Sticky and Sweet

Madonna
Originally uploaded by currtdawg

A lot has been said about the production of Madonna's new album, Hard Candy, over the past few months. Mostly about how she's teamed up with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, though Pharrell Williams produced seven of the album's twelve tracks. Many are saying she's desperately trying to maintain her relevance by hiring the producers of the moment; but I don't see what the big deal is. Madonna has never been shy about sharing production credits on any of her records. The only difference now is that she's collaborating with such high-profile engineers. Should that make her music any less valid?
2005's "Confessions On A Dance Floor" was her return to dance after the artfully thin "American Life." This, however, is a return to her urban roots. It's still full of booty-shaking grooves, but more organic and not as Euro-sounding. It's closer to "Bedtime Stories" than "Ray of Light." There are still some electronic bleeps here and there, but this is Madonna keeping it real.
The first single, "4 Minutes," is a great song, despite a too-long intro and a weak coda. Madonna rarely does duets, and it's strange to hear her sharing air time with Justin Timberlake. Timbaland's unmistakable sound is almost phoned in (marching band horns, familiar rhythmic hooks, high-pitched "freaky freaky"s-- we've heard it all before), but the back-and-forth lines between Madonna and Timberlake are what make this one special.
The other Timbaland songs are hit-and-miss, the best being "Miles Away" and "Voices;" the worst being "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You," which is a rehash of Timberlake's "What Goes Around," which is a rehash of "Cry Me A River."
Even though the Timbaland-produced tracks are fun, it's the Pharrell songs that really shine. I almost wish she'd done the whole album with him. Even though it's not hard to pick a Pharrell track out of a line-up, he always seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve; and Madonna, ever the work-aholic, has definitely gotten her money's worth out of him.
"Give It 2 Me" has Madonna urging listeners to join her on the dance floor. After all, she "can go on and on and on," so why not? In "Heartbeat," she sings about the power dance has over her. She confronts a lover's straying eye in "She's Not Me," and "Beat Goes On" sounds like it could have been a song from Chic or Donna Summer in 1978. In a good way.
From the "tick, tock, tick, tock" in "4 Minutes" to "If you wait too long it'll be too late" in "Beat Goes On," Madonna seems to be even more obsessed with time than on the "Confessions" album. Now 25 years into her career, she's easily established her credibility. She's sold more albums than any other woman in the world. She's won multiple Grammys. And just a few months ago, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So is she really feeling the pressure of turning 50, or is she just concerned about getting her time on the dance floor before last call?
Still, the album has its flaws, the biggest being Madonna herself. When she's on target, she's unstoppable; but there are times when she seems to be trying too hard. The spoken lines, "So sweet" in "Candy Shop" sound cold instead of sexy. She's a little out of her range on "Incredible." And I've hit the "skip" button more than once when "Spanish Lesson" comes on. I guess no album is perfect.
If you're one of those fortunate enough to have pre-ordered the special edition on iTunes (or if you can get your hands on the Japanese import), you'll have access to a bonus track called "Ring My Bell." It's another Pharrell track, and I really don't see why it isn't on the regular US release. It's catchy and danceable and everything a good pop song should be. By the way, in case you're wondering, yes, I bought the actual compact disc even though I had already pre-ordered it on iTunes because I wanted--nay, needed it three days earlier than everyone else. It's called being a fan.
Madonna as an institution often overshadows Madonna as a musician. People seldom look at just her music, and often fail to see it as a simple pop album. Also, her work also seems to frequently be misdiagnosed, often faring much better or much worse in retrospect. "Erotica" and "American Life" were as underrated as "Music" and "Confessions" were overrated. I've been listening to "Hard Candy" non-stop for the past ten days. It's no masterpiece, but I wonder how it will hold up in five years.