Ten reasons I loved (and love and defend) the MDNA era, 10 years later, despite the criticism.

[Andreo 5,323]

5 minutes ago, kesiak said:

64/100 average on Metacritic hardly screams "rave reviews" .

Metacritic really isn't an accurate source tho. I find it one of the most unreliable things on Earth honestly lol

[EgoRod 5,451]

Someone in this forum made a Non-stop edition with all of the songs segueing each other and makes the album 100 % more enjoyable . I still skipping Superstar after a bit and B-day song. I tried, several times.

For me was an album that I really enjoyed when it came out, because it felt joyful, fun and with her being in charge. But it always feel a tad soulless. She sounds like karaoke Madonna, reading lyrics along the music. Even when some of the lyrics are deep I think is too robotic to grasps the emotion behind it.

In the same way Confessions sounds like a tormented Madonna with disco fever, in this case the dance beats instead of delivering her emotions kinda mute them under one tone.

[Brendanlovesu1 12,010]

Gang bang still sounds weird as fuck (in a good way), underground and lyrically cool; it's amazing and bizarre. I love it, she sounds so good singing words so harsh.

[thegoldencalf 12,581]

2 hours ago, EgoRod said:

Interesting detail about the photos by Mert & Marcus.

As it happens with them previously  they ripped  took inspiration from the work of genius Erwin Blumenfeld

 

Thanks for sharing. Wow these photos are stunning 

[kesiak 3,036]

2 hours ago, Andreo said:

Metacritic really isn't an accurate source tho. I find it one of the most unreliable things on Earth honestly lol

How exactly is it inaccurate, could you explain? It's certainly more reliable than a single personal opinion of an individual on a Madonna forum and gives a good indication of how a product (album, movie, TV show) was received (well, at least in the English speaking world) .

[kesiak 3,036]

2 hours ago, Prayer said:

It actually received some good reviews that really got the "all over the place post divorce" mood of the album. I agree that the album is very personal in some parts and anyone that has gone through a divorce or a nasty breakup knows that all those moods are part of the aftermath: feeling free, adventurous and silly, but also deeply hurt and resentful at the same time.

I love this one from "Rolling Stone" and think it's pretty much on point:

The singles were not that personal (we can discuss about "Girl Gone Wild", though) but most of the album was.

Oh I agree with you and the album actually got better reviews than we, fans, seem to remember, but claiming it received "rave" notes is a bit of a stretch .

[steady75 9,570]

2 hours ago, EgoRod said:

Someone in this forum made a Non-stop edition with all of the songs segueing each other and makes the album 100 % more enjoyable . 

Aww thanks that was me. Had to do somet to improve it tbh 

 

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/EAG1pSkfHw73VNxDA

[EgoRod 5,451]

36 minutes ago, steady75 said:

Aww thanks that was me. Had to do somet to improve it tbh 

 

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/EAG1pSkfHw73VNxDA

I was listening again to it this morning, it really improves the pace of the album

[EgoRod 5,451]

1 hour ago, thegoldencalf said:

Thanks for sharing. Wow these photos are stunning 

He was incredible, I'm sure he would work with Madonna did they had a chance to met

Worth check his work, like this cover

 

[deathproof 10,608]

Has anyone ever listened to the original tracklist when it was first revealed on iTunes?

I think it flows so much better. Some Girls always sounded out of place between GMAYL and SuperNo. It works so much better coming after I’m Addicted. And while I don’t like Bday Song, it actually flows nicely after GMAYL as an actual album track. The only downside is that there’s no Love Spent. :( 
 

1. 'Girls Gone Wild'
2. 'Gang Bang'
3. 'I'm Addicted'
4. 'Some Girls'
5. 'I Don't Give A'
6. 'Turn Up the Radio'
7. 'Give Me All Your Luvin''
8. 'B-day Song'
9. 'Superstar'
10. 'I'm a Sinner'
11. 'Masterpiece'
12. 'Falling Free'

[Piksel8 620]

MDNA era was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The album for me screams angry divorcee wants to party (I fucked up). Its like a setup for a premature orgy, and then she bails on the climax.

[steady75 9,570]

I think that's one of my biggest problems with the record. Prior to her Special editions it felt like there was a lot of consideration to the flow of the her albums. Like it was presented as a body of work with a story arc. That stopped at MDNA and has kind of carried on through the last two albums too somewhat. 

I also don't like the cover personally. I wish it leaned more into the Femme Fatale Tarantino look of the opening sequence of the tour and the artwork felt more like an arthouse B movie.

I also think my other main irk with the album was that the singles say absolutely nothing about her state of mind at the time. 

I always thought Masterpiece should have been a stand alone single is has no place on that record.

The same with GMAYL. A cute superbowl song like Beautiful Stranger and American Pie.

1.Love Spent / Gang Bang double A side as first single with that Tarantino double feature video

2. Girl Gone Wild ( Justin Cognito mix) 

3. I'm A Sinner

4. Falling Free

That's a post divorce story arc.

Some Girls and I'm Addicted mixes sent to clubs a la Nobody Knows Me / Easy Ride / Let It Will Be / I Love New York

Shove the pre era single Masterpiece & GMAYL on the deluxe edition

1. I'm Addicted
2. Gang Bang
3. Girl Gone Wild
4. Some Girls
5. I Don't Give A
6. I'm A Sinner
7. Love Spent
8. Turn Up The Radio
9. I Fucked Up
10. Best Friend
11. Falling Free

Deluxe Tracks

1. Masterpiece
2. Give Me All Your Luvin
3. Superstar
4. Bday Song
5. Beautiful Killer ( great but it really doesn't suit the album)
6. Superbowl Medley

[nodoman 324]

9 minutes ago, steady75 said:

• Bday Song

can we keep pretending this song never existed? 

in all seriousness: love your vision and i agree. with better marketing—as you have outlined—the album probably would have perfomed better.

[deathproof 10,608]

“Non Traditional Promo”

 

[Drownedboy 1,676]

One last thing, probably very controversial: I like Superstar in all its glory full of corniness. It´s the same Madonna of True Blue, Dear Jessie, Spanish lesson and many more, and I prefer it a thousan times better than all this artists are here to disturb the peace stuff she is so so doing lately.

[steady75 9,570]

I wonder how many other songs she recorded from MDNA?

It's one of the only eras we literally have no other info on regarding unused songs and sadly one of those which would probably benefit from some track list switches the most. 

[deathproof 10,608]

Martin said in the EPK that there was only 1 other song he did with Madonna that wouldn’t see the light of day.

It sounds like it was a very strict recording process, where they seemed to have the majority of the songs picked out and written even before Madonna layed her vocals.

[Prayer 14,373]

12 minutes ago, steady75 said:

I wonder how many other songs she recorded from MDNA?

It's one of the only eras we literally have no other info on regarding unused songs and sadly one of those which would probably benefit from some track list switches the most. 

Not much apart from what was released, I guess. Remember she was super busy with the movie and studio time for the album was very limited (as we know), even "Best Friend" was a last minute addition to the tracklist. This and the fact that we got a Deluxe Edition with bonus tracks, for the first time, make me think that pretty much everything recorded and finished for the project is there.

[Brendanlovesu1 12,010]

Who the fuck is Justin cognito? Did we ever find out. I wanna know

[Prayer 14,373]

6 minutes ago, Brendanlovesu1 said:

Who the fuck is Justin cognito? Did we ever find out. I wanna know

I always thought it was simply the two Benassi "just incognito"  Just like Stuart Price used different names for his remixes on the "Confessions" era.

The remix is one of the best things from the "MDNA" era. It could have been the album version! Remember this montage video? 

 

[Pootz333 2,691]

That extra little "Put your pedal to the metal and drive bitch" from the William Orbit remix >>>>>>>the entire Madame X era. 

[Shoful 8,552]

I was hoping in retrospective we could all agree this will be Madonna’s worst album ever. She didn’t write like any of the tracks. It sounds like she quickly came in and out down her vocals. Masterpiece is truly the only song worth saving on this album. Yes it’s a fun record but 80% of the songs are intolerable to listen to 

[Shoful 8,552]

15 minutes ago, Pootz333 said:

That extra little "Put your pedal to the metal and drive bitch" from the William Orbit remix >>>>>>>the entire Madame X era. 

Please point me to this remix

When will we stop thinking it’s cool to shade her best and most creative era in 15+ years 

[RUADJAI 14,970]

35 minutes ago, Prayer said:

 

 

Wait... @Fighter did this? 

[Pootz333 2,691]

39 minutes ago, Shoful said:

Please point me to this remix

When will we stop thinking it’s cool to shade her best and most creative era in 15+ years 

At 3:20

I have TRIED Shoful! I promise! I really enjoy a lot of the remixes (official and unnoficial) and the Vogue spy number is everything. But I just can't. I loved American Life when it came out and bought her children's books! That has yo count for something!?