I've listened to it all the way through two times and it's alright - not amazing, nothing bad, just alright. A little disappointed if I'm honest. I'm sure some people will love it though.
My opinion is that alot of people were desperate for it to fail and when the critic reviews all came back positive some didn't know which direction to run off in just to try and discredit these reviewers.
My opinion is that alot of people were desperate for it to fail and when the critic reviews all came back positive some didn't know which direction to run off in just to try and discredit these reviewers.
Yeah I know right. I think a lot of people were holding out for the critics to give MDNA the thumbs down. When that didn't happen, they must be shitting themselves. Funniest thing ever.:D
I would'nt call it a minority post. Only someone who thinks the sun shines out of Madonna's arse could think this was a great album, and yes, mostly because of the lyrics.
It just so happens that the people who love her most will post more about her. It would've had to be a really terrible album to be worse than Hard Candy but after listening to this I actually think I prefer Hard Candy. It highlights beat the MDNA highlights for me.
I don't think that's fair at all. This album has gotten amazing reviews from almost all the press who hardly think the sun shines out of her arse, but usually are quite hostile. You said you didn't like it, but you never said why. The album kind of puts together all of Madonna's different styles over the years. I don't see how someone who has enjoyed her music over the years could not like this album. The only way I could see someone not liking it is if they have never liked any of Madonna's music, but like some other genre of music that is not what Madonna does.
It's interesting that you say you prefer Hard Candy. I'm a huge Madonna fan and I love all her albums except for HC which I basically hate bar a few songs. The problem with HC for me is it didn't sound like Madonna to me, but had a totally different hip hop and R&B sound to it. Perhaps you just don't like electronica or electro-pop which is the genre of MDNA for the most part.
Yeah I know right. I think a lot of people were holding out for the critics to give MDNA the thumbs down. When that didn't happen, they must be shitting themselves. Funniest thing ever.:D
Or maybe, just maybe, some people are genuinely underwhelmed with the album??!
What I've heard so far isn't for me. I like more or less everything she's done, certainly up to and including Confessions I've liked all her albums (loved really) and I'm even getting into some of Hard Candy. This direction just isn't for me, and the main reason is because of the quality of the lyrics. If you listen to them, they are really, really generic, dull and insipid. The music itself isn't too bad, if the lyrics were better then I'd probably really like it.
I don't really feel let down by this album though, I don't believe any artist owes their fans anything really. If this is the direction she wants to go in, it's her prerogative.
It's surprising that you criticize the lyrics. Because they are a lot of deeper more introspective lyrics on this album about her divorce, although there a few songs that have lighthearted fun lyrics. The lyrics on this album are deeper than most of her albums since LAP. I thought HC was lacking in the lyric department for the most part, but MDNA is much better lyrically. I wonder if you really did listen to the lyrics on this album.
I also find it puzzling how you say this is a different direction than a lot of her previous albums. There are a lot of songs on this album that have a similiar sound to some of her other albums such as Confessions, Music and ROL. If there's one criticism of this album I could make it's that she didn't do anything that new. The album is basically a mix of a lot of her previous styles. So I'm puzzled how anyone could like most of her previous work and not like this album. Doesn't make sense to me.
It's surprising that you criticize the lyrics. Because they are a lot of deeper more introspective lyrics on this album about her divorce, although there a few songs that have lighthearted fun lyrics. The lyrics on this album are deeper than most of her albums since LAP. I thought HC was lacking in the lyric department for the most part, but MDNA is much better lyrically. I wonder if you really did listen to the lyrics on this album.
I also find it puzzling how you say this is a different direction than a lot of her previous albums. There are a lot of songs on this album that have a similiar sound to some of her other albums such as Confessions, Music and ROL. If there's one criticism of this album I could make it's that she didn't do anything that new. The album is basically a mix of a lot of her previous styles. So I'm puzzled how anyone could like most of her previous work and not like this album. Doesn't make sense to me.
no, that makes perfect sense...it's always exciting to hear progress. Who wants slightly less good variations of previous work?
If there's one criticism of this album I could make it's that she didn't do anything that new. The album is basically a mix of a lot of her previous styles. So I'm puzzled how anyone could like most of her previous work and not like this album. Doesn't make sense to me.
Then you don't get it.
The one thing that has/(had) seen Madonna stay ahead of the pack for two decades from her debut to COAD was (using the David Bowie template - whom was inducted into the Rock N'Roll Hall Of Fame by "Her Madgesty" the Queen Of Pop) she would constantly reinvent her "Sound and Vision" hence I'm disappointed with this album because it sounds like a mixture of rehashes of her sound templates from Ray Of Light onwards given a 2010s "In Da Club Guetta-lite mixes" that have been done better elsewhere on the current music scene.
Whilst (and it is early days) only "Gang Bang" sounds like a genuine Top 40 best ever Madonna songs contender.
It is certainly not the near disaster the tired sounding Hard Candy was, but releasing an underwhelming middling effort after that massive disappointing Hard Candy album and the length of the gap between studio albums means this is a bit of a let down, as it seems to suggest her creative decline may be permanent (and like the Rolling Stones in the 1980s, etc) she is becoming a "veteran" act where most punters will only go to see her in concert for her biggest hits, and tolerate (or go to the toilet for) the handful of tracks from her latest album.
Yeah I know right. I think a lot of people were holding out for the critics to give MDNA the thumbs down. When that didn't happen, they must be shitting themselves. Funniest thing ever.:D
That is such an obnoxious way to look at it. I've been a huge fan of Madonna for almost twenty years, so why on earth would I want her to release something rubbish? It is feasible that some real hardcore fans (like myself) just genuinely don't like the direction.
And to equate critical success with how good an album is is a pretty stupid point - surely there's albums that have garnered critical success that you don't like? Otherwise, you must have a HUGE collection.
The one thing that has/(had) seen Madonna stay ahead of the pack for two decades from her debut to COAD was (using the David Bowie template - whom was inducted into the Rock N'Roll Hall Of Fame by "Her Madgesty" the Queen Of Pop) she would constantly reinvent her "Sound and Vision" hence I'm disappointed with this album because it sounds like a mixture of rehashes of her sound templates from Ray Of Light onwards given a 2010s "In Da Club Guetta-lite mixes" that have been done better elsewhere on the current music scene.
Whilst (and it is early days) only "Gang Bang" sounds like a genuine Top 40 best ever Madonna songs contender.
It is certainly not the near disaster the tired sounding Hard Candy was, but releasing an underwhelming middling effort after that massive disappointing Hard Candy album and the length of the gap between studio albums means this is a bit of a let down, as it seems to suggest her creative decline may be permanent (and like the Rolling Stones in the 1980s, etc) she is becoming a "veteran" act where most punters will only go to see her in concert for her biggest hits, and tolerate (or go to the toilet for) the handful of tracks from her latest album.
This album sounds nothing like David Guetta remixes. It's much more interesting than that. People talk about Madonna reinventing herself, but it's always more subtle than what David Bowie did. She has always stayed in the pop/dance/electronica field with the ocassional acoustic guitar. Madonna reinvents herself but within her chosen genre. She knows what will work for her, and what doesn't. You may think she's in creative decline but the majority of reviewers disagree. Personally, I think the idea of doing something completely different for the sake of it is overrated. I care about hearing music I enjoy, even if it's like some of an artist's past work. An artist can't be good at every type of music. There's something to be said with knowing what works for you and reinventing itself within that genre.
It's surprising that you criticize the lyrics. Because they are a lot of deeper more introspective lyrics on this album about her divorce, although there a few songs that have lighthearted fun lyrics. The lyrics on this album are deeper than most of her albums since LAP. I thought HC was lacking in the lyric department for the most part, but MDNA is much better lyrically. I wonder if you really did listen to the lyrics on this album.
I also find it puzzling how you say this is a different direction than a lot of her previous albums. There are a lot of songs on this album that have a similiar sound to some of her other albums such as Confessions, Music and ROL. If there's one criticism of this album I could make it's that she didn't do anything that new. The album is basically a mix of a lot of her previous styles. So I'm puzzled how anyone could like most of her previous work and not like this album. Doesn't make sense to me.
I would say it's a very pale imitation of other styles she has previously used. I'm listening to it again now, Love Spent in particular, and it's pretty much dreadful. That's my opinion, I understand that not everyone will agree.
As for her other lyrics, I think albums such as Erotica and Confessions were much more interesting lyrically. Even Hard Candy, the few that I like off that album, the lyrics are in my opinion more interesting. Sure there's a lot of duffers on it.
Also, another criticism of the album, her vocal delivery to me, sounds incredibly bored.
Again, this is just my opinion. I don't expect everyone (or anyone) to agree.
no, that makes perfect sense...it's always exciting to hear progress. Who wants slightly less good variations of previous work?
There're not less good. A lot of them are equally good in my opinion. I think the idea of Madonna reinventing her sound is sort of overhyped. Yes, her records are different but they tend to be in her chosen genre of pop/dance/electronica/ballads. That is the type of artist she is.
The one thing that has/(had) seen Madonna stay ahead of the pack for two decades from her debut to COAD was (using the David Bowie template - whom was inducted into the Rock N'Roll Hall Of Fame by "Her Madgesty" the Queen Of Pop) she would constantly reinvent her "Sound and Vision" hence I'm disappointed with this album because it sounds like a mixture of rehashes of her sound templates from Ray Of Light onwards given a 2010s "In Da Club Guetta-lite mixes" that have been done better elsewhere on the current music scene.
Whilst (and it is early days) only "Gang Bang" sounds like a genuine Top 40 best ever Madonna songs contender.
It is certainly not the near disaster the tired sounding Hard Candy was, but releasing an underwhelming middling effort after that massive disappointing Hard Candy album and the length of the gap between studio albums means this is a bit of a let down, as it seems to suggest her creative decline may be permanent (and like the Rolling Stones in the 1980s, etc) she is becoming a "veteran" act where most punters will only go to see her in concert for her biggest hits, and tolerate (or go to the toilet for) the handful of tracks from her latest album.
With all due respect. I have just looked through your post history, I'm not a stalker but I knew someone on another forum with a similar name and wanted to see if you were the same person , and it seems you have been slagging off Madonna for at least the best part of 12 months.
See what I mean about haters using any excuse to climb out of the woodwork...
With all due respect. I have just looked through your post history, I'm not a stalker but I knew someone on another forum with a similar name and wanted to see if you were the same person , and it seems you have been slagging off Madonna for at least the best part of 12 months.
See what I mean about haters using any excuse to climb out of the woodwork...
This appears to be a very "smart" hater though as every post seems to start with "I've liked her for 2 decades BUT...":D
I think the album is incredible personally, i love every song.
Me, too! The only song I'm not in love with Is I Don't Give A. I like the part where Madonna is singing/rapping but I don't like Nikki's rap. I wish there was a version without that. But that's my personal taste. I'm not a fan of rap or hip hop.
Some of you really need to get a grip. We would'nt have listened to it if we wernt fans and did'nt want it to be good.
As for the reviews, good for you. I'm glad you're satisfied with them. You keep hearing what you want to hear. At the end of the day a review is an opinion.
Really starting to think most of the work is done by her collaborators now tbh.
With all due respect. I have just looked through your post history, I'm not a stalker but I knew someone on another forum with a similar name and wanted to see if you were the same person , and it seems you have been slagging off Madonna for at least the best part of 12 months.
See what I mean about haters using any excuse to climb out of the woodwork...
With all due respect, I've bought all Madonna's albums, I bought her first album in 1984 with money I received for my 13th birthday. I've seen her in concert three times in three decades, but I call a spade a spade, and to my ears it is pretty apparent that Madonna has lost "it", much in the same way David Bowie lost "it" after his Let's Dance album and did not get it back until the 1990s; just like Bob Dylan lost it in the late 1980s and spent over a decade making largely very underwhelming albums; just like Paul McCartney has made a number of very poor albums throughout his solo career; REM should have called it a day after their drummer left; the Rolling Stones last near great album was "Some Girls"; etc.
I have over 1500 albums in my record collection and have been to over 80 gigs by major artists in my lifetime so I think I'm able to give a balanced honest opinion.
Sorry, but my absolute musical pet hate is seeing "stans" who blindly/religiously believe everything their favourite act does is amazing because that is just BS. Many of my favourite acts have made terrible singles & released poor albums in that time, but I guess I come from having my teens in the early 1980s before political correctness and music PR took hold whereby fans of an act who could turn on their own favourite act, and you bought Smash Hits to see which act was slagging off which other acts, or get their replies without it having an adverse effect on their career or before showbiz sites like DS or tabloid papers made mountains out of molehills by taking quotes out of context to create internet traffic and "stan wars".
And to my opinion Madonna from the early 1990s "Blonde Ambition/The Girlie Show" could blast the Madonna of now off the stage, because like virtually all musical acts they are past their creative best when they get to their 40s and beyond.
Madonna is my second favourite female artist of all time behind Kate Bush, but just like I regard KB's The Red Shoes album as a huge let down as her then contemporary tribute acts PJ Harvey, Tori Amos & Bjork (remember the famous Q Magazine cover) had all released better Kate Bush albums than her around the same time, then I'm hugely disappointed with Madonna right now because to my ears the likes of Robyn, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Pink, etc have all released much better albums than Madonna's Hard Candy & MDNA .... not because those acts are necessarily better than Britney, Christina, Kylie, etc in the early 2000s; or Whitney, Janet; Mariah, etc in the early 1990s or Cyndi Lauper, etc in the early mid 1980s but because Madonna's own exceptional standards have dropped from her long running peak.
Comments
Yeah I know right. I think a lot of people were holding out for the critics to give MDNA the thumbs down. When that didn't happen, they must be shitting themselves. Funniest thing ever.:D
I don't think that's fair at all. This album has gotten amazing reviews from almost all the press who hardly think the sun shines out of her arse, but usually are quite hostile. You said you didn't like it, but you never said why. The album kind of puts together all of Madonna's different styles over the years. I don't see how someone who has enjoyed her music over the years could not like this album. The only way I could see someone not liking it is if they have never liked any of Madonna's music, but like some other genre of music that is not what Madonna does.
It's interesting that you say you prefer Hard Candy. I'm a huge Madonna fan and I love all her albums except for HC which I basically hate bar a few songs. The problem with HC for me is it didn't sound like Madonna to me, but had a totally different hip hop and R&B sound to it. Perhaps you just don't like electronica or electro-pop which is the genre of MDNA for the most part.
Or maybe, just maybe, some people are genuinely underwhelmed with the album??!
Obviously that could never happen :rolleyes:
brb shitting self
Well I rest my case.:D
It's surprising that you criticize the lyrics. Because they are a lot of deeper more introspective lyrics on this album about her divorce, although there a few songs that have lighthearted fun lyrics. The lyrics on this album are deeper than most of her albums since LAP. I thought HC was lacking in the lyric department for the most part, but MDNA is much better lyrically. I wonder if you really did listen to the lyrics on this album.
I also find it puzzling how you say this is a different direction than a lot of her previous albums. There are a lot of songs on this album that have a similiar sound to some of her other albums such as Confessions, Music and ROL. If there's one criticism of this album I could make it's that she didn't do anything that new. The album is basically a mix of a lot of her previous styles. So I'm puzzled how anyone could like most of her previous work and not like this album. Doesn't make sense to me.
no, that makes perfect sense...it's always exciting to hear progress. Who wants slightly less good variations of previous work?
Then you don't get it.
The one thing that has/(had) seen Madonna stay ahead of the pack for two decades from her debut to COAD was (using the David Bowie template - whom was inducted into the Rock N'Roll Hall Of Fame by "Her Madgesty" the Queen Of Pop) she would constantly reinvent her "Sound and Vision" hence I'm disappointed with this album because it sounds like a mixture of rehashes of her sound templates from Ray Of Light onwards given a 2010s "In Da Club Guetta-lite mixes" that have been done better elsewhere on the current music scene.
Whilst (and it is early days) only "Gang Bang" sounds like a genuine Top 40 best ever Madonna songs contender.
It is certainly not the near disaster the tired sounding Hard Candy was, but releasing an underwhelming middling effort after that massive disappointing Hard Candy album and the length of the gap between studio albums means this is a bit of a let down, as it seems to suggest her creative decline may be permanent (and like the Rolling Stones in the 1980s, etc) she is becoming a "veteran" act where most punters will only go to see her in concert for her biggest hits, and tolerate (or go to the toilet for) the handful of tracks from her latest album.
That is such an obnoxious way to look at it. I've been a huge fan of Madonna for almost twenty years, so why on earth would I want her to release something rubbish? It is feasible that some real hardcore fans (like myself) just genuinely don't like the direction.
And to equate critical success with how good an album is is a pretty stupid point - surely there's albums that have garnered critical success that you don't like? Otherwise, you must have a HUGE collection.
Thats what matters at the end of the day as that is what will be always referenced. :cool:
This album sounds nothing like David Guetta remixes. It's much more interesting than that. People talk about Madonna reinventing herself, but it's always more subtle than what David Bowie did. She has always stayed in the pop/dance/electronica field with the ocassional acoustic guitar. Madonna reinvents herself but within her chosen genre. She knows what will work for her, and what doesn't. You may think she's in creative decline but the majority of reviewers disagree. Personally, I think the idea of doing something completely different for the sake of it is overrated. I care about hearing music I enjoy, even if it's like some of an artist's past work. An artist can't be good at every type of music. There's something to be said with knowing what works for you and reinventing itself within that genre.
I would say it's a very pale imitation of other styles she has previously used. I'm listening to it again now, Love Spent in particular, and it's pretty much dreadful. That's my opinion, I understand that not everyone will agree.
As for her other lyrics, I think albums such as Erotica and Confessions were much more interesting lyrically. Even Hard Candy, the few that I like off that album, the lyrics are in my opinion more interesting. Sure there's a lot of duffers on it.
Also, another criticism of the album, her vocal delivery to me, sounds incredibly bored.
Again, this is just my opinion. I don't expect everyone (or anyone) to agree.
There're not less good. A lot of them are equally good in my opinion. I think the idea of Madonna reinventing her sound is sort of overhyped. Yes, her records are different but they tend to be in her chosen genre of pop/dance/electronica/ballads. That is the type of artist she is.
With all due respect. I have just looked through your post history, I'm not a stalker but I knew someone on another forum with a similar name and wanted to see if you were the same person
See what I mean about haters using any excuse to climb out of the woodwork...
This appears to be a very "smart" hater though as every post seems to start with "I've liked her for 2 decades BUT...":D
Me, too! The only song I'm not in love with Is I Don't Give A. I like the part where Madonna is singing/rapping but I don't like Nikki's rap. I wish there was a version without that. But that's my personal taste. I'm not a fan of rap or hip hop.
'M.D.N.A M.D.M.A' :eek:
As for the reviews, good for you. I'm glad you're satisfied with them. You keep hearing what you want to hear. At the end of the day a review is an opinion.
Really starting to think most of the work is done by her collaborators now tbh.
Her more recent albums are'nt up to scratch other than for those who have an unhealthy obsession with her. Give it a rest.
With all due respect, I've bought all Madonna's albums, I bought her first album in 1984 with money I received for my 13th birthday. I've seen her in concert three times in three decades, but I call a spade a spade, and to my ears it is pretty apparent that Madonna has lost "it", much in the same way David Bowie lost "it" after his Let's Dance album and did not get it back until the 1990s; just like Bob Dylan lost it in the late 1980s and spent over a decade making largely very underwhelming albums; just like Paul McCartney has made a number of very poor albums throughout his solo career; REM should have called it a day after their drummer left; the Rolling Stones last near great album was "Some Girls"; etc.
I have over 1500 albums in my record collection and have been to over 80 gigs by major artists in my lifetime so I think I'm able to give a balanced honest opinion.
Sorry, but my absolute musical pet hate is seeing "stans" who blindly/religiously believe everything their favourite act does is amazing because that is just BS. Many of my favourite acts have made terrible singles & released poor albums in that time, but I guess I come from having my teens in the early 1980s before political correctness and music PR took hold whereby fans of an act who could turn on their own favourite act, and you bought Smash Hits to see which act was slagging off which other acts, or get their replies without it having an adverse effect on their career or before showbiz sites like DS or tabloid papers made mountains out of molehills by taking quotes out of context to create internet traffic and "stan wars".
And to my opinion Madonna from the early 1990s "Blonde Ambition/The Girlie Show" could blast the Madonna of now off the stage, because like virtually all musical acts they are past their creative best when they get to their 40s and beyond.
Madonna is my second favourite female artist of all time behind Kate Bush, but just like I regard KB's The Red Shoes album as a huge let down as her then contemporary tribute acts PJ Harvey, Tori Amos & Bjork (remember the famous Q Magazine cover) had all released better Kate Bush albums than her around the same time, then I'm hugely disappointed with Madonna right now because to my ears the likes of Robyn, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Pink, etc have all released much better albums than Madonna's Hard Candy & MDNA .... not because those acts are necessarily better than Britney, Christina, Kylie, etc in the early 2000s; or Whitney, Janet; Mariah, etc in the early 1990s or Cyndi Lauper, etc in the early mid 1980s but because Madonna's own exceptional standards have dropped from her long running peak.