To celebrate Madonna being 53 , let's just for fun, speculate ten years into the future! She has just released her 16th studio album. It is called "Topiary" and features some reworkings of her original songs as well as new numbers and a half a dozen or so cover versions. Designed to follow up her hugely successful 15th album "The Origin of Sound", the album differs by having fewer cover versions and more original tracks.
Here's the tracklist:
1) Live to Tell
A full orchestrated version of this timeless classic. The choral backing vocals are out of this world. A fabulous opener and at almost seven minutes long, it goes by so quickly.
2) Over The Rainbow
This classic gets the Madonna treatment. A stunning reworking full of mystical sounds and daring rhythms, this beautifully sung classic will send goosebumps all over your body. Another long number at over 5 minutes.
3) Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)
This classic Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer disco hit is reworked beautifully. A great funky beat and a sign that the album is about to get on down! (4 minutes 58 seconds)
4) The Walls Can Hear
A great dance number that will leave you shocked that a 63 year old can still do the business! Hell, you wouldn't even know she was 63 when you hear this! Only drawback is that's too short at just 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
5) Mother and Father
Yep, it's a reworking of her song from the 2003 album American Life. The beats are more controlled in this version and the song sounds like a new piece of writing with virtually all elements of the original gone. Dam it's good! (5 minutes 16 seconds).
6) Zipper
A manic, ferocious little track with virtually no lyric. Madonna sings about the fastness of the world and how life rushes by. The beat is so frenetic you'll need to sit down! A great track though and at nearly 4 minutes there's enough to make it worthwhile!
7) Across The Sky
As the first half of the album closes, this previously unreleased track from the Hard Candy era gets a slight retweaking. It is such a catchy song it is infectious. (3.51)
8) New York, New York
Madonna hasn't yet done full on jazz. Until now. The albums second half begins with this Frank Sinatra classic and if I dare, this version is superior in every single way! Absolutely fabulous track. (4.31)
9) All That Jazz
The second best track on the whole album is this faithful cover of the hit musical number. The song cleverly closes the uptempo section of the album and what follows will leave you in tears. (5.44)
10) For the Children
A beautiful, personal tribute to her children, Madonna sings "I couldn't love you more if I tried. My maternal love has never died. I will watch you when you're down and blue, when you're happy I'll be next to you." The string arrangement is so slick it makes you feel like you're at a prom. The choral backing singers are to be congratulated. A STUNNING, STUNNING TRACK. (6.13)
11) This Used to be My Playground
An unnecessary reworking and not a patch on the original version, but pleasant enough. The worst track on the album. (5.44)
12) Slipping Through My Fingers
A fantastic cover version of the Abba song. Intended to be a tribute to Bjorn Ulvaeus. The vocals are heartfelt and strong and the track will leave you pouring your eyes out. Excellent. (4.03)
13) To Never Feel Love
The penultimate song is one of the best. It is well crafted and features a full orchestra with sweeping strings. The vocals are sublime and raw and she sings:
"To never feel love is worse than death,
Sadness envelopes each lonely breath"
A fabulous melody and all in all fabulous everything! (4.55)
14) It Isn't Over Until It Ends
A strange choice of album closer! A slow love song about being left at a party and thinking you're forever to be lonely. Then once the slow stuff ends and you think it's over, there's a slight pause and then a funky disco beat thumps out to fade! Unusual and inspiring. (4.33)
A fabulous album. 10/10
So what do you think of this hyperthetical future record? I'd buy it!