452 - Madonna - Music

[csberry]

After the first listen, I questioned the album's presence on the Top 500 list. Yeah, it was a good dance album, but in the Top 500? Getting a better listen on the second and later run-throughs improved my opinion of the album. While I recently reviewed The Police's Synchronicity that had four absolute classics on the same album with some filler and one gawd-awful song, Music has achieved its position likely because of the consistency of the album.

As usual, whether you like the album depends on one of two things, what producers she works with on the songs and what she sees the purpose of the album being. Her primary partner on Music is Mirwais, who put together beats that are a less-quirky, more electronic feel than Timbaland. After the spiritual and introspective Ray of Light, the deep thoughts get a bit of a rest. This album is a dance pop love album. Most of the songs are for the dance floor; either uptempo club tracks or slow dance songs for the couples.

Songs I knew I liked: "Music" and "Don't Tell Me"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Amazing" and "What It Feels Like For a Girl" - I had heard "What It Feels Like..." a few times when it originally came out, but didn't really pay much attention to it. It is now my second favorite track on the album (just under "Don't Tell Me").

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: I'm not really thrilled with the last two songs - "Paradise (Not For Me)" and "Gone." The first seems like a conscious attempt to be artsy and the latter is just okay for me.

Comments

[cosmosmariner.livejournal.com]

While "Ray of Light" is overall my favorite Madonna album of all time, "Music" does have probably one of my favorite Madonna songs, which is "What It Feels Like for a Girl".

It's got that kind of slow, sensual French club beat that I really like, along with interesting, surprisingly insightful lyrics. "When you're trying hard to be your best, could you be a little less?" It's probably one of Madonna's better songs.