This is your wake up call...…..This album is amazing! Its a shame many out there won't give it a chance but it's really a great record that she should be very proud of!
I got the Japan SHM-CD today from amazon Japan from what I can tell the Dynamic Range #'s are identical to the iTunes download (which I'd assume is the same as the other world wide CDs) SO same brick walled LOUD audio. Still curious if the Vinyl is much better.
Is anybody going to the shows? I bet it will be a brilliant show and the London Palladium is a great venue. I haven’t been to any of the other venues but I imagine they have the same kind of capacity. It will be a welcome change from those huge horrible arenas and stadiums where you end up watching the screen.
I have tickets for 2 NYC shows on back-to-back days. Will add the 3rd of a 3-night run when I find a ticket I want. Will probably go to the Philly shows as well...
I don’t think I’ve seen this review posted - one of the more thoughtful ones, for sure: Madame X - Madonna | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
I like that it’s the same writer for all of her reviews. I don’t agree with all of his takes on her catalog, but his writing is quite thoughtful and engages with her art in a serious way. He wrote a couple of nice reviews for Olivia Newton-John, too.
Thankfully, the reviewer referring to musical styles to which Madonna doesn’t have “legitimate” claim makes it clear that he’s a drably dogmatic bore who can safely be disregarded.
I haven't litened to the full album, but my impression from the early press releases was that this was gonna be some kind of concept album, about a secret service/spy persona: "Madame X". Haven't seen much discussion about that since the album was released. What happened with all of that? Is there some kind of story here?
I think that turned out to be more of a reflection of the diverse nature of the album - you could read/hear it as some of the songs being sung/presented by different people/personae but it's certainly not a traditional concept record.
Yes that's right, Madame X is a secret agent who wears an eye patch. She is most probably in a helicopter on her way to a top secret mission as we speak, but we might not recognise her because Madame X has many identities, as Madonna explains... Madame X is “a secret agent, travelling around the world, changing identities, fighting for freedom, bringing light to dark places. She is a dancer, a professor, a head of state, a housekeeper, an equestrian, a prisoner, a student, a mother, a child, a teacher, a nun, a singer, a saint, a whore.” I'm thinking that Madame X is maybe a mix of James Bond, Charlies Angels and Dame Edna Everage.
She’s a b****, she’s a lover, she’s a child, she’s a mother, she’s a sinner, she’s a saint — she’s the second coming of Meredith Brooks! But seriously, although the Madame X concept isn’t explicitly laid out throughout the album, I have a feeling it will come to the forefront during the tour.
Madonna is opening a Pop-Up Store in NYC on Thursday June 20th through Sunday June 23rd. Hours 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM. 430 West 15th Street. By the Chelsea Market. Was planning on walking the High Line on Saturday and will check the shop out. Not seen too much press about it yet.
That tour was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I’ve seen all of her 21st century tours in person, and Rebel Heart was the happiest I’ve ever seen her on stage. She was finding joy not just in the new stuff, but also in the classics.
I think it’s very bold of Madonna to have front loaded the album with the more experimental tracks and the world music elements. The opening six cuts are far more complex and multi layered than what you find from a lot of other pop artists. Dark Ballet and God Control have blown my mind. The middle section with Crave and Crazy is a nice breather of classic Madonna. This album must contain some of the best vocals of her career. Extreme Occident and Looking For Mercy feature such plaintive and emotional vocal performances. I also love her voice on Crave. Oh, for anyone who likes the classic, lighthearted Madonna, I would recommend the track Crazy. It has a slight Motown vibe, features untreated vocals, and sounds like vintage Madonna that could have featured on an 80s album. There is also a track called I Don’t Search I Find that sounds like something from the early 90s Erotica era, with a dash of Confessions.