My review of the new live Madonna album "The Confessions Tour"

[Coventina]

Overall, a great album and a "must have" for any fan.

Of course, there is nothing like actually being at the show, but this CD and DVD (it's a combo package) captures a lot of the excitement of what a live Madonna show provides.

Anyway, here is a track-by-track review:

1. Future Lovers / I Feel Love
The opening has Madonna's voice stating, "I'm going to tell you...about love." The crowd goes wild. The combo of Madonna's song "Future Lovers" with the disco chestnut "I Feel Love" sets the stage of this updated disco-themed show.

2. Like A Virgin
This was my least favorite number from the concert. So, for the CD purposes, I would have preferred the inclusion of "Get Together" instead.

3. Jump
A good rendition of Madonna's latest single. One of the "biggest" numbers from the show, with a large jungle gym with her dancers showing off their athletic abilities.

4. Confessions
Another strange choice. This was a sequence from the show that covered for a costume / set change. A bunch of people tell their stories of personal tragedy and transcendence. It works nicely in the live show, followed by the extremely moving "Live to Tell" number. But why include it on the CD? I would have much rather had the actual "Live to Tell" song as she sang it on the cross.

5. Isaac
Another one of my personal quibbles. Isaac is a fine number, but I wish I could have traded it for "Forbidden Love" which I think is much more compelling.

6. Sorry
An awesome number. I love that she used the Pet Shop Boys' version for the live show.

7. Sorry (Remix)
Okay, this one REALLY bothers me. This is another one of those "filler" sequences that cover a costume / set change. I LOVED it in the concert, she combined really compelling footage of horror and brutality against images of those who are responsible (Bush, Blair, et. al.) It was a fabulous sequence from the live show, but falls really FLAT on CD without the images, and placed right after the "real" version of "Sorry" makes it even worse! My choice would have been "Like It or Not", a song where she calls out all her critics and tells them to kiss her ass! I fall a little more in love with her each time I hear it.

8. I Love New York
I went to New York for the first time in December, so I totally identify with this song.

9. Let It Will Be
Madonna really lets her hair down on this one. A real psycho-bitch rant. Rock on girl!

10. Music Inferno
Possibly the best number of the show. And I really appreciate that the WHOLE sequence is included on the CD. (You're listening to K-U-N-T, all Madonna, all the time!)

11. Erotica
A really cool re-working of the song. This isn't the "Erotica" you remember from the 90s.

12. Lucky Star
A fun rendition that is blended with "Hung Up."

13. Hung Up
The closing number, all stops have been pulled out. Madonna works the crowd into a frenzy using one of the best songs of her long and stellar career.

Well, I'd love to hear from my fellow Madonna lovers what they think of this album.

I'm sure the haters will show up, but I don't care.

:hi:

[Coventina]

1. Well, color me wrong (and sad) not only did no haters show up

but no fans did either!

sigh

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

4. I posted about this about 2 weeks ago and I did'nt get a reply either :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6119523

But I like the songs that are included on the CD.

What I like about Erotica is that from my opinion its from the position of being in LOVE - the first released version of Erotica was from the position of LUST.

[Coventina]

5. Sorry about that. If I'd seen it I would have commented.

I totally agree with you about the re-worked Erotica. The new lyrics have a tenderness in them that the original certainly didn't have. Even the instrumentation has a warmer, softer feel.

I still like the original, but right now I like the re-invention better.

[JackBeck]

2. Just saw your post for the first time.

I've been out of town and haven't been able to buy the DVD/CD yet. I was planning on purchasing it this week. The broadcast version, while visually stunning and highly entertaining, was disappointing with all the commercial breaks and missing numbers.

I saw the show twice in NYC. I had a floor seat for one the first show and was absolutely blown away. Besides the time I almost mistakenly knocked Madonna to the ground on a London street (as well as not even recognizing her until it was pointed out by my husband), this was the closest I've ever been to her in concert. Blown. The Fuck. Away by this show.

People may cast asparagus on Madonna, but even some of my friends who were semi-haters, after seeing a Madonna show live, you become a fan for life.

Thanks for the review. I really enjoyed it.

(here's a photo I got after I almost knocked Madonna down onto the street in London)

[Coventina]

3. Hiya!

:hi:

I was hoping you'd see & comment.

I was lucky enough to see the Confessions concert twice as well. I had never seen her live before, because I stupidly let my parents bully me out of going to the Virgin tour (which was the last time she came to my town).

I did try to see "Drowned World" in LA, but couldn't get tickets.

Anyone who would cast asparagus at Madonna have no morels of their own.

The DVD is the same thing as what was broadcast, but with the missing numbers put back in (yay!). I haven't watched the bonus features yet.

Totally cool that you saw her in person and got that snapshot!

I'm so in awe of her, I'm not even sure I would want to meet her in person. I'd be totally tongue-tied and say or do something stupid.

[JackBeck]

7. Having lived in NYC for over 10 years

(and now I'm a Jersey boy again, bought our first place) our paths have crossed at weirdly random times. I never got to converse with her, but I have friends who did. She's apparently an achingly shy and amazingly intelligent person in face to face conversations, where she ever so slightly turns her head when she thinks someone recognizes her because she is that shy.

I saw her when she was 8 months preggers with Lourdes. She was walking down the street with Carlos and after I recognized them, followed them for a few blocks. Carlos kept turning around giving me the evil eye, but I was totally respecting their space. When they got to the corner, Madonna hailed a freakin' taxi. Her and Carlos got in, and as I was standing on the corner, she looked over. I waved, she shook her head, and off they went. I was totally dissed by Madonna. It made my day.

I have other stories to that I'll share with you over time. It's nice to see a few fans around here. She totally gets a bum rap from "progressives".

[Coventina]

8. You're telling me! I think I "met" you in a Madonna-bashing thread IIRC

Someone was griping about the "Live To Tell" sequence.

I'm not into celebrity culture, really. And I think that we (as a culture) are into it way too much. BUT stars are people too, and deserve respect, especially from us when they actually work to promote progressive values.

The hating on poor Anna Nichole Smith was just despicable, but I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. In spite of her advocacy for gay rights and anti-animal cruelty she was vilified for...not being super brainy and making bad choices. As if any of us have never made a bad choice. And I'll take a warm heart over a big brain any day.

Well, I have wandered off-topic, but the whole ANS thing is still bugging me, as you can see.

(Of course, I must put in a disclaimer that I have said hateful things about some celebrities, particularly Jessica Simpson, I'm still working on my Buddhist compassion goal)

[JackBeck]

9. It amazes me how some

forget that we're all human, regardless of our income or "status", and any tragedy should be met with as much compassion as we can muster. Merely out of simple respect for our precious and fleeting time on this planet.

[Pierre.Suave]

6. I have had the CD for some time

already, I like it a lot.

edit: CD is titled "Confessions On A Dance Floor"

[JackBeck]

10. The concert DVD was just released.

With A CD of the concert.

Once again, I must recommend the DVD for those who haven't seen the concert. Madonna continues to rock an arena. Go figure. very entertaining show.

[xchrom]

11. the concert dvd is wonderful --

and madonna is awesome.

she is an amazing iconic figure.

[JackBeck]

12. Yay!!! (spoiler)

Madonna won a Grammy! Best electronica album for "Confessions".

Congrats Maddy.

[Coventina]

13. whoo-hoo!!!

I didn't even know she was nominated, though!

I thought "Confessions" was 2005!

(I haven't paid attention to the Grammys since 1980-something)