Reviews...

Earlier today Digital Spy was invited to Abbey Road Studios to listen to Madonna's 12th studio album MDNA.

There were crab salads, multicoloured cocktails and, as if that wasn't enough, a chunky notepad with the album cover on the front waiting for us on our chair. We presume it was there for us to scribble our notes on, but we didn't feel comfortable putting our ugly scrawlings over something so clearly amazing.

We've posted our thoughts on each of the LP's 17 tracks below:

1. 'Girl Gone Wild' (produced by Madonna, Benny Benassi)
Most of you will have heard this one by now, and truth be told we're still not sure about it. Our guess was that it was chosen for its appeal to a wide audience and radio stations, but as a Madonna album trailer it's surprisingly weak. That said, it makes for a brilliant opening track.

2. 'Gang Bang' (produced by Madonna, The Demolition Crew)
Ignore the title - this isn't about a 53-year-old woman singing about having lots of group sex. "Bang bang shot you dead/ Shot my lover in the head," she chants over a relentless, pulsating electro beat before announcing: "I'm going straight to hell - I've got a lot of friends there." Just when you think things are wrapping up, she interrupts, "If you're gonna act like a bitch, you're gonna die like a bitch!" before firing off a gun. It's completely ridiculous and amazing.

3. 'I'm Addicted' (produced by Madonna, Benny Benassi, The Demolition Crew)
We noted that this would have probably been a better single choice than 'Girl Gone Wild'. "I'm addicted to your love" she admits on the chorus that is a mixture of hard house beats with a club classics melody. It all climaxes in the song's finale, in which she chants "M D N A" over and over.

4. 'Turn Up The Radio' (produced by Madonna and Martin Solveig)
After three hard-faced club bangers, Madge offers up the softer but equally dancey 'Turn Up The Radio'. "When the world starts to get you down and nothing seems to go your way... turn up the radio," she professes over a propelling beat that Daft Punk wouldn't cock a snook at. It might be weak lyrically, but the message is genuinely uplifting.

5. 'Give Me All Your Luvin'' (produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig)
Madonna's "Superbowl Single" doesn't seem to have lived up to a lot of people's expectations, but we'll happily admit that we're still enjoying it. It also serves as a welcome break from what is so far a high-wired run of songs.

6. 'Some Girls' (produced by Madonna, William Orbit)
"Some girls wanna be on top...some girls got a filthy mouth," she sing-speaks with a distorted vocal over a squelchy bassline. It's a confident number about female empowerment in 2012, and probably highlights best how MDNA isn't simply about hopping on the dance bandwagon, but pushing it into new and exciting realms.

7. 'Superstar' (produced by Madonna, Indiigo, Michael Malih)
This is where the record makes a distinct shift lyrically between basic one line choruses to surprisingly intimate details of her life. Here she compares her man to the likes of James Dean, Caesar and Al Capone, promising to "give you a massage when you get home". It's less in-yer-face than most of the LP, and where she sounds at her most relaxed.

8. 'I Don't Give A' (produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig)
Madonna opens up about life as a 53-year-old divorced mum in a sing-rap fashion - "got to call the babysitter...got to sign the contract" - but insists that she "don't even feel the pressure". The best bit comes at the end when Nicki Minaj announces: "There's only one Queen and that's Madonna, bitch," before a regal orchestra ensues that sounds like it was lifted straight out of a blockbuster movie.

9. 'I'm A Sinner' (produced by Madonna, William Orbit)
It took us all of 30 seconds to realise that this sounds like a sequel to Ray Of Light's 'Beautiful Stranger' which, given the producer, we're sure isn't a coincidence. "I'm a sinner and I like it that way," she sings on the psychedelic chorus, before preaching "Jesus Christ hang on the cross, died for our sins it's such a loss" on the middle eight.

10. 'Love Spent' (produced by Madonna, William Orbit)
We'll be honest, we weren't particularly taken with this one. There's a banjo on the intro that re-appears later on, but it's worth sticking with for a glorious ending of crashing symbols and booming electronics.

11. 'Masterpiece' (produced by Madonna, William Orbit)
It's the first ballad on the album, and it feels like it arrives just at the right moment. The production is more "organic" (there's drums, guitars and Orbit's trademark wobbly bits),and it doesn't try to be anything other than a solid pop song. "I can't tell you why it hurts so much to be in love with a masterpiece," she sings on the chorus.

12. 'Falling Free' (produced by Madonna, William Orbit)
This one is even more stripped back, relying solely on strings, piano and some synths littered throughout. "Our hearts are intertwined and I'm free, I'm free of mind," she sings with what is easily her strongest vocal on the record.

13. 'Beautiful Killer' (produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig)
We're surprised this was demoted to deluxe-only, as it is easily one of our favourites. A thumping pop hook and glitchy beats play out as she confesses her penchant for bad boys. "You're a beautiful killer with a beautiful face," she admits before rolling out the best line of the song (and possibly the album): "Baby, I can't talk with a gun in my mouth."

14. 'I F**ked Up' (produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig)
A thumping midtempo number in which Madonna confesses that sometimes (though probably not that often), she isn't perfect. "I made a mistake/ Nobody does it better than myself," she admits before the pace picks up dramatically in the middle and tails off at the end.

15. 'B-Day Song' (produced by Madonna, Martin Solveig)
It's essentially the complete opposite of what you'd expect from a Madonna and MIA collaboration. It's unashamedly fun, has no political agenda (that we can tell anyway) and, in truth, is a bit pointless.

16. 'Best Friend' (Madonna, The Demolition Crew)
The album closes with a dubsteppy ballad in which Madge talks about missing her closest pal. "I won't pretend, I feel like I lost my very best friend," she says, before singing "It wasn't always perfect, but it wasn't always bad" in isolation at the end.

17.'Give Me All Your Luvin'' (Party Rock Remix)
They didn't play this at the showcase, so we can only assume their feelings about it are the same as ours.

MDNA is by no means a perfect Madonna album, but it certainly has the potential after repeated listens to be up somewhere in the top six. There are some glorious highs and, unfortunately, one or two misfires, but it wouldn't be a Madonna album if she wasn't taking risks. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this record is that there are no obvious hits on it, but as a body of work it makes for a thrilling and genuinely fascinating listen.



And another one - this one from fansite Madonnarama:

We had the opportunity to listen to the full MDNA album and wanted to share our first impressions with our readers.

How we do this? How do we review the album of the most accomplished female pop singer of all time?

Two rules : be honest and do not try to please everybody.

Some can’t be pleased.

If it’s catchy, they’ll say it’s too catchy, if it’s elaborate, they’ll find it too complicated.

First, MDNA is an album full of surprises. It’s more than just another dance record. It’s personal, dark, fun and even silly at times

So here we go, our very own review of Madonna’s MDNA… track by track!

1. Girl Gone Wild

Strong solid start to the album, very catchy unapologetic 90s-inspired powered pop and totally in your face.

Still not convinced? Turn the volume up!

2. Gang Bang

A very dark deep house track with a little dubstep interlude dealing with murdering your lover and going to hell for it. It has Quentin Tarentino’s amazing “Death Proof” movie written all over it. William Orbit and the Demolition Crew did a tremendous job on this song which is partly spoken. Oddly there’s something sexy in this track as if it was inspired by the Erotica era. Think “Goodbye to Innocence” meets “Thief of Hearts” but way more edgy. “Bang Bang shot you dead. Shot my lover in the head… Now my lover is dead and I have no regrets.” Madonna ends the song with “Now if you’re gonna act like bitch, you’re gonna die like a bitch.”

A favorite.

3. I’m Addicted

First, people should understand that the snippet posted by Perez Hilton is the ending of the song. With its infectious beats, amazing futuristic sound and really cool lyrics about love being like a drug (“Feels like a drug and I can’t get enough”), you can’t help but end up being addicted yourself. At some point, the song even has a 90s Prodigy’s “Out of space” vibe to it.

4. Turn up the Radio

Another collaboration with Solveig and yes, the song has hit written all over it. We understand why Madonna’s Team would release it as a single. It’s very mainstream pop so people will love it for sure.

Very happy and uplifting.

5. Give me all your Luvin’

Perfect for the Super Bowl. Happy song and great first single that did extremely well considering it was leaked on the Internet, months before.

6. Some Girls

Electronic fury. You’ll either love it or hate it. The lyrics are really cool “Some girls got an attitude. Fake tits and a nasty mood”, “Some girls make a scene, shoot their mouth and talk obscene”…

7. Superstar

Madonna mentions Brando, Travolta and James Dean in what seems to be the only filler in the album. Sweet but forgettable, Madonna goes “Oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la love the way that you are, oooh la la you’re my superstar, oooh la la that’s what you are.”

Oh well…

8. I Don’t Give A

This one’s Minaj’s second appearance on “MDNA” and it’s one of the best songs of the album. Penned by Madonna, Martin Solveig and Nicki Minaj, Madonna sings unapologetically about her personal life, her marriage and how she does not care about people’s judgements. The chorus goes “I’m gonna be ok. I don’t care what the people say. I’m gonna be alright I heal fast and I’ve got it right.” The ending is just powerful and amazing. Nicki Minaj says it best “There’s only one queen and that’s Madonna, bitch.”

9. I’m a Sinner

A catchy happy sexy psychedelic 60′s-inspired song in the continuity of William Orbit’s previous creations for Madonna. Think “Beautiful Stranger” meets “Ray of Light”, and believe it or not, the sound remains very fresh and new! The lyrics are fun and serious at the same time, with Madonna taking responsability for being a sinner. She cites saints (Jesus, Mary, St Christopher, St Anthony…) and talks bible.

A perfect fit.

10. Love Spent

We expected a heartfelt ballad but we got an electro-pop number that opens with a combination of banjos and violons. Madonna dabbles with vocal distortion while asking her latest male subject: “Love me like your money”.

Monstrous and addictive.

11. Masterpiece

More than just a Golden Globe winning song, Masterpiece is perfection.

12. Falling Free

This song is slightly melancholic, yet uplifting at the same time. No beat, a naked voice. Madonna sings about how liberating the power of love is. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vocals, for sure. This showcases Madonna’s voice at its purest. A piano, a guitar, some violins with Madonna singing “Deep and pure our hearts align. Then I’m free, I’m free of mind, I let loose, don’t need to know. We’re both free, we’re free.



And finally, one from The Telegraph:


1. Girl Gone Wild

A lean, sleek, electro stomper kicks proceedings off the way Madonna means to continue – with the machine tooled precision of 21st century techno-pop, balancing the twin requirements of radio friendly hooks and dance floor drive. “Girls they just wanna have some fun,” suggests our fearless leader.

Now where have we heard that idea before? This not particularly original notion is the album’s central manifesto: innocent amusement over introspection.

2. Gang Bang

Despite an unfortunate title that younger fans would be advised not to google, this is not (thankfully) some brutal sex romp. Rather, the title is a misguided attempt to distinguish itself from Sixties pop classic Bang Bang, from which Madonna borrows the central image of murdering a paramour: “Bang bang, shot you dead / Shot my lover in the head”. Sparse and atmospheric, with a stripped back electrobeat and low, drawling vocal, buoyed by bursts of sub-bass and developing into a solid techno groove, its one of the album’s odder and most interesting tracks, only sullied by Madonna’s dedication to leaving no lyrical cliché unturned. She is a fish out of water, a bat out of hell, apparently.to go”.


3. I’m Addicted
Arpeggiated synth sequences build into fizzing swells and stabs, bleeping and swooshing all the way. Very effective digital pop that will sound fantastic loud and hard on the dance floor but, like so many songs on Madonna’s 12th studio album, lyrics appear to have been added as an afterthought. Does anyone really need another song about being addicted to love, comparing the rush of hormones with narcotics? The vocal cuts and stutters, so that Madonna repeatedly declares herself to be a dick, dick.

4. Turn Up The Radio
Even in the age of the internet, it is still the radio that holds romance for our 54-year-old pop queen. Lush, shimmery keyboards frame a slow start, with Madonna seeking space from the crowd (or rather, in an effort to use every cliché available, “the maddening crowd”), before a nice, wonky synth launches a solid pop belter. Madonna finds herself “sucked like a moth to the flame” but the slamming dance floor outro should distract from lyrical banality.

5. Give Me All Your Luvin’
Is the spelling meant to distinguish it in search engines from ZZ Tops’ Gimme All Your Lovin’? Madonna’s serial appropriation of perennially overused ideas might almost be passed off as some kind of pop parlour game.
The first single is the lightest, frothiest track on the album, deliberately dinky and cute, built on a burbling eighties synth and glam slam drum pattern. Its prime purpose appears to involve Niki Minaj and MIA represent all next generation female pop stars by swearing allegiance to the Queen with the chant of “L-U-V Madonna!”

6. Some Girls
Let’s give Madonna the benefit of the doubt and assume she didn’t know the Rolling Stones already have a song called Some Girls. Anyway, you’d never find Mick and Keith shaking their stuff to a mid-tempo groove with a deep electro bass line and stabbing synths. Producer William Orbit plays tricks with Madonna’s vocals, from intimate to echoed, tinny to seductive, but the intention is apparently not to portray Madonna as some kind of every woman: “Some girls are not like me / I’d never wanna be like some girls” she rather tartly declares.

7. Superstar
Sweet and summery, with a shimmering ambience built up from a ringing guitar loop and echoing tom tom pattern that might have been constructed from Beatle drum fills. The poppy melody and “ooh la la, you’re a superstar” singalong chorus houses a lyric so clumsy its obtuseness almost sounds deliberate: “You can have the password to my phone / I’ll give you a massage when you get home”. For someone determined to keep up with the kids, Madonna’s retro references for ideal men may leave the youngsters baffled: Brando, Travolta, James Dean, Bruce Lee and Abe Lincoln (cause you fight for what’s right”).

8. I Don’t Give A
There is real energy to this Martin Solveig production. Madonna delivers a raised middle finger to the world in general, and ex-husband Guy Ritchie in particular: “I tried to be a good girl / I tried to be your wife / I diminished myself / And I swallowed my light / I tried to become all / That you expect of me / And if I was a failure / I don’t give a …” (I’ve been trying to think of an obscenity that rhymes with “me”, but maybe I am missing the point). The ending twists into a big, autotune choral coda with the drama of a techno Carmina Burana. An album highlight, though Niki Minaj’s explosive rap rather shows up Madonna’s more static delivery.

9. I’m A Sinner
With Orbit back at the controls, this is reminiscent of the uplifting thrill of Ray of Light. Constructed on a drum loop, it pulses along with a fluid almost Sixties keyboard, building to a big, declarative chugging gospel techno ride, with Madonna exultantly declaring that, like St Augustine, she wants to be saved, but not quite yet. A breakdown into a recitation of Saints (Christopher, Sebastian and Anthony all get a name check) is effective, and it ends with “ooh ooh”s cheekily reminiscent of Sympathy For The Devil. Fun.

10. Love Spent
Gypsy string loop and brief, treated Spaghetti Western banjo flourishes introduce an almost organic feel to a very synthetic, stylised album. A pop song about love and money (topics the Material Girl frequently conflates) it weaves elegant electro patterns and builds to a big, throbbing chorus.

11. Masterpiece
Sweet, gentle love song with a Spanish guitar loop, a light beat and flowing melody, filled out by synthetic strings. The theme song for her critically panned film W.E., she may have been thinking of Prince Edward when she wrote “honestly, it can’t be fun / To always be the chosen one”, but the message applies just as much to Madonna herself. For most of this album she seems determined to demonstrate that a 50-year-old mother of four can still cut it with the kids at the club. Yet, perversely, she sounds most at ease when she calms down a bit and acts her age.

12. Falling Free
The first five tracks of MDNA are all produced by hit techno teams and the results are digitally sparkling, catchy and contemporary. The second half of the album is presided over by William Orbit, and while not as immediately hook laden, there is more sonic depth and invention. But only on the album closer is there a suggestion of a musical life beyond the hit parade. With a cascading, beatless melody and poetic, free form lyrics, Madonna’s pure, dreamy vocal has her declaring herself “free to fail.” It is a song about letting go, by a woman who, most the time, seems to be holding on very tightly indeed. Although out of character with the rest of this youth-focused electro dance pop confection, it suggests that Madonna may actually have musical and emotional places to explore when she eventually tires of setting the pop pace.
MDNA is released on Interscope on March 26