Girl Gone Wild - Well this, the second single from MDNA, is without a doubt a dance floor killer. Madonna is all sex and sass on this gem. I've reviewed it before, so you're familiar with my thoughts on this little ditty. Next.
Gang Bang - "Bang, bang, shot you dead" sings Madonna on this angry song directed toward an ex-lover (presumably Guy Ritchie). Very dark, deep beats and violent lyrics. "I'm going straight to hell and I got a lot of friends there." Madge does NOT hold back her feelings on this track. It's a new sound for the Queen, and she handles it quite fiercely. "I said drive, bitch! And while you're at it, die bitch!"
I'm Addicted - OMG!!! This is one of the most addictive tracks Madonna has blessed us with in a while. All beeps and electronic wonder, I'm Addicted has great production and sexy lyrics. It's of-the-moment sounding and, again, outside of anything we've heard form the legend. Club banger for sure! This song is radio-ready in my opinion. It reminds me of something Kylie Minogue would love to get her hands on. A-MAH-ZING!!! You're gonna love it. The "M-D-N-A, M-D-N-A" chant at the end is perfection.
Turn Up the Radio - This rumored third single is absolute, pure joy. It's like an old school Madonna summer jam, everything you want for this time of the year. If you have a car, get ready to roll down the windows and sing at the top of your lungs. Again the production is superb, and this is possibly the most fun, flirty song Madonna's done since True Blue or Cherish. This is going to break up speakers all over the place in the coming months.
Give Me All Your Luvin' - duh. You know I love this song, peeps.
Some Girls - Starting with hard beats and robotic vocals about some girls having "fake tits" or "want to get their freak on", the song is heavily laced, vocally and instrumentally, with electronics. It sounds very clubby and I can see this being a club release. Sing-songy and cute, but not the best song on the album, but not a "skip it" track either. Sweet bridge.
Superstar - Okay, this one is a little filler. It's a love song that references everything from gangsters to Abe Lincoln. It's got a little girlish feeling to it, sort of like Jimmy Jimmy from True Blue. Simple and effective, but not quite up to par with the other tracks. Definitely the weak spot at this point in the album, but again, not a toss off completely. The dub step break down in the middle is kinda fun though.
I Don't Give A - Another aggressive track. I Don't Give A addresses Madonna obvious displeasure with some of the aspects she experienced during her last marriage. Yikes. Hope Guy can take some criticism. Ha. It's also a female empowerment song with lyrics about multitasking and being okay with leading your own life. "I can do ten things all at once, and if you have a problem, I don't give a..." Nicki Minaj jumps in with a pretty sick verse in the middle too declaring, "There's only one Queen, and that's Madonna." DUH! Overall, pretty funky shit.
I'm A Sinner - This is the first track that REALLY reminds me of Ray of Light in production, and it makes sense since William Orbit, the collaborator on RoL, takes up the duties on this song too. (among others) I'm a Sinner is an unapologetic ode being cool as hell. It's a mid-tempo rocker and has a Beautiful Stranger feel to it as well. Slightly 60s, slightly middle Eastern influenced. It's good times. There's also a call out to several saints that reads like the rap in Vogue. Ha.
Love Spent - Is that a banjo? I believe it is. This is the closest thing to a ballad so far on MDNA. Pretty, great vocals and strings, Madonna is wondering if the guy with her is there for the money. Hence the "spent" reference. "Spend your love on me. Now you have your money, spend it like it's nothing." It's hard and pretty all at once. Orbit gives us lots to listen to musically; the banjo, the strings, the electronic bubbling and the gorgeous breakdown add up to a pretty magical journey.
Masterpiece - Some of you are already familiar with this pretty ballad that won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song from Madonna's film W.E. It hearkens back to the days when Madonna would record ballads like Take a Bow, You'll See or This Used to Be My Playground. It's perhaps the most passionate Madonna has sounded in a ballad in some time.
Fallin Free - Written with Orbit and her brother-in-law, singer-songwriter Joe Henry, Fallin Free is simply sublime. I am so glad Madonna is recording ballads again. They've always been some of my faves. A beautifully distorted piano starts us off, and strings enhance song. Ray of Light comes to mind again with superb lyrics and production. It's a song about freedom and love and finding happiness. Her voice is really great on this song. Love it!! This is the last track on the standard edition of MDNA and it closes out the album perfectly.
DISC 2
Beautiful Killer - The first of the extra tracks on the US edition of MDNA, Beautiful Killer rocks along with a strumming guitar and lyrics about a lover who is a "beautiful killer with a beautiful face". Pretty good song, especially for an extra track, but it doesn't quite have the same feel of the tracks on the first disc. Great vocals and a pretty rad Papa Don't Preach-like string section right in the middle.
I Fucked Up - Quite the opposite of Gang Bang and I Don't Give A, I Fucked Up sees Madonna taking on a little responsibility for what may have ended her last marriage. These must have been written several weeks apart. Ha. It's really a lovely ballad with sweet lyrics and a rare moment of humble-pie on MDNA. I'm actually surprised this didn't make the main show, but here it is as an extra. Maybe it's the title? I like this track a lot. Great build-up to the ending too.
B-Day Song - This song is more of a rock-n-roll number than anything. Girlish and simple, Madonna gives us a little taste of M.I.A. on this track again. Perhaps her little middle finger stunt at the Super Bowl relegated this track to the Disc 2. Ha. This one doesn't quite fit into the swirling sounds on the main disc, but still a fun, Burning Up moment. Very The Ting Tings.
Best Friend - Frantic and unapologetic, Best Friend is a song about a relationship that is clearly over, and though you know you were right to end it, you still miss the person who was so special to you. Electronic sounds infuse this song with urgency and strength. Not gonna lie, this song is kinda deep. I think we've all been there, right?
Give Me All Your Luvin' (Part Rock Mix) - This is a pretty awesome remix, I must say. LMFAO takes this song and adds their Party Rockin' to it in a very effective way. Club ready and loud, it transforms the girly, bubblegum sound into something altogether different and dancey. This tracl has been available on iTunes for a while, so you can sample it there now if you'd like.
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