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Anyone else think Confessions is her most overrated album?


Adam X
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I just think it's the kind of music people wanted from her for years and she finally gave it to them. Yes, we always had her remixed for clubs. But those versions we loved were finally the album versions. Coming off American Life, which I loved then, I was actually surprised to see her do what the audience wanted. But still, there was something natural about this record. She was in her element. It didn't come off desperate. 

The videos are awful. Aside from M practicing in the studio and walking down the street in "Hung Up". She looked great in "Sorry" but that was never 2nd single material to me. Should have been "Get Together" or "Jump". Those two songs are some of her best ever. I really believe if those had better videos and promotion they would have smashed.  The gayness from "Girl Gone Wild" was needed here.I

I always wonder how things would have gone if ABBA declined the sample.

Stuart's production on the record, and for the tour in particular will never, ever be overrated imo.

 

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7 hours ago, TonyMontana said:

Very interesting point of view and i must say i agree with you. The thing is that "Hung up" was a monster hit. I don't know how old you are and if you were an adult when it was released but here in Europe it was a real storm ! the day it premiered on radios it was incredible ! And not only that day but for many weeks, it was literally everywhere ! You could change the stations you would hear it at least 5 times ! Maybe now we're a bit used and maybe tired of the song but when it came out it was a real sensation, hearing that famous 70's sample everywhere decades later was genius and the production was epic (that moment when the bass goes down and come back little by little with bips and the Abba sample in the bacground was really something when you blasted in a car, especially when you were going on a night out (lol)). So, why am talking about it, becaude to me it explains the commercial success of the album. The album has been released a few days before Christmas (another bright move) and you could see all those families and also kids at the supermarket begging their parents to buy the album (i never though i would see that again in 2005, considering Madonna's age). To me it was more like "i want the beautiful pink sleeved album of the "Hung up" singer (hoping the album woul be full of other "Hung up"'s). So take the collossal effect of a smash hit single + a collorfull warm glamorous palette from pink to violet to orange imagery (The "Sorry" video is pure eye candy!) +  a perfect time frame of the releases (just before Christmas) and you have the Confessions phenomenon. Oh and i was gonna forget (!), the music itself ? Well, exept "Hung up" nothing groundbreaking... i remember when i listened to the album i was a little bit disapointed, nothing exept "Hung up" made me wanna jump of my chair and dance. At the time of the released i heard on a famous french radio station (Fun radio) a host saying the same about the album, and they loved M to death on that station.  So is the album overrated ? If you talk only about the music i'd say yes. But then again, the success of an album era is not only due to the music, it's a mix of several elements (lead single quality, imagery and visuals, videos, time of releases,...) and in the case of Confessions those elements were top notch and actually the lead is so phenomenally good that it's as good to make a whole album being sold. To summarize, i will finish by saying this : Even though i only listen to "Hung up" from that album, the Confession era is one of my fav Madonna era. 

thanks for your response, I'm 20 so sadly I wasn't old enough to experience the album's era but I'm sure it must have been wonderful to see Madonna back on top and returning to the style of music that made her famous.

Not to say this applies to everyone but I do think a lot of people associate how much they like an album with how much they liked the era, (music videos, tour, photoshoots, promotions, outfits) and not the actual music itself. 

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1 hour ago, Adam X said:

thanks for your response, I'm 20 so sadly I wasn't old enough to experience the album's era but I'm sure it must have been wonderful to see Madonna back on top and returning to the style of music that made her famous.

 

Ok i felt it that's why i asked you. Not because you sound like a young people, quite the opposite actually your posts are very bright, but because that was the only reason possible for you not to understand why the Confession era is still seen as a reference in M's career. It explains your post and it makes total sense. As i said (exept Hung up) the confession era was a real sensation, a general hype for months. If you did not experience that because you were too young, all you have left 15 years later is the music and it make sense that you cannot understand what the hype is all about.

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I don't think it's an overrated album. Judging from the music only, it's bop after bop after bop. Of course not every song is perfect, her bridges can get too repetitive ( I can make it alone, I heard it all before, so slowly so slowly) but in the sense of a dance record I don't think it gets better than that. Just like you, I didn't get to experience the era and I first listened to it six years after it came out but it does things to my body that very few albums can. Even when the sound is cold, her voice makes it thaw out and makes you feel things. You want to fall in love, make a fool of yourself for one night and it won't matter, get laid, dump someone, make life changing decisions. Maybe those things don't interest you in the way she projects them so maybe this album isn't for you.

If you ask me, her most overrated album is either Like A Virgin or Like A Prayer. Like a Virgin sold way too much for such a weak album in my opinion and Like A Prayer is absolutely gorgeous, but calling it her absolute best might be an exaggeration. Just music wise of course and just my opinion. Her balls were heavier when she released certain albums and that makes them the iconic pieces they are, overrated or not.

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It was a great era with performances, tons of remixes, b-sides, videos, a kickass tour and lots of promo. The packaging was there, which is always important in terms of looks, theme, delivery, color scheme, message. Proof of the magic that can happen when the label supports her.

I can only imagine what Rebel Heart or Madame X had been like if a similar strategy had been applied.

We probably wouldve had remixes for Rebel Heart, a proper single release for God Control, etc.

Not to mention the album's production was top-notch.

The only thing I didnt like about it were the shitty remixes for Get Together. She had a French-House anthem on her hands: that track shouldve been remixed by Fred Falke, Daft Punk, Lifelike.

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I'm with you on that. The whole era was amazing, loved the visuals, the references, the promo, the tour and it was the last time Madonna was so universally loved and appreciated, great time to be a fan for sure. The album however is one I rarely listen to. I remember being excited about Price working with her cause I loved his stuff with Zoot Woman and Les Rhythms Digitales and I recall feeling disappointed upon hearing the full album as it lacked grit and edginess of those productions. Tellingly, the real standout track is one Price didn't produce, namely Future Lovers. 

I feel people like to hold "Confessions..." in such high regard largely due to the fact it was very easy to be a Madonna fan around that time - she became much more polarising again afterwards, whether musically or due to her personal choices/politics. Personally, that's why I love Madonna. If I wanted a safe disco bunny I'd listen to Kylie. :)

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8 hours ago, kesiak said:

I'm with you on that. The whole era was amazing, loved the visuals, the references, the promo, the tour and it was the last time Madonna was so universally loved and appreciated, great time to be a fan for sure. The album however is one I rarely listen to. I remember being excited about Price working with her cause I loved his stuff with Zoot Woman and Les Rhythms Digitales and I recall feeling disappointed upon hearing the full album as it lacked grit and edginess of those productions. Tellingly, the real standout track is one Price didn't produce, namely Future Lovers. 

I feel people like to hold "Confessions..." in such high regard largely due to the fact it was very easy to be a Madonna fan around that time - she became much more polarising again afterwards, whether musically or due to her personal choices/politics. Personally, that's why I love Madonna. If I wanted a safe disco bunny I'd listen to Kylie. :)

kylie can never get to the confession level of madonna :lol:.

 

 

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Not at all. It was and still is a feel good explosion of music and joy with amazing production and makes you dance. The partnership of M and Stuart was one of the best she has done for me, he seemed to keep her grounded and the result was more relatable than her more political and self reflective output. I love all sides of M but this was perfect at the time.

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You nailed it! It's one of her least inspired albums. 

Like a prayer: I'm going to add a new level of depth and vulnerability to my music and I will explore my childhood, my religious upbringing, my relationship to authority figures, divorce and death of my mother. 

Erotica: I'm going to take a huge risk for my career to show how it's okay to be sexual and have fantasies. Also let's talk about AIDS

Ray of light: I have been spiritually reborn thanks to motherhood. This is my religion.

American Life: what is wrong with society and capitalism? Why are we all so obsessed with material things? Where is my life going? Should I change? What do I want? 

Confessions: I WANT TO DANCE LOOOOOOL

I'm not saying it's bad, I love it. But it is just a collection of random songs that only sound cohesive because of the production. The lyrics of I love New York are among her worst works. Also Future lovers and Push are pretty bad too

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