Madonna

As was the case with Michael Jackson declaring himself "King of Pop", to put people down as pop royalty is rather missing the point that pop is an ephemeral thing while monarchies are lifetime affairs. So you can be president of pop, but when your term is up, it's up (though you can come back later if you play your chords right).

I've found Madonna's output to be very inconsistent over the years, ranging from frankly terrible nonsense trading on sex to sell records to quite inspired cuts of pop brilliance (if you don't think Like a Prayer is a great single you're either beyond hope or (more probably) have been subjected to the lifeless remix).

So though I haven't heard the new records I'm not at all surprised to hear it's basically crap. It's a bit like Bob Dylan and David Bowie as you just can't tell in advance whether you'll have turkeys or eagles, but there's a degree of anticipation hoping it's the latter.

Changing topic slightly, when is the Graun going to follow their spawning of numerous sections in the Saturday paper to its logical end and have a Julie Burchill section? If they do you could just chuck it straight in the recycling bin and rest assured you'd avoided all the shite she writes at a stroke...

Pete.

Julie is surely big enough to deserve her own section by now </bitch>

Agree about "Like a Prayer" disagree that she's done much of anything since about then.

Matthew

I'd say that there's as similar drop in quality between Music and American Life as there was between Music and Ray of Light, although I'm not quite sure yet - Like Music, it's creeping up on me quite quickly.

It's not the vocoder that outstays its welcome, it's more the chopped up acoustic guitar effect. Having said that, the extremely restrained arrangements do make it all of a piece, and the quality of the songs is pretty consistent. If you like American Life, you'll like the album. If you don't, you won't.

In cosmic terms though, I'm with Nick. When did you last see Madonna eat cockroaches and get her tits out in the same video. Mylene rules.

throb

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When did you last see Madonna eat cockroaches and get her tits out in the same video. Mylene rules

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I've missed out something here, must investigate.

Music is a great album, but mainly for the production. There's no doubt whatsoever though, when you revisit the teenage output, that here voice has matured immensely.

Andy.

A picture of Mylene



I think the cockroach thing is just some random deranged diva style behaivour required to qualify as a gay icon

Matthew

Evidence for Mylene as camp diva and gay icon:



Matthew

As a gay icon myself, I would qualify her any day of the week .

I suppose it's the sad conservative approach to foreign language pop that has prevented Ms Falmer from international appeal, which is a very great pity. Like Madonna, you get the feeling that there's an astute mind underpinning her work, coupled with a very visually sophisticated eminence grise like Grace Jones's ex-partner Jean-Paul Goude.

Mylene's albums are remarkably musically consistent, and have charmingly odd persistent themes - basically goats, sheep and androgeny. With an agenda like that, you really can't go wrong. Coupled to these engaging subjects, she produced a series of videos in the late 80's-early 90's for which jaw dropping is an entirely inadequate term. We'e talking dwarf nuns and concentration camps, laced with acres of Ms Falmers bits. Perusal of French Amazon's DVD catalogue is recommended.

Getting back to Ms Ciccone, I'm listening to American Life as I type, and I have to say that with each hearing it grabs you more and more. As good as Music, I now think, and with equally excellent production.

throb

My only problem with Madonna is that I find her music universally crap. Fond of gay icons as I am, I've tried many times to like at least some of her work, and I've so far failed. Mylene has at least made one good song.

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Mylene has at least made one good song

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It is my unfortunate duty to relate the fact that the reading of the word 'one' has caused Mr Nicholas Lees of Tunbridge Wells to suffer an as yet undiagnosed form of seizure. Representatives from most major online record stores are keeping a vigil at his bedside, and further bulletins will be issued in due course.

throb

I can't be alone in wanting to use knitting needles as earplugs when she tries to rap, can I?

Journalists - Pah!

Opinionated jerks: What do they know?

Madonna has worked bloody hard to get where she is today. You may not like it, but you can at least respect the effort of someone with real talent (as opposed to a manufactured bunch of pretty boys and girls).

Her music does nothing for me i'm afraid. Except for 'Ray of Light'which really caught me by surprise when it came out.. a fine pop album.

Madge:

Like A Prayer
Papa Don't Preach
Ray Of Light

That's about it. (I've got the first album, and Like A Virgin, and they're both OK).

Apart from that, she's absurdly overrated, and a bit of a dog to boot, about as glamorous as earwax.