" by working with Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Timbaland, etc., and they don't like the R&B/hip hop sound.
5. "Heartbeat" [from Hard Candy]
I am not going to apologize for selecting more than one song from certain albums. It is what it is. I sometimes forget that "Heartbeat" is not a single; it is one of my favorite dance anthems ever, and it is one of those songs that I rarely hear fans discuss.
4. "Promise to Try" [from Like a Prayer]
I am not saying that this song should have been a single or anything; it's slow and very confessional, more confessional than Madonna tended to be back in the eighties. It is, however, a beautiful tearjerker about Madge's mother.
3. "Candy Perfume Girl" [from Ray of Light]
This is one of many songs that, in my teens, made me fall in love with Madonna. There is just something really magical about this song that I can't explain. There is something otherworldly and dreamy about it, and I think that, in some ways, it, as well as the Ray of Light album in general, was ahead of its time.
2. "Laugh to Keep from Crying" [from Pre-Madonna]
When I first heard this song, it was almost hard for me to believe that it was Madonna. It is an alternative rock song, and Madonna does not sound like her usual self vocally. She reminds me of some eighties female-fronted rock bands such as 'Til Tuesday or the Bangles. This is definitely a unique Madonna song that I really love, and it was not even officially released until the collection of early demos Pre-Madonna was released.
1. "Take Me (I Want You)" [from The Gotham Affairs]
This is another unreleased song that I think would have been a huge hit had it been released as a single. It is such a feel-good song about being young and in love, and it is so catchy with a semi-rock sound similar to the aforementioned "Laugh to Keep from Crying."
Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock or in a coma during the last week or so is probably aware of the unfortunate predicament that has been plaguing Madonna lately - leaks. Just when we think that maybe we have gotten all of the leaks that we are going to get, more come to the surface. A collection of thirteen demos titled Iconic leaked about a week or so ago, and then, between early this morning and throughout the day today, fifteen more songs leaked, bringing the count up to twenty-eight songs. It is really unfortunate that this has happened, especially so much sooner than Madonna had planned to release the album, but to combat the leaks, Madonna struck back with a release of six songs to iTunes available with preorder of the album, which is expected on March 10th. Demo versions of five of the six songs had sadly leaked with Iconic, with "Ghosttown" being the only truly new, previously unheard song. However, the versions present on iTunes are different, as they are the finalized album versions. With a visually striking album cover reminiscent of the Erotica era, the final product is titled Rebel Heart (which most likely means that the leaked song "Rebel Heart" will be featured on the album) and promises to slay. It has been said that Rebel Heart is Madonna's most ambitious work in the last decade, and I do think that that can be inferred from the six songs that are currently available officially.
The album opens with "Living for Love," a feel-good anthem about moving past heartbreak and still having faith in love. The very beginning of the song is reminiscent of 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor, but with piano, gospel choir, and a '90s sound to it, the song, as a whole, sounds very much like a modernized version of something that might be found on 1989's Like a Prayer. Co-written with several people such as Alicia Keys, it reportedly features backing vocals by Annie. I didn't think much of the song when I first heard it, but it quickly grew on me, although it's still not one of my favorites. The second track is "Devil Pray," and if I had to compare this song to a past era, I think that I would most closely associate it with 2003's American Life. The song blends electropop with acoustic rock, the perfect way to describe American Life as a whole. The song features several references to alcohol and drug use, and Madonna has stated that the song is a commentary on people who use drugs to not only feel physically high but also to feel spiritually high, feeling like drugs make them closer to God. The song features warped, deeply pitched vocals that stand alone and also lie underneath some of Madonna's vocals, presumably intended to be the voice of the devil. "Ghosttown" is the third track and is probably my favorite of the six songs released. It starts off reminding me very much of "Teen Idle" by Marina and the Diamonds but becomes an epic power ballad about two people surviving some sort of catastrophe and being there for each other.
The fourth track is "Unapologetic Bitch," a breakup song about someone who has simply had enough of whatever problems the ex-partner caused. There is definitely a great deal of bitterness in the song, and it is certainly unapologetically bitchy, with lyrics such as, "...you never really knew how much your selfish bullshit cost me; oh, fuck you" and "When we did it, I'll admit it, wasn't satisfied." The chorus breaks away from the song's overall reggae sound as it ends with an electronic break. The song definitely breaks new boundaries, functioning as a ska, electro-reggae track. The fifth track is "Illuminati," a party song that blends rap and dance-pop and offers a sort of parodic commentary on the popular (but rather ridiculous) Illuminati Conspiracy Theory, associated closely with Madonna. The song mentions various famous people (especially those who tend to generate controversy), such as Gaga, Beyoncé, Bill Clinton, Obama, Nicki Minaj, the Pope, Bill Gates, Justin Bieber, etc. The sixth track is "Bitch I'm Madonna," which features Nicki Minaj and is probably the oddest (if that is the right word for Madge) song of the six released. It is simply a feel-good song declaring the aspects of her identity that make her young at heart, playful, etc. I really love the electronic (almost dubstep) breaks throughout the song, even the odd closing break that sounds sort of like a dog barking. I admit, however, that I prefer the demo version because I don't think that Minaj's rap verse really works in the song. She is perfect on 2012's MDNA's "I Don't Give A" but not so much here.
Overall, what we have heard so far of Rebel Heart sounds very groundbreaking and ambitious. It is more artpop than Artpop is (and I honestly mean that primarily as a joke, not as an insult to Gaga, because I am actually a devoted monster as well as a Madge fan), and I am definitely liking what I am hearing so far. Even just in the six tracks currently available officially, we really don't have much of a central sound like we normally do. Normally, each Madonna album (especially from Erotica on) has its own central sound, and if you were to hear an unreleased demo, not knowing beforehand what era that it's from, you could probably make an accurate guess. Rebel Heart, however, seems to be very eclectic, with rap, reggae, piano ballads, acoustic rock, club anthems, etc. I really like that it is eclectic, though; I think that it accomplishes two feats. (a) It shows that Madonna isn't necessarily going with what's most popular currently. She is doing her own original thing. 2008's Hard Candy is a blend of sugary bubblegum pop, hip-hop, and R&B, arguably what was most popular in 2008, and 2012's MDNA included a lot of dubstep influence (especially on the track "Gang Bang"), which was very popular in 2012. (b) It is kind of reflective of her career overall, which reminds me of Avril Lavigne's most recent album, which is definitely a blending of her preceding four albums. I just hope that Rebel Heart isn't Madge's farewell album. Many of the demos that have not been officially released yet (and, of course, might not be), such as the title track, "Wash All Over Me," and "Joan of Arc" sound a lot like farewell songs. Let's hope that the Queen of Pop will be bringing us musical pleasure for many years to come!
Preorder Rebel Heart here and automatically receive these six songs!
