Thursday, May 1, 2008

Madonna's Hard Candy Worth the Wait?


Madonna's new album Hard Candy just came out. Of course, I got to it the day it was released not because I'm a Madonna fan, as I intimated to Liam, but because it's, well, Madonna. The 49-year-old with an inconceivably fit body who keeps rocking en vogue simply begs for attention.

Hard Candy
has a hip sound, no doubt. It's typically Madonna, though. The material girl is known for reinventing herself and since she's done so a great many times, it's now to be expected.
My music sensitivities don't quite align that comfortably with 'Madonna sounds' as I'm Indie to the core and proud of it, but I can still appreciate what she sets out to do with Hard Candy. Songs like "Hard Candy", "She's Not Me", and, of course, the futuristic-sounding "4 minutes" deliver well enough.
The marriage of techno/house and hip-hop-ish Pop seems to be nigh functional, I found.
I've only had the album for a day now and I haven't played it a whole lot, at least not as much as I have Rilo Kiley or Tegan & Sara, but it's listenable. It's a good album to have when working out or moving about fast with or without purpose.
"I'm tired of doing the same old thing" she says in "Beat Goes On" and she's true to her word, I find.
In nuce, Hard Candy appeals to the basic senses of the fast-paced urbanite and I bet it will sell well. I liked it enough to get it the day it was released and I don't even self-identify as a Madonna-phile.

And to show how serious true Madonna fans are about her and her music, read today's NY Times feature on her New York concert. Here's a snippet:

"The line outside Roseland, on West 52nd Street, formed 60 hours before show time. By late Tuesday it had stretched around the block as the faithful stood and sat and slept and caffeinated themselves for the chance to score one of the 750 wrist bands that would guarantee free admission."
Read full text here.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wait, Bri, you came up with "The marriage of techno/house and hip-hop-ish Pop seems to be nigh functional...." at 7am? What, sth freeze over OH? I thought the wheels didn't start turning till 10:30am. Jokes aside, I like Madonna's new album. "Confessions on a Dance Floors" sort of rubbed the wrong way and I didn't really give it a chance till much later. I'm a fan and proud of it, as you well know. And if we'd happened to be in New York last night I would have definitely waited outside for 60 hours to see her. And I bet I would have schlepped you along. You know you would go if only for the 'text' of the line. The crowd is appealing, no?
Thanks for the review. I also think it is bound to sell well.

Anonymous said...

Few understand how to cash in on 'hype' the way the material girl can.
It's a decent album, I suppose, but def. not spectacular.

Anonymous said...

No one entertains better than Madge!

B.R. said...

Nicky: Yes, I would have gone to the Madonna concert. Who am I kidding? Not you, that's for sure. Thanks