Hard Candy Reviews

• Full of flavor, though a bit bittersweet

  
  By A3O6IY4UKCMQHG on 2008-05-01
  SUMMARY: Madonna's final album for Warner Brothers is by no means her best, but it's a fitting swan song for the artist who anchored the label for the past quarter-century. A lot of the reviews for this album are missing the mark, either overzealous in its defense, or obtusely critical in the hope of shining the spotlight on another artist. 'Hard Candy' is a mixed bag of true gems and questionable choices, but it's quintessentially Madonna.
  
  WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: When Madonna hits the mark, no one does it better, and even her detractors would be hard-pressed to name another artist of her caliber. Despite what others have said, no two Madonna albums are the same, which is why she has remained one of the most relevant artists in the past twenty-five years. While a few of the songs here are reminiscent of earlier works (in a good way), they're also very much current and a part of her ever-evolving musicality. 'Hard Candy' is thus at once an homage and a contemporary statement. There's no shortage of danceable material here, and few artists are willing to take the chances in which Madonna revels.
  
  WHY YOU WON'T: Several of the tracks are overproduced, and Madonna's vocals are all but lost in their delivery. Noticeably absent is the vocal maturation she has consistently displayed since Evita. Her voice is high and thin - as it was in the early days, and which is unfortunately drawing comparisons to Britney Spears (who really is nothing more but a poorly-conceived clone) - but she mostly makes it work for these tracks. 'Candy Shop' is truly an abysmal song, despite its irony, and was a poor choice to open the album. The less said about '4 Minutes', the better, but don't make the mistake of judging the entire CD by its lead single - the whole of 'Hard Candy' has a distinctly different flavor than this disposable track.
  
  BOTTOM LINE: Madonna is not interested in repeating herself, so fans who are expecting 'Confessions II' will be vastly disappointed. Many are proclaiming that Madonna is simply reproducing the recent efforts of the bevy of pop songstresses (Mariah, Britney, Christina, Nelly, Gwen, etc.) currently populating the landscape. Not true. She was here long before them and, in the cases of many of them, will be here long after they fade away; it is they who owe a debt to her. Those who understand Madonna, however, and who get her sense of humor, her irony, her deliberateness, and who know enough to look beneath the deceptively simple lyrics, will be pleased to add this to their collection. Standout tracks include 'Heartbeat' (which should be the next single), 'Miles Away', 'She's Not Me', and 'Devil Wouldn't Recognize You'.
  
  

• Flat and flavorless, Hard Candy evaporates while you're listening to it...

  
  By A2CH1K8VK94C4H on 2008-05-03
  Let's be blunt: this is the worst CD of Madonna's decades-long career - and trust me, I thought AMERICAN LIFE was the dregs, too. Flat, flavorless, boring, uninspiring, and shallow, this is the best krap money can buy. She hired a gauntlet of high-priced "hot" producers and hoped if they supplied "urban contemporary" beats, she'd just phone it in over the top from London. The typically cynical, played-out formula adds a little bit GWEN, a pinch of JUSTIN, and a whole lot of lazy, tired Timbaland/Pharrell beats - toss in a whiff of self-absorption and utter pretention, and you'll get a dose of HARD CANDY. That's just what she did - a desperate, cash-in, sell-out ploy to set up her next global tour/merchandising juggernaut. As you try in vain to listen to each track, you find yourself pressing FAST FORWARD as they each evaporate before your ears until you're left with nothing...except the receipt from buying this CD. Worse than embarrassing, wholly irrelevant and straight-up plain ol' BAD.
  
  

• Candy you can relish

  
  By A37PV5GMP2ILJC on 2008-05-02
  Normally we're told not to accept candy from strangers, but in this case Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West are certainly not strangers to even the youngest music fan.
  
  Following up 2005's "Confessions on a Dance Floor", the ageless icon proves that she's still got what it takes with a sweet pop/dance album infused with hip hop flavor. Bursting with possible singles, the album was launched with a sure fire hit in "4 Minutes", a collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, with a red hot video to go with it.
  
  Other must-listen tracks are "Candy Shop" (dance); "Give It 2 Me" (pop/dance); "Miles Away" (mid-tempo - reminiscent of the "Ray of Light" album); "She's Not Me" (pop/R&B); "Beat Goes On" (R&B); "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" (a ballad with a beat); "Voices" (mid-tempo and vintage Madonna)
  
  The nice thing about this album is that it mixes up the flavors, each song bringing something different to the listening experience. You definitely can't say that these tracks all sound the same, and that's a definite selling point for my shopping list.
  
  It may be hot enough to melt in your hand, but this Hard Candy is going to be around the charts for a long time.
  
  
  
  Amanda Richards, May 2, 2008
  
  
  

• Madonna Sells Out

  
  By A14J4IMAJM6XBE on 2008-05-18
  Saying Madonna has 'sold out' is a bit ironic since she's spent 25 years cannily positioning herself in the ever-changing musical landscape. Yet despite that marketing savvy, Madonna would have faded away long ago but for her habit of consistently taking chances in content and sound.
  
  For a pop star, Madonna has taken huge risks over her career. From brazenly embracing the pop slut image on Like A Virgin to the moral commentary of 'Papa Don't Preach' to the confessional content of Like a Prayer to the overt sexuality of Erotica to the techno/spirituality of Ray of Light to the darker sound and statements of American Life, Madonna has always challenged what pop can be and say. No matter what window dressing she's wrapped in, Madonna always came through in her music.
  
  This is why Hard Candy is such a complete failure. You won't find Madonna making any statements - or saying anything much really - on Hard Candy, and she certainly doesn't push the envelop in sound or content. In fact, if you've bought anything the producers on Hard Candy have made in the last year, you have already heard this CD. But don't blame them; they regurgitated their 'sound' exactly as they were paid to do. Bottom line: Hard Candy could have come from any brainless pop tart with the cash to pay the prostitutes (ahem, sorry, producers) who work on this CD.
  
  There's little point in discussing individual songs, since they all have the same generic sound. The title track has a wicked bump to it, but the lame lyrics render it strictly PG in terms of actual heat generated. 'Give It 2 Me' is admittedly a solid, and very catchy, dance song. However, 'Dance 2night' - with its pop groove and message of self-empowerment - is the only song that sounds like Madonna actually showed up. And this is ultimately the reason Hard Candy is vapid, dead between the ears, and frankly dull: for the first time in her career Madonna doesn't bring anything to the table.
  
  Hard Candy's lack of personality and the way it blends into the miasma of the current music scene forces me to theorize about why it was made at all. It sounds like a marketing move by Madonna to fill the void left by Britney Spears being out of commission. Just a guess, but I honestly can't imagine any other reason the most compelling pop artist in history would tarnish her catalog with this embarrassing, unmitigated failure.
  
  

• Review of Madonna's "Hard Candy"

  
  By A3PMEJAYKF3VUC on 2008-04-29
  "Hard Candy" is not "Confessions on a Dance Floor" but it's just as good and appealing. Madonna strikes out again to conquer the dance floor with songs that have a more urban flavor to them but remains true to her pop roots. I'd say many of the songs keep with a disco/throw-back sound without the sound effects and overly-processed voices from her past few albums of the 2000s. Best yet, Madonna really does shine in this effort by offering a sampling of songs that are upbeat, fun, containing hidden gems and surprises that'll satisfy most listeners.
  
  While I felt `4 Minutes' was a weak song (though catchy and entertaining) and featured Justin Timberlake more than it did her, the other songs on "Hard Candy" are far better and classic Madonna. The best songs are those produced by Pharrell and The Neptunes who really offer her a fresh sound with great dance beats. `Heartbeat' is a must listen with the great Madonna message of embracing dance as a way of salvation and ignoring the hang ups that come with age. It also contains a great breakdown section, something that's new for Madonna and adds a new edge to her songs produced by this group. `Give it 2 Me' is very pop and in-your-face, anthem-like with Madonna proclaiming she can't be stopped. `Miles Away' offers the album a great pop ballad, perhaps her best ballad since the "American Life" track `Love Profusion'.
  
  The other tracks are fun and keep from being filler tracks. The only track that I'm not entirely sold on is `Spanish Lesson' though it contains a great breakdown with Madonna taking on the school-master persona and demanding we the listeners do our homework and she'll give us more work. The album begins to step away from the dance theme with the last two tracks, offering an odd but still entertaining serious view of Madonna. I thought `Voices' was a near epic song and good choice to close out this chapter of her career, with Madonna asking who really is in control and ending with church bells rather than the clicking clocks that run throughout "Confessions on a Dancefloor" and this album.
  
  In all, this was definitely a pleasant surprise. If you're afraid this is Madonna mid-life crisis attempt to compete with big artist of right now, don't. Though she works with some big names in Hip-Hop, this is just as pop as "Confessions" and fun and dance-like, with Madonna being less preachy and simply giving us more to dance to than to think about. Some of the Timbaland/Justin Timberlake tracks do seem a bit tame and lacking the fun, light spirit Pharrell and The Neptunes injected into her songs, but in all, it's good. "Hard Candy" offers a little something for everyone, just as the lead song suggests. This is one cd you'll want to add to your collection and thus far one of the best to come out in 2008 thus far.
  
  
• Madonnas new album Hard Candy is sweet music but no Ray of Light!
  By AIRHRV3D8X4J1 on 2008-04-29
  Madonna brings us her latest album Hard Candy and it does not disappoint. The album is full of dance club hits with a splash of r and b mixed in. This is another good album from the biggest selling and Most Successful Female Recording Artist In History. I meant to give this album 4 out of 5 stars but I can not change it. If you are expecting a genius record like Ray of Light, Music, Confessions, or American Life (yes that was a great NOT political album at all) you will be disappointed, but if you are looking for fun care free music you will really enjoy this.
  
  
  CANDY SHOP is a great song to start off the album. The song is a very energetic song that is similar to the version that was leaked months ago, but this one has more beats and layers added to it. She seems to be having a blast singing this and brings back lots sexual innuendos for this song. Madonna sings "All the suckers are not all we sell in the store. Chocolate kisses so good you'll be beggin' for more. Don't pretend you're not hungry I've got plenty to eat. Come on in to my store cause my sugar is sweet!" This is a great song that will get you in the mood for the dance club or for working out at the gym. I do wish the album would have opened with a stronger song though because this one is a bit weak for an opening song.
  
  4 MINUTES was the first single from Madonna's Hard Candy album. The song is a very energetic radio friendly track that stays in your head. After being ignored by U.S. radio stations with her last 2 albums American Life, and Confessions on A Dance Floor, Madonna decided to take a different direction and work with hit makers Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. The result forced radio to no longer ignore Madonna and 4 Minutes became her most radio friendly hit in years. Madonna sings "I want somebody to speed it up for me then take it down slow there's enough room for both." The song peaked at 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Madonna's 37th top ten hit pushing her past Elvis Presley as the artist with the most top 10 hits in history. 4 Minutes hit 1 on the Hot 100 Digital Song charts and is expected to bring her total sales for the single to over 1 million in just 5 weeks out it being out.
  
  GIVE IT TO ME is the next single to be released. The song also has a catchy beat that will sure get the dance floor crowd going. Once the chorus starts the club feel kicks in with the synths and Madonna sings "Give it to me, Yeah No one's gonna show me how. Give it to me, Yeah No one's gonna stop me now." This is a great choice as the second single and shows Madonna still can come out with one heck of a killer dance tune! The remix that is on the Hard Candy Deluxe edition from Itunes is a great remix, and makes me wish believe the remixes of some of these songs might just outshine their originals.
  
  HEARTBEAT is one of my many favorite tracks on the new album. The song opens with a heartbeat sound and some synths, and has an amazing beat. The song has a great r and b/dance feel to it and is sure to heat up the charts and the clubs. Madonna sings "This complicated life I try to do my best. I always tell myself it's all just a test. For me it's an escape cause dancing makes you beautiful." Heartbeat is classic Madonna in top form and one of the best songs on the album! I wish Madonna would have stayed more in tune with songs like this on the new album.
  
  MILES AWAY is the closet thing to a ballad on the album. It starts out with a guitar and then turns in to an upbeat song with some sad lyrics in which Madonna sings "When no one's around then I have you here. I begin to see the picture, it becomes so clear. You always have the biggest heart, when we're six thousand miles apart." This is one a beautiful slow songs Madonna, but lacks the power of her true ballads.
  
  SHE'S NOT ME has a funky beat to it in which Madonna describes is about the ultimate jilted lover. Madonna sings "She started dying her hair and wearing the same perfume as me. She's started reading my books and stealing my looks and lingerie." This Madonna song brings us back to those Thief of Hearts Erotica days.
  
  INCREDIBLE is another great song that I really dig. It has a very positive message and an amazing rhythm. Madonna sings "Remembering the very first time you caught that some ones' specials eye. And all of your care dropped, and all of the world just stopped." The song takes a interesting turn at the 3 minutes and 53 second mark when the synths once again kick in and the song gets a little more dancy. I think if the song jumps around a bit too much, and if it would have stayed more consistent or been shortened by a minute or two it would have made the song that much better.
  
  THE BEAT GOES ON is a much better version than the song that was leaked a few months ago. This is a groovy song that seems to have a Marvin gay feel to it. Kanye West makes a special rap cameo on this track and it surprisingly works really well. Madonna sings "You don't have the luxury of time you've got to say what's on your mind. Your head lost in the stars, you'll never go far it's time for you to read the signs." This is another song I ended up enjoying even though it has a rap sequence in it.
  
  DANCE 2NIGHT is a mellow song with a funky 80's retro beat to it is which Madonna once again sings with Justin Timberlake. Madonna sings "You don't have to be beautiful to be understood. You don't have to be rich and famous to be good. You just gotta give more more more than you ever have before." When the song reaches the 4 minute and 22 second mark it sounds like something off of Justin Timberlake's last album. Good song but something seems to be missing and it just seems to be a bit too bland for what we have come to expect from Madonna.
  
  SPANISH LESSON has a very urban tribal beat to it. To me this is the albums weakest song and my least favorite song on the album. The beat is very interesting to say the least but the silly lyrics and the beat just don't seem to do it for me. Madonna sings "If you do your homework maybe I will give you more. When you do your homework get up on the dance floor." I think this song takes away from the quality of the album, and wish there would have been a better song put in its place.
  
  THE DEVIL WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU is a song a lover who can fool everyone but their partner. The song has samples of thunderstorms and rain that add to the very dramatic beat of the song. Madonna sings "Waiting underneath the stars there's something you should know. The angels they surround my heart telling me to let you go." This is a song that takes close listening to the lyrics to really appreciate this gem. The song sounds very similar to Justin Timberlakes "Cry Me a River."
  
  VOICES is a slow song about a person who seems to enjoy playing with others emotions. Very nice beat with Madonna singing in a monotone sort of voice. Madonna sings "First you say you love me. Then you wanna leave me. Then you say you're sorry you play the game so well. I bought your illusion you're the greatest salesman. How could I refuse you when you sold it to yourself?" To me this is one of the weaker songs on the album and one of my least favorites.
  
  
  The album is very good, but it is no Ray of Light. By no means is this a bad album, but she has had better ones. After listening to it just seems like Madonna's voice is all over the place. I know the girl can sing, (think Ray of Light, Express Yourself, You'll See) but it seems like here her voice is not showcased to the best of its abilities, and comes across at times as very teeny bopper and a just plain weak. I love Madonna and really wanted to give the album five stars, but in all fairness she has done better albums and I expected more from her. I will say it's hard to believe Madonna has been with us forever changing and evolving for over 25 years. Very few artists have had the staying power this woman has had. It is nice to see someone who has not become a victim of celebrity, but a true survivor who leads a clean life and is one heck of a business woman. Even as she approaches 50 she still teaches us all that it's never too late to become a better version of yourself!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A girl in a "Candy" store
  By A3KEZLJ59C1JVH on 2008-04-29
  To hell with the likes of Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and Christina Aguilera: Madonna is and always will be the hottest female artist on the music scene. (Can you believe she's almost 50 years old?!) I didn't think the Material Girl could possibly top her last album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor" (which is probably my favorite Madonna album of all time), but I was wrong! "Hard Candy" is every bit as fabulous as I hoped it would be, and it's Madonna's sexiest album ever.
  
  When I listened to "4 Minutes," the album's first single, I thought "Hard Candy" would have an overall hip-hop flavor to it. Luckily, I was wrong. Madonna's duet with Justin Timberlake is good, but it doesn't even begin to compare to the other tracks on this CD. "Hard Candy" is more of a dance album than anything else, with traces of electronica and, yes, a bit of hip-hop to boot. But have no fear, hip-hop haters of the world: This CD is awesome! It opens with "Candy Shop," a breathy pop number that sets the tone for the rest of this sexy album. "Give It 2 Me" is a fantastic dance track that's all about girl power. Other highlights include "Miles Away," which Madonna says was inspired by the difficulties of maintaining a long-distance relationship with her husband, Guy Ritchie; "She's Not Me," a story of two women competing for the same man; "Incredible," my favorite track on the CD, which starts off as a bittersweet recollection of a former lover and quickly turns into a frantic craving for sex; "Dance 2 Nite," a slinky, mellow little number; and "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You," a sad reflection on a relationship gone wrong.
  
  I cannot get enough of this album! It's energetic, powerful, and soulful...concrete proof that Madonna just keeps getting better and better! Run out and buy this CD so you can hear the magic for yourself.
  
  
• and it feels like home
  By A3MQ672FYFNM7B on 2008-04-29
  In a career that spans the course of 3 decades, countless number one singles, 6 world tours, over 2 dozen motion pictures, more than 60 music videos, 21 full-length records, dozens of books, 3 long-running stage productions, multiple lovers, 2 marriages, millions and millions of fans from as far as the eye can see, tens of thousands of magazine covers, and more than half a ton of bleach, not to mention truckloads of conical braziers, gold teeth, rosaries, lacy bustiers, crucifixes, bolero jackets, oversized hoop-earnings, navy blue berets, cowboy hats, henna tattoo, limited edition Louis Vuitton Murakami bags, custom-made Hermès wrap-around sunglasses and in her newest incarnation ~ Black Chanel Boxing Gloves...Is it any wonder that the Maven who invented the word WANNABE, who is everyone's favorite High-Holy Priestess of Re-Invention...is The Most Celebrated Person on the Globe...?
  
  Warner Music has faithfully released limited edition CDs since "Ray of Light" (prior to that, they only did it intermittently in certain countries or only on a promotional basis,) and this one for HARD CANDY is the very best! I'm crazy about this because it is so unique and well put together and it actually includes extra pictures and that cool little candy box! Also, the new limited edition CD is finally priced at sell-through prices (in the past they would always be at least forty of fifty) and it's finally offered up quickly at the same time as the regular CD is offered! ...This also includes 2 remixes of "4 Minutes!!" And there's a very beautiful booklet with over 30 pages!! This is exactly what fans want! Get this and keep it sealed!
  
  ...Queen Madonna never does anything that is less than flawless, nor does she ever do anything that is less than a complete and total ostentatious exhibition. HARD CANDY is certainly no exception to the rule because it's a spectacle! Like a really huge bulging...jawbreaker, Madonna's newest CD is a sugary mouthful that's always hard and ready and still very delicate and soft to the touch! At first, it may appear tart, but the more you play with it, the sweeter it tastes! All you need are a few Altoids and maybe a Malrboro for afterwards. ...On this CD Madonna gets down like never before, as she sings about what she loves, loathes and lusts.
  
  What's wrong with not leaving anything to the imagination? As far as I'm concerned: Absolutely Nothing. With her huge oblong-shaped golden championship belt and her legs spread apart and her mouth partially open, this innocent bystander fantasizes that this pulchritudinous purrer would jump out and spring to life. The New Madonna (my goodness, if I got a buck every time someone referred to Madonna as "the new Madonna" I'd be a very rich person) is almost uncontrolled and maybe even vulgar in her initial appearance; but the more I gaze at the pictures inside "Hard Candy," the more I see my muse. This is such a youthful and energetic Madonna who's just beginning to explode and boil over with severe sensuality. ...You know, there's an ugly rumor going around about Madonna (we all know that the poor thing has been called everything in the book and has been accused of sleeping with every warm body on the planet,) this time they're claiming she's 49. Can that really be true? It can't be, because she doesn't look a day over 29.
  
  On this 12-track studio-album, her final studio CD from Warner Music (note to self: there will be a greatest hits CD out at the end of the year!), Madonna includes her worldwide hit, 4 Minutes! 4 MINUTES is Madonna's singing-anthem with her new BFF, Justin Timberlake; they both sing about how they'd like to save us all. And if that's not enough, last moth, Madonna made headlines around the world when she proclaimed that she wanted to "save Britney!" It's not easy, but if anyone can do it I'm sure it's Madonna. "4 Minutes" is a quick track that is very easy to listen to (it's no wonder Z-100 plays her lead-single every hour and every day!) The single has already reached number one in more than a dozen countries around the world, it's just a matter of time for it to top the Billboard Charts in the US. Everyone, please stand by while Madonna takes off, straight to the top of the pops.
  
  Madonna opens the CD singing: I'll be your one stop (one stop) Candy Shop... This song reminds me of an intricate illusion because it is so magical. Actually, Madonna's entire CD is talismanic because as usual she is courageously treading new waters for the very first time; without blinking once! Some of the other stand-alone tracks on this CD are: "Miles Away," "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Give It 2 Me." Just like all the other songs on this CD, these are the types of tracks you would expect to hear at your favorite club, on MTV or even coming out of someone's hooked-up fire-engine red Mustang as they come rolling by. Because these songs totally have such a universal message that draws you and I in, while appealing to everyone else in between.
  
  1) CANDY SHOP - 4:15 (produced by: Madonna & Pharrell Williams)
  This song reminds me of Madonna's hugely successful single "Hung Up." But in "Candy Shop" Madonna uses the sounds of synths and electronic equipment, her lyrics are both strong and funny. As usual Madonna is often using innuendo as she sings "Don't pretend you're not hungry, there's plenty to eat..."
  
  2) 4 MINUTES - 4:04 (produced by: Madonna, Timothy Mosley, Nate Hills & Justin Timberlake)
  (featuring Justin Timberlake)
  This is one of my very favorite songs on the CD for all the same reasons why the entire world loves it. 4 Minutes is fast and beautiful and breathtaking. Madonna's theme de jour on this track is love and s-e-x! This song totally sounds futuristic; I wouldn't be surprised if my grandbabies listened to this song.
  
  3) GIVE IT 2 ME - 4:47 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  Warner Music and Madonna are very interested in using this song as the 2nd single for "Hard Candy," because it helps bridge the gap between Madonna's older sound and newer sound. On this track, Madonna's pure bubblegum pop as she sings "if you can handle it, undress me..."
  
  4) HEARTBEAT - 4:03 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  This is such a fantastic studio album track because it has the potential to be a number 1 single. It has such a catchy hook but it's not one that will knock you out too soon.
  
  5) MILES AWAY - 4:48 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  It's ethereal, mid tempo and guitar-heavy. It has that fabulous hand clapping bit during the middle which reminds everyone that Madonna's an original who sets her own rules.
  
  6) SHE'S NOT ME - 6:04 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  OMG so much like "Thief of Hearts." Madonna sings about someone who's obsessed with her and who dresses like her, but there can only be one Madonna!
  
  7) INCREDIBLE - 6:19 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  A ravishing slow ballad which reminds me of what Madonna said in her "Something to Remember" CD, "it's about the music & it's always been about the music."
  
  8) BEAT GOES ON - 4:26 (produced by: Madonna, Kanye West & Williams )
  (featuring Kanye)
  This song has come a long way since it was first leaked to the net, last summer. Fans will appreciate the album track much more because it's totally reminiscent of New York's underground disco life of the 70's and early 80's that Madonna was so much a part of. Kanye is such a superior singer, producer, entertainer who both compliments and adds to something already perfect!
  
  9) DANCE 2NITE - 5:03 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hannon Lane & Timberlake)
  Madonna has totally retrogressed to her "you can dance" days with this record because it's totally hedonistic and pleasurable and danceable. Although it does have somewhat of a dark feel to it.
  
  10) SPANISH LESSON - 3:37 (produced by: Madonna, Williams)
  Madonna opens the song with, "Yo te quiero means I love you." This is a fast-moving Spanish/English track. As Madonna's fans know already know, she has a passion and a talent for singing in Spanish.
  
  11) DEVIL WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU - 5:09 (produced by: Madonna, Joe Henry, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  Madonna purrs "Over and over you're pushing me onto the floor and I keep coming back for more" in her sexy sweet-sounding melody that is all too familiar by now. This song isn't exactly a ballad but it does have a somewhat somber tone, as it opens.
  
  12) VOICES - 3:39 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills, Lane, Timberlake)
  This is perhaps Madonna's most out-there track. She saved the most unique and personal song for the end, with lyrics like "Are you walking the dog or is that dog walking you.
  
  13) 4 Minutes ~ Tracy Young House Mix Edit
  
  14) 4 Minutes ~ Rebirth Anthem Mix Edit
  
  On this 12-track studio-album, her final studio CD from Warner Music (note to self: there will be a greatest hits CD out at the end of the year!), Madonna includes her worldwide hit, 4 Minutes! 4 MINUTES is Madonna's singing-anthem with her new BFF, Justin Timberlake; they both sing about how they'd like to save us all. And if that's not enough, last moth, Madonna made headlines around the world when she proclaimed that she wanted to "save Britney!" It's not easy, but if anyone can do it I'm sure it's Madonna. "4 Minutes" is a quick track that is very easy to listen to (it's no wonder Z-100 plays her lead-single every hour and every day!) The single has already reached number one in more than a dozen countries around the world, it's just a matter of time for it to top the Billboard Charts in the US. Everyone, please stand by while Madonna takes off, straight to the top of the pops.
  
  Madonna opens the CD singing: I'll be your one stop (one stop) Candy Shop... This song reminds me of an intricate illusion because it is so magical. Actually, Madonna's entire CD is talismanic because as usual she is courageously treading new waters for the very first time; without blinking once! Some of the other stand-alone tracks on this CD are: "Miles Away," "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Give It 2 Me." Just like all the other songs on this CD, these are the types of tracks you would expect to hear at your favorite club, on MTV or even coming out of someone's hooked-up fire-engine red Mustang as they come rolling by. Because these songs totally have such a universal message that draws you and I in, while appealing to everyone else in between. These songs all fit together precisely and have such an urban-retro sound that's almost coercive; this reviewer wouldn't be surprised if Madonna took up cage fighting in her next video. Even though Madonna worked with a slew of optimal producers, "Hard Candy" still has a very raw feeling that is almost reminiscent of Erotica, because there's such a dark sonance to it. But like Ray of Light this CD does offer some hope of a new beginning as well, because of its sleek sound that's polished, edgy and very fast-moving. Of course if you go to your local record store (do they still call 'em record stores?) you'd find this CD in the pop section because that's just what Madonna's been for all these years; popular. However, on "Hard Candy" she mixes just a touch of disco, R&B, hip hop, hard rock and maybe even a dash of Catholic Guilt for good measure!
  
  Madonna would never stop until she amassed a complete and total masterpiece. Compared to her last CD, 05's blockbuster Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna really had an abundance more to get off of her music-loving chest on "Hard Candy." This is a dance record, but more than that, it's an inner-reflection to the catalyst's heart. When asked about the differences between these 2 CD's recently, Madonna said: On "Confessions," which I wrote all the lyrics to, I wanted to stay away from anything serious... and with this one I wanted to dig deeper and go to a different place. For me, it's a true collaboration, intellectually and artistically.
  
  Here she comes, are you ready for her? To Kick off "Hard Candy" Madonna will be performing some of her latest, greatest hits at Roseland, tomorrow, for a special invitation-only concert; for only her luckiest fans. The Roseland concert will be streamed on MSN, and she'll also be performing at 2 other special events in London and Paris. If you miss her don't worry though because Madonna plans to kick off her Hard Candy World Tour at London's Wembley Stadium next September. Hello...Gorgeous. Ester is Back...! ..Music stores like the Virgin Megastore in NY, London and LA are giving away free gifts to celebrate the release of "Hard Candy." And, there's a ton of stuff for "4 Minutes" as it was simultaneously released around the world, at the same time as HARD CANDY! There are about a trillion different CDs, records and lots of other promotional items in commemoration of "Hard Candy." Here are just some of the merch you could expect to see from everyone's favorite Goddess of S-E-X:
  
  "Hard Candy" Limited Edition "Candy Box" CDs overseas: In addition, there will be a limited edition for Japan, the UK and Australia. But (with the exception of the Japanese lyrics/characters) these CDs will be no different from the US limited edition release and these will likely not be available on Amazon (however, you can find them on eBay or through esprit.)
  
  "Hard Candy" Commercial CDs from Asia: There is an awesome CD from Taiwan which includes a Taiwanese lyric booklet and a pull-out picture that some sellers are calling a "poster." There's a very rare CD from China which is pressed in very limited quantities. And there's a Singaporean CD which is also very similar to the US release. In addition, there is also a Japanese CD which includes the lyrics to the songs (in English & Japanese) which Amazon is offering. The Japanese CD also includes the bonus track "Ring My Bell." Although, none of these other CDs will be offered on Amazon, but you can find them on eBay.
  
  "Hard Candy" Commercial CDs from Europe, Australia & South America: These aren't very special and are nearly exactly the same as the US CD. Amazon will not be offering any of these CDs, except for 1 which is pressed by WEA ; only die-hard collectors would get this, though.
  
  Hard Candy 3-LP Vinyl w/ CD: This includes the full-length album on 3 special edition vinyls, 2 of the LPs are "candy colored," and this also includes the full CD, as well!
  
  "Hard Candy" Cassette Album: This is again something for only die-hard collectors. The US & the UK stopped manufacturing cassettes at least 5-6 years ago. However, this album is available on cassette in Malaysia and Thailand. These will not be sold on Amazon, but you may be able to find them on eBay.
  
  Hard Candy downloads & bonus tracks : This includes bonus remixes for "4 Minutes" as well as the tracks "Ring My Bell" (through iTunes) & "Give it to Me."
  
  Promotional-Only LPs, CDs & other items: There is a US & UK promo LP. In addition, I am told that there is a very rare promo LP w/ gatefold from Japan. And there's a promo CD from the US, as well as a lot of other items such as acetates and promotional CDs for "4 Minutes." There will also be a picture disc released for at least one of the singles and WEA may also put the full long play on p/d as well. You may be able to find some of these items on eBay, or a better place is through esprit.
  
  ...You will experience merriment of emotions which run the gamut of abhorrence to delectation as you listen to this record, "Hard Candy." This is the reason why Madonna is not just an artist, but the Defining Pioneer. With her freshest work of art, this modern-day iconoclast is asking the question, giving the answer and simultaneously luring the listener into her den of pleasure, all at once...!
  
  
  
• Hard (Candy) to Swallow
  By A1IFFNEWQDD37O on 2008-05-12
  Let me preface this review by saying that I am a big Madonna fan. I have loved her music through the years, and recognize not only her talent, but her influence on music and pop culture. That being said, this has to be one of the weakest, most boring albums I have heard in years. Not just bad for Madonna, but bad music all aorund. I have tried repeatedly to listen to every song on this album, but cannot get more than a minute into each before I have lost all interest. It is painful to listen to, and painful to think that someone of Madonna's stature, with all of her resources, can't come up with a better attempt than this.
  
  The music is lifeless, and feels quite dated. The songs seem to blur into all sounding the same.Vocally, it sounds as though the producers did not know how to treat Madonna's voice. It comes across as high-pitched, straining, and amateurish.
  
  Quite frankly, if this album was done by anyone other than Madonna, it would've been panned by the critics, and would've been lost to music history as another flop.
  
  
• MADONNA 4 PRESIDENT
  By A3MQ672FYFNM7B on 2008-04-29
  In a career that spans the course of 3 decades, countless number one singles, 6 world tours, over 2 dozen motion pictures, more than 60 music videos, 21 full-length records, dozens of books, 3 long-running stage productions, multiple lovers, 2 marriages, millions and millions of fans from as far as the eye can see, tens of thousands of magazine covers, and more than half a ton of bleach, not to mention truckloads of conical braziers, gold teeth, rosaries, lacy bustiers, crucifixes, bolero jackets, oversized hoop-earnings, navy blue berets, cowboy hats, henna tattoo, Louis Vuitton Murakami bags, custom-made Hermès wrap-around sunglasses and in her newest incarnation ~ Black Chanel Boxing Gloves...Is it any wonder that the Maven who invented the word WANNABE, who is everyone's favorite High-Holy Priestess of Re-Invention...is The Most Celebrated Person on the Globe...?
  
  Queen Madonna never does anything that is less than flawless, nor does she ever do anything that is less than a complete and total ostentatious exhibition. HARD CANDY is certainly no exception to the rule because it's a spectacle! Like a really huge bulging...jawbreaker, Madonna's newest CD is a sugary mouthful that's always hard and ready and still very delicate and soft to the touch! At first, it may appear tart, but the more you play with it, the sweeter it tastes! All you need are a few Altoids and maybe a Malrboro for afterwards. ...On this CD Madonna gets down like never before, as she sings about what she loves, loathes and lusts.
  
  What's wrong with not leaving anything to the imagination? As far as I'm concerned: Absolutely Nothing. With her huge oblong-shaped golden championship belt and her legs spread apart and her mouth partially open, this innocent bystander fantasizes that this pulchritudinous purrer would jump out and spring to life. The New Madonna (my goodness, if I got a buck every time someone referred to Madonna as "the new Madonna" I'd be a very rich person) is almost uncontrolled and maybe even vulgar in her initial appearance; but the more I gaze at the pictures inside "Hard Candy," the more I see my muse. This is such a youthful and energetic Madonna who's just beginning to explode and boil over with severe sensuality. ...You know, there's an ugly rumor going around about Madonna (we all know that the poor thing has been called everything in the book and has been accused of sleeping with every warm body on the planet,) this time they're claiming she's 49. Can that really be true? It can't be, because she doesn't look a day over 29.
  
  On this 12-track studio-album, her final studio CD from Warner Music (note to self: there will be a greatest hits CD out at the end of the year!), Madonna includes her worldwide hit, 4 Minutes! 4 MINUTES is Madonna's singing-anthem with her new BFF, Justin Timberlake; they both sing about how they'd like to save us all. And if that's not enough, last moth, Madonna made headlines around the world when she proclaimed that she wanted to "save Britney!" It's not easy, but if anyone can do it I'm sure it's Madonna. "4 Minutes" is a quick track that is very easy to listen to (it's no wonder Z-100 plays her lead-single every hour and every day!) The single has already reached number one in more than a dozen countries around the world, it's just a matter of time for it to top the Billboard Charts in the US. Everyone, please stand by while Madonna takes off, straight to the top of the pops.
  
  Madonna opens the CD singing: I'll be your one stop (one stop) Candy Shop... This song reminds me of an intricate illusion because it is so magical. Actually, Madonna's entire CD is talismanic because as usual she is courageously treading new waters for the very first time; without blinking once! Some of the other stand-alone tracks on this CD are: "Miles Away," "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Give It 2 Me." Just like all the other songs on this CD, these are the types of tracks you would expect to hear at your favorite club, on MTV or even coming out of someone's hooked-up fire-engine red Mustang as they come rolling by. Because these songs totally have such a universal message that draws you and I in, while appealing to everyone else in between.
  
  HARD CANDY TRACKS
  1) CANDY SHOP - 4:15 (produced by: Madonna & Pharrell Williams)
  This song reminds me of Madonna's hugely successful single "Hung Up." But in "Candy Shop" Madonna uses the sounds of synths and electronic equipment, her lyrics are both strong and funny. As usual Madonna is often using innuendo as she sings "Don't pretend you're not hungry, there's plenty to eat..."
  
  2) 4 MINUTES - 4:04 (produced by: Madonna, Timothy Mosley, Nate Hills & Justin Timberlake)
  (featuring Justin Timberlake)
  This is one of my very favorite songs on the CD for all the same reasons why the entire world loves it. 4 Minutes is fast and beautiful and breathtaking. Madonna's theme de jour on this track is love and s-e-x! This song totally sounds futuristic; I wouldn't be surprised if my grandbabies listened to this song.
  
  3) GIVE IT 2 ME - 4:47 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  Both Warner Bros. and Madonna are very interested in using this song as the 2nd single for "Hard Candy," because it helps bridge the gap between Madonna's older sound and newer sound. On this track, Madonna's pure bubblegum pop as she sings "if you can handle it, undress me..."
  
  4) HEARTBEAT - 4:03 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  This is such a fantastic studio album track because it has the potential to be a number 1 single. It has such a catchy hook but it's not one that will knock you out too soon.
  
  5) MILES AWAY - 4:48 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  It's ethereal, mid tempo and guitar-heavy. It has that fabulous hand clapping bit during the middle which reminds everyone that Madonna's an original who sets her own rules.
  
  6) SHE'S NOT ME - 6:04 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  OMG so much like "Thief of Hearts." Madonna sings about someone who's obsessed with her and who dresses like her, but there can only be one Madonna!
  
  7) INCREDIBLE - 6:19 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  A ravishing slow ballad which reminds me of what Madonna said in her "Something to Remember" CD, "it's about the music & it's always been about the music."
  
  8) BEAT GOES ON - 4:26 (produced by: Madonna, Kanye West & Williams )
  (featuring Kanye)
  This song has come a long way since it was first leaked to the net, last summer. Fans will appreciate the album track much more because it's totally reminiscent of New York's underground disco life of the 70's and early 80's that Madonna was so much a part of. Kanye is such a superior singer, producer, entertainer who both compliments and adds to something already perfect!
  
  9) DANCE 2NITE - 5:03 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hannon Lane & Timberlake)
  Madonna has totally retrogressed to her "you can dance" days with this record because it's totally hedonistic and pleasurable and danceable. Although it does have somewhat of a dark feel to it.
  
  10) SPANISH LESSON - 3:37 (produced by: Madonna, Williams)
  Madonna opens the song with, "Yo te quiero means I love you." This is a fast-moving Spanish/English track. As Madonna's fans know already know, she has a passion and a talent for sining in Spanish.
  
  11) DEVIL WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU - 5:09 (produced by: Madonna, Joe Henry, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  Madonna purrs "Over and over you're pushing me onto the floor and I keep coming back for more" in her sexy sweet-sounding melody that is all too familiar by now. This song isn't exactly a ballad but it does have a somewhat somber tone, as it opens.
  
  12) VOICES - 3:39 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills, Lane, Timberlake)
  This is perhaps Madonna's most out-there track. She saved the most unique and personal song for the end, with lyrics like "Are you walking the dog or is that dog walking you.
  
  These 2 remixes are included on the Special Edition: 4 Minutes ~ Tracy Young House Mix Edit & 4 Minutes ~ Rebirth Anthem Mix Edit...! And, RING MY BELL - 3:54 ~ is included on the Japanese CD.
  
  These songs all fit together precisely and have such an urban-retro sound that's almost coercive; this reviewer wouldn't be surprised if Madonna took up cage fighting in her next video. Even though Madonna worked with a slew of optimal producers, "Hard Candy" still has a very raw feeling that is almost reminiscent of Erotica, because there's such a dark sonance to it. But like Ray of Light this CD does offer some hope of a new beginning as well, because of its sleek sound that's polished, edgy and very fast-moving. Of course if you go to your local record store (do they still call 'em record stores?) you'd find this CD in the pop section because that's just what Madonna's been for all these years; popular. However, on "Hard Candy" she mixes just a touch of disco, R&B, hip hop, hard rock and maybe even a dash of Catholic Guilt for good measure!
  
  Always the tireless perfectionist, Madonna would never stop until she amassed a complete and total masterpiece. Compared to her last CD, 05's blockbuster Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna really had an abundance more to get off of her music-loving chest on "Hard Candy." This is a dance record, but more than that, it's an inner-reflection to the catalyst's heart. When asked about the differences between these 2 CD's recently, Madonna said: On "Confessions," which I wrote all the lyrics to, I wanted to stay away from anything serious... and with this one I wanted to dig deeper and go to a different place. For me, it's a true collaboration, intellectually and artistically.
  
  Here she comes, are you ready for her? To Kick off "Hard Candy" Madonna will be performing some of her latest, greatest hits at Roseland, tomorrow, for a special invitation-only concert; for only her luckiest fans. The Roseland concert will be streamed on MSN, and she'll also be performing at 2 other special events in London and Paris. If you miss her don't worry though because Madonna plans to kick off her Hard Candy World Tour at London's Wembley Stadium next September. Hello...Gorgeous. Ester is Back...! ..Music stores like the Virgin Megastore in NY, London and LA are giving away free gifts to celebrate the release of "Hard Candy." And, there's a ton of stuff for "4 Minutes" as it was simultaneously released around the world, at the same time as HARD CANDY! There are about a trillion different CDs, records and lots of other promotional items in commemoration of "Hard Candy." Here are just some of the merch you could expect to see from everyone's favorite Goddess of S-E-X:
  
  Hard Candy Special Edition CD w/ Candy Box: Besides, the standard album, as well as all of the singles & remix CDs for "4 Minutes", there's also an awesome limited edition CD for the full-length album. Warner Music has faithfully released limited edition CDs since "Ray of Light" (prior to that, they only did it intermittently in certain countries or only on a promotional basis,) and the one for HARD CANDY is the very best! I'm crazy about this because it is so unique and well put together and it actually includes extra pictures and that cool little candy box! Also, the new limited edition CD is finally priced at sell-through prices (in the past they would always be at least thirty five or higher) and it's finally offered up quickly at the same time as the regular CD is offered! ...This also includes 2 remixes of "4 Minutes!!" And there's a very beautiful booklet with over 30 pages!! This is exactly what fans want! Get this and keep it sealed!
  
  "Hard Candy" Limited Edition "Candy Box" CDs overseas: In addition, there will be a limited edition for Japan, the UK and Australia. But (with the exception of the Japanese lyrics/characters) these CDs will be no different from the US limited edition release and these will likely not be available on Amazon (however, you can find them on eBay or through esprit.)
  
  "Hard Candy" Commercial CDs from Asia: There is an awesome CD from Taiwan which includes a Taiwanese lyric booklet and a pull-out picture that some sellers are calling a "poster." There's a very rare CD from China which is pressed in very limited quantities. And there's a Singaporean CD which is also very similar to the US release. In addition, there is also a Japanese CD which includes the lyrics to the songs (in English & Japanese) which Amazon is offering. The Japanese CD also includes the bonus track "Ring My Bell." Although, none of these other CDs will be offered on Amazon, but you can find them on eBay.
  
  "Hard Candy" Commercial CDs from Europe, Australia & South America: These aren't very special and are nearly exactly the same as the US CD. Amazon will not be offering any of these CDs, except for 1 which is pressed by WEA ; only die-hard collectors would get this, though.
  
  Hard Candy 3-LP Vinyl w/ CD: This includes the full-length album on 3 special edition vinyls, 2 of the LPs are "candy colored," and this also includes the full CD, as well!
  
  "Hard Candy" Cassette Album: This is again something for only die-hard collectors. The US & the UK stopped manufacturing cassettes at least 5-6 years ago. However, this album is available on cassette in Malaysia and Thailand. These will not be sold on Amazon, but you may be able to find them on eBay.
  
  Hard Candy downloads & bonus tracks : This includes bonus remixes for "4 Minutes" as well as the tracks "Ring My Bell" (through iTunes) & "Give it to Me."
  
  Promotional-Only LPs, CDs & other items: There is a US & UK promo LP. In addition, I am told that there is a very rare promo LP w/ gatefold from Japan. And there's a promo CD from the US, as well as a lot of other items such as acetates and promotional CDs for "4 Minutes." There will also be a picture disc released for at least one of the singles and WEA may also put the full long play on p/d as well. You may be able to find some of these items on eBay, or a better place is through esprit.
  
  You will experience merriment of emotions which run the gamut of abhorrence to delectation as you listen to this record, "Hard Candy." This is the reason why Madonna is not just an artist, but the Defining Pioneer. With her freshest work of art, this modern-day iconoclast is asking the question, giving the answer and simultaneously luring the listener into her den of pleasure, all at once...!
  
  
  
  
• It's like a whole album's worth of the "rap" on the song "American Life"
  By AMXMA1GF3L4BY on 2008-05-06
  Let me preface this by saying I am a huge Madonna fan. I have bought every one of her releases on or near the date of their release going back to "True Blue" when I was 10 years old. Over the years I have liked some of her albums more than others (wasn't a big fan of "Bedtime Stories" although it had some decent tracks and was bored by "Ray of Light" but really liked "Music", "Confessions", "Erotica" and "Like a Prayer"). Hell, I even thought "American Life" (the album, not necessarily the song about soy lattes, etc.) had its charms.
  
  That said, this release is not just the WORST Madonna album I have ever heard, it is among the WORST albums that I have ever had the displeasure of listening to and/or owning (and I own over 2,000 cds). This is complete dreck. Why she would team up with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and The Neptunes NOW (in 2008) to make an album that sounds like it should have been released in 2004 is beyond comprehension. Granted, Madonna has never been as "cutting edge" as she has been given credit for being (i.e. "vogueing" was actually a fad that had passed by the time she released that song, 1994's "Bedtime Stories" was a retread of '92/'93 R&B, Vanilla Ice in the "Sex" book 2 years after he became a has-been was odd, and "Ray of Light" was about a year late on the electronica bandwagon). Nonetheless, she always seemed to have some strong music (and singles) to back up being a bit behind the trend-curve and was able to make it work.
  
  This time around, there is nothing to recommend. The first track is completely insipid and a bit gross when you consider it is a nearly 50 year-old woman singing about letting you eat at her "Candy Shop" and later on down the line we hear another little ditty about how "sex with you is amazing" (repeated about 10,000,000 times, apparently in order to flesh out an entire track's worth of music with some sort of semblance of "lyrics").
  
  The music is just like the album cover - ridiculous, cheap-looking (sounding), unimaginitive, stupid, awful, over-the-hill, washed-up and incredibly meritless. This woman has been around nearly three decades and has sold tens of millions of albums, and the best she could come up with for a producer was Justin Timbelake and his crew? If she wanted to have sex with Justin Timberlake, she should have just slipped him some GHB rather than waste an entire album's worth of sessions seducing him under the "guise" of attempting to make "music" with him and his "producers"). (That said, she must be one bad booty call, because from the sounds of this thing, he gave her the leftover rejects of his last two albums.)
  Again, I have every CD this woman has ever released, including "special editions" of some, so I am not coming on here as some Madonna-hater looking to get my rocks off by ripping on her "homosexual music". But, this one really is a complete dog. It is the musical equivalent of "Shanghai Surprise".
  
  Basically, to sum up, think of it this way -- remember how bad and embarrasing the "rap" on the song "American Life" was when you first heard it? Remember how you felt embarrased for her? Remember how utterly awful lyrics about pilates, hotties, and not being a "christian or jew" seemed? Now imagine that concept expanded to entire album's worth of material.
  
  
• Come Into Her Store, She's Got Candy Galore
  By A3O8YT41TDXL0B on 2008-04-29
  "When the lights go down and there's no one left I can go on and on and on" chants Madonna three tracks into her new LP "Hard Candy," and with the Queen of Pop staring down her 7th stateside chart-topping album such a claim is more than justified. The living definition of pop music chameleon, she indeed offers a delicious array of confections precision-tooled to hit a listener's sweet tooth. There is some padding, and no obvious follow-up single exists for mega-hit "4 Minutes," but this does the album no disservice. Madonna manages to acknowledge her past and keep things contemporary all the while avoiding pretense or retreads, making for a wholly interesting recording.
  
  Collaborating with the likes of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake has caused some to question whether Madonna is taking the easiest possible route to continued pop success, but the most obvious - and fortunate - thing about "Hard Candy" is that it is wall-to-wall Madonna both in songwriting and atmosphere. Rather than grafting herself on to their winning production values she ingeniusly uses them to amplify her material. The result is an album plum full of dancefloor-ready anthems and a smattering of low-key ballads that manage to be mainstream yet cutting edge.
  
  Sizzling club thumpers like the suave "Dance 2night" and ultra-addictive "Give It 2 Me," for example, recall the awesome, frenetic energy of 2005's "Confessions On a Dancefloor" but would still sound at home on Top 40 radio. Elsewhere, the bittersweet "Miles Away" has one of the most poignant, endearing hooks of any ballad in Madonna's lengthy catalogue.
  
  Opening the floodgates of engrossing, colorful melodies is "Incredible" with its incessant, yearning energy. "Beat Goes On" featuring Kanye West packs similar zest, and "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" percolates with raw sexual energy, icy snyths and a frothy, guitar-laden melody.
  
  The sexy, slinky "Heartbeat" with its mercurial melody and awesome vocals is destined for radio waves, and "She's Not Me," despite being over-long and not quite finding its hook, contains one of Madonna's most intriguingly self-referential lines. Comparing another woman to "the flavor of the month," she makes her declaration:
  
  "She's not me/She doesn't have my name/She'll never have what I have/It won't be the same."
  
  Indeed, pop stars come and go by the dozen, but through it all there is only one Madonna.
  
  Through two and a half decades' worth of trends, fads and fashions Madonna has rarely lost her footing and always come back roaring, and "Hard Candy" reveals her inner lioness in a way that is not only totally late 2000's but totally listenable. She re-defined musical boundaries not only for women but pop artists in general for many reasons, and artistic stagnation is not one of them. This is definitely a "Candy Shop" worth many return visits.
  
  
• Something Went Wrong!
  By A1KNYQPZ1JQD62 on 2008-04-30
  I first became a Madonna fan back in 1982 with her hit "Everybody", an from that time I watched her rise to stardom. Nothing but hits flying in such as "Like A Virgin,Holiday,La Isla Bonita,Like A Prayer,Vogue,Frozen,and so many more.I purchased all the albums and loved how she just kept getting better and better. That all stopped when she released the 2000 album "Music". I found myself only liking one song of the album, titled "Don't Tell Me". Since that time, nothing she has released as been a liking to my ears. I tried so hard to listen to "Music","American Life",& "Confession On A Dance Floor". I just could not get myself to like them. In late 2007, I heard she was releasing a new album, I still get worked up when she about to release it. Like always, I rushed out to the music store the day of release and purchased the album. I am really disappointed in this album, there is nothing really to offer here. It sounds like alot like Britney Spears throwaway songs. The only decent track here is "Give It 2 Me", but it's not a jaw dropping song. I am sure the album will sell well, just as everything else she releases.The first single "4 minutes",is not all that great, it sounds like it came from Justin Timberlake's album. The album does have an r&b taste to it, but Madonna did that awhile back in 1994 with "Bedtime Stories", which Babyface produced and that album came out fantastic. Still to this day my favorite Madonna album remains "True Blue", not following far behind is "Like A Prayer","Ray Of Light","Immaculate Collection","Erotica",and "Bedtime Stories". Hopefully she will get back to her roots one day. I would really like to see Madonna do another album "Ray Of Light" but I still love her and hope she can get back to great music again soon. Her last decent track in my opinion is 2000's "Don't Tell Me". I wish Madonna would team up again with "Stephen Bray", he wrote alot of great songs for Madonna. I'd still recommend this to any Madonna fan!
  
  
• Is this a bad rendition of Gwen?
  By A2Q5SFTMA8EWC3 on 2008-05-03
  I've been a die hard fan of Madonna since DAY ONE. Unfortunately, this CD is worst than Gwen's second album, on a really bad day. Superficial, shallow and BUBBLE GUM. Speaking of Candy. The lyrics are so bad, I think her daughter wrote them for her... or maybe she should have.
  
  
• Turkish delights and more...
  By A24N1BAS3CU27H on 2008-04-29
  Determined to make a bigger splash in the US (despite the quite
  respectable sales of her last CD), Madonna ropes in two teams of the
  hottest producers, Timbaland, Danja and Timberlake on one hand, and
  Pharrell Williams on the other. "Hard candy" is Mrs Ritchie's 11th
  studio album, and I must confess, when I heard with whom she would be
  working, I half feared the result would be some anonymous sounding Hip
  hop/R&B.
  
  I needn't have worried. The only songs leaning in that direction are
  the first two ("Candy shop" and "4 minutes"), everything else sounds
  more like the stuff she's done on her last 4 albums. It's very much a
  dance/electronic album with lyrics generally about love and dancing,
  and it reminds me of Britney's last album which was done by the same
  teams (minus Timberlake). The mood is upbeat (there are no real
  ballads), and according to Pharrell, she pitted both teams against
  each other to see which came up with the better product.
  
  At twelve tracks, she keeps it nice and sweet. Opening cut, the
  thumping "Candy shop" (with stabbing synths and Eastern-sounding
  string breaks) makes loads of innuendo laden references to sweets;
  "Don't pretend you're not hungry/there's plenty to eat/I got Turkish
  Delights" she purrs. "4 minutes" is the lead-off single and is a duet
  with Justin Timberlake (he gets to say "Madonna, huh!" a lot), her
  second duet single ever, after the rather dismal one she did with
  Britney ("Me against the music"). It has a killer chorus, though I
  find rather grating that riff that threatens to drown out the vocals
  during the verses. It has already become her 37th US top 10 hit, and
  60th UK top 10 hit.
  
  "Give it to me" is just ok, it doesn't move me, and to think this is
  pencilled as the next single. Hopefully, the remixes will be much
  better. "Spanish lesson" is an attempt at flamenco pop, think Timberlake's
  "Like I love you" (which like this was produced by Pharrell) or N*E*R*D's
  "She wants to move". The Flamenco-style music is nice, but the lyrics
  are puerile and her voice sounds whiny.
  Not quite another "La isla bonita", "Who's that girl" or "Spanish eyes", but still, it is silly fun.
  
  My favourite moments on the CD are when the Pop sheen bursts through
  all that layering. "Heartbeat" (which starts off with the sound of a
  heart beating) is catchy Europop with a Hip hop beat. The tender
  "Miles away" (with a sparse sound, nice guitar strumming, electronic
  flourishes and a disco beat closing it) features heartfelt pining
  lyrics; "You always have the biggest heart when we're six thousand
  miles apart" she sings. "Beat goes on" is an eighties style groovy
  number (similar to her "Holiday") with a very laid back rap by Kanye
  West, though it does seem to lose its groove in the final minute. I'm
  sure I'm alone on this, but I prefer the leaked version I heard last
  year. That was more stripped with fast strummed guitars, different
  verses, and no Kanye. The fantastic "She's not me" is very reminiscent
  of Chic, complete with scratchy guitar, though the final two minutes
  or so seem to go nowhere for too long. "Dance 2night" is another
  extremely catchy dark eighties style groovy number (I love the bridge
  before the chorus).
  
  The frenetic piano sprinkled "Incredible" features syncopated beats,
  (I love the swirling synths that come and go) but still has a ballad
  feel, as does the beautiful quasi-symphonic "Devil wouldn't recognize
  you" (with haunting choir-like harmonies) which reminds one ever so
  faintly of co-writer Justin Timberlake's "What goes around" or even
  "Cry me a river". Closing is the theatrical semi-ballad, "Voices" (the
  opening vocals are so Queen-like) which sounds like some movie score
  especially in its closing minute.
  
  A natural follow up to "Confessions on a dance floor" though better
  (in my opinion) and I find I can't stop playing it. Fun and incredibly groovy!
  
  
  
• sticky and sweet... under your shoe, where it doesn't belong
  By A3U7E2BOFLD3VM on 2008-05-05
  Chalk me up as another longtime Madonna fan that isn't impressed with her latest offering. Some of these songs sound truly cheap, the kind of stuff you hear after last call at the club, when everyone's tired and drunk. I mean really, why is everyone so jazzed about tracks like The Beat Goes On?
  
  The opener, Candy Shop, isn't half bad, but unfortunately things mostly go downhill after that. 4 Minutes, well that's just Madonna having a MTV TRL moment. All over the place, there's examples where her production team dropped the ball. Take Heartbeat, which starts off promisingly but goes nowhere.
  
  The only two tracks I really enjoy are Miles Away and Voices. Miles Away is Madonna, not her busted-down ghetto sister M-Dolla. I swear she sounds like Susan Ottavio from Book of Love, at the beginning of the song. Voices, on the other hand, is a haunting, wistful dirge that is spoiled by distorted voice. This one is crying out for a goth/synth makeover. Why not ring that funereal bell more than once at the end?
  
  My God, to think that the last time she tried this, we got Bedtime Stories, my vote for her best album ever. That set of producers and collaborators did justice to the Queen of Pop. With Hard Candy, I think this boxer, ahem, music star should be stripped of her title!!!
  
  
  
  
• Dreadfully boring
  By AYYEKLSAZ07Y1 on 2008-05-12
  This may be a "musical exclamation point", as the blurb for the album claims, but it is also an album with lyrics which sound like they were written by a third-grader -- repetitive, simplistic and just plain dull. The album is expertly produced, but you cannot expect anything else from someone with Madonna's experience and moolah. The content is instantly forgettable, and that is too bad for a woman who has produced such brilliant music in the past. Perhaps it's time for Madonna to hang it up and focus on her new film production career instead. The aforementioned moolah should at least mean that she can do whatever she wants there.
  
  
• Hardy Candy
  By A1AYEI2SNFPYES on 2008-04-29
  It's tough to be a pop star when you are Madonna, possibly the most hardworking woman in the world. The recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee returns for her swan song with Warner Bros., Hard Candy. While Confessions on the Dance Floor was decidedly electronic disco, Hard Candy is what Madonna does best - a dance record without all the preaching and profundity.
  
  Candy Shop, the opener, is outright campy with a hypnotic beat and tongue-in-cheek lyrics like "Come on in to my store, I've got candy galore. Don't pretend you're not hungry, I've seen it before." Give It To Me may have been co-written by Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes but reeks of early Madonna circa 1983(think Everybody). 4 Minutes might be the crowd-pleaser but is not the best on Candy. On Heartbeat, Madonna goes basal, singing about dancing and being so free on the dance floor, all to a hard rocking beat. It's so glorious that you'd immediately imagine yourself working out a sweat to it.
  
  Elsewhere, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake work their magic through tracks like Miles Away, a glowing electronic track about long distance love; She's Not There with its funky trademark interlude/bridge; and Incredible, Madonna's ode to hubby, Guy Ritchie's powerful bed thrusts. Devil Wouldn't Recognize You, the stylish ballad about a cheating lover, is set to grace Madonna's live tracklist in years to come. The album closes with the most lyrically introspective song about breaking free, Voices.
  
  Hard Candy is what happens when FutureSex/Lovesounds meet Confessions on a Dance Floor. Despite of what everyone else does on Candy, at every point, it's hard not to notice Madonna's presence. It's been a long while since Madonna just wants to have fun and get into the groove. Like a song from her last album, like it or not, our grand lady of pop is here to stay.
  
  
• you can dance
  By A3MQ672FYFNM7B on 2008-04-29
  HARD CANDY TRACKS
  1) CANDY SHOP - 4:15 (produced by: Madonna & Pharrell Williams)
  This song reminds me of Madonna's hugely successful single "Hung Up." But in "Candy Shop" Madonna uses the sounds of synths and electronic equipment, her lyrics are both strong and funny. As usual Madonna is often using innuendo as she sings "Don't pretend you're not hungry, there's plenty to eat..."
  
  2) 4 MINUTES - 4:04 (produced by: Madonna, Timothy Mosley, Nate Hills & Justin Timberlake)
  (featuring Justin Timberlake)
  This is one of my very favorite songs on the CD for all the same reasons why the entire world loves it. 4 Minutes is fast and beautiful and breathtaking. Madonna's theme de jour on this track is love and s-e-x! This song totally sounds futuristic; I wouldn't be surprised if my grandbabies listened to this song.
  
  3) GIVE IT 2 ME - 4:47 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  Both Warner Bros. and Madonna are very interested in using this song as the 2nd single for "Hard Candy," because it helps bridge the gap between Madonna's older sound and newer sound. On this track, Madonna's pure bubblegum pop as she sings "if you can handle it, undress me..."
  
  4) HEARTBEAT - 4:03 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  This is such a fantastic studio album track because it has the potential to be a number 1 single. It has such a catchy hook but it's not one that will knock you out too soon.
  
  5) MILES AWAY - 4:48 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  It's ethereal, mid tempo and guitar-heavy. It has that fabulous hand clapping bit during the middle which reminds everyone that Madonna's an original who sets her own rules.
  
  6) SHE'S NOT ME - 6:04 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  OMG so much like "Thief of Hearts." Madonna sings about someone who's obsessed with her and who dresses like her, but there can only be one Madonna!
  
  7) INCREDIBLE - 6:19 (produced by: Madonna & Williams)
  A ravishing slow ballad which reminds me of what Madonna said in her "Something to Remember" CD, "it's about the music & it's always been about the music."
  
  8) BEAT GOES ON - 4:26 (produced by: Madonna, Kanye West & Williams )
  (featuring Kanye)
  This song has come a long way since it was first leaked to the net, last summer. Fans will appreciate the album track much more because it's totally reminiscent of New York's underground disco life of the 70's and early 80's that Madonna was so much a part of. Kanye is such a superior singer, producer, entertainer who both compliments and adds to something already perfect!
  
  9) DANCE 2NITE - 5:03 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hannon Lane & Timberlake)
  Madonna has totally retrogressed to her "you can dance" days with this record because it's totally hedonistic and pleasurable and danceable. Although it does have somewhat of a dark feel to it.
  
  10) SPANISH LESSON - 3:37 (produced by: Madonna, Williams)
  Madonna opens the song with, "Yo te quiero means I love you." This is a fast-moving Spanish/English track. As Madonna's fans know already know, she has a passion and a talent for sining in Spanish.
  
  11) DEVIL WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU - 5:09 (produced by: Madonna, Joe Henry, Mosley, Hills & Timberlake)
  Madonna purrs "Over and over you're pushing me onto the floor and I keep coming back for more" in her sexy sweet-sounding melody that is all too familiar by now. This song isn't exactly a ballad but it does have a somewhat somber tone, as it opens.
  
  12) VOICES - 3:39 (produced by: Madonna, Mosley, Hills, Lane, Timberlake)
  This is perhaps Madonna's most out-there track. She saved the most unique and personal song for the end, with lyrics like "Are you walking the dog or is that dog walking you.
  
  Bonus Tracks:
  ** 4 Minutes ~ Tracy Young House Mix Edit
  
  ** 4 Minutes ~ Rebirth Anthem Mix Edit
  
  ** Ring My Bell 3:54 on the Japanese CD or available on iTunes
  
  ** Give it to Me 4:59
  
  
  
  
  
• rock and roll hall of fame should be very proud
  By A1G2T0T5COZOC0 on 2008-05-05
  This comes from the latest inductee to the rock and roll hall of fame...Madonna, and it really is the worst album she`s ever released. A very uninspired disc with awful lyrics, and a cover photo that is beyond ugly. It's time for this "lady" to grow up. My advise, save your money Madonna fans.
  
  
• Oooooh............The Irony!
  By A2U7BHVRDGDDMK on 2008-04-30
  Isn't it interesting that Madonna's latest "Hard Candy" and Duran Duran's latest "Red Carpet Massacre" both feature contributions from the likes of Justin Timberlake and producer Timbaland, yet Duran Duran's album is light years better: as a dance record, as a pop album, lyrically, vocally, you name it. And this is not the first time we've been subjected to Madonna's "gansta bitch Barbie" persona ["Music", anyone?] It didn't work so hot then, it still aint working now. Worse, she really does come off like some 'past it' veteran riding the coattails of Furtado, Stefani, etal. Sad, very sad. The song structures are awkward and contrived, her vocals sound pretty tame, and those lyrics would embarrass Hannah Montana, for Chirssakes! Of course, the Madonna fanbase of cultist proportions will not approach this CD with even an ounce of objectivity, and dismiss any honest criticism as mere 'hating', but when you consider Miss Thing just got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [over older musicians who've actually recorded rock music for three decades,] giving her a free pass with this mess of urban contemporary iPod fodder would be really inexcusable. And let's not even discuss the abysmal duet with Justin "4 Minutes." It felt way, way longer listening to it - less Kabbalah, more songwriting classes, please.
  
  
• Completely out of place
  By A6IL0MBJUQ53D on 2008-05-04
  This CD is completely crapp musically, melodically, vocally and lyrically...the unpleasant cover photo is also one of the factors that contributes to somebody hesitating to buy the album. As for Justin Timberlake, he is the overrated/lousiest song writer/producer/artist ever in the music industry...and Madonna teaming up with him is nothing but a big joke. I would have given a zero star review if only I could. I own all her previous albums and singles but will definitely skip this one as this is not a Madonna album to me. For those who provided a five star review, it is time for an ear treatment and be truthful...please don't mislead other potential buyers.
  
  
• Pathetic attempt to still matter
  By A13FBTZ8SO8T3D on 2008-04-30
  It's hard to be less relevant than Mariah Carey, but Madonna has nailed it to the floor. At a certain point, you should know that when you seem to be struggling to be the next Cher, it might be time to just et the haggis. There is nothing to recommend this, which is essentially audio wallpaper for the overweight ladies at Curves. Sad, really...
  
  
• Awful! What was I thinking?
  By AIPSUF99BQ17T on 2008-05-15
  What a mistake! I should have known from the flat, cliched, and plainly unattractive cover this would be bad. Terrible production, fake sounding ( or maybe they were fake) drums, her vocals were mixed as if in a distant tunnel with those gdawful drums beating the life out of the mix. And the worst lyrics. Cliched and babyish and dull dull dull.
  And Madonna herself- I will give her credit, her voice was pretty good but she seemed depressed and lifeless actually. No pizazz or charisma. As if she was going thru the motions knowing she would make even more money than any human really needs, and doing "sigh" one more set of pictures showing her as "That madly sexual creature everyone expects". She has a great body, she can dance as we all know, but that was the ugliest outfit of all time. (I am all for any and all women being creative and beautiful and sexual no matter their ( our) ages, and maybe Madonna thinks she looks great and sexy. To each their own but to ME, I shoulda known. )
  This music was just so bland and UN funky, UN soulful and unlistenable.
  I am SO glad I also ordered that Marvin Gaye box set.
  
  
• Come Into Her Store, She's Got Candy Galore
  By A3O8YT41TDXL0B on 2008-04-29
  "When the lights go down and there's no one left I can go on and on and on" chants Madonna three tracks into her new LP "Hard Candy," and with the Queen of Pop staring down her 7th stateside chart-topping album such a claim is more than justified. The living definition of pop music chameleon, she indeed offers a delicious array of confections precision-tooled to hit a listener's sweet tooth. There is some padding, and no obvious follow-up single exists for mega-hit "4 Minutes," but this does the album no disservice. Madonna manages to acknowledge her past and keep things contemporary all the while avoiding pretense or retreads, making for a wholly interesting recording.
  
  Collaborating with the likes of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake has caused some to question whether Madonna is taking the easiest possible route to continued pop success, but the most obvious - and fortunate - thing about "Hard Candy" is that it is wall-to-wall Madonna both in songwriting and atmosphere. Rather than grafting herself on to their winning production values she ingeniusly uses them to amplify her material. The result is an album plum full of dancefloor-ready anthems and a smattering of low-key ballads that manage to be mainstream yet cutting edge.
  
  Sizzling club thumpers like the suave "Dance 2night" and ultra-addictive "Give It 2 Me," for example, recall the awesome, frenetic energy of 2005's "Confessions On a Dancefloor" but would still sound at home on Top 40 radio. Elsewhere, the bittersweet "Miles Away" has one of the most poignant, endearing hooks of any ballad in Madonna's lengthy catalogue.
  
  Opening the floodgates of engrossing, colorful melodies is "Incredible" with its incessant, yearning energy. "Beat Goes On" featuring Kanye West packs similar zest, and "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" percolates with raw sexual energy, icy snyths and a frothy, guitar-laden melody.
  
  The sexy, slinky "Heartbeat" with its mercurial melody and awesome vocals is destined for radio waves, and "She's Not Me," despite being over-long and not quite finding its hook, contains one of Madonna's most intriguingly self-referential lines. Comparing another woman to "the flavor of the month," she makes her declaration:
  
  "She's not me/She doesn't have my name/She'll never have what I have/It won't be the same."
  
  Indeed, pop stars come and go by the dozen, but through it all there is only one Madonna.
  
  Through two and a half decades' worth of trends, fads and fashions Madonna has rarely lost her footing and always come back roaring, and "Hard Candy" reveals her inner lioness in a way that is not only totally late 2000's but totally listenable. She re-defined musical boundaries not only for women but pop artists in general for many reasons, and artistic stagnation is not one of them. This is definitely a "Candy Shop" worth many return visits.
  
  This limited edition is by far her most spiffy to date. Featuring two awesome remixes of "4 Minutes" as bonus tracks on the CD, 30 glossy photos and even a package of Starlite mint candies are included as well. Diehards will find even more to appeal to their asthetic need for all things Queen of Pop.
  
  
• Another Repetitive and Weak Madonna Album
  By AUHD013KRNJRO on 2008-04-29
  This CD is another piece of c..p that is loaded with made up sounds and from it you can see that Madonna can't sing at all. Weak lyrics and bad songs. Don't buy it because will be a waste of MONEY. I am selling it because is horrible..... Terrible CD. Instead try something else. Try something better. This ALBUM really sucks!!!!
  
  Madonna please retire!!!!!
  
  
• Madonna finally becomes self-parody
  By A1697UMEJ1Q54K on 2008-05-05
  One look at the tacky cover of this cd and we're transported back to the time of her "Sex" book, when Madonna loved to "shock us". Shocking people with her up-front sexuality was her primary talent. It certainly wasn't singing,although she could be quite good at times,with "Ray of Light" being her peak. Desperate to stay relevant she became in her career an expert on trend-hopping. So after the fizzy,dizzy Abba-sampled,disco-retread of "Confession on a Dance Floor"(and just how great were "Hung Up" and "Sorry"!)Madonna tries on another producer team, to keep up. If I were a devout Madonna fan(which I'm not)I'd actually be a little insulted by "Hard Candy". Totally phoned in,this cd sounds exactly what it is,a rushed affair to finish out her contract,and make a few bucks off of fans who would pay to hear her burp. But,the songs here will probably be greasing up dancefloors through the summer cause the djs need something to play and Madonna has certainly,if nothing else,become a brand. I think I'll go listen to "Frozen".
  
  
• Ugh!!!
  By A2AWIKSL2WWZXA on 2008-05-13
  What happened to the Madonna I used to love?
  
  I have been a huge Madonna fan for many years and I was very excited for her when she made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But lately I have no idea what she's thinking.
  
  Oh well, it's pretty obvious why she teamed up with Justin Timberlake with this one. She's simply selling out her long time fans, people who have supported her from the beginning, in an attempt to attract a new audience among the pre-pubescent, pre-teen types that would buy a bag of s**t if it had Justin Timberlake's name/logo on it.
  
  The tracks on this album are simply awful and uninspiring and that's an understatement. It's like she's not even trying anymore. I haven't heard a single track that held my attention for more than a few seconds. The American Life album was bad, Confessions was okay with some redeeming qualities, but this album is worst than anything I have heard in a long time. I find it hard to believe that the woman who ruled the music industry in the 80's and 90's can't come up with a better attempt than this.
  
  They say that the long term and repeated effects of Botox can cause mental instability. Hmmm . . . in Madonna's case, there could be some truth to that.
  
  Perhaps it is time for her to retire.
  
  
• Overwhelmingly Surprising
  By ACQCMW414CLPM on 2008-04-29
  To be honest, after hearing that Madonna had teamed up with Timbaland, I was rather apprehensive about the release of "Hard Candy". Admittedly, I am not entirely a hip-hop fan, although I did enjoy the album "Loose" by Nelly Furtado, also produced by Timbaland. "Hard Candy" was released a day earlier in South Africa (Sunday, 27 April) and, after listening to it, I can only say that Madonna has definitely exceeded my expectations. In fact, to be honest, the last album that made me smile this much was an album released almost two decades ago - "Like a Prayer". I could perhaps also throw "Ray of Light" in here too. Although Madonna has scored some major hits since "Like a Prayer", like "Vogue", "Deeper and Deeper", "Frozen", "Ray of Light", "Music" and "Hung Up", she has not since then produced an album as exhilarating as this. I thoroughly enjoyed "Confessions on a Dance Floor", but there were only really three or four potential singles from that album.
  
  "Hard Candy", I can assure you, contains at least six potential singles, and that is no lie. I don't quite think it was accurate to describe "hip-hop" as the main influence on this album. Sure, there are definite hip-hop stimuli, but fans both old and young will find the material far more dance-oriented than it has been made out to be. In fact, there is something for everybody on "Hard Candy". Some tunes have a definite 80's groove, 70's disco and stomping 90's dance. Madonna has certainly proven her staying power with this album.
  
  The album opens with the tune "Candy Shop". With no disrespect at all towards Madonna, this sounds very much like a track from Nelly Furtado, from her album "Loose". The song is definitely not the strongest on the album, but is indeed catchy with repeated lyrics declaring 'Sticky and sweet, sticky and sweet'.
  
  "4 Minutes" was for me personally, a bit disappointing. I suppose I expected a bit more for a first single release. However, it has proven popular on the world charts, reaching the top 3 in more than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Africa and France.
  
  The third album track, "Give it to me", really put a smile on my face and will put a smile on the world charts too. It is undeniably catchy - a stomping dance track with a beguiling chorus that sticks permanently in your head. This is a definite third or fourth single release and will likely be a huge hit.
  
  "Heartbeat" mixes hip-hop with both 80's synth and early 90's trip beats. Not a possible single, but the track is honest, in your face and hummable. Madonna also tests the upper realms of her pitch potential, and succeeds with ease.
  
  "Miles Away" - oh wow! Beautiful guitar, deep grooves, alluring lyrics and oh so captivating. This is Madonna at her poetic best! 'You always love me more...miles away' is clearly an ode to her sometimes long-distance relationship with Guy Ritchie. This begs to be released as a single.
  
  "She's Not Me" is a dig at some floozy who has clearly upset Madonna enough to proclaim that 'she doesn't have money; she'll never have what I have'. However, this description in no way illustrates what a breathtaking track this is - single number three or four without a doubt. This track sounds like something that could belong on a 'teen movie' soundtrack, especially towards the middle when we are greeted by a bubblegum, up-tempo surprise. It has incredibly catchy lyrics and the bassist deserves a gold medal. This is yet another stomping club track and fans of European singer, Mika, will also be very impressed. However, Madonna makes this 'single' her own.
  
  "Incredible" is a synth-based, hip-hop-mixed, fresh tune. Definitely not a single but, again, could likely become catchy with time.
  
  "Beat goes on" is, for sure, single release number two. What a fantastic job Madonna and Kayne West have done on this track. I'm apt to say that this is my favourite track on the album, and my favourite in many years. The chorus is so captivating, I have no doubt in my mind that this will be Madonna's biggest number one for many years. It's a beautiful dance groove that can simply be described as "mesmerising". If I do dare criticise this track, it would have to be the minute-long "rap" in the middle of the song, which appeared to be out of place.
  
  The remaining four tracks, "Dance 2Night" (reminds me of Wham's "Young Guns (Go for it)", "Spanish Lesson" (the weakest track), "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Voices" can mostly be regarded as pleasing. The only possible single release here though would be "Devil Wouldn't Recognise You", a catchy ballad that gets better with each listen.
  
  Well done, Madonna. She will indeed surprise many, many people with this album. This album might not be regarded as Madonna's best, but it certainly beats "Bedtime Stories", "Music" and "American Life". It has come at the right time, and is polished, immaculate and enthralling.
  
  
• CHEEKY FUN
  By A136O53RBLMHSL on 2008-04-29
  It's hard to beat a hot dance track poured over sexy,suggestive lyrics... a trademark strength Madonna shows off well (with a wink) in her latest CD, Hard Candy which once again, delights/appalls the planet with a fashion-fetish-inspired cover crotch-shot...can YOU think of a better way to save the world's adorable orphans?!!!Her new sound is inspired by the "back in the day" hypnotic dance beats of the Philly/Soul-Train era club scene. Always living in the 'now', Madonna's usually bankable instincts to pick the "it" talent of the moment to enhance her musical output has kept her work well ahead of others in her over crowded genre...with ever younger, lip-glossed lolitas ready to arch their backs and coo for the masses and foaming-at-the-mouth-hungry to sign that zillion dollar contract! On Hard Candy,she's incorporated the urban R-n-B style sounds and sexy, macho-hip-hop energy of three hot music men Pharrell, Timbaland and Timberlake and by doing so, insured that her music stays current, fresh and vibrant. She admitted to having to share "diva-space" with the three younger, in-demand hotties (a first for her), but it paid off ,in spite of all the scheduling/ego dramas. The first three dance tracks totally hit the mark and are impossible not to move to followed by a few softer, but still very strong, tracks offers a perfect groovey-loungey mood. Upon repeated hearings,the tracks grow on you fast. Just don't overthink the lyrics,just enjoy it for what it is...what it's been.Afterall, "bubblegum" is always sold in a "candy shop".As she's stated in her promos for this CD, there's always room to have fun (and dance-damnit!) dispite all the negative energy in these chaotic times.I can easily see some of these tracks being played on and on and on during the endless pride marches, rally's and parties this june 08.The sugar-dance-pop loving target crowd all lit-up for a diva bragging " got no boundaries and no limits, if there's excitment put me in it, if it's against the law, arrest me, if you can handle it, undress me...give it 2 me" YEAH!!!! A very dancable, upbeat final CD after her 25 years at Warner. Sweet exit
  
  

• E=MC2
• Spirit
• 4 Minutes
• Rockferry
• Last Night