MADAME X IS HERE. Madonna’s 14th studio album is one of her most experimental, unusual, and daring to date. It’s completely unlike any other album in her legendary catalog, and yet, many elements of her previous work are present; house beats, acoustic guitars, lush strings, quirky lyrics. It has the edge of Erotica, the political stance of American Life, the personal confessions of Like A Prayer, and the awakening of Ray of Light. The glowing reviews don’t lie: this record is special…but it’s not for everyone. Madame X has a point of view. This is a woman who could very easily set up camp at a Las Vegas residency performing 80’s hits night after night and the money would roll in. But Madonna still has worlds to conquer. She still has an opinion and she’s still pissing people off because she is a woman who will not be put in a corner.
Medellin begins the album with a mid-tempo groove that sets the tone perfectly. I loved it instantly. The addition of Maluma works great as their chemistry was undeniable, and the song flows beautifully with its sonic waves and latin percussion. Also, that bridge is glorious. Was it the perfect first single? From a commercial standpoint, probably not. From a creative standpoint, absolutely. Dark Ballet follows and is probably the most brilliantly bizarre moment on the entire album. The melancholy piano-driven ballad morphs into a classical Tchaikovsky sample halfway through, then goes absolutely bonkers with Madonna’s robotic voice joining in while the whimsical music plays on. How she came up with this and made it work is beyond me.
Then comes God Control. To say this song caught me off guard and blew my socks off would be an understatement. I felt emotions listening to this song for the first time that I haven’t felt in years. The brilliance of juxtaposing a serious subject with modern disco music is genius. This song is most definitely my favorite of the entire album. It’s the song I always wanted Madonna to record and I didn’t even know it.
Future grew on me. When it was first released as a preview track, I didn’t instantly love it. However, those reggae vibes have settled in. I think this is a pretty solid and very catchy track, though I know it has divided fans. Quavo’s processed voice is a bit much, but I can stand it. My biggest gripe with this track (and a few others on the album) is the overuse of autotune. Why can’t we let Madonna’s voice truly shine as it is? Batuka follows and it’s like a tribal war cry set to militant beats and music. I can already hear the audience repeating back the lines to her when she performs it live. I don’t seek this one out individually often, but when listening to the entire album straight through, it fits in great.
Killers Who Are Partying is another of my other favorite tracks. With that title, I originally thought it would be a dance track. As usual, Madonna surprised us. I love the classic Spanish guitars here. The song is somber but intriguing, and people either love it or hate it based on the lyrics.
Crave is another one that grew on me. I didn’t think much of it when it was initially released, but it’s become quite the little earworm. It’s the closest the album has to a love song. This is followed by the utterly gorgeous track, Crazy. I really love this song. The swell that leads to that chorus is so great. I think this song is soulful and vulnerable, but not in a typical way.
Come Alive is another great track that sounds very uplifting and soaring. Madonna takes us to church for a bit with that heavenly choir in the background. I could see this segueing into Like A Prayer on tour. This is followed by the autobiographical Extreme Occident which is not only an interesting title, but it’s also a very interesting track. Again, it begins as a somber song but it then introduces some slightly Middle-eastern beats. I really like this one a lot as well.
Faz Gostoso and Bitch I’m Loca are next up and are two of the more rhythmic tracks on the album. Of the two, I prefer Faz Gostoso, which sounds like it could be a hit. Bitch I’m Loca provides a much needed silly and fun moment on the album.
I Don’t Search I Find is my second favorite track on the album. It takes me straight to a dance club. This song is such a GEM and I loved it since the first listen. It has classic early 90’s house Madonna written all over it. 100% pure ecstasy.
When I first heard Looking For Mercy, it didn’t immediately strike me. However, the more I’ve listened to it, the more it has hooked itself into my brain. The verses are hypnotic and the pre-chorus is absolutely sweeping and lush. The final song is I Rise, which is a powerful track and very anthemic. I think it closes out the album very well.
Three bonus tracks are included in the 2-CD deluxe edition. My favorite of these is definitely Funana. It’s a cute little electro track. Back That Up To The Beat was resurrected from the Rebel Heart sessions and was fully transformed. I do think the demo was catchier, though this album version definitely has more of a world influence that fits in better on Madame X. Ciao Bella is a cool, haunting dance track. I wish it had more lyrics from Madonna, but I really like the vibe.
So, finally, here is my ranking of the tracks (subject to change!):
#18. Back That Up To The Beat
#17. Batuka
#16. Ciao Bella
#15. Bitch I’m Loca
#14. Funana
#13. Faz Gostoso
#12. I Rise
#11. Dark Ballet
#10. Come Alive
#9. Future
#8. Crave
#7. Looking For Mercy
#6. Extreme Occident
#5. Killers Who Are Partying
#4. Medellin
#3. Crazy
#2. I Don’t Search I Find
#1. God Control
Overall, Madonna delivered. Madame X is an amazing album. There really aren’t any tracks that I dislike on it. It’s thought-provoking and beautifully crafted. For me, it’s definitely her most inspired since Ray of Light. I’m proud of her for creating an album on her terms, and for not conforming musically. It’s exciting to think of where she will go from here!
-A
Albert's Madonna Collection 