This week, I will continue my history with Madonna with a few more albums.
In 2003, a flood took many of my things. However, my music collection was mostly spared, at least the cassettes were. A lot of my CDs were taken out. It was just bad enough that I haven't gone back to listen to the majority of my old tunes ever since. (My mom threw out her entire collection of vinyls, even though most of them could've been saved, in my opinion, but when she gets in a mood there is no stopping her or changing her mind.)
I think I had already gotten a copy of American Life by then, but I'm not sure. I got a second copy regardless. Somehow, the jewel case cover got cracked, so the store may have had a bad copy or whatnot. The album only had one hit, "Die Another Die" from the 'James Bond' movie of the same name. Very underperforming. Maybe that's why the EP Remixed and Revisited was released soon after. My favorite songs, "Hollywood" and "Love Profusion," were featured prominently, as well as the live twentieth anniversary performance of "Like a Virgin" featuring Brittany Spears and Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards.
After some time off from a horse riding accident, Madonna came out with her second big critical success, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Each song bleeds into the next, as if it were an actual dance club loop, with the last song transitioning into the first. I have played this one a lot. My favorite track is "Get Together." It wasn't a big hit, but I just love everything about it. The song was the last CD single, or any single, I ever bought. (The physical market for singles just dried up.) At almost forty-five minutes, the single is more of an EP, but that is a small quibble. (It has five remixes of the song, plus one for a second track.)
After that, Madonna had one last album to complete her Warner Music contract, Hard Candy. There were too many collaborations for my taste. Compared to Confessions, anything else would feel incomplete. If I have to choose a favorite, I guess I would be "Give It to Me," but I barely played it. This would be followed by the two CD best greatest hits collection Celebration. It features thirty-four of her biggest hits, plus two new songs. I didn't like either that much, although I would give "Celebration" the nod if I had to. Now, Madonna had more than enough hits for a third CD. Most of those songs were for other labels though, so they weren't included, although a number of her other hits for Warner could have been included. Many of those were top ten smashes as well.
Madonna had three independent albums, none of which I listened to all that much. MDNA was first, but the vibes just felt off for me. Maybe it was all the hype from performing the Super Bowl halftime show. I guess "Girl Gone Wild" would be my favorite here. Next comes Rebel Heart. Somehow, I bought the deluxe version of the album with extra tracks, after I thought I only got the basic version. I thought it was better than her previous album, but not by much. I would say "Ghosttown" would be my pick here. Then came Madame X. This was more of a concept album, founded on her exploration of Portuguese music, but I found it too experimental. Not bad, just not for me. "I Don't Search I Find" might be my favorite here, but I didn't play this one enough to really favor one song more than others.
As a tease when she rejoined Warner, Madonna had a sixth collection of songs come out celebrating her fifty number one songs on Billboard's dance charts. Finally Enough Love had sixteen of her dance number ones, in specifically the versions which made it. The full three CD version had all fifty tracks, but it apparently was only available digitally, so I never got the version.
Her newest album, Confessions II, was released last Friday, after months of promotion. I wasn't able to go out a buy a copy yet, if it was even available out here in the boondocks on time. There have been delays, up to a day or more on occasion. Sure, I could have tried to get a digital version on time, but after having two floods take almost everything I own, I need to have the physical copy if there is a choice. I'm limited to where I could buy it, and I just hope the CD is available. I don't have a phonograph for vinyl, I that's mostly the only new releases the local Walmart seems to get in. Barely anything else.
If I am fortunate, I will pick up my copy tomorrow and review it for week's post. Otherwise, I will still wanna a Madonna album, but with no idea where to find one.
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