Madonna, Hard Candy

Madonna graciously sent me (and a few thousand other naughty people) her new music and asked me what i think, here it is:

First up i do love it. I have had it on constant repeat its that good, yet when ive been compiling my thoughts the initial euphoria of having the new Madonna has given way to some more negative comments.

First things first, there is less lovely autotuned vocals than you might find on say a britney release, and there are Madonna's often cheesey lyrics in place of some premier songwriters skills, this makes the album seems a bit weaker perhaps than itd could've been if Madonna had been willing to play gimp to some Pop svengali, that said i still love the inuendo laden rhymes and childlike hooks on opening track 'Candy Shop'. I'd been singing this one for the past few weeks anyway. From here the other standouts are the other hook laden potential singles, 'Give it 2 me' and 'Beat goes on' two Pharrel tracks with support from Kanye West. The thing is they will make good singles and with clever videos may become massive hits but beneath their catchy lines these songs are pretty madonna-lyte it has to be said.

'Give it 2 Me' however is saved as second single due to its references to Madonna herself, in a way its like her 'piece of me' answering her critics, as if there were still any doubters that shes fit enough to dance for hours in concert. Similarly 'She's not me' the best sing-along on the album, mirrors output from gwen / fergie but calmly and efficiently reminds you that Madonna is Madonna and wont be beat. This is the the general theme of the album, Madonna is still the best oh and go out and live your life be free and dance.

Pulling this poppy message into deeper realms are the beats and the blips, and most people have noticed that Pharrel gives her some of his best work, while Timbaland rehashes a lot of his recent ideas. It seems that the production is the sore point for a lot of disappointed fans, but it really promotes the best parts of lacklustre album tracks, 'heartbeat' and 'incredible' are elevated beyond the type of europop spewed forth from her peers while tracks like 'she's not me' and 'miles away' really come to life in the closing minutes to provide epic dance tracks and ever evolving beats.

For me its this production that standouts with each listen and sustains the albums lifespan, i want to make suitable album title puns, but i can only suggest that its like admiring the candy beneath the sugar. and thats when i come unstuck myself. it seems like madonna is the instant hit and the beat is the real meat of the track, and i think this is why some fans are disappointed because ultimatly it should be the cool beats leading us to Madonna's lyrical musings and appreciating her deeper edge, but these things only come tacked on in the last two tracks, again forcing me to concede the album is madonna-lite, unsure of where the sugars coming from. hence my overthinking of this the more i play it.

The backing track to each Pharrel song really nails it though, it slips and slides and conjures up some great epic / quirky / sublime moments that make me find something to love in every song, as a casual listen some of the more lenghty tracks like 'incredible' can fall flat, but to follow the beat and have it blasting in your ears makes it a perfect driving, workout or clubbing album. Some fan critiques have bemoaned the lack of standout tracks, i think its true, but is perhaps due to the patchy nature of recent albums (from both madonna and pop in general) where tracks were either single-worthy or solid album favourites, here i feel Madonna is seeking to emulate Nelly and Justin, if not sonically, then at least sales wise by pimping out most tracks on this album in some locale. (though why the spanish track explains spanish terms seems to miss the target demographic im not sure?)

Lastly, while im happy to concede that the album feels lacking in some respects: a lack of madonna vocals and lyrics to really sink your teeth into, i for one am hugely satisfied with this album. Its a change but sits well with her back catalogue, BUT, for all the good will i feel towards this project my subconcious is telling me that 'Miles Away' is above and beyond my favourite track, it would've been buried on her previous album but here sticks out as an immense, simple and uplifting song detailing her long-distance love, the final breakdown is just enough wizadry, and i hope she gives us an album of this next time.

PS ...and 4 minutes, eeek i change my mind every play, i use it as my must run to work song, ive only got three minutes to get to work arrghgh! its madonna-lyte again, its catchy, it wouldve been a better justin song, justin and anoyone song, or a madonna alone song, the depth of what were saving isnt there, the video is odd, it seems incomplete, madonna is just herslef no real image the sets look cheap the dancing is cute but lacklustre need i go on...the beat is annoying maybe if pharrel took on justins part id love it, muchos love for pharrel this means lots of love to pharrel, madonna taught me that.