Okay, so I went back and started over listening to the album (because I couldn't remember that much from the first attempt) and got through the first nine tracks.
1. Living for Love: Fun and shows more effort than anything on MDNA
2. Devil Pray: Here we go with the tired religious schtick again. Unfortunately, a cursory glance at the track names tells me she's retreading the subject for more mileage. Song is kind of a mess, but could be decent with new lyrics.
3. Ghosttown: Best track I've heard yet and her best song in the last 15 years. Should be pushing this hard as a single.
4. Unapologetic Bitch: Definitely aimed at her gay fans and I can see them twitching to this on the dance floor. Only problem is, her cutesy voice doing the bratty immature thing brings to light the whole aging issue and sounds rather embarrassing. It would have been a hot song back in the late 80s during the height of the "attitude" era or sung today by say, Miley Cyrus. Picturing Madonna singing this herself today makes me wince.
5. Illuminati: Awful. Delete.
6. Bitch I'm Madonna: A sledgehammer to remind me everything I hate about Madonna and really taints the album. Another sassy immature ego track tailored for her unconditional fans. I think this sours the album even more than Gang Bang did for MDNA. Narcissistic schlock. Delete.
7. Hold Tight: Not bad.
8. Joan of Arc: Like Devil Pray, could be a decent ballad with all new lyrics. After the first 16 bars, the melody is great. But the lyrics are just fishing for too much sympathy. And this after Bitch, I'm Madonna? Seriously?!?!
9. Iconic: Eye-rollingly bad. Annoying and stupid. Probably should have been on the MDNA album. Delete.
At least this album paid more attention to mixing and production (though in some cases like Iconic, to excess). But why do the lyrics have to be so cringe-worthy most of the time? And are people still that impressed with her immature bitchiness?
I am curious to know what her "return to form" means. Which form? Mixing dance tracks with ballads?
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Updated On: 3/4/15 at 03:31 PM