Madonna's album Music shorts out
By David Browning Production Editor
Madonna
is beginning to have some trouble making Music.
Her 13th album, Music, released Sept. 19, is what we have seen
in Madonna albums of the past - something new, innovative and
flat-out funky.
But still, it is a smash.
Music is a welcomed change and defies what other record labels
call "music" - acts like 'NSync and Britney Spears.
The album starts strong with its dominant title single, "Music."
The '80s dance pop, yet futura techno quickly climbed to the
top of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart (where it remains for
Week 2) and is numero uno in 14 foreign countries.
But despite its thumping beats and help from French techno mixer
Mirwais, Music won't make it much further than the clubs. The
queen of pop relies far too heavily on what electronic edge she
could place on each single that it strongly overpowers her vocal
presence she worked so hard to obtain with moving ballads and
her statuesque portrayal in Evita.
However, we cannot blame Madonna for this wave of electronica
of which America refuses to let go. It is Cher's fault.
Really.
Let us take a trip back in time to 1999 when the aging Cher was
the first to decide that old age is best hidden in techno tweaks.
Case in point "Believe." Soon followed by Kid
Rock, and now Madonna, is this a trend? We could very soon be
bombarded by albums completely sung in robotic four-part harmonies.
Blame Cher for Madonna's shortcomings with Music.
"Runaway Lover," Music's third track, keeps the dance
groove flowing, but, things quickly slow by the fourth song,
"I deserve it." After that, the album tries to pick
up the pace with "Amazing," reminiscent of "Austin
Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me's" "Beautiful Stranger"
without the "da da da da da."
Madonna, now 42, with 18 years of pop reign under her urban cowboy
beltbuckle could be too busy as a mother of two to write the
compelling religious lyrics we got with Ray of Light or the sexual
revolutionaries of Erotica and Bedtime Stories. Music lacks lyrics
of substance. "Impressive Instant" for example, is
simple, yet powerful, but a bit juvenile with "I like to
singy singy singy, like a bird on a wingy, wingy, wingy."
Would someone like to explain that? Did Britney collaborate with
Miss Madonna on this album?
Madonna could very well be taking the route of our beloved teenyboppers
like Spears and 'NSync. If she keeps this up, she may very well
kiss her throne as queen of pop bye, bye, bye. This album will
compete well against the untalented likes of the former members
of the Mickey Mouse Club, but we did expect something better
from the divine diva who is Madonna.
It is not the music that will sell you on Music. Rather it is
the ever-so-smooth Web site, www.madonnamusic.com. Slick Flash
animations slide across the screen as "Music" thumps.
One recommendation - visit this site only on a computer with
good sound capabilities and a fast modem. The material girl's
Web site is a fan's dream, complete with photo gallery, memorabilia
store, news updates, video, and an ingenious addition of a sound
mixer for surfers to make their own "Music."
The album Music can be played in its entirety with lyric excerpts
added on screen. In the non-Flash version of the site, full-text
versions of the album with each track appear.
The next question to pose to the material girl is, "will
she tour?" Madonna did not tour with Ray of Light so she
could attend to her daughter, Lourdes Maria. Now with baby Rocco
Ritchie, Madonna may be too busy changing diapers and potty training
to take Music on the road. Then again, Cher could always step
in - her career is over.
Watch for Music's second single, "Don't Tell Me," which
will be released prior to the Super Bowl on radio, MTV and VH-1,
with a possibility of Madonna performing the single at the Bowl's
halftime show.
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