Madonna treats the world with delicious new "Candy"
Alex Nagorski
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Life!
On board is also former NSYNC front man and current solo megastar Justin Timberlake, who helped Madonna's return to the scene by contributing vocals to the lead single "4 Minutes."
Accompanied by a hyperactive music video featuring Madge and Timberlake jumping all over cars, the song gives the illusion of Madonna as a super hero - a persona not that far from the truth. No, that is not a reference to the children she adopted to create her United Colors of Bennetton friendly family portrait. It's simply referring to the fact that over the past three decades, she has been arguably the key player in steering contemporary pop down the path it has gone. Think about it: Without Madonna, there would never have been a Britney or a Christina.
The track following "4 Minutes" is the standout number "Give It 2 Me." By far the catchiest song on the album, it sounds like what one would imagine a Jay-Z/Lasgo mash-up to sound like: it's got the electric pulses of a dance song yet still plays over a hip hop structured beat. It's virtually impossible to hear this song and not have a rush of endorphins that hunger for a dance floor.
Next comes "Heartbeat," a smooth and chilled-out song that makes listeners feel like they're sipping their last fruity drink at 6 a.m. after their E has worn off and the rave is clearing out. Madonna actually tries her very own rapping skills on the track momentarily.
The song is succeeded by "Miles Away," a song that feels like a collaboration of Madonna's previous hit "La Isla Bonita" and basically any number off of the "Evita" album. Yes, it doesn't really sound like that appealing of a fusion; however, it does more than deliver. The same can be said for "Spanish Lesson," a song clearly influenced by an urban Latin-American club sound. Any doubts about this collaboration evaporate after hooks of violent chords of a traditional Spanish guitar are heard as the song begins. Then Madonna starts singing "Yo te quiero," only to have the listener instinctively respond with "I love you too."
Accompanied by a hyperactive music video featuring Madge and Timberlake jumping all over cars, the song gives the illusion of Madonna as a super hero - a persona not that far from the truth. No, that is not a reference to the children she adopted to create her United Colors of Bennetton friendly family portrait. It's simply referring to the fact that over the past three decades, she has been arguably the key player in steering contemporary pop down the path it has gone. Think about it: Without Madonna, there would never have been a Britney or a Christina.
The track following "4 Minutes" is the standout number "Give It 2 Me." By far the catchiest song on the album, it sounds like what one would imagine a Jay-Z/Lasgo mash-up to sound like: it's got the electric pulses of a dance song yet still plays over a hip hop structured beat. It's virtually impossible to hear this song and not have a rush of endorphins that hunger for a dance floor.
Next comes "Heartbeat," a smooth and chilled-out song that makes listeners feel like they're sipping their last fruity drink at 6 a.m. after their E has worn off and the rave is clearing out. Madonna actually tries her very own rapping skills on the track momentarily.
The song is succeeded by "Miles Away," a song that feels like a collaboration of Madonna's previous hit "La Isla Bonita" and basically any number off of the "Evita" album. Yes, it doesn't really sound like that appealing of a fusion; however, it does more than deliver. The same can be said for "Spanish Lesson," a song clearly influenced by an urban Latin-American club sound. Any doubts about this collaboration evaporate after hooks of violent chords of a traditional Spanish guitar are heard as the song begins. Then Madonna starts singing "Yo te quiero," only to have the listener instinctively respond with "I love you too."