Your Rebel Heart Reviews

[groovyguy 63,864]

Rate and post your reviews of the official RH album release here. 

Do you like both the REBEL songs and HEART songs equally or do you prefer one over the other?

Share your thoughts!

[devilpray 2,390]

I really reaaaally like the album, especially the heart songs, I'm 50/50 on the rebel songs. I think the tracklist is a bit messy on some parts, and I also think that she didn't choose the right tracks (Addicted on the Super Deluxe? Really, M?) but that's just my opinion, she's the artist, she decides that. 

 

Edit: at least most of the tracks I wanted are on the album, it's not like Hard Candy, that has better demos than actual album tracks. I'm really happy about this album

[MechanicalDNA 279]

 I also think that she didn't choose the right tracks (Addicted on the Super Deluxe? Really, M?) 

 

yes....

at first I thought she will change the tracklist (the same she did when MDNA came out)... 

 

Bitch I'm Madonna is in standard version, I love that track, but Messiah is so much better and would fit better in standard than deluxe...

 

 

Anyway I give 4,5/5 stars to the album! 

[thatLHC 151]

just my suggestion though, this poll should have come with its list of rebel and heart songs

[A.R.T. 4]

most of the people on this site can't even get what songs are rebel and which ones are heart right, sorry

 

 

I've seen people say things like Best Night is rebel and Devil Pray is rebel lmao

[Midnight Shift 108]

Living For Love - This has always been great to me, and the best choice possible for lead single, but recently it has really clicked with me. Such an amazing song, from the clever and mature lyricism to the glossy production. The only complaint from me is the verse vocals and the layering, but the Alternate Version fixes this almost entirely. Great remixes too.

 

Devil Pray - A thought-provoking sideways look at religion's role in our society through the lense of addiction and drug problems. A rousing anthem that takes an unexpected dark turn. Her vocals absolutely shine on this track and it's by far the best song on the album for me, and one of my favourite songs she has ever released. Truly the Isaac of Rebel Heart, in many ways.

 

Ghosttown - Another outstanding record, another highlight of the album and another mature record that resonates on many different levels. This song especially features strong imagery that will hopefully prove inspiring on the videos conception in the next couple of months. This has one of her best choruses in a long time and I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing how she interprets this in future performances and especially on tour.

 

Unapologetic Bitch - This deserves a video and huge promo campaign in the summer. A catchy chorus, fresh instrumental and carefree attitude give Unapologetic Bitch an edge that few other songs around at the moment have. The 'immature' taunts are irrelevant to me, because we all feel like this sometimes, just as we all feel the 'mature' emotions felt in the previous song. Diplo does incredibly here and M's charisma elevates the track even higher. Censor the title and we have a smash.

 

Illuminati - In this Kanye-helmed rebellion against the 'devil worshipper' accusations, M rattles off a list of her contemporaries - some more temporal and silly than others - who are repeatedly considered to be part of the New World Order. Kanye's dark, spooky, industrial productions creates an unsettling vibe, perfect for the subject matter. I adore the production but this doesn't have much spark in it for me. Still a nice song though and interesting topic.

 

Bitch I'm Madonna (feat. Nicki Minaj) - An example of when M's sense of humour goes right over people's heads. Those of us who understand her know she's fundamentally taking the piss out of herself and the way people assume she is, however others get uptight and refuse to see this as the fun party song it is. The instrumental goes hard, Nicki delivers a great verse and M's charisma once again holds up a song that was based around it. Awesome.

 

Hold Tight - Ryan Tedder's guest appearance lends his trademark huge choruses and marching beats. Musically, Hold Tight is so strong that ultimately, no matter what form or production it is heard it, it's pop gold. I admit to preferring some elements of some of the demos, however this is a stunning song with a simple premise that really is just a great, catchy song. It's not groundbreaking, but nor does it try to be, and it's great to be reminded that M can simply do great middle-of-the-road music that can be enjoyed by all better than most in the middle of a rather experimental and divisive body of work.

 

Joan of Arc - A heartbreaking midtempo that explores the vulnerability of being a woman in a high position in which everyone is constantly trying to stop you and bring you down. Her vocals shine here as does the production (although I prefer the Acoustic Version) and this is one of my favourite introspective songs since Nothing Fails. I don't think the 'soldier' lyric should have been removed but maybe she just didn't like it musically rather than being worried about controversy. A wonderful record that really does make one feel closer to the enigma than ever, really.

 

Iconic (feat. Chance The Rapper & Mike Tyson) - This trap-infused self empowerment anthem is one of the albums most urban moments and is all the better for it. Though Mike's intro was a little unnecessary and felt rather forced, Chance delivered pretty well and M is again great. Nice lyrics here, if a little camp, and the production is fire on both the album version and Part 2, although I prefer the latter.

 

HeartBreakCity - A bitter ballad with dark percussion courtesy of a marching band sees M once again become vulnerable to the listener, calling out a lover who was dishonest and speaking of a terrible heartbreak. I often think she's at her best when angry and HBC is no exception. The added touch of the choir and the muted, building piano keeps the song grounded and lets the gorgeous vocals really stay the star of the piece throughout. I do miss 'and I still feel shitty' though.

 

Body Shop - An experimental, soaring love song using a sitar as it's basis. Many see this as a love/sex anthem with her using car parts and repairs as innuendos for her lover; while I agree on one level, I definitely prefer to interpret it as her speaking about her aging body and the insecurities women of a certain age face during intimacy. It makes the song far more touching and poignant, and actually one of the best moments on the album.

 

Holy Water - Arguably the most divisive and polarising song to come out of this album session, Holy Water is a song referencing cunnilingus and vaginal self-lubrication through religious imagery and sampling Madonna's arguably most iconic hit and produced by Kanye West. Everything about the previous sentences suggests that this should, by default, be the worst song ever released. However, it's actually one of the highlights of the album, with a catchy, bubbly chorus juxtaposed with minimalist verses. I personally think it's a gorgeous song and once more, Ye delivered.

 

Inside Out - A Bjork's Post inspired midtempo featuring M asking to be closer to her lover and accept all of his flaws. The stripped, electronic production with distorted drums and soaring strings is genius and the lyrics (and delivery of them, of course) are touching. Vocally, she could have been a little more adventurous, but the song is meant to feel intimate, and IWALY-style vocal runs, an intimate song does not make.

 

Wash All Over Me - This poignant reflection on life, the injustices of the world and her overwhelming responsibility of these crimes is another highlight of the album, with more marching beats, strings and organic instrumentation. The EDM-influenced demo is still one of my favourite things to materialise from the Rebel Heart sessions, but the song is strong enough (like Hold TIght) to exist in pretty much any form. I look forward to what she does with this on tour, and this is a perfect closer to the standard edition. Only complaint here is sometimes her vocals get a little drowned out by the instrumentation but this kind of works to add to a euphoric feeling.

 

Best Night - This sexy, Arabian-cum-Sex and the City midtempo slow jam features M cooing to her lover and fantasizing. The return of Dita in the bridge is just incredible, and the reprise of Justify My Love lyrics is lowkey enough to not be 'tacky', but instead a nice touch for fans. I really think this would be amazing with a remix featuring Drake and a video set in a high end NYC apartment, and it's definitely the best 'sex' song on the album. So enticing.

 

Veni Vidi Vici (feat. Nas) - I'm a sucker for self-referential work and this is no exception. The instrumental, the lyrics, the guest verse from Nas, M talk-singing and the chorus all make for one of my favourite songs on Rebel Heart and one of my favourite songs of recent memory full stop. Nas on a song with Madonna has been a want of me for a long time and this has been long rumoured since her Instagram posts last year. The horns when he announces 'I'm just your humble servant, I'm Nas' have yet to not give me goosebumps. An incredible record, deserved to be on standard for sure.

 

S.E.X. - As a demo I hated this, but the darker, industrial production made me appreciate it far more and the spoken bridge is so, so awesome. Definitely bonus track material, but at the same time not a bad song really. I don't really have much to say about this, maybe that just says it all really - pretty bland.

 

Messiah - The swelling strings and haunting piano of this ballad of unrequited love show one of the more classical moments of M's whole career, with a song that truly feels timeless, if a little forgettable and inconsequential. The lyrics are great but quite cliche, with the production and vocals carrying most of the weight of the song. Again, understandable that it was left off the standard.

 

Rebel Heart - The title track is a perfect end to the album, showing lyrics that abandon self pity and again leave her vulnerable to the listener. The production itself feels very intimate, as opposed to the popular demo featuring classic Avicii production. I honestly am starting to warm to the album version, especially since the melody is so irresistible and catchy. Although I hope the demo gets released as a remix one day, I still really love Rebel Heart and I think it deserves to get less comparison with it's demo. The strings throughout are also stunning.

 

Beautiful Scars - Many call this boring, but I think it's a perfect foray into the nu-disco movement at the moment, and is a great song lyrically and vocally, if a bit cheesy. I love the male vocals in the outro, and I'm a sucker for bass so I love this. It's pretty forgettable but is nonetheless a good song, and I'd love to hear remixes of this. A Daft Punk remix, or Giorgio Moroder, would be absolute heaven.

 

Borrowed Time - This softer American Life style ballad is actually rather touching to me, it really shows her love and concern for the world without all the secretprojectrevolution bullshit that sometimes gets in the way of the causes that really matter. The Emile Haynie style sampling recalls Lana Del Rey's first studio effort Born To Die and gives the song an innocent yet sophisticated feel. The lyrics are cliche-heaven but that's not necessarily a bad thing when the message is vital and simple. M's vocals are great here too.

 

Addicted - This grimey EDM anthem with dark, foreboding guitar riffs is undoubtedly the best bonus track. As one of the only Avicii produced tracks left, this club banger sounds a little dated already but it is still a great song and the production has been polished to perfection. This would have done well a couple of years ago, but I'm not fussed about chart success, and the song is incredible enough in it's own right without worrying about that. Deserved standard edition treatment, to be honest.

 

Graffiti Heart - This ode to artists everywhere is a beautiful tribute to both artists she admired and in some cases, friends she has lost. Although I find the chorus to again sound very dated, I totally appreciate the message of the song and I hope, when stems are available, someone makes a stripped back version for everyone to enjoy.

 

Overall, I love this album and have barely stopped listening to it for over a month. This is undoubtedly her best material since  American Life  for me, and while Confessions was a better album experience, this is a better collection of songs as a whole. I really hope she finds a lot of success with this album, make s stellar videos and goes all out on tour to create the most perfect experience for everyone attending. It may have been a baptism of fire for Rebel Heart, but I'm sure, like a phoenix, it'll rise from it's strange start to become one of Madonna's most cherished albums.

[groovyguy 63,864]

^ Luv your review, Midnight Shift!

[Midnight Shift 108]

^ Luv your review, Midnight Shift!

 

Thanks, means a lot. I'd love to start a site someday.

[RebelHeart 752]

Cool thread! I think it would also amazing to do survivor for Rebel Heart, to choose the best song from the album