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Madonna...
Music
Brings the People Together
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From
the first pulsing, electronic beats of Music it becomes
apparent that Madonna has found a sound all-new and all her
own--again. This time she partners with unknown French producer
Mirwais Ahmadzai to delve deeper into the underground club music
scene she |
visited
with Grammy Award-winning success for 1997's "Ray of Light Opus."
Madonna
builds on the electronica sounds evident in recent collaborations
with William Orbit with a hardened dance edge, a la European
standard-bearers Daft Punk. Mirwais steeps the recording in rich
multi-layered synthetic sounds, giving added texture and depth to the
disc. As the saying goes, Madonna has once again reinvented
herself--to out-of-the-chutes, chart-topping success.
Look
no further than the title track for proof positive. The
burned-in-your-brain chorus and simultaneously futuristic and retro
melody of "Music" have set records. The track has spent the
last three weeks atop Billboard's "Hot 100," positioning it
among Madonna's most successful cuts ever. Likewise, the cut is VH1's
most played video.
The
party continues on "Impressive Instant," a full 3:37 of
ear candy destined for similar success. Mirwais again pulls together
a driving synthesized bassline, which commands the listener to his
feet and to the dance floor. The cut proves to be at once refreshing
and exhilarating. "Don't Tell Me," a mid-tempo jangler,
also benefits from Mirwais' flawless production.
Orbit
resurfaces only twice on the disc, for the dancefloor ready
"Runaway Lover" and "Amazing." |

Madonna
and boyfriend Guy Ritchie arrive for the launch party for her new
album "Music" September 19, 2000 at the Catch One disco in
L.A.. (Fred Prouser/Reuters) |
Both
sound like they could have been slotted easily onto the "Ray of
Light" disc. Radio-friendly and remix-worthy, "Amazing"
shares many of the more appealing qualities of Madonna's smash
"Austin Powers II" contribution, "Perfect Stranger."
Each
time "Music" builds toward a rave-inspired crescendo, it
slows. Sparce production and Madonna's increasingly appealing voice
take center stage for what sounds like near-acoustic tracks.
"I
Deserve It"--a poignant ballad--is perhaps the most
introspective track on the disc. "Many miles, many roads I have
traveled/Fallen down on the way/Many hearts, many years have
unraveled/Leading up to today..." Madonna sings over a
synthesizer bed of percussion and guitar. "I have no
regrets/There's nothing to forget/All the pain was worth it./Not
running from the past/I tried to do my best/I know that I deserve it."
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Indeed,
Madonna appears to be completely comfortable with the past--her
past. The CD's cover art for "Music" could pay homage to
that. Madonna, cowboy hat, "Rhinestone Cowboy" ensemble and
all, stands in front of a 50s-style car and mobile home. She looks to be |
a
throwback from a simpler time. Once the the music hits, it's obvious
this is the synth-driven sound of the future, a sound that could
easily outlive the teeny-bopper trend saturating the market now. This
is the sound of a woman who readily admits that right now youth
sells--and she's not going to pretend to be something she's not to
make this record work.
Luckily,
she doesn't have to. Nearly 20 years after exploding to national
superstardom, she's not only the most famous celebrity and musician
in the world, she's still pioneering the path for future generations.
Not bad for a divorced, 40-something Midwestern mother of two, is it?
Click
here to purchase this CD from Amazon.com, or
Click
here to purchase the "limited edition" version from Amazon.com
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