Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

asg said:

lastdecember said:

But steadily her sales have just dropped, the times are different, especially here in the USA, she isnt turning 40 she is in her 50's now, MUSIC her last huge seller at 3million in the USA was ages ago, and times change, music sales are way way down, and again she is much older now, i dont think the quality has anything to do with it, cause she had crap that sold and great stuff that tanked like any other artist. So over the last few albums in the usa she has gone from Multiplatnum (MUSIC) platnum with (AMerican Life and Confessions) and then Gold with (HArd Candy) which again was 4 years ago, huge time change, her loyals are there, but i think thinking this record will go gold might be wishing for something that isnt going to happen in the states at least, eventually i think it will but it will take it months and months not a week or two

Some of her recent albums have crossed 600k+ but they opened with close to 300k. So her sales r packed into the first week more then others. Now if this drops to 200k and u get lesser total sales not only that her albums take alot of money to promote and to make with all those different producers and song writers its all a costly affair. Therefore it needs to sell more then prince album to be profitable to the label

but its a worldwide thing, i think more that way, to me the USA is not a market that has great importance that it did, america does not focus on music as a wide genre, u have about 3 females that get attention wide, and thats about it.

lastdecember said:

asg said:

Some of her recent albums have crossed 600k+ but they opened with close to 300k. So her sales r packed into the first week more then others. Now if this drops to 200k and u get lesser total sales not only that her albums take alot of money to promote and to make with all those different producers and song writers its all a costly affair. Therefore it needs to sell more then prince album to be profitable to the label

but its a worldwide thing, i think more that way, to me the USA is not a market that has great importance that it did, america does not focus on music as a wide genre, u have about 3 females that get attention wide, and thats about it.

It's a different century for music, indeed...

raffi said:

Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

Confessions was a really good album. This one looks like it's gonna suck monkey balls for sure. Media is just hyping it up as it always does with Madonna. Just a whole lot of beats with very little substance so far.

raffi said:

Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

Billboard: Madonna, 'MDNA': Track-By-Track Review

http://www.billboard...006416552.story

Madonna is still very much the Queen of Pop.

Nearly 30 years after first hitting the Billboard charts in late 1982 with her debut single "Everybody," Madonna is still showing the pop world how it's done.

"MDNA" -- her 12th studio album -- is a collection of thoroughly pumping pop tunes, some of which are slices of sheer brilliance. Not only does Madonna take us to the club with "MDNA," she exhausts us, drains us, and confides in us. Five minutes after an aerobic workout on the dance floor, we're in her private booth, where she's spilling her guts about relationships and how things just didn't turn out the way they planned. Then, another five minutes later, we're back to dancing up a storm to a song like "Gang Bang."

Yes, "Gang Bang."

The track is one of the album's many stand-outs. It's a dark, throbbing tune that is twisted and surprising and altogether pop-tastic. (Yes, that's a word.)

Also notable is the summery pop nugget "Turn Up the Radio," the full-throttle digital rave-up of "I'm Addicted" and the driving, clever word play of "Love Spent."

"MDNA" reunites Madonna with her "Ray of Light" co-producer William Orbit, who polishes her songs with cosmic flourishes and rushes of fuzzy-retro bits. Madonna also enlists the production assistance of Martin Solveig, the Demolition Crew, Benny Benassi, Alle Benassi, Hardy "Indiigo" Muanza and Michael Malih.

Curiously, the set's first single -- the rah-rah "Give Me All Your Luvin'" -- doesn't properly prepare the listener for what they're going to get on the album. Basically: set it aside and go into "MDNA" with a clean slate.

Here's a Track-By-Track Take on "MDNA":

"Girl Gone Wild" The second single from "MDNA" is also the dance floor-ready opening number from the set. In a way, it's very dance-by-the-numbers with Madonna -- a "good girl gone wild" -- singing about her "burning hot desire" to have some fun. The production is familiar Benny Benassi -- all driving, thumping, electronic beats. It's comparable to his remix of Madonna's own "Celebration" single. The track does a good job of getting stuck in one's head, thanks in large part to its "hey-yay-yay" sing-song chorus. One notable difference in hearing this track on a proper stereo setup with quality speakers: you get carried away a bit more by the "whoosh," shall we say, of the song.


"Gang Bang" Commence freaking out, hard core Madonna fans, as "Gang Bang" is the song you've been waiting for. It's dark, clubby, driving, thumping and altogether sickening. (Meaning: It's fantastic, y'all.) Consulting our notes, the scribbles include the words "OMG," "dubstep breakdown" and "GOD THE BEAT." So yeah, it's freaking amazing.

Eight songwriters, including British pop singer Mika (?!), collaborated on the song. On March 8, he Tweeted that it's "weird as fuck, underground and lyrically cool, it's amazing and bizarre. I love it, she sounds so good singing words so harsh." Madonna sing/speaks over the tweaky production about how she keeps her "enemies close" and how she "shot my lover in the head." Truly, "Gang Bang" is going to be one of the most talked-about tracks on the album and is completely unexpected after hearing "MDNA's" first two singles (the cheery "Give Me All Your Luvin'" and dance-by-numbers "Girl Gone Wild").

"Gang Bang's" lyric "Drive bitch!" -- so eloquently used in the song -- will become quite the catchphrase in the coming months. (Notably, as "Gang Bang" is explicit -- and perhaps un-editable -- it will be omitted from the "clean" version of "MDNA." A shame.)


"I'm Addicted" Hey, you wanna go dancing? We'll meet Madonna at the club, as she's got this fantastic, swirling, digital get-down number she wants to play for us. "Something happens to me when I hear your voice and I have no choice," Madonna sings on the hypnotic, Daft Punk-y song. And when Madonna says in a cool, instructive tone, "I need to dance," you know what -- you'll need to dance too. (And now we know where the title of the album comes from, as Madonna chants "MDNA" in "I'm Addicted.")


"Turn Up the Radio" A cousin to "Girl Gone Wild," this tune is a summery pop number that's as effortless as it is simple. It's mindless fun where Madonna sings about how the "temperature's pounding'" and longing to "escape" and how she's "sick and tired of playing this game." (Haven't we heard that before? Enough with the games Madonna!) -- Basically the point of the song here is: "turn up the radio until the speakers blow." While the lyrics aren't provocative or necessarily new, it's still a peppy little tune that would sound great "on the radio."


"Give Me All Your Luvin'" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) You've already heard "Give Me All Your Luvin'," the album's lead single, which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The throwback cheerleader-like song almost seems like it was a commercial for Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show as opposed to a proper promotional single for "MDNA." Its lyrics and vibe aren't indicative of "MDNA" as a whole and mislead the listener into thinking the album is going to be full of singsongy jingles with by-the-numbers lyrics.


"Some Girls" The album's second William Orbit co-production, "Some Girls" will likely remind listeners of his work on the "Ray of Light" album. The tune has his trademark swirly, cosmic-like flourishes that zig-zag out of the speakers. On the track, Madonna lyrically references herself with the line "put your loving to the test" (oh hay "Express Yourself!") whilst elsewhere singing "I never wanna be like some girls."


"Superstar" Notably this track features the backing vocals of Madonna's eldest child, Lourdes (credited as Lola Leon), and name checks everyone from Marlon Brando and Michael Jordan to Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln. The gist here is: "Ooh la la, you're my superstar" and "I'm your biggest fan, it's true." Armed with yet another kicky dubstep bridge, Madonna also amusingly sings about how the "Superstar" subject of her devotion is "like John Travolta, getting into the groove." (Get it? She's referencing herself again -- but in a smart, cheeky way.)


"I Don't Give a F" (featuring Nicki Minaj) A very rat-a-tat-tat song, where Madonna barrels through a list of rants that vaguely reminds one of her rapping on the "American Life" single. She sings about how she "tried to be your wife" (Hey, Guy!) and "in the end it was a failure." Nicki Minaj puts in her second appearance on the album, where she closes her feature with the swipe "There's only one Queen and that's Madonna. Bitch!" The song ends with a rather lengthy orchestral bit that's epic and sweeping, but comes out of nowhere.


"I'm a Sinner" Reminiscent of William Orbit's own Ultra Violet remix of the "Ray of Light" single, the chugging track is so very, very Orbit. It's like the love child of "Beautiful Stranger" (another Orbit co-production) and "Ray of Light." Mid-way through, Madonna gets inspirational and recites "Hail Mary full of grace / get down on your knees and pray" followed by "Jesus Christ hang on the cross, died for our sins it's such a loss" and so on. (Yes, there's more, but we couldn't write that fast.)


"Love Spent" "You played with my heart, till death do we part," Madonna sings on this driving, building track. It's got these whooshes (yes, a technical term) that hark back to '80s tracks like Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes." It's a mesmerizing song that includes a wonderful little strummy bit (possibly a banjo?). The lyrics work some clever word play comparing love to money: "I want you to hold me like you hold your money / hold me in your arms till there's nothing left." Madonna co-wrote this track with a team of professional writers, and the assistance is evident and welcome. (We love you Madonna, but we also love it when you collaborate and produce amazing, beautiful pop, like "Love Spent.")


"Masterpiece" This was the first taste the public got of "MDNA," as it was unveiled late last year as the closing-credits song of the Madonna-directed film "W.E." (Though, at the time, it was unclear if the track would ultimately turn up on "MDNA.") The Golden Globe-winning track is very pretty -- percolating along with a clicky little beat, an acoustic guitar and delicate strings. Madonna's vocals are lovely, comparing someone to "a rare and priceless work of art."


"Falling Free" The quite gorgeous ballad reunites Madonna with her brother-in-law Joe Henry, who has co-written at least one song now on four different Madonna albums. He co-penned "Don't Tell Me" from 2000's "Music" album, as well as "Jump" from "Confessions on a Dance Floor" and "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" from the diva's last set, 2008's "Hard Candy." As an album-closer, it's perfect, with the lyric "I let loose the need to know / we're both free -- both free to go . . . "


Deluxe Explicit Album Bonus Tracks:

"Beautiful Killer" A concept song, certainly. Madonna goes on about how there's a "gun in my mouth" and "maybe that's what you've been dreaming about" and "maybe I'll let you shoot me down." There's an persistent string element here that brings to mind "Papa Don't Preach."


"I F****d Up" It's Madonna just straight out saying how craptacular a particular relationship turned out (we're guessing her marriage to Guy Ritchie). She sings, "I'm so ashamed, you're in so much pain," "wish I could take it back" and how she "destroyed the perfect dream." There's a whole lot of "couldas" here that just strike us as odd, as Madonna never was the "I'm sorry" kind of gal. She's all about no regrets and no apologies.


"B-Day Song" A fun girl-group ditty that's a throw back to Madonna's "True Blue" era of good time goof-off songs. It's light, fluffy and effortless -- and very stripped down. Think Go-Go's meets Madonna with lyrics like "Light my candles," "make a wish" and "give me a spankin'!" (Yes, really.) Sample silly lyrics include: "I wanna diamond, don't give me a fake!"


"Best Friend" Perhaps too personal of a song to be included on the "standard" version of the album, "Best Friend" can only be read as being about her ex-husband, Ritchie. Absolutely confessional in tone, Madonna sings "I feel like I lost my very best friend" but she has "no regrets" and that she "survived the biggest test." The song closes, monumentally, with the heartbreaking lyric: "It wasn't always perfect, but it wasn't always bad."


"Give Me All Your Luvin'" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) (LMFAO Remix) LMFAO reworks "Give Me All Your Luvin'" party rock style, dumping M.I.A.'s rap for lyrical insertions from Redfoo and SkyBlu.



Production Credits:

"Girl Gone Wild" Written by Madonna, Jenson Vaughan, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

"Gang Bang" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Priscilla Hamilton, Keith Harris, Jean-Baptiste, Mika, Don Juan Demarco "Demo" Casanova, Stephen Kozmeniuk; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit, Demolition Crew

"I'm Addicted" Written by Madonna, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

"Turn Up the Radio" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Michael Tordjman, Jade Williams; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Give Me All Your Luvin" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Nicki Minaj, Maya Arulpragasam, Michael Tordjman; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Some Girls" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Klas Ahulund; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Superstar" Written by Madonna, Hardy "Indigo" Muanza; Produced by Madonna, Hardy "Indiigo" Muanza, Michael Malih

"I Don't Give a F" (featuring Nicki Minaj) Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Nicki Minaj, Julien Jabre; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"I'm a Sinner" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Jean-Baptiste; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Love Spent" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Jean-Baptiste, Priscilla Hamilton, Alain Whyte, Ryan Buendia, Michael McHenry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Masterpiece" Written by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Falling Free" Written by Madonna, Laurie Mayer, William Orbit, Joe Henry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

Deluxe Explicit Album Bonus Tracks:

"Beautiful Killer" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Michael Tordjman; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"I F****d Up" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Julien Jabre; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"B-Day Song" Written by Madonna, Maya Arulpragasam, Martin Solveig; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Best Friend" Written by Madonna, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Demolotion Crew; Co-produced by Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

The Queen of pop keeps her crown-London evening standard review
My link

Madonna

MDNA (Polydor)

Pretty much every band or musician who doesn’t split up or die reaches a point where they must accept that their fanbase is ageing with them and settle into making music of a signature style again and again. This is where Madonna is out on her own, still striving for contemporary relevance as she releases her 12th album later this month.

That she is increasingly ridiculed for seeking out the youngest, hottest collaborators, a pop vampire chasing eternal youth at 53, shouldn’t matter because here she consistently succeeds. Clubbers less than half her age will have to admit that she has earned her place on the dance floor with MDNA, its title presumably a cheeky play on the chemical name for ecstasy.

If party drugs had been available instead of jellybeans at the Abbey Road press preview for the album, the spiritual home of The Beatles would have witnessed some seriously embarrassing dance moves. MDNA doesn’t let up until the very end, driven by relentless techno beats until the underwhelming Latin sidestep, Masterpiece, near the finish. Weak early singles such as the cheerleader’s chant Give Me All Your Luvin’ (first heard at the Super Bowl) and the generic dance of Girl Gone Wild suggested she’s losing her touch but there’s lots more here that is fantastic.

Gang Bang is weird, minimal and very dark, lurching towards dubstep for a window-rattling climax as Madonna shouts: “Now drive, bitch!” I’m a Sinner, one of several new collaborations with her Ray of Light production partner William Orbit, fizzes along on a speeded-up We Will Rock You beat towards a gloriously catchy chorus. Both of the guest appearances from hotshot rapper Nicki Minaj are a fine fit.

It’s the blatant bid for A-list airplay that is Turn Up the Radio that should ensure that her glitterball shines brighter than ever. A breezy tune with an exhilarating breakdown and loads of stadium synths, it bodes well for a July 17 Hyde Park show that looks increasingly like a heck of a party. Out on March 26.

MTV: 'Turn Up The Radio' Needs to Be Madonna's Next MDNA Single
by John Mitchell (MTV)

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get an advance listen to Madonna's much-anticipated new album MDNA, and I'm thrilled to tell you that it's exactly the return to form fans have been hoping for from the Queen of Pop. A nice mix of dark, heavy club jams, mid-tempo electronic and some truly lovely ballads, MDNA has something for every sort of Madonna fan.

While we're only now getting a snippet of the video for the album's second single, "Girl Gone Wild," listening to the album already has me thinking ahead to her next single. That's how loaded with hits this thing is. Frankly, I can name three songs that I'd have gone with as the lead single over "Give Me All Your Lovin," and I'm on the record as liking that song just fine!

But the real winner is as obvious as the nose on my face and I can't believe Madonna didn't lead with it. The song is "Turn Up The Radio" … and it's the best thing she's done since "Hung Up."

Perhaps she's just knowingly waiting until early May to drop the track as an official single because she knows it's a perfect summer song. It's a big, anthemic dance-pop wonder with glittery synths and fun lyrics like "I don't know how I got to this stage / Let me out of my cage cause I'm dying / Turn up the radio, turn up the radio / Don't ask me where I wanna go, we gotta turn up the radio."

She needs freed because she's ready to have a good time, you see! There's a propulsive energy here that feels authentic and alive. The calculated perfectionism of some of Madonna's club jams can leave you feeling a little chilly but that's not the case here. In my notes I scribbled the words "effervescent" and "happy."

"You feel the wind on your face and your skin and it's here that I begin," Madonna sings as the music cues up. It's almost like she knows this is a song designed to be listened to at full volume with the windows down.

There are quite a few potential hits on MDNA but "Turn Up the Radio" is the most accessible to a mass audience. Take, for example, "Gang Bang," another song I really liked. The song is a dark and aggressive club track with gunshot sound effects and a pounding William Orbit beat. It also contains some of the album's stronger lyrics – "I thought it was you, and I loved you the most / But I was just keeping my enemies close" – and a driving chorus ("Bang bang, shot you dead / Shot my lover in the head / Bang bang, shot you dead / And I have no regret"). But while I can see it playing deep into the night at a New York City nightclub, I can't see it being embraced by Top 40 radio.

"I'm Addicted" isn't anywhere near as dark and is more typically Madonna than "Bang" and could work well as a single – but it's a walloping dance track that would probably be better served if it were preceded by a big hit. It's a great song, one that deserves some attention, and I think any hesitation radio programmers might feel about adding it to their lineup would be assuaged if they felt there was demand for it.

"Turn Up the Radio" could be the song that creates that demand. Give the people what they want, Madonna. Make it your next single!

raffi said:

Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

One of Mariah's last big hits was a lightweight song called "Touch My Body" Janet's recent singles aren't very deep,either ("All Nite").I don't know why people expect something deep and introspective from any of these three ladies.They're pop artists! If you want deep lyrics,listen to someone like U2 or Tori Amos.

SoulAlive said:

Billboard: Madonna, 'MDNA': Track-By-Track Review

http://www.billboard...006416552.story

Madonna is still very much the Queen of Pop.

Nearly 30 years after first hitting the Billboard charts in late 1982 with her debut single "Everybody," Madonna is still showing the pop world how it's done.

"MDNA" -- her 12th studio album -- is a collection of thoroughly pumping pop tunes, some of which are slices of sheer brilliance. Not only does Madonna take us to the club with "MDNA," she exhausts us, drains us, and confides in us. Five minutes after an aerobic workout on the dance floor, we're in her private booth, where she's spilling her guts about relationships and how things just didn't turn out the way they planned. Then, another five minutes later, we're back to dancing up a storm to a song like "Gang Bang."

Yes, "Gang Bang."

The track is one of the album's many stand-outs. It's a dark, throbbing tune that is twisted and surprising and altogether pop-tastic. (Yes, that's a word.)

Also notable is the summery pop nugget "Turn Up the Radio," the full-throttle digital rave-up of "I'm Addicted" and the driving, clever word play of "Love Spent."

"MDNA" reunites Madonna with her "Ray of Light" co-producer William Orbit, who polishes her songs with cosmic flourishes and rushes of fuzzy-retro bits. Madonna also enlists the production assistance of Martin Solveig, the Demolition Crew, Benny Benassi, Alle Benassi, Hardy "Indiigo" Muanza and Michael Malih.

Curiously, the set's first single -- the rah-rah "Give Me All Your Luvin'" -- doesn't properly prepare the listener for what they're going to get on the album. Basically: set it aside and go into "MDNA" with a clean slate.

Here's a Track-By-Track Take on "MDNA":

"Girl Gone Wild" The second single from "MDNA" is also the dance floor-ready opening number from the set. In a way, it's very dance-by-the-numbers with Madonna -- a "good girl gone wild" -- singing about her "burning hot desire" to have some fun. The production is familiar Benny Benassi -- all driving, thumping, electronic beats. It's comparable to his remix of Madonna's own "Celebration" single. The track does a good job of getting stuck in one's head, thanks in large part to its "hey-yay-yay" sing-song chorus. One notable difference in hearing this track on a proper stereo setup with quality speakers: you get carried away a bit more by the "whoosh," shall we say, of the song.


"Gang Bang" Commence freaking out, hard core Madonna fans, as "Gang Bang" is the song you've been waiting for. It's dark, clubby, driving, thumping and altogether sickening. (Meaning: It's fantastic, y'all.) Consulting our notes, the scribbles include the words "OMG," "dubstep breakdown" and "GOD THE BEAT." So yeah, it's freaking amazing.

Eight songwriters, including British pop singer Mika (?!), collaborated on the song. On March 8, he Tweeted that it's "weird as fuck, underground and lyrically cool, it's amazing and bizarre. I love it, she sounds so good singing words so harsh." Madonna sing/speaks over the tweaky production about how she keeps her "enemies close" and how she "shot my lover in the head." Truly, "Gang Bang" is going to be one of the most talked-about tracks on the album and is completely unexpected after hearing "MDNA's" first two singles (the cheery "Give Me All Your Luvin'" and dance-by-numbers "Girl Gone Wild").

"Gang Bang's" lyric "Drive bitch!" -- so eloquently used in the song -- will become quite the catchphrase in the coming months. (Notably, as "Gang Bang" is explicit -- and perhaps un-editable -- it will be omitted from the "clean" version of "MDNA." A shame.)


"I'm Addicted" Hey, you wanna go dancing? We'll meet Madonna at the club, as she's got this fantastic, swirling, digital get-down number she wants to play for us. "Something happens to me when I hear your voice and I have no choice," Madonna sings on the hypnotic, Daft Punk-y song. And when Madonna says in a cool, instructive tone, "I need to dance," you know what -- you'll need to dance too. (And now we know where the title of the album comes from, as Madonna chants "MDNA" in "I'm Addicted.")


"Turn Up the Radio" A cousin to "Girl Gone Wild," this tune is a summery pop number that's as effortless as it is simple. It's mindless fun where Madonna sings about how the "temperature's pounding'" and longing to "escape" and how she's "sick and tired of playing this game." (Haven't we heard that before? Enough with the games Madonna!) -- Basically the point of the song here is: "turn up the radio until the speakers blow." While the lyrics aren't provocative or necessarily new, it's still a peppy little tune that would sound great "on the radio."


"Give Me All Your Luvin'" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) You've already heard "Give Me All Your Luvin'," the album's lead single, which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The throwback cheerleader-like song almost seems like it was a commercial for Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show as opposed to a proper promotional single for "MDNA." Its lyrics and vibe aren't indicative of "MDNA" as a whole and mislead the listener into thinking the album is going to be full of singsongy jingles with by-the-numbers lyrics.


"Some Girls" The album's second William Orbit co-production, "Some Girls" will likely remind listeners of his work on the "Ray of Light" album. The tune has his trademark swirly, cosmic-like flourishes that zig-zag out of the speakers. On the track, Madonna lyrically references herself with the line "put your loving to the test" (oh hay "Express Yourself!") whilst elsewhere singing "I never wanna be like some girls."


"Superstar" Notably this track features the backing vocals of Madonna's eldest child, Lourdes (credited as Lola Leon), and name checks everyone from Marlon Brando and Michael Jordan to Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln. The gist here is: "Ooh la la, you're my superstar" and "I'm your biggest fan, it's true." Armed with yet another kicky dubstep bridge, Madonna also amusingly sings about how the "Superstar" subject of her devotion is "like John Travolta, getting into the groove." (Get it? She's referencing herself again -- but in a smart, cheeky way.)


"I Don't Give a F" (featuring Nicki Minaj) A very rat-a-tat-tat song, where Madonna barrels through a list of rants that vaguely reminds one of her rapping on the "American Life" single. She sings about how she "tried to be your wife" (Hey, Guy!) and "in the end it was a failure." Nicki Minaj puts in her second appearance on the album, where she closes her feature with the swipe "There's only one Queen and that's Madonna. Bitch!" The song ends with a rather lengthy orchestral bit that's epic and sweeping, but comes out of nowhere.


"I'm a Sinner" Reminiscent of William Orbit's own Ultra Violet remix of the "Ray of Light" single, the chugging track is so very, very Orbit. It's like the love child of "Beautiful Stranger" (another Orbit co-production) and "Ray of Light." Mid-way through, Madonna gets inspirational and recites "Hail Mary full of grace / get down on your knees and pray" followed by "Jesus Christ hang on the cross, died for our sins it's such a loss" and so on. (Yes, there's more, but we couldn't write that fast.)


"Love Spent" "You played with my heart, till death do we part," Madonna sings on this driving, building track. It's got these whooshes (yes, a technical term) that hark back to '80s tracks like Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes." It's a mesmerizing song that includes a wonderful little strummy bit (possibly a banjo?). The lyrics work some clever word play comparing love to money: "I want you to hold me like you hold your money / hold me in your arms till there's nothing left." Madonna co-wrote this track with a team of professional writers, and the assistance is evident and welcome. (We love you Madonna, but we also love it when you collaborate and produce amazing, beautiful pop, like "Love Spent.")


"Masterpiece" This was the first taste the public got of "MDNA," as it was unveiled late last year as the closing-credits song of the Madonna-directed film "W.E." (Though, at the time, it was unclear if the track would ultimately turn up on "MDNA.") The Golden Globe-winning track is very pretty -- percolating along with a clicky little beat, an acoustic guitar and delicate strings. Madonna's vocals are lovely, comparing someone to "a rare and priceless work of art."


"Falling Free" The quite gorgeous ballad reunites Madonna with her brother-in-law Joe Henry, who has co-written at least one song now on four different Madonna albums. He co-penned "Don't Tell Me" from 2000's "Music" album, as well as "Jump" from "Confessions on a Dance Floor" and "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" from the diva's last set, 2008's "Hard Candy." As an album-closer, it's perfect, with the lyric "I let loose the need to know / we're both free -- both free to go . . . "


Deluxe Explicit Album Bonus Tracks:

"Beautiful Killer" A concept song, certainly. Madonna goes on about how there's a "gun in my mouth" and "maybe that's what you've been dreaming about" and "maybe I'll let you shoot me down." There's an persistent string element here that brings to mind "Papa Don't Preach."


"I F****d Up" It's Madonna just straight out saying how craptacular a particular relationship turned out (we're guessing her marriage to Guy Ritchie). She sings, "I'm so ashamed, you're in so much pain," "wish I could take it back" and how she "destroyed the perfect dream." There's a whole lot of "couldas" here that just strike us as odd, as Madonna never was the "I'm sorry" kind of gal. She's all about no regrets and no apologies.


"B-Day Song" A fun girl-group ditty that's a throw back to Madonna's "True Blue" era of good time goof-off songs. It's light, fluffy and effortless -- and very stripped down. Think Go-Go's meets Madonna with lyrics like "Light my candles," "make a wish" and "give me a spankin'!" (Yes, really.) Sample silly lyrics include: "I wanna diamond, don't give me a fake!"


"Best Friend" Perhaps too personal of a song to be included on the "standard" version of the album, "Best Friend" can only be read as being about her ex-husband, Ritchie. Absolutely confessional in tone, Madonna sings "I feel like I lost my very best friend" but she has "no regrets" and that she "survived the biggest test." The song closes, monumentally, with the heartbreaking lyric: "It wasn't always perfect, but it wasn't always bad."


"Give Me All Your Luvin'" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) (LMFAO Remix) LMFAO reworks "Give Me All Your Luvin'" party rock style, dumping M.I.A.'s rap for lyrical insertions from Redfoo and SkyBlu.



Production Credits:

"Girl Gone Wild" Written by Madonna, Jenson Vaughan, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

"Gang Bang" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Priscilla Hamilton, Keith Harris, Jean-Baptiste, Mika, Don Juan Demarco "Demo" Casanova, Stephen Kozmeniuk; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit, Demolition Crew

"I'm Addicted" Written by Madonna, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

"Turn Up the Radio" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Michael Tordjman, Jade Williams; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Give Me All Your Luvin" (featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.) Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Nicki Minaj, Maya Arulpragasam, Michael Tordjman; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Some Girls" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Klas Ahulund; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Superstar" Written by Madonna, Hardy "Indigo" Muanza; Produced by Madonna, Hardy "Indiigo" Muanza, Michael Malih

"I Don't Give a F" (featuring Nicki Minaj) Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Nicki Minaj, Julien Jabre; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"I'm a Sinner" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Jean-Baptiste; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Love Spent" Written by Madonna, William Orbit, Jean-Baptiste, Priscilla Hamilton, Alain Whyte, Ryan Buendia, Michael McHenry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Masterpiece" Written by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

"Falling Free" Written by Madonna, Laurie Mayer, William Orbit, Joe Henry; Produced by Madonna, William Orbit

Deluxe Explicit Album Bonus Tracks:

"Beautiful Killer" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Michael Tordjman; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"I F****d Up" Written by Madonna, Martin Solveig, Julien Jabre; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"B-Day Song" Written by Madonna, Maya Arulpragasam, Martin Solveig; Produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig

"Best Friend" Written by Madonna, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, Marco "Benny" Benassi; Produced by Madonna, Demolotion Crew; Co-produced by Marco "Benny" Benassi, Alessandro "Alle" Benassi

The Queen of pop keeps her crown-London evening standard review
My link

Madonna

MDNA (Polydor)

Pretty much every band or musician who doesn’t split up or die reaches a point where they must accept that their fanbase is ageing with them and settle into making music of a signature style again and again. This is where Madonna is out on her own, still striving for contemporary relevance as she releases her 12th album later this month.

That she is increasingly ridiculed for seeking out the youngest, hottest collaborators, a pop vampire chasing eternal youth at 53, shouldn’t matter because here she consistently succeeds. Clubbers less than half her age will have to admit that she has earned her place on the dance floor with MDNA, its title presumably a cheeky play on the chemical name for ecstasy.

If party drugs had been available instead of jellybeans at the Abbey Road press preview for the album, the spiritual home of The Beatles would have witnessed some seriously embarrassing dance moves. MDNA doesn’t let up until the very end, driven by relentless techno beats until the underwhelming Latin sidestep, Masterpiece, near the finish. Weak early singles such as the cheerleader’s chant Give Me All Your Luvin’ (first heard at the Super Bowl) and the generic dance of Girl Gone Wild suggested she’s losing her touch but there’s lots more here that is fantastic.

Gang Bang is weird, minimal and very dark, lurching towards dubstep for a window-rattling climax as Madonna shouts: “Now drive, bitch!” I’m a Sinner, one of several new collaborations with her Ray of Light production partner William Orbit, fizzes along on a speeded-up We Will Rock You beat towards a gloriously catchy chorus. Both of the guest appearances from hotshot rapper Nicki Minaj are a fine fit.

It’s the blatant bid for A-list airplay that is Turn Up the Radio that should ensure that her glitterball shines brighter than ever. A breezy tune with an exhilarating breakdown and loads of stadium synths, it bodes well for a July 17 Hyde Park show that looks increasingly like a heck of a party. Out on March 26.

So basically every song is amazing. Definitely a balanced review and not a fan rant

Waiting for when the press will start calling her a "self proclaimed" queen of pop.

^^that Billboard review has got me going crazy Really excited to hear this album! I (almost) wish it would leak now.

SoulAlive said:

raffi said:

Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

One of Mariah's last big hits was a lightweight song called "Touch My Body" Janet's recent singles aren't very deep,either ("All Nite").I don't know why people expect something deep and introspective from any of these three ladies.They're pop artists! If you want deep lyrics,listen to someone like U2 or Tori Amos.

Some of the songs of Madonna have serious and profound lyrics actually.
Clearly, this is pop music and song must be catchy, it's the main thing.
But the lyrics to some songs from the new album is not just weak... silly

SoulAlive said:

raffi said:

Wow, this is impressive. I can only imagine the hell that Janet would be given for releasing a song called Gang Bang. The words too old would be ringing loudly. Or, the hell Mariah would be given for releasing a song like Gimme All Your Luvin. So, if Madonna doesn't sell it's a sign o the times. However, let Janet and Mariah ride in with elementary lyrics like this and the bashing is non stop

One of Mariah's last big hits was a lightweight song called "Touch My Body" Janet's recent singles aren't very deep,either ("All Nite").I don't know why people expect something deep and introspective from any of these three ladies.They're pop artists! If you want deep lyrics,listen to someone like U2 or Tori Amos.

I agree, but also Madonna had some serious songs and lyrics.. but still, yeah they are pop artists you can't expect that from them everytime.

RKJCNE said:

raffi said:

RKJCNE said:

All three of those women are known for having hit or miss lyrics, and you must not have been reading this thread cuz no one on her has been praising any lyrics from M this time around and no one has been bashing Mariah or Janet. lets stick to the topic.

I just think it's ironic to see some people in here in full worship mode. However, when the other two release work essays are written about their immaturity. The double standards on this are way too hard for me to ignore. And, that's all I will say

Bull! Madonna gets bashed here just as much as the other two,if not more so.There have been entire threads here devoted to bashing Madonna.Stop acting like she somehow gets a "pass".

raffi said:

RKJCNE said:

All three of those women are known for having hit or miss lyrics, and you must not have been reading this thread cuz no one on her has been praising any lyrics from M this time around and no one has been bashing Mariah or Janet. lets stick to the topic.

I just think it's ironic to see some people in here in full worship mode. However, when the other two release work essays are written about their immaturity. The double standards on this are way too hard for me to ignore. And, that's all I will say

We're a bunch of Madonna fans getting excited about a new release? What do you expect?

RKJCNE said:

raffi said:

RKJCNE said: I just think it's ironic to see some people in here in full worship mode. However, when the other two release work essays are written about their immaturity. The double standards on this are way too hard for me to ignore. And, that's all I will say

We're a bunch of Madonna fans getting excited about a new release? What do you expect?

What do you guys think the new tour will be like? Do you think she learned her lesson with S&S and will try to do something like Confessions ( I hope) or do you think she'll look on S&S's success and do something like it?

Madonna wants us to dance the heartbreak away on MDNA. The record, set to drop on March 26, has some of the finest musical moments we've heard from the pop legend in the last few years, recalling the finer songs and themes she explored on Ray of Light and Confessions on a Dance Floor.

She's not wrong to be that confident on this album. She's certainly in the groove. And the album is full of strength, but it's also her vulnerability that rounds it out. If fans thought "Give Me All Your Luvin' " and "Girl Gone Wild" are what this era is all about, they are only seeing pieces of the MDNA puzzle, that's only completed when listening to the album from front to back. In the end, this album is a drug worth taking.

Are you counting down the days to the release of MDNA? Let us know in the comments!

SoulAlive said:

raffi said:

RKJCNE said: I just think it's ironic to see some people in here in full worship mode. However, when the other two release work essays are written about their immaturity. The double standards on this are way too hard for me to ignore. And, that's all I will say

Bull! Madonna gets bashed here just as much as the other two,if not more so.There have been entire threads here devoted to bashing Madonna.Stop acting like she somehow gets a "pass".

She may not get a pass on this forum but she gets it a lot with with the Media. I barely recall any article bashing her for anything over the last decade. Madonna could do no wrong as far as they're concerned

I was at least expecting some half truthful reiews of this album but looks like that won't be happening. The released snippets are actually quite atrocious and it's about time someone says it.

aardvark15 said:

What do you guys think the new tour will be like? Do you think she learned her lesson with S&S and will try to do something like Confessions ( I hope) or do you think she'll look on S&S's success and do something like it?

It'll be interesting to see what the "themes" will be for this tour.I have a few ideas of my own....

***a dark,controversial segment (Love Gone Wrong) that features songs like "Til Death Do Us Part","Miles Away","I Don't Give A" and ending with a chilling performance of "Gang Bang".

***after performing "Like A Prayer",Madonna removes her nun outfit and launches into the raunchy "Girl Gone Wild"

***Old favorites like "Angel","Dress You Up","Causing A Commotion" are added to the setlist.

***MDNA/LOVE IS A DRUG segment----a segment focusing on the theme of "love is a drug".A sexy segment where the stage becomes a rave-like dance club,featuring the songs "Justify My Love","Future Lovers","Skin" and "I'm Addicted".

Xscaper said:

SoulAlive said:

Bull! Madonna gets bashed here just as much as the other two,if not more so.There have been entire threads here devoted to bashing Madonna.Stop acting like she somehow gets a "pass".

She may not get a pass on this forum but she gets it a lot with with the Media. I barely recall any article bashing her for anything over the last decade. Madonna could do no wrong as far as they're concerned

I was at least expecting some half truthful reiews of this album but looks like that won't be happening. The released snippets are actually quite atrocious and it's about time someone says it.

The reviewers didn't hear snippets,they heard the whole songs and they seem to think that this is one of her strongest albums.I disagree that she gets a "pass" with the media.I could easily post alot of negative reviews of past albums.

Just to prove that Madonna doesn't get a "pass" from the media,here's a very mixed review by Eva Barlow who writes for Q Mag

http://eve-barlow.tu...-does-not-amaze
Madonna Does Not Amaze
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Well, before I deliver both (eventually) I have to get something off my chest: Madonna is the Don, The Boss, The Dude, Her Majesty of Everything. Nobody in this universe can touch her. If I read another preamble or review about her latest album MDNA that builds context around Madonna’s place in a world that now contains Lady Gaga or compares her vocal pop abilities with those of Britney Spears, I am done with that person. Deleted.

There is categorically no need whatsoever to talk about Madonna in relation to Lady Gaga, Britney, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Kylie, Kitty Batshit Brucknell, or anyone else with a vagina, a chart song and a sense of drama. People have said it before and I will rip them off and say it again: None of these women would know how to put one hip in front of the over if it weren’t for Madonna. The popstars that have succeeded (as in “come chronologically after”) Madonna do not form part of Madonna’s Sphere. They are tiptoeing around her world, grateful of being given the limelight for a minute while the “Queen of Pop” has been momentarily distracted doing whatever she does to chill out (Ryvita snacks and/or 21-year-old dancers… Madge FTW).

Just because popstars have Being A Woman in common, doesn’t mean they have anything to do with Madonna’s job. (I don’t imagine fans of Paul Weller would be impressed if his latest was judged according to “where the Modfather sits” with post-Weller products such as Miles Kane or Kasabian. Music fans would not be impressed because THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY RUDE, and pointless. Weller isn’t sitting with his guitar thinking about what Liam Gallagher’s peddling in Pretty Green. Similarly, Madonna isn’t downloading Rosetta Stone: Advanced German because Lady Gaga has Rilke tattooed up her arm.) Madonna is not thinking about all the “others”; they weren’t there when she started her career and they likely will not be there when she finishes it (insert large IF she finishes it). When asked what she thought of Lady Gaga a few months ago by Graham Norton Madonna’s response may as well have been: “[shrug]…[rolls eyes]… Whatever.” If you’re going to put MDNA in “context”, get it right: when Madonna sits down to write a new album, the only person “Madonna” ever has to compete with is… MADONNA.

And imagine that - you’re Madonna about to make a new album. The facts: You’ve sold 300 million records since 1979; You are still only 53; You have built a career on outdoing yourself; You have more fans than the Americas have people; You were responsible for ’80s pop hits like Get Into The Groove, Like A Virgin and Papa Don’t Preach; You got naked – really naked – on coffee tables; You are responsible for Ray Of Light; You made (upper case) Music; You own Like A Prayer; Confessions On A Dancefloor was something YOU did… I could just throw words around like “Frozen” (ZOMG), “Cherish” (amazarama), “Sorry” (multilingual!), “VOGUE” (FFS!) all day long and you’d get only one pixel of the picture. It must be exciting but also terrifying being as successful as Madonna because - frankly - what the hell do you do next? Who do you allow in? Is it a risk even opening your mouth again to do an Ocado order in case you speak a sentence less poignant than “Beauty’s where you find it”? For Madonna, it’s enough trying to deal with herself. So let’s consider Madonna in light of Madonna please.

Which brings me to the point of the day: is MDNA any good? I will start with the bad news. I’m not sure I was in the same room as everyone else at the Madonna MDNA listeners party (at Abbey Road Studios, *wees with excitement*). All the cliched talk in the papers and blogs about an hour following the playback was of a “Return to form” blah-blah-blah… Not since Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris has there been such overuse of that phrase. And, btw, Midnight In Paris was charming, funny and intelligent but it was NOT a return to form. “On form Woody Allen” is Manhattan, Annie Hall, Hannah And Her Sisters… To say Midnight In Paris was in the same vein is not only wrong, it’s an insult to his best work. I suppose in this respect (and in this respect only) Madonna is just like Woody Allen; a visionary who continues to create (thank GOD) but is in a post-apex stage of their career, their fans desperate to re-live the golden age, like a Manchester United supporter dying to see a less acclaimed side win the Treble. When you consider Ray Of Light or Immaculate Collection or Music or Confessions On A Dancefloor and then you listen to MDNA, you are no longer in the same ballpark. Nobody should be asking if it’s a good album by modern pop standards. That’s not the question Madonna’s asking. Is it a “great” album by Madonna standards? No. Well… it depends on which half of the album you listen to.

I am sorry to have to say this but MDNA was a frustrating experience. Members of the press heard the Deluxe Edition of MDNA, which was a 12-track album followed by a further four tracks. The beginning of MDNA (and when I say “beginning” I mean the “first seven or eight tracks”) are simply not Madonna. They could be anyone because Madonna’s voice has been drowned out by pulsating, flat, uninteresting European thuds (incorporated with hints of dubstep break-it-downs to keep things “current”). The lyrical couplets are inexcusable. Madonna is reduced to the cheerleader her faceless dancers portray in Gimme All Your Luvin’ (Lourdes probably has more to say in her brain). Worse still, Madonna (being a sophisticated 53-year-old goddess) doesn’t sound like she’s having a good time. She doesn’t sound confident. It’s as though she’s given a platform to Benny Benassi and Martin Solveig - two (not especially “with it”) European dance producers – and not remembered her own part.

Opening track Girl Gone Wild nods to Madonna’s last “GREAT” record Confessions On A Dancefloor but it’s just a nod. (Note: I’m wildly suspicious of the numerous people I’ve met who think that album is anything less than astonishing). In reailty, the track is a bit meh. And by that I mean that there were electro-rock singles by Bodyrockers (I Like The Way You Move) and Bodyrox (Yeah Yeah) years ago that serve the same purpose and are more catchy. Gang Bang follows as a far heavier, murder on the dancefloor-type belter that picks up the attitude (it wouldn’t be hard though given Girls Gone Wild’s “Girls just wanna have fun” message) with lyrics like “Bang bang, shot you dead/Shot my lover in the head”. You might not pick these lyrics out, however, given the constant distraction of the sound of a samurai sword being unsheathed (I’m glad Madge listens to These New Puritans in the gym). To be honest, this song might grow on me with another listen, the next time I need to fill a 15-minute session on the crosstrainer. Third track I’m Addicted (or as I might dub it I’m Totally Addicted To Bass) sounds like Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto and Justice (also ATB circa 1999) playing Pacha, Madonna’s vocal drowned out again by big phat beats like a tiny particle getting lost in the Tron Grid. By the fourth track, Turn Up The Radio, my new MDNA notepad reads “bored.com”. It’s clear that Madonna is not making waves anymore, she’s chasing them. That would be fine if the songs were good… BUT WHERE ARE THE SONGS? If I wanted to have my head pummelled by this sort of music (which I do often) I would listen to Plastikman. Madonna is not only looking to other’s conquered territory, she’s not learning anything from it.

Give Me All Your Luvin’ – the first single – is not the buoyant lead single we are used to hearing from Madonna. (Which is probably why she’s since rush-released Girl Gone Wild). It’s followed by the first track produced by William Orbit – Some Girls – which sheds some light on Madonna, The Control Freak. Orbit sounds nothing like himself. He sounds like he’s been told: “I’m doing an album with Benassi and Solveig dude, so try and do what they do, yeh?” What is the point? At this stage in the proceedings I’m dying to hear any real melody… the Tetris theme tune would do. But no. Track 7 is Superstar where melodies finally come to the fore but they are too saccharine for even Justin Bieber. I Don’t Give A (do we fill this bit in?) is the first moment that is truly interesting. It is the most intriguing song on MDNA. The lyrics allude to the breakdown of her marriage to Guy Ritchie, Nicki Minaj steals the limelight with a far superior rap to the one on Gimme All Your Luvin’ and it genuinely sounds unique. But right now I’d take an amazing pop song over “unique”.

So where are we? Track 9. TRACK NINE. Now for the good news; it is all uphill from here. Four absolutely stunning tracks produced by William Orbit at long last show why we’re still listening to Madonna. I’m A Sinner should be a major single. It’s a total change of gear, there is an immediacy to its simplicity, and ABOVE ALL, it’s confident – Madonna knows exactly what she’s doing and she KILLS IT. Love Spent is an update on Orbit’s Balearic mid-’90s euphoria, where strummed acoustic guitar meets the disco vibes of Confessions… Masterpiece, of course, a moving piece of cinematic balladry has already won a Golden Globe. It’s here that I realise something: when you go back to the drawing board there are basic elements required from a song – lyrics, melody and rhythm. The only thing MDNA cared about up until Track 9 was a beat. On Track 12 Falling Free, these three elements of songcraft align in (gushing hyperbole alert) the most sensational Madonna moment of the past 10 years.

Some more good news… The 4 tracks on the deluxe edition are brilliant (or comparatively brilliant). And what’s seriously WEIRD is that these are four tracks in the vein of the first half of MDNA that are BETTER than the the first half of MDNA (SERIOUSLY MADGE WHAT THE ACTUAL F?!?!?). I could remove tracks 3,4 and 7 and insert I Fucked Up, B-Day Song and Best Friend immediately (I am not a qualified A&R though) and I’d have an MDNA that is lyrically better, far more sophisticated and FUN (with a capital F-U-N).

So considering all of this (Jeez, I do go on) in a world of Madonna versus Madonna, MDNA by Madonna is not an album that can stand up against the Great Madonna albums of which Confessions On A Dancefloor was the last (it really was - I listened to it from start to finish last night and it is complete, futuristic and relentless so piss off all you haters). Yes, we all know the rules - Madonna makes a belter every second album. BUT… MDNA as reviewed by most members of the press as a four star “return to form” is a three star album of two halves, one half of which had the potential to complement the brilliance of the other half had Madonna brought someone in (me) who could have told her to put the bonus Deluxe tracks on the proper LP.

Saying all this, if the Superbowl performance (a blueprint in live pop shows) is anything to go by the tour will be amazing. And I am most definitely going. Twice. Also, some of the bouncier tracks are great pre-party uppers and she looks better than anyone will ever look (or has ever looked). Madonna remains astonishing but we needn’t get carried away with ourselves. Let’s “be honest” about MDNA, for our own sake and more importantly for Madonna’s. Madge only knows she’s earned that level of respect.

^^ That's a very unprofessionally written review irrespective of the content.Just sayin'. Every artist is obviously going to get a few unflattering things written about them from time to time. That's the nature of the game. What i was trying to imply was that she has it much better than a lot who catch a lot of fire for shit that's still better than what she puts out.

I am not hating on her and i absolutely love a few of her albums but the fact remains that she is GENERALLY a media darling and has been for a long time now.

Time for folks to realize they don't have to kiss her ass for everything she comes up with.

MDNA is lame(judging from the snippets and the themes) and time will bear that out. I hope i get pleasantly surprised when the full album comes out but i ain't holding my breath.

No one else could have gotten away with the theme of "Gang bang", shooting lovers dead. Anyone else would've had to cop a lot of criticism for that. None for Madge so far. That's double standards.

GMAYL is a song even Katy perry would try and run away from

[Edited 3/12/12 5:24am]

Madonna a "media darling"? Maybe during the Ray Of Light period

You seem to think that she deserves criticism for doing a song like "Gang Bang".Eminem and other rappers do songs like this all the time (violent fantasy songs) and the critics praise them for it.I'd argue that Eminem is truly a media darling.Why is "Gang Bang" such a bad idea? I think it's one of Madonna's most intriguing songs in years.For awhile now,I've been wanting her to do an aggressive,unapologetic,I-don't-give-a-fuck record and it looks like she finally delivered.Plus,the groove is amazing! Even the reviewer above (who dissed most of the album) admits that "Gang Bang" might grow on her.

Xscaper said:

GMAYL is a song even Katy perry would try and run away from

To me,it doesn't sound that much different than the stuff that Katy Perry does Most critics say it's the weakest song on the album and that it doens't really sound like the other tracks anyway.

SoulAlive said:

Madonna a "media darling"? Maybe during the Ray Of Light period

You seem to think that she deserves criticism for doing a song like "Gang Bang".Eminem and other rappers do songs like this all the time (violent fantasy songs) and the critics praise them for it.I'd argue that Eminem is truly a media darling.Why is "Gang Bang" such a bad idea? I think it's one of Madonna's most intriguing songs in years.For awhile now,I've been wanting her to do an aggressive,unapologetic,I-don't-give-a-fuck record and it looks like she finally delivered.Plus,the groove is amazing! Even the reviewer above (who dissed most of the album) admits that "Gang Bang" might grow on her.

Did you notice that even the negative review you mentioned started off with a whole para of extraordinary praise and over the top flattery? You could say that she was probably doing that to sound objective during the rest of the review but i think it's a running theme with most of the reviewers to consciously try and build Madonna up to a demigoddess status which she is absolutely not deserving of.

I agree with your point about the rappers not catching any flak for their miscreancy but then again, we know that that's what rap culture has become. Sex and violence is the cornerstone of most of that type of music nowadays. The less i talk about Eminem the better. The guy sounds seriously retarded and crazy on most of his records so he's obviously not a good example to follow for anyone, much less a pop artist who's a household name and definitely more influential than Eminem.

SoulAlive said:

aardvark15 said:

What do you guys think the new tour will be like? Do you think she learned her lesson with S&S and will try to do something like Confessions ( I hope) or do you think she'll look on S&S's success and do something like it?

It'll be interesting to see what the "themes" will be for this tour.I have a few ideas of my own....

***a dark,controversial segment (Love Gone Wrong) that features songs like "Til Death Do Us Part","Miles Away","I Don't Give A" and ending with a chilling performance of "Gang Bang".

***after performing "Like A Prayer",Madonna removes her nun outfit and launches into the raunchy "Girl Gone Wild"

***Old favorites like "Angel","Dress You Up","Causing A Commotion" are added to the setlist.

***MDNA/LOVE IS A DRUG segment----a segment focusing on the theme of "love is a drug".A sexy segment where the stage becomes a rave-like dance club,featuring the songs "Justify My Love","Future Lovers","Skin" and "I'm Addicted".

Love your ideas, especially love gone wrong.

Hmmm some deas of my own.

Opening with M as a mad scientist, M-DNA theme
I'm addicted with (elements of get together), causing a commotion, What it feels like for a girl, masterpiece

Dress You Up montage to introduce next segment

Next she's out in the clubs, circa 1988 Club Kids/Michael Alig influenced with Madonna dressed full on as Amanda Lepore

Deeper and Deeper, Vogue, Bedtime Story, Gang Bang

Sanctuary interlude

M goes back in time for a more biblical twist on her superbowl look

I'm a sinner, I don't give a, Don't Tell Me, Like A Prayer

Music interlude

Madonna returns in full Marilyn Monroe get up

Express Yourself, GMAYL, GGW, Burning Up

Sky Fits Heaven Interlude

A stripped down set and a simple elegant outfit

Falling Free, This Used To Be My Playground, Till Death do us part (an acoustic version)

Encore:

Turn On The Radio, 4 Minutes, Hung Up, Open Your Heart

RKJCNE said:

SoulAlive said:

It'll be interesting to see what the "themes" will be for this tour.I have a few ideas of my own....

***a dark,controversial segment (Love Gone Wrong) that features songs like "Til Death Do Us Part","Miles Away","I Don't Give A" and ending with a chilling performance of "Gang Bang".

***after performing "Like A Prayer",Madonna removes her nun outfit and launches into the raunchy "Girl Gone Wild"

***Old favorites like "Angel","Dress You Up","Causing A Commotion" are added to the setlist.

***MDNA/LOVE IS A DRUG segment----a segment focusing on the theme of "love is a drug".A sexy segment where the stage becomes a rave-like dance club,featuring the songs "Justify My Love","Future Lovers","Skin" and "I'm Addicted".

Love your ideas, especially love gone wrong.

Hmmm some deas of my own.

Opening with M as a mad scientist, M-DNA theme
I'm addicted with (elements of get together), causing a commotion, What it feels like for a girl, masterpiece

Dress You Up montage to introduce next segment

Next she's out in the clubs, circa 1988 Club Kids/Michael Alig influenced with Madonna dressed full on as Amanda Lepore

Deeper and Deeper, Vogue, Bedtime Story, Gang Bang

Sanctuary interlude

M goes back in time for a more biblical twist on her superbowl look

I'm a sinner, I don't give a, Don't Tell Me, Like A Prayer

Music interlude

Madonna returns in full Marilyn Monroe get up

Express Yourself, GMAYL, GGW, Burning Up

Sky Fits Heaven Interlude

A stripped down set and a simple elegant outfit

Falling Free, This Used To Be My Playground, Till Death do us part (an acoustic version)

Encore:

Turn On The Radio, 4 Minutes, Hung Up, Open Your Heart

A setlist I came up with is like this:

Greek/Superbowl begining theme:

Vogue

Sorry

Girl Gone Wild

*Music Interlude*

Techno/Robot theme:

Music

Future Lovers

Human Nature (Techno based remix)

Some Girls

Runaway Lover

Ray Of Light

*ABBA based Interlude*

Disco theme:

Hung Up

Express Yourself (Disco based remix)

Miles Away (Disco based remix)

Love Spent

I'm Addicted

Get Together

Church theme:

Like A Virgin

Like A Prayer (Ends in fashion similar to superbowl with Madonna going to hell)

Hell theme:

Gang Bang

I Don't Give A

Erotica

I'm A Sinner

*Girl Gone Wild reprise interlude*

Serious yet simple theme (Some songs will be acoustic):

Frozen

Bedtime Stories

Masterpiece

Best Friend

Mer Girl

Paradise (Not For Me)

Little Star

Falling Free

Encore:

4 Minutes

Give Me All Your Luvin'

I'm Addicted

Madonna, 'MDNA' - First Listen

The Material Girl returns with her 12th studio album. Is it any cop? Let’s find out....

‘Girl Gone Wild’

Though most will have heard this track already (it’s the second single off the album) it’s worth a recap. Produced by Benny Benassi, Madonna intros with a spoken word segment about how she wants "so badly to be good". As the album plays through, the strangeness of the single's choice will become more apparent. ‘Girl Gone Wild’ does little to set the listener up for what’s about to come next.

‘Gang Bang’

With an intro consisting of a revving engine and a solid four-to-the-floor beat, ‘Gang Bang’ is Madge Gone Industrial. We’re certainly not mentioning another blonde female artist who also took inspiration from German Industrial on her last album, but we’re in the same ball park. It’s exciting. Madonna’s ditched the faux English accent and the mood is tense. It feels like something's about to snap as she declares “You were building my coffin/ you were driving my hearse". Ubiquitous Dubstep wobble aside, the track tails off into a wonderful 'Faster Kill Pussycat' segment, with Madge singing “Drive bitch and while you're at it die bitch!”

‘I’m Addicted’

Electronic ripples open the track into something that sounds like ‘Momma's Place’-era Roisin Murphy. There are some nudging references to Killer Rave Drugs as Madonna sings "It's like MDMA and that's OK". There’s another dubsteppy breakdown that ends with her chanting "MDNA" over an electro explosion. We can't wait to see this live.

‘Turn Up the Radio’

This is the first of the six Martin Solveig-produced tracks on the album(including the bonus tracks). There’s a Dragonette style vocal and lyrics about music helping you to forget your woes. It’s quite sweet, and leads nicely into the next track...

‘Give Me All Your Luvin’’

...which is still amazing.

‘Some Girls’

The first William Orbit cut (of five). Direct and bitchy, Madonna’s vocals are treated and hidden beneath a heavy bass. It’s a mid-tempo track with a chorus of "Some girls are not like me / I never want to be like some girls".

‘Superstar’

This track feels a bit lightweight amongst the others. There’s a Katy Perry vibe. The "Oh la la you're my superstar" chorus seems like a incongruous filler with the cheeky cringey teen lyrics: "You're like Abe Lincoln because you fight for what's right". Maybe Lourdes helped her with this one?

‘I Don’t Give A’

Lyrically, this is a list of all the things that Madonna has to do: "Message manager no time for a manicure". It avoids turning into ‘American Life’ thanks to Madonna letting a little bit of her guard down: "I tried to be a good girl I tried to be your wife". Nicki Minaj's guest spot is relaxed and ends with the immortal line: "There's only one queen and that's Madonna, bitch".

‘I’m A Sinner’

A psychy track that feels like a mix of Peaches and Martha And The Vandellas. It sounds fresh, and tongue firmly in cheek Madonna lists some saints over a "Wo-oh-ah" backing vocal.

‘Love Spent’

Though ‘Love Spent’ could come across as a kind of 'Exquisite Corpse' of a track (banjo intro, then violins, then spoken word) it’s really brilliant. Madonna channels ABBA-level spousal hurt as she sings "Hold me like your money, tell me that you want me, spend your love on me".

‘Masterpiece’

The track from W.E. It sounds a bit zzzz here to be honest.

‘Falling Free’

Elegant and classy, the warped piano sounds of the final track on the album proper is a fitting end. This icy ballad fits far better than ‘Masterpiece’ as Madonna addresses a problem she wishes she could forget: "When I move a certain way I feel an ache I've kept at bay".

‘Beautiful Killer’

Yep, you guessed it: beautiful filler, more like.

‘I Fucked Up’

It’s strange that this didn’t make it onto the main CD. This is the track that most critics have pegged to be about Guy Ritchie. Aside from the token French interlude, this is understated and excellent, and could easily have replaced ‘Masterpiece’.

‘B-Day Song’

M.I.A. makes an appearance on this 60s-influenced Solveig track. Though there’s a line about how Madonna likes to spend her birthdays ("Give me a spanking start the day off right") it’s clear why this isn’t a main track.

'Best Friend’

Madonna lists things she misses in her partner. It sounds a bit like a vocodorized Max Martin track, which would normally be amazing, but in these circumstances, it doesn’t really fit.

So, is the Queen of Pop back on her throne? Just about. We’d pledge our allegiance anyway.

NME.COM blogs contain the opinions of the individual writer and not necessarily those of NME magazine or NME.COM.