SoulAlive said:

TheGoldStandard said:

Take A Day now eclipses Body Shop Demo #1 as the cutest thing she's recorded since Dear Jessie.

"Take A Day" is a nice surprise.I always like Madonna's work with Pharrell.

It's VERY Carpenters. I never thought I'd see the day where Pharrell produced a Carpenters-like track. I love it!!

It's very interesting as it does have that kinda 50s/60s easy listening/lounge vibe but it also has an early Neptunes vibe to it as well. I doubt we'll ever find out if Chad was on this or just Pharrell but I heard the same sounds from In Search Of and even Kaleidoscope on Take A Day. She also sounds like she is having fun and smiling as she sings, there is actual happiness there.

TheGoldStandard said:

It's very interesting as it does have that kinda 50s/60s easy listening/lounge vibe but it also has an early Neptunes vibe to it as well. I doubt we'll ever find out if Chad was on this or just Pharrell but I heard the same sounds from In Search Of and even Kaleidoscope on Take A Day. She also sounds like she is having fun and smiling as she sings, there is actual happiness there.

I can hear that too! I love that she's using all parts of her voice on the record too. For someone with not a huge range, she does quite a bit with her voice. She always sounds different.

Pharrell is my fav producer of the last 20 years.

MidniteMagnet said:

SoulAlive said:

"Take A Day" is a nice surprise.I always like Madonna's work with Pharrell.

It's VERY Carpenters. I never thought I'd see the day where Pharrell produced a Carpenters-like track. I love it!!

You are absolutely right! does kinda remind me of the Carpenters

purplethunder3121 said:

Cinny said:

I find this cover and "Holy Water" absolutely revolting! "Living For Love" is good though.

You don't like the S&M joke? I didn't care for the cover so much in black and white but I really like it in red. I won't comment on Holy Water--you either like it or you don't.

"Holy Water" is my JAM....my favorite song on the album!

bless yourself and genuflect

purplethunder3121 said:

SoulAlive said:

purplethunder3121 said:

I said I couldn't afford to go this time... I may end up breaking my vow. Maybe I can get my friend to splurge--he hasn't been since the Drowned World tour.

would you rather see her in San Jose or Oakland? I hope she does two shows here in San Jose,like she did on the last tour

Either one's good, but Oakland has BART. Stevie Wonder made me miss the last train though... Madonna would definitely go past the BART schedule. I hope she doesn't have DJs opening this time...

I really like the demo of "Living For Love"...it sounds more 90s/house-inspired than the released version.I think I like the demo more

^Me too, it's more house/gospel, the album version is too toned down.

I hope that on tour she performs this version, it could be a great finale paired up with Like A Prayer.

LiveToTell86 said:

^Me too, it's more house/gospel, the album version is too toned down.

I hope that on tour she performs this version, it could be a great finale paired up with Like A Prayer.

that would be great

Madonna is about to release her best album in 17 years

Posted Today, 06:24 AM

"Living For Love" failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100?

And this happened after the video and Grammy...
I think the General public is simply not interested in this song.

Anyone want some coffee?

LiLi1992 said:

"Living For Love" failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100?

And this happened after the video and Grammy...
I think the General public is simply not interested in this song.

At this point it's silly to expect the general public to be interested in someone whose debut album is more than 30 years old. Music is geared towards people who weren't even born when The Immaculate Collection came out. Us fans are lucky that she keeps going strong and she released the biggest amount of songs ever. The tour is coming too so who cares about radio and sales?

LiveToTell86 said:

At this point it's silly to expect the general public to be interested in someone whose debut album is more than 30 years old. Music is geared towards people who weren't even born when The Immaculate Collection came out. Us fans are lucky that she keeps going strong and she released the biggest amount of songs ever. The tour is coming too so who cares about radio and sales?

it was expected that the song will not be a top 10 hit, Yes.

but I was sure that given that the song itself is not bad and the Grammys, will give the opportunity to debut somewhere in the middle of the Billboard hot 100.

some just album tracks (not singles) debuted in the chart.

I find this level of indifference strange.

check out this statement from the review that I posted above....

there are rumors that the leaked album is not the final version,after all...this review sorta confirms it

"you look so thirsty,I think you need it...."

LiLi1992 said:

Madonna - Rebel Heart

by Matthew Harden

.

The reverse side of Madonna’s loss of love is her undying affinity with romantic idealisation. Such musings gain tremendous momentum on ‘Ghosttown’, where her perspective is starry-eyed, as she narrates a tale of love’s survival in a post apocalyptic world. Adorned with a far-reaching chorus, ‘Ghosttown’ is an electro-ballad with melodies that curve deeply. Despite minor flourishes of auto-tune, Madonna’s voice sounds wholesome and less cartoonish here. Behind all that goes on, sonically, the cinematic embellishments of this tune are lassoed in by a series of humble yet mighty chord progressions, which work to keep everything tightly arranged. Solely written by Madonna, ‘Ghosttown’ feels more concerned with song-craft than trend, making it a rewarding listen.

The delightful ‘Body Shop’ is another rose-tinted vision. Madonna likens her romantic needs to upkeep on a car, which ought to be attended to by her beau in the body shop. “Jumpstart my heart, you know what you gotta do.” The metaphoric discourse is endearing and the song twangs somewhere between India and Middle America. Is it a sitar or banjo playing? Either way, it strums blissfully on the ears. Not dissimilar to ‘Ghosttown’, it’s a track where Madonna doesn’t seem preoccupied with staying current, and the results are actually quite fresh.

Of course, there are ticks on ‘Rebel Heart’, where Madonna’s penchant for appealing to the youth market makes the production overexcited. ‘Bitch I’m Madonna’, featuring Nicki Minaj, swanks a flatulent synth that ambushes the listener with its teenage enthusiasm. With lyrics like – “Yeah, we’ll be drinking and nobody’s gonna stop us”, the song essentially uses the age-appropriate-guidebook as toilet paper. Likewise, on ‘Unapologetic Bitch’, Diplo edges the production with raving alarms, as it’s reggaeton beat struts with brazen confidence. “I’m popping bottles that you can’t even afford. I’m throwing parties and you won’t get in the door”, it’s a brattish ode to validating oneself against the ex. The pressing break-up suggests one she had with a recent boy-toy, perhaps twenty-something Jesus Luz or Brahim Zaibat? Surely Guy Richie could afford expensive champagne.

.

Even among the party packages, ‘Rebel Heart’ is an album laced with lush guitar and strong song writing. A noteworthy number, which attests to these qualities, is the title track, ‘Rebel Heart’. It’s a mid-tempo ballad so melodically sophisticated, with its sing-along euphony, that the chorus reaches a much higher plane. The instrumentation of heart-tugging strings and percussive punch helps to support a vocal performance from Madonna that echoes wisely from her point of reflection. The song, thematically, is a look back, “So I took the road less travelled by, and I barely made it out alive.”

.

Unlike the Madonna of previous eras, this one is absorbed in pronouncing all she’s done before. The album explicitly rejoices in her legacy and that’s evident in song titles like ‘Iconic’ and ‘Veni Vidi Vici’. In the latter, Madonna self-references her litany of hits by weaving big names into autobiographic lines like “I expressed myself, came like a virgin down the isle… I opened up my heart. I learnt the power of goodbye. I saw a ray of light. Music saved my life.” In the Natalia Kills assisted ‘Holy Water’, she goes as far as resurrecting the rap from ‘Vogue’ to commemorate her history. And after three decades of prominence in the music industry, she’s earned her privilege to revel in such rich heritage.

.

No one has matched the endurance of Madonna in pop. No one has had a career of consistency to compare to her achievements. ‘Rebel Heart’ can be enjoyed as a testament to her continuance. Usually, persistent success in one’s career, over a lengthy period, is societally regarded as an achievement worthy of applause. Therefore, it seems contradictory for cynics to drag her for prolonging a career. The alternative perception is to simply appreciate the music, as it so easily is, with ‘Rebel Heart’.

.

Inarguably it’s her best release in ten years. This is Madonna’s new era. If attention looks beyond the music, perhaps it’s time to notice that what she’s doing, as a 56-year-old female in pop, is shifting the paradigm for what it means to be middle-aged. We’re all living longer lives, let this central part in our life become more abundant. Let’s look to Madonna as an example on how to express freely.

According to Madonnatribe:

The tracklist of the Clean edition of Madonnas Rebel Heart has been recently added to the Amazon.com page for the digital version of the album.
The Clean version is based on the 14 track Standard edition and shares its same artwork with the Parental Advisory logo missing and a few interesting choices about which songs needed the cleaning treatment, and leaving us wonder how the edited versions will sound like.

01. Living For Love
02 Devil Pray
03. Ghosttown
04. Unapologetic B**** [Clean]
05. Illuminati
06. B**** Im Madonna [feat. Nicki Minaj] [Clean]
07. Hold Tight
08. Joan Of Arc
09. Iconic [feat. Chance The Rapper]
10. HeartBreakCity [Clean]
11. Body Shop [Clean]
12. Holy Water [Clean]
13. Inside Out
14. Wash All Over Me

TheGoldStandard said:

LiLi1992 said:

it was expected that the song will not be a top 10 hit, Yes.

but I was sure that given that the song itself is not bad and the Grammys, will give the opportunity to debut somewhere in the middle of the Billboard hot 100.

some just album tracks (not singles) debuted in the chart.

I find this level of indifference strange.

. Face it, Spock, folks that think this album is about chart position, bullets, and international performance comparisons are in it for the wrong reason and seeking "highly illogical" style disappointment and confusion. Who seriously listens to radio as a way to get hip to music, especially someone like Madonna? She is in a whole other arena than most of what is played and when she tries to pander it is obvious and painful. Most were over that baloney back in Hard Candy days. So what? [Edited 2/21/15 8:38am]

To be fair both this album and the previous can be accused of "hit chasing" a lot more than Hard Candy (where everything was blamed on the name of the producers and her duet partner in 4 Minutes, not the actual songs and the production), she's trying to sound younger and younger as the years go by, plus she's back in the "ballad" game as well, ignoring them for nearly a decade, one quarter of the album is run-of-the-mill ballads because they seem to be back now (or to recapture old fans?). Other than that I agree with your post, I never really understood why fans care about sales and radio at this point when no matter what, Madonna keeps on recording and performing. CD sales are a drop in the ocean for her next to touring.

purplethunder3121 said:

SoulAlive said:

purplethunder3121 said: would you rather see her in San Jose or Oakland? I hope she does two shows here in San Jose,like she did on the last tour

Either one's good, but Oakland has BART. Stevie Wonder made me miss the last train though... Madonna would definitely go past the BART schedule. I hope she doesn't have DJs opening this time...

I think she should ask Nicki Minaj to be her opening act.I'm serious.They seem to be close and have already recorded three songs together.Nicki is a "rebel" just like Madonna is some outrageous things would happen on this tour,lol

I'm loving this track!! the Pharrell-produced "Take A Day" is amazing!!

unreleased outtake: "Take A Day"

^^that song definitely should have been on the album!! It's a perfect companion to "Body Shop".

Madonna Makes Music Chart History As New Song Explodes At Pop Radio

Even at 56, Madonna is still breaking records. Her latest single “Living for Love” has topped Billboard‘s Dance Club Songs chart, making it her 44th No. 1 song on the Dance charts. Billboard describes the Queen of Pop‘s latest achievement.

“The Queen of Pop reigns again with ‘Living for Love,’ tying with George Strait, the King of Country, for the most leaders on a single Billboard chart. Madonna makes Billboard chart history, as she earns her 44th No. 1 on Dance Club Songs, where ‘Living for Love’ lifts 2-1.”

There is more good news for the former material girl. Her single “Living for Love” is finally exploding at pop radio. It is currently No. 37 and is gaining more than a million listener impressions a day. Many thought that Madonna’s new single was gaining airplay because of a radio pay deal, but it has been confirmed that radio stations are playing it out of their own will — that means Ms. Ciccone is getting a lot of requests and great call-out research.

Madonna has yet to debut on the Billboard Hot 100, but that should change now that “Living for Love” is getting a lot of exposure. The success of “Living for Love” will help Madonna’s next single “Ghosttown,” which probably won’t have to be released for a long time now that “Living for Love” is here for the long term. The folks at American radio obviously still care about the Queen of Pop. However, there have been rumors that theBBC’s Radio 1 has banned Madonna from their playlist because she is “too old.” The Inquisitr spoke to Radio 1, who denied the claims.

“First of all, there is no ban on Madonna. Her single ‘Living for Love’ might have been available since December, but the record company didn’t start pushing it until recently. We have played the song — I think more than once. It may not be played a lot on Radio 1 right now and may not be played at all in the future. But to say the song was ‘banned’ is an incredible lie and one that some are pushing to promote an obvious agenda against Madonna.”

Perhaps Radio 1 will see how successful Madonna has been in the United States with her new single and add it to their playlist. Madonna is scheduled to perform at the Brit Awardsnext week. Madonna will release Rebel Heart on March 10. Around that time, dates for her upcoming tour should be announced as well. The year 2015 is going to be a great year for Madonna fans.

SoulAlive said:

According to Madonnatribe:

The tracklist of the Clean edition of Madonnas Rebel Heart has been recently added to the Amazon.com page for the digital version of the album.
The Clean version is based on the 14 track Standard edition and shares its same artwork with the Parental Advisory logo missing and a few interesting choices about which songs needed the cleaning treatment, and leaving us wonder how the edited versions will sound like.

01. Living For Love
02 Devil Pray
03. Ghosttown
04. Unapologetic B**** [Clean]
05. Illuminati
06. B**** Im Madonna [feat. Nicki Minaj] [Clean]
07. Hold Tight
08. Joan Of Arc
09. Iconic [feat. Chance The Rapper]
10. HeartBreakCity [Clean]
11. Body Shop [Clean]
12. Holy Water [Clean]
13. Inside Out
14. Wash All Over Me

I want the "dirty" version.

I have never ever heard of an album being released without the title track (re: the "clean version"). Why not make the whole 25 clean? This is weird. The 2 bitch songs are gonna be like "you sexy motherAUGHHHHH"

Maybe she'll record new vocals!! "you know you never really knew how much your selfish bullcrap cost me, well screw you" lol "yeezus loves my vagina best"