Pretender1978

The best for me are True Blue (US) Erotica and AL The worst is a toss up between confessions and HC, but confessions is more of a mess, HC at least still has a bit of irony. I's a pity that since MDNA we have the multiple cover thing, which makes them a bit less iconic, here the MDNA one I absolutely hate, graphically it's not a pretty picture. The negative spaces are too big for such an obscured image, the deluxe version however is gorgeous. I have the same problem with MX, I hate the cheap font on the lips, but the font used on the blonde cover is stunning etc.

How incredibly boring that this thread has become yet another trite discussion on M's live vocals, when one's ability to sing is a much bigger subject. On that note the whole title of this thread already suggests a negative point of view. To me M was always a great singer in her delivery, it's already there on songs like PA, Stay, CFY ut becomes truelly powerful on True Blue, especially its first half. Than LAP and IB arre the highlight of her raw and very emotive soulful vocals. Evita put a bit of a dent in her singing personality (I had difficulty recognizing her voice) and ufortunately that still lingers on ROL. Of course the vocals there are good but they are so controlled there is very little space for emotion. Music and AL are among my favorite M vocals, after that technology takes over and it's hard to find that urgency in her voice. We had to wait until MX for a real proper delivery (even with all the autotune the emotion is still there.

Yes yes yes to new music, but only if she has something to say or feels the need to record. Those albums inbetween confessions and MX are so forgettable. I would love for her to do a way more experimental route and release an album of eclectic sound recordings rather than another attempt at pop music. I could listen all day to those hallway videos when she was living in Lisbon, just her raw voice in beautiful acoustics, and maybe Arca can throw in some destruction in the back ground

I love this ongoing debate among fans wether or not it's an original album or a soundtrack. I agree with you that of course it's both. I just always feel that fans don't want it to be part of her album discography because it's not as contemporary as the rest of her catalogue. Talk to a Prince fan and tell them Purple Rain doesn't count as an album, or Parade for that matter. Not sure though if she wanted additional songs in the movie as she only started writing and recording long after shooting was done. The three Sondheim tracks are also rearranged and re recorded for the album.

Thank you for pointing this out! Most iconic M looks are stripped back, almost cartoon like. Funny enough the Lacroix corset was already a bit fussy to begin with (compared with the other costumes from RIT, though it's absolutely beautiful) I think the red negligee is actually a fantastic costume

Isn't it also a bit sad for al these minor celebrities to have to release these biographies for a quick buck and all anyone is ever interested in is what little tidbits you have to share about celebrities bigger than you. I have very little words for the hypocracy which is RuPaul, just that I once bought into the idea that he was sincere and not this conservative self serving capitalist

So a look she gave you made you feel all that? Wow, maybe do a little check in with your own self esteem lady Ru if you want to give that much power to what you fear other people think of you (and write about it 40 year later lol)

What's so frustrating is that there are plenty of examples of deluxe editions done right for way way smaller artists. Bands like durad duran did fantatsic box sets on all their albums, Smashing Pumpkins release 10 disc expansions of their records with artwork that is carefully curated from the archives. One thing about all the vinyl releases is the really shoddy artwork on most re releases, the fonts etc look like they are scanned from a cd format and then blown up. It's just something I can't spend money on. For boxsets it would have been so great to have something that archives the era, both in what was released as well as the unreleased stuff. The original album, cleaned up, not remastered into this brick wall of sound but just a bit more clear and louder, then with the original artwork (something like the japanese vinyl recreations would be great) then a faux cd maxi single on cd in cardsleeve for every single which tracklists different single and maxi releases and adds bonus mixes, all in artwork close to the original. Of course an extra disc with new artwork that focusses on unreleased material (depending on the album this can be extended to two discs and focus on demos or promo mixes etc) And it goes without saying that the whole thing is housed in an actual box that includes an extensive booklet with pictures and interviews with collaborators.

I like them all apart from the mirrored catsuit, that one I really hate, it makes her look weird and I rarely like her in silver. Also I didn't realize before that it is a near exact copy of a Lady Gaga costume by Tom Ford, so that probably explains why it didn't read iconic Madonna to me in the first place.

I think from LAP throughout BS the single covers are near perfection. I thought rehashing the same concept for confessions and music was actually kind of lame. Compared to Erotica, DAD, BG, Rain, BBB, those are all fantastic covers, even Fever, which is kind of a weird one tbh felt like it fit right in using the bodoni font and current colors.

I adore the Meisel one, the picture is great and I loved the font. Lol at the time I thought it was new, never realised that it was from italian vogue and used in D&D until later. For Rain I also much prefer the Herb Ritts cover over the UK one.

Oh dear, another M release another meltdown

On a different not, how often do these auctioned events get cancelled I wonder, and do the artists compensate the money as it is all for charity? Did we ever find out who won the bidding on the studio visit during the making of MX, or did that too never happen?

Lol I tried listen to it but had to stop two line sinto the first chorus, just pointless fodder to me

Rain Rain Rain I only wish they updated the background with the two waterfall walls from the video instead of the frozen footage. Frozen is about a devide between lovers, one lover trying to convince the other to give in to their love. Rain is about feeling the outpoor of love from the other (the audience) Rain is bliss, is contentment, completion. Frozen is angst, hunger and desperation. I've said it before, but to start the show with "nothing really matters, love is all we need" and closing with "wash away my sorrow, take away my pain, your love's coming down like rain" is to me the perfect cycle. Also as a tryptich going into the future (BS, ROL, R) Rain is so much more modern and fresh

Yeah as much as I love Frozen, it really doesn't work for me here. Apart from the horrible autotuned chorus the whole message is just too down. If we see the show being bookmarked by NRM and the last song before BIM, Rain is perfect as it describes feeling the outpour of love that was described in the first song. I'm also more team IWS than EY, she just sings the former so beautifully, but still EX is her biggest motto apart from HN so I think it does really belong in the show. But frozen? no please.

I absolutely agree with you, it starts with NRM and then in Rain the love comes pouring, perfect. I only really really wanted the bridge and the coda "wait for you to call my name" that would be such a good transition to the encore, with an interlude of fans through the years shouting her name interspursed with key melodies or phrases from hit songs to amp the mood for BIM

Never really realized but most Madonna ballads aren't that optimistic, I think the only other viable option for Rain would be I'll Remember, but even though it's very optimistic it would probably be too nostalgic, and noone would know the song

Madonna did say in an interview that MX was like AL 2.0 so in a sense we already had one, I defenitely wouldnt mind if it would become a triptyque, but maybe not for another few years Not sure if I agree with the Erotica RH comparison though, that was such a strong conceptual album about modern relationships, lonelyness and bigotry, RH is just a mess lol, a mess with some great songs on it but a mess nonetheless

Wow just wow, she was on fire last night!

Tie it around my waist ;-) But until RH M concerts were always in summer in the Netherlands so jackets were thinner

Normally it goes quite fast, but I have never put my jacket away when i was on the floor as I was always too anxious of getting a good spot. But if you are with three I would just find your spot and let one person check in the coats afterwards or find a locker (you can always go back to your spot if you have someone there) same goes for drinks etc. During the concert the toilets mostly are not that crowded. On their website you can see where the lockers etc are https://www.ziggodome.nl/info/lockers

If you arrive early the line should be alright. Usually ziggodome puts barriers on both sides so the line is controled and secure. You can easily hop over the fences to use the bathroom in the shopping mall close to ziggo. The social control in the line normally is very strong so people will let you leave and enter the line again if you use the same spot. Inside Ziggo there are lockers and also a free coat check but if you have GA tickets I would go straight to the floor to secure a good spot. If you are in company of a friend, one of you could always go back to put your stuff away. Take into consideration that the Dutch in general are a bit more direct and assertive so you have to stand your ground a bit but should be alright. Unfortunately I decided to sit this one out (literally, I have seated tickets for December 1) but seeing the show really close in Antwerp I'm a bit jealous of everyone on the floor.

Yes it is, and it was the only friday untill the rescheduled tourdates, in 2024 there's a few more fridays coming up. The concert being on friday was also the reason why I decided to get tickets for Antwerp as well, as I was afraid she might cancell the date, MX trauma

One more week 'till my second and last show, I'm really curious if there will be something special as it is on a friday and she usually doesn't perform then. But it is world Aids day, as well as the 60th anniversary of her mother's passing, so I imagne she would address these. Even though I'm slowly getting excited again for the concert, I'm also gutted as the Netherlands just voted for an extreme right wing government (mainly right wing and conservative parties in the lead and the biggest being outspoken racist and xenophopbe) I hope someone will make her aware and that she will adress this too