Friday, May 16, 2008

Madonna’s Hard Candy My Album Review





It's Madonna's final album with Warner Records, the first in a long time where she has given up her reigns of production and goes with "Hot" producers like Timbaland instead of finding the up and coming ones. I'm kind of spilt with this album. I find the production too noisy and cluttered. Some of the songs go on too long and I could do without the rap guest spots. I have to admit that the album is a lot less R & B then I feared and is more pop friendly.

Candy Shop is OK but does she really need to sing "my sugar is raw sticky and sweet". I love 4 Minutes but it's the magic of Justin Timberlake that makes the song leaving Madge to be his backing vocalist.

Give It To Me and Heartbeat are cute and catchy.

I originally heard Miles Away covered by Youtube star Mr. Boogie and I instantly loved the song it sounds very Madonna like however I hate the production on the album, there is too much clapping noise throughout the song. This song really needs to be redone I can hear it as an acoustic track.

She's Not Me is one of the best tracks It pokes fun at all the Madonna imitators in a retro disco "Ring My Bell" beat, then goes into a pseudo Beatlesque bridge, turn into Donna Summers Bad Girls complete with the whistles, then goes on too long with vocals by Pharrell Williams.

Not sure what to make of the song Incredible it's fun but has a really annoying synth/drum loop that overpowers the entire song, again the song goes on too long with vocals by Pharrell Williams, sometimes less is more.

I prefer the demo I heard of the Beat Goes On to the finished product. They got rid of a lot of lyrics including a bridge leaving almost nothing left. Then they added the Kanye West rap which I really don't care for, it doesn't fit the song at all.

The album loses it's momentum in next 2 songs. I'm not crazy for Dance 2night although it's supposed to be a retro dance tune. Spanish Lesson could have been a good song but it's all over the place. It's indicative of the album, there are great pieces but all the pieces don't fit together properly.

The last 2 tracks are co -written by Justin Timberlake. Devil Wouldn't Recognize You is not a bad song it remind me of his hit "What Goes Around Comes Around". The last track Voices start of with this weird Queen vocal intro then ask "who is the master who is the slave". A great question to ask about who 's direction really produced the album. This is my least favorite cover artwork of hers, it doesn't look sexy but cheap...maybe that was her intention.

The album sounds better after a few listens. I like it better then American Life and Bedtimes Stories two of my least favourite Madonna albums. If it stands the test of time remains to be seen.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Robyn Album & Concert Review

My review of Robyn's new album and her concert at the Fillmore







What an amazing show. This was my first time on South Street and at the Fillmore. It's a small venue that holds about 1000 people. When I got there at 7:45 there was only about 25 people in front of the stage and another 30 at the bar I felt bad at first. I would say about 300-400 showed up.

Robyn came on at 9:15 and played for an hour. I was so close to the stage at the end some girls let me in front so I could take pictures. The crowd was having so much fun. She had a hard time singing the soft heartbreak ballad "Eclipse" because so many people were yelling "We Love you Robyn", she started smiling. Her cover of Salt & Pepa "Push it" drove the crowd wild as did "With Every Heartbeat" and "Who's That Girl". She came back for an encore with a percapella version of her old hit "Show Me Love", I wasn't crazy about this version, her vocal where amazing but the tingy percussion/drums was kind of off. She did "Keep The Fire Burning" which I love from her 3rd album. Fans kept on screaming so she came out again and did "Be mine" the Acoustic version from her Rakamonie EP.

Setlist not sure of the order...

Cobrastyle
Who's That Girl
Handle Me
Konichiwa Bitches
Buffalo Stance/ Push it/Sexual Eruption—Medley or rather bits of the songs
Be Mine!
Bum Like You
Crash And Burn Girl
With Every Heartbeat w/ Kleerup
Eclipse
Jack You Off
Dream On
Show Me Love
Keep The Fire Burning
Be Mine (Acoutic Version)

Party like it’s 2017 Bananarama at the Apollo Eventim London

The Concert: November 20th 2017 Photo by Mike Devery, London Apollo Hammersmith I’m not sure I can justify in words how this concer...