Madonna is back on the dance floor, and her Confessions II is being called her best album in twenty years. But is the sequel to 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor really the triumph everyone says it is, or is nostalgia doing the heavy lifting? Chris and Chantel Nicole give their honest, track by track review of Madonna's Confessions II, and viewer discretion is advised... your fave will be criticized.
We break down all sixteen tracks, from the Lil Louis-sampling opener "I Feel So Free" to the Sabrina Carpenter provocation "Bring Your Love," the standout "Danceteria," and the gut-punch family trilogy of "Fragile," "Betrayal," and "The Test" with daughter Lola Leon. We get into the Stuart Price production, the Feid, Stromae, and Martin Garrix features, the grief that shaped the record, and whether the singles actually deliver. Then we hit Cut or Keep and drop our final ratings.
Is this the reset Madonna needed, or a victory lap dressed up as a comeback?
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- 0:00 - Intro
- 2:39 - “Confessions II” Album Info
- 4:04 - Album Cover
- 6:44 - “I Feel So Free”
- 12:49 - “Good For The Soul”
- 17:45 - “One Step Away”
- 22:59 - “Bring Your Love” with Sabrina Carpenter
- 31:05 - “Danceteria”
- 38:13 - “Read My Lips” with Feid
- 43:34 - “Everything”
- 48:29 - “Love Sensation”
- 53:54 - ”Love Without Words”
- 58:19 - “Bizarre” with Martin Garrix
- 1:02:33 - “School”
- 1:06:44 - “Fragile”
- 1:12:02 - “My Sins Are My Savior” with Stromae
- 1:16:17 - “Betrayal”
- 1:20:54 - “The Test” with Lola Leon
- 1:25:33 - “L.E.S. Girl”
- 1:29:44 - Cut or Keep
- 1:33:09 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
- Confessions II - The Film https://youtu.be/yJtckcMHM2g?si=CIQY6_NfF3GhMlQ3
- Confessions II Live in NYC (with Grindr) https://youtu.be/AXFkcmPzwJE?si=XtKjUHRnuUV7qATf
- “I Feel So Free” Visualizer https://youtu.be/Zx83eVfP64A?si=HeRtxN65UktOxxeg
- “Bring Your Love” MV https://youtu.be/EHrt-gFgvXo?si=RDRGDk8hCuP8OiZt
- “Bring Your Love” Live at Coachella https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NgzOcU0Zvo&pp=ygUhbWFkb25uYSBicmluZyB5b3VyIGxvdmUgY29hY2hlbGxh
- “Love Sensation” Visualizer https://youtu.be/88fD-UtG_yo?si=I0sz8_gxr_n-HAkI
About CCTV: Hosted by music industry specialists Chris and Chantel, CCTV: The Nonstop Pop Show provides in-depth discussion, review, and analysis on the best pop acts, songs, albums, and concerts from around the world. Check out our intro video to learn more: https://youtu.be/SQh_QXINs6o
00:00:00 --> 00:00:26 Thanks for coming. Sometimes I just like to hide in the shadows. This is CCTV, the nonstop pop show where we provide our unfiltered, honest opinions on global pop music. Woohoo! Yes! And we have reviewed Confessions on a dance floor, part one. And that one was a fun one because a lot of you guys are ride or die. Yes.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:48 Yes, we should make it very clear that neither of us are Madonna super, super fans. Right. Like, we appreciate her. I've gone to see her on tour a few times. Yes. I know all the singles and stuff, of course. But I haven't really, or neither of us have really gone deep into her discography. So. Yes. Yes.
00:00:48 --> 00:01:16 We're going to give our honest opinions about Confessions Part 2. We'd love to hear your honest opinions. And if there's anything that we get wrong or anything you would disagree with, just let us know. Yes, because you guys suck is not exactly constructive criticism. I'm laughing. But, yeah, guys, listen, help us become better fans. By being nasty, we will literally just never do Madonna again. So make your battles.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:37 Right. We want to be fans. We do. We do. It takes time. We have to build a rapport. But yes, our confession time is over. We have made our confession. We're not strong fans, but we are learning. So that's our confession. And speaking of confessions, Confessions on a Dancefloor Part 2 is Madonna's 15th studio album released July 3rd,
00:01:37 --> 00:02:06 2026. So literally, it was just a couple days ago for us as of filming. And it was envisioned as a follow-up to Confessions on a Dance Floor from 2005. And this album was driven by personal and career struggles, along with global sociopolitical issues, Jesus, along with global sociopolitical issues, which motivated Madonna to make a high-energy record as a welcome escape. And the project also sees Madonna reunite with Warner Records, her original label. Oh,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:19 So after Confessions Part 1, 15 years passed before Madonna and Stuart Price worked on new mixes for Madonna's 2023 Celebration Tour. And this led to the pair working in the studio once again. Ooh.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:40 So following the tour's conclusion, she pivoted back to her biopic, only for Universal Pictures to axe the project over creative and financial conflicts. And in the aftermath, Netflix expressed interest in a series, though those discussions similarly dissolved, which is unfortunate because, as we know from this album, she's had a really cool life.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:58 Right. Oh my gosh. And during an interview with Mel Odenberg, Madonna characterized this period as symbolic, a challenging chapter marked by a biopic project slipping out of her control, the painful loss of her stepmother and brother, and her own near-death experience in 2023. Right.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:28 And, of course, she had this beautiful reconciliation with her daughter. She noted that while death was present, life still demanded to be lived, proving once again that she is a true survivor. Yes. So out of the 16 tracks on the Confessions Part 2 album, nine were exclusively crafted by the duo of Madonna and Stuart Price, and the remaining credits featured a heavy-hitting lineup, including Martin Garrix, Circuit, Andrew Watt, Mirwise, Amadzai, Arca, and Parisi.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:57 And a short film entitled Confessions 2, directed by Torso, is built around the first six songs of the album. And Madonna and Stewart also wrote a manifesto about the dance floor as a spiritual and ritualistic space. So, like part one, the album is structured and mixed as a continuous non-stop DJ mix. Freaky freaky. So, we're going to dive into the production, vocal, visuals, performance of each song, and then drop our individual ratings. Again, you are welcome to join us. Being nasty does not count.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:22 But be warned, viewer discretion is advised, your fave will be criticized. Before we get started to the music, we're going to talk about this iconic album cover that was managed by Special Offer Inc. And this was the same team that brought us the iconic Charlie XCX Brat Green cover and Rosalia's Luxe album cover. And of course, this is a Luxe album cover with imagery similar to Michelangelo's.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:36 So a lot of religious kind of meaning. You guys can see if you're watching on YouTube or on Spotify, you can see me in the shroud. I feel like I look just like Madonna.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:54 You wish. No, I'm kidding. Oh, thanks. Yes, we did also go to Mighty Hoopla in London a few weeks ago or a month ago, and they did have the Madonna Confessions 2 pop-up grinder bussy. So we did take a little photo on the platform as well.
00:04:54 --> 00:05:22 So we already did the thing, okay? So we couldn't keep the veil, though. I would say that. And also, I think it's so funny how in the picture booth, it literally gave a phone number for a U.S. number. Do you know how much that costs, Madonna? Maybe they could WhatsApp it. Okay, but yeah, maybe WhatsApp it. But yeah, isn't that cute? Look at us serving, honey. If you saw us at Hoopla, by the way, that was us. That was us. Yeah. Yeah, I love this cover. Oh my gosh, me too.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:39 I didn't get it at first because I think what happened, like, the people, first of all, the BAs, the brand ambassadors that were running that booth were not trying to help us or explain the whole vibe. They were like, you know, the shroud. I'm like, what is it? Now seeing the whole thing, she looks like a Mazana, mother of...
00:05:39 --> 00:06:07 Feist. Surrounded by a veil of pink. The color is reminiscent of the OG cover. And even the deluxe version feels like Mary and Jesus. This album is a resurrection of sorts as well. And then also shout out to Sergio X Madonna for a super deep dive on the album cover because he like counted the speakers and like figured out the meaning of it. And I was like honey or they I'm not sure. But Sergio X Madonna. I'm pretty sure a lot of the fans know that I'm talking about. They do really good work. Yes. They love Madonna. Yeah.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:37 Yeah, no, I also read quite a few analyses of the album cover. Of course, she is kind of making the inverted triangle shape in pink, of course, which is such an important symbol that has such a deep history in the LGBTQ plus community. And the veil and podium, like you mentioned, it almost makes it feel like she's on an altar. Yes. Like she's this religious statue. So kind of this whole idea of the dance floor being this spiritual space. They did a great job portraying that. I love it.
00:06:37 --> 00:07:00 Yes, me too. So the tone has been set. So let's get into Confessions 2. Starting with the first track, I Feel So Free. And this was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Arca, and Marvin L. Burns, aka Lil Louis. And this samples French Kiss by Lil Louis. And this was released as the first look from the album in April 2026.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:19 Now, if you made it this far, the spoken intro makes me laugh. Like, if you listen to my daughter speak, you know it's not her usual cadence. So before you start to have a conniption about how I made fun of it, like, you know, thanks for coming.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:36 She sounds like a creep. I will say she sounded like, you know, like a little stuffed. But I think that was the whole thing. Like, you know, try to sound a little bit more like reclusive and like, you know, I want to show you something. You're like, oh, my God, this person is going to wear my head as a hat. And it's like a dance room in the back. It's like, oh, yeah.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:50 what happened what did you think was going to happen i thought you were gonna like slaughter me back here not like slay me you know on the dance floor it's like that's i think that's the whole vibe but it was just so funny hearing it um she speaks quite a bit like that throughout this whole album
00:07:51 --> 00:08:14 yeah i noticed um i will say i i appreciate this kind of reference to the personas and stuff because she talked a lot about that during madam x too so it's continuing directly from where that left off like it's time to reinvent herself again give her another persona i mean kind of because this is like a sequel album but you know she's going back to the dance floor properly which is cool um
00:08:14 --> 00:08:39 yeah this song is cool i i think the build especially is so good like the way it starts off kind of restrained a bit muffled it is kind of like when you are walking to the club and you can kind of hear the music from outside yeah um and you're like walking towards it because the whole thing is just building like i thought that was done so so well that's as i push the button every time you walk up yeah the music is blaring
00:08:39 --> 00:09:06 And yeah, the whispery kind of spoken verses. I mean, look, I get what you're saying. Like, I agree. The tone is pretty funny. But also, it makes it feel a bit more internalized as well. Yeah. Because I think this whole manifesto of the dance floor being kind of safe space for you. You kind of feel that, I think, with the way she's kind of saying that. And then when you get to the, I feel so free chorus. Yeah. Then it really does feel like a release.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:33 And that is such a great moment. I obviously she has performed this already once, but this on tour is going to be so euphoric. Oh, are we thinking it's going to be a tour? Because like there has to be a tour. OK, here I'm proud of her for not being like those artists are like, here's an album. Here's a tour. You know, I'm saying like make us wait for a little bit. So if she does announce one, great. If she doesn't, I don't blame her because she's been through a lot. We'll talk about. But like, yeah, I think it would go off and I would pay to go see her.
00:09:33 --> 00:10:02 Oh, I mean, the Celebration Tour, like I've told you before, one of the best shows I've ever been to. You did say that, yeah. The clips are great. Yeah, for sure. The production is definitely giving I Feel Love, you know, Donna Summer at its climax. So I did actually see, I think on Genius, they actually put it as an interpolation, but I don't think it's officially won. I think it's just influenced by. It's a blurred line situation. Inspired by. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think this is a great start to the album.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:24 Oh, yes. I think it's a good start as well. Like I said, even with me like kind of being silly about how she's speaking, I get the concept. It's on purpose, no doubt in my mind. It sounds like a recluse who loves rhythm and comes alive on the dance floor and other. The dance floor brings her and other weirdos like her alive. If you're considered a weirdo, if you know what I'm talking about, you know what I'm talking about. You will not take offense.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:37 Um, but yeah, if you're kind of just like, well, I, I just want to dance. Like Chris and I are very much like that. Like we don't drink. We don't like do not even really. We just don't do anything. And then we go out and we're like, yeah. Yeah. Can you all say? Like if you.
00:10:38 --> 00:11:07 But it's only because we enjoy movement and we enjoy the atmosphere of being in the club. Like, even if no one else is dancing, which is most of the time, we are all of the time, every time, we'll still dance. So does that make us weirdos? I guess so. The Come Even Another Dance Floor line, I love how that's brighter because of all that whispering. You know, it feels earned. I'm going to say that word a lot. I'm going to say that phrase a lot. This feels earned. The song feels like a proper introduction. You know, I'm a little weird.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:32 But don't judge, okay? The line, safety, numbers, it can mean the literal, like all the girls going to the bathroom, you know? Or it can be like, find your community or find your people or something even stronger, like strength in numbers of protests, of resistance. Free yourself on the dance floor. And it's euphoric and pure pleasure on that dance floor. And I feel like every good pop artist that has a dance record has a sanctuary song. Jade had church. You know what I'm saying? Like the girls. Mm-hmm.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:47 the girls get it. You don't have to be a girl, but the girls get it. But yeah, I do appreciate that. And the track lets the listener know that they can be safe to be whoever. I think that's, what's really important. It does set the scene really well. And in visuals, it was really short.
00:11:47 --> 00:12:04 I can't lie. I do love to have the concept of this like film crew, this hot film crew, like rave rating Madonna. Yeah. You know, it allows for her to have a movie without the with with a full concept and gets the visuals like, you know, kicked off in a really cool way.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:26 Yeah, and just the idea of her being hunted down by these cameras as well. There is commentary around that, which I think is cool. And I do appreciate she literally is just sitting in the shadows, kind of waiting for them to come get her. Yes. The star. Yeah. Love it. It's really cool. And then she did obviously start her Times Square grinder set. Yes.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:55 With this song in the album cover pose as well. Diva. Yeah, brilliant. That was such a first. That performance was so good. And we'll talk about more of it. But she killed that. She did. Admittedly so. I would say that as well. So my first rating for the first song is going to be an 8. Okay, I will go 8.5. Next up is Good for the Soul, done by Madonna and Stuart Price. But it's good for the soul.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:23 Yes. All right. So Madonna's vocal approach from what I'm catching from a lot of these latter half, latter career kind of things is icy and metallic. And I like how it sounds here because it makes it feel like she's from a different star system, you know, traveling through space and time interstellar helix unwinds. Like, I love the imagery there. It's really fun. Yes. Yeah.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:49 This does remind me of her track, Impressive Instant. I think I forgot what album that was from. Is that from Ray of Light? But I do know the song. I do know the song. But it uses celestial metaphors to remind the listeners that music can take you wherever your heart wants to go. So, like, the imagery and the metaphors are very similar, just different. It's cadence. There's a lot of tension that is developing throughout the verse. And then the release that comes in with the chorus, again, I don't know.
00:13:49 --> 00:14:13 earned um it's good for the soul letting go loving dancing in the rain like finding beauty in the trouble that comes it's about loving the journey and maybe it's as simple as saying that music is what saved her it could be so many things i think that's what's so cool about this whole song um the album in general um and the visual for the song is probably like one of my faves uh as well we'll talk about it soon but the song definitely puts you in a trance um
00:14:13 --> 00:14:28 It does a good job of providing a buffer, for lack of a better word. The first three songs I feel like are the most samey, same-ish in terms of energy and building. So I do appreciate there's an actual story because Lord, when's the last time we listened to an album?
00:14:29 --> 00:14:51 where people actually cared about the track listing. Oh my God. So it does provide a good buffer between the first track and the following tracks. However, it's not like super, super impactful. It doesn't make it bad. I don't hate this. I do like it. I just, I don't, I didn't know if I was like, oh my God, strongly impacted, but I do like it. And I think the visuals kind of sold it for me a little bit more as well.
00:14:51 --> 00:15:17 Okay, so actually, this is one of my favorites on the album. I think, again, this whole kind of spiritual aspect of music and the dance floor, it just makes for such a great basis for this song and for the album as a whole. And then you mix that with this kind of like alien synth situation. So it is almost like she's an alien coming down or an angel coming down to kind of just be like, you all need to...
00:15:17 --> 00:15:45 let loose a little bit. Right, right, right, right. Like it's kind of preaching a little bit. Like this is good for the soul. Like you guys need to do this. Yeah, you get it. Nice. Okay. That's what I was getting. Okay. The production is so cool. Like the strings are so beautiful. Mixed with the alien synths, it just adds such a cool dynamic. And then there's all these layers of vocoder background vocals too that sound awesome. Like I think you mentioned kind of, she does have more of a robotic sound.
00:15:45 --> 00:16:09 vocal delivery compared to how she used to. That's quite prominent on this album. For this song, it totally works. It totally, totally works. And especially in those verses as well. And I have to shout out the bridge. Oh, yeah. The way the beat switches up. And then you get this really intense pulse for that final chorus. Yeah. Like the build throughout this whole thing is just...
00:16:09 --> 00:16:28 This whole project is just beautiful. So shout out to Stuart Price. Because, yeah. Yeah, I think there's some amazing production element. I can agree. I can agree. So, yes, the visual with the lasers. Oh, my God. Listen, we love the pew-pew pussies and the pew-pew penai. Come through.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:56 If I could shoot lasers, oh my, pew, pew, pew. I would love that. I mean, a hole can be a portal, okay? It could also be a weapon. And Madonna's apex being a guiding light, like, oh, she's birthing new music, baby. And also she does have a visual on one of the covers. Either it's like an artwork, I'll just say an artwork, where she is birthing a speaker. Yes. Yeah, I feel so free, single cover, I think. Yes, yes, thank you.
00:16:56 --> 00:17:14 Oh, I love that. And then they did it for the Grindr performance, too. She was sitting there. I was like, come on, y'all. You better tie it all together. But listen, I'm here for the laser labia. Okay. And I also love that they're outside. Oh, my God. Yes. Yeah. And almost makes it feel more ritualistic that way.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:38 Hello. Ooh. Hang on. We cooking a little bit with this. You know, I mean, the chef was Madonna. We're just eating the meal, honey. All right. So, even though I did, I don't hate this, but I just feel like it was a little tough one for Mel. I don't know if I want to give it too much of a high score, but it's okay to give a lot of high scores here, I think. So, I give this one an 8.5. It's not terrible. Okay. I will go a 9. Okay.
00:17:38 --> 00:18:01 I mean, it's not like my score was in the gutter. It's not. It's like very high. Yeah. We're going to move right along to the next song, One Step Away. And this was done by Madonna and Stuart Price. And this was a track that was revealed in a press release by Billboard on April 15th, 2026, where the title and a snippet of the lyrics were published. Ooh, a little tease. Okay. One step away from the song.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:24 Okay. The production on this, again, is so good. The beat that kind of has the tambourine going with it. And you get these really metallic drums as well. And then strings again, super beautiful. You get this pensive piano. I don't know. I know I keep saying this, but the build is just so satisfying. That final minute.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:38 Yeah. When the bass starts hitting really hard is so euphoric. So yeah, production wise, again, this one is amazing. I will say the hook is effective here. There's a darkness to the lyrics. Um...
00:18:38 --> 00:19:03 So it's kind of my own colic, but it's still also euphoric as well. I will say I do wish there were some like swelling background vocals in this one. Just to make it even more spiritual, kind of like a choir in the back, I think would have really taken it. Yeah, I think could have really taken it somewhere else. And I think we had similar comments with Confessions Part 1, too, where we were like, there could have been some backing vocals here just to kind of.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:27 yeah just a little yes yeah yeah yeah but other than that i do enjoy this one uh maybe not as much as the first two though right i i know what you mean um that's why it's like these first three songs they built the world up really well i'm like if something else appeared like this on track four i probably would be like oh my god um but i think this is a good job of kind of just like tying it up in a nice ribbon um
00:19:27 --> 00:19:42 The line people think that dance music is superficial and it's true a lot of people think especially when it's attached to a woman that pop music dance music is just not good music. If you think about with a lot of dances that originate.
00:19:42 --> 00:20:00 like in black neighborhoods in America and then also some places in Europe, obviously there's all these different times types of dance music. They all have been met with like criticism, especially if when the queers get involved, it's like, oh my God, it's terrible. And it's like, honey, um,
00:20:00 --> 00:20:22 We're giving your careers a lie. What do you mean? We're giving your favorite producers, DJs, and musicians a lie because we're listening to the music. We're dancing to it. Most people who like music or claim that they like music don't listen to dance music and don't realize, like, the effect that it has. I mean, now it's different, right? We have all these, like, EDCs and, like, E-Zoos and all these other festivals that celebrate dance music. But it was, like, a very...
00:20:22 --> 00:20:49 I won't say unappreciated thing, but I think it was very unappreciated until the 2010s, really. You know? So I do appreciate that she's saying that. I love that spoken intro that reinforces the manifesto of the album about liberation via the religion of music. And Madonna said that she was channeling with the scratch vocals with this record. Like, basically, it just came from her soul. Oh, wow. I think that whole one step away is a great line. Because it could be literal or figurative. A dance step.
00:20:50 --> 00:21:14 One dance step away from like feeling free or even a choice that you make or an eventual actual step towards something. It could be progress. It could be freedom. Thriving in your own life can be salvation. You're so close to it. Don't give up. Keep fighting. Keep dancing. That's what I'm getting from the lyrics. And like the whole nobody's free until they're broken is like probably my favorite line because there's a lot of people who need to reach the edge before they actually find themselves and find their own wings.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:33 Um, and I do appreciate how in the song, she's not really relying super heavily on effects on her vocals. Like this is the most like dry. This is just using it very loosely. This is the dryest her vocal sound so far. And it conveys the emotion without stripping away that like, um,
00:21:33 --> 00:21:54 the warmth that this needs. You're trying to motivate someone to keep pressing forward, not just by dancing, just something inside of you has to keep going forward. So I love that part. The tone is warm on the track and when the strings and the piano finally come at the tail end of the song, it just feels like an emotionally connected moment. So I think all those little elements make the song like,
00:21:55 --> 00:22:19 enjoyable is it my favorite i don't know but it is enjoyable and then the visualizer she looks hot she's dancing on the table she's hitting some of her like um caught up moves on the table nothing crazy but a lot of like those weird like i'm on the floor here's a pose oh you mean hung up hung up i said yeah yeah we love table dance you do love the table dance yes i'm thinking about sure oopsie
00:22:20 --> 00:22:43 There is an anxiety to the visual because like with the car swerving and like even the visuals of the camera like moving around her and the whole thing is like kind of warped and kind of trippy and everything. Yeah. So that was interesting choice for this one. Yeah. And yeah, I think the whole one step away as well. I think there's I think because there is that kind of melancholy to it. It's also like you're kind of one step away from like.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:58 I don't know, your life ending. You're like one step away from, you know, anything can happen kind of thing. Yeah. So, yeah, I find that very interesting. But, yes, I'll give this one an eight. I'll match your score. Okay.
00:22:58 --> 00:23:27 Next is Bring Your Love with Sabrina Carpenter. This was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Roy Holman, Shanna Jackson, Kevin Saunderson, and Parisi, which is made up of Marco and Giampaolo Parisi. And this was actually born from a DM that Madonna sent to Sabrina and was released as the lead single in April 2026. And it samples Good Life by Inner City. And Madonna actually premiered the song at Coachella week two during Sabrina Carpenter's headlining set.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:51 And during this performance, Madonna did wear her vintage corset from the Confessions Part One era. And unfortunately, it's been lost or stolen. Or stole right. Apparently, it fell off a golf cart in a bag. I'm like, y'all put her... And she still hasn't gotten it back. Wild. She ain't never gonna get it back. I ain't gonna hold you. I'm like...
00:23:56 --> 00:24:09 She got jacked. I'm so sorry. I mean, for me, instead of getting money, if she was like, I'll give you money and an evening with me. Like, if I was the person that took it, go take the money and an evening with her. I wouldn't want an evening with the person that stole my corset.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:41 I was just saying, if I was the one who took it, those are my demands. I'm trying to think of what celebrity... Okay, I wouldn't do this to any celebrity now. Like, I don't think there's anyone in my mind that I would want to sit down and... Maybe take men from Shiny. I wouldn't take anything from him, though. Yeah, but I mean, like, you can't, like, steal... Like, you can't, like, set it up in that way. Because it's, like, such a negative way to start the interaction. It's one of those movies where it's like, let's start fake dating. You know, I'll fix your car if you date me. Like, it's giving, like, one of those... Yeah.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:46 I'll tutor you so you don't fill your test. And then they fall for each other. Anyway...
00:24:48 --> 00:25:12 Welcome to CCCV, the nonstop pop show. So this one. You know, Madonna's collaborations with her pop princess daughters has always been a fun time. Okay? Not only that, it's always a very proper duet. Four bars per girly with sultry tones rejecting everything that does not serve their purpose. Okay? They do everything for the love of the gay. Okay? Nothing else. Um...
00:25:12 --> 00:25:39 So the whole, like, don't want the judgment, the responsibility of being a role model, and they don't want the numbers. The numbers can be follower count, can be sales. And especially for Madonna, age, or any pop princess, it'd be age. I don't want any of that. Okay, don't bring me those numbers, okay? Nothing's gonna bring me down, bring me love, or nothing at all. I mean, granted, we are doing a critique of this album, but it's for the love of pop, baby, not because we hate her. So anything that we say. Yeah.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:59 Coming from the love of the game. The song is energetic and we have like the Diva House energy being welcomed. Thank you. Because after a while, I think what tends to happen, I think what happened for me with Confessions, that it was a little too like... Listen, a lot of our listeners are from Europe. I love y'all. But sometimes a little too like...
00:26:01 --> 00:26:26 metal alien outer space and sometimes i just want a little bit more like soul funk house side right um it was welcome the bridge turns into the cathartic moment and i really enjoy the fun that it brings um throughout this song the girls are talking to each other um they are singing with each other i would have loved a little bit more harmony like
00:26:26 --> 00:26:43 them singing in unison for the chorus, that's fine. They sound great together, but like, I would have loved a little bit more harmony because they are, you know, kind of interwoven a lot because they're speaking to each other. They're talking, they're conversing basically throughout the song. Um, and I love that. Um, but yeah, the whole song is like a surround sound of confidence. I do appreciate it for sure.
00:26:44 --> 00:27:08 Yeah. Now, that's interesting on the harmonies. I didn't even think about that because I was watching, for example, her duet with Kylie. Mm-hmm. And even then, they didn't harmonize there. And then Me Against the Music, they don't really harmonize either, right? Like with Britney? No. It's more just kind of a back and forth. It is. Yeah. So, yeah, maybe that's just something that she doesn't love to do. Maybe not. Yeah.
00:27:08 --> 00:27:35 But yeah, I totally get why this was the single. Like, even without Sabrina, like, this song is big. It's fun. It's memorable, for sure. But yeah, I love Sabrina's voice here. It balances Madonna's well. Like, you mentioned Madonna's tone being kind of icy. She's kind of nasally, while Sabrina is very husky and breathy. So it makes for a fun dynamic. Like, the back and forth actually adds a lot to the song. Yes.
00:27:35 --> 00:27:53 And yeah, I enjoy the lyrics as well. I think it was an interview that Madonna said it was inspired by how hard it is to trust people. And so, yeah, I think it's an interesting topic that's relevant for both of them. Yeah. You know, and kind of their public personas and all the judgment that comes along with that. Yeah.
00:27:53 --> 00:28:16 And yeah, there's a ton of energy in the production, especially my favorite part is in the pre-chorus and the bridge when it gets kind of icy and cold there. I see. Yeah, even without the harmonies, there are some good background vocal layers here. I also love the whispered, bring it. Yeah. That's fun. I was saying the talking bits are fun. Yeah, yeah, for sure. What did you think of the music video?
00:28:17 --> 00:28:41 Oh, how interesting that was. Okay, so I love the whole like black dress code. Like, hello. The creepy film girls hovering overhead. They look like someone from my nightmares. Madonna being resurrected from that carpet. That, love that. Cause she was just like, I'm not dead, I'm here. Like you thought I died? Well, she thought she died too, but she was in that coma for 48 hours in June.
00:28:41 --> 00:29:07 of 2023 but the point is she's like i'm here hair flip um but yeah there's a lot to look at in this video without it being too hard to focus on madonna and sabrina the camera loves them there's a lot of chaos in the video with between people in the club dancing and quote-unquote fighting and whatever you know um and i do love the cameo from the actress that was chosen to play madonna at one point or another
00:29:07 --> 00:29:22 Oh, yeah. Yeah. I was like, oh, it's baby Madonna. She would be a good Madonna. Give her the right kind of makeup and a little mole, honey. I know. Eat it up. And I think my favorite scene has to be her in the harness, Madonna in the harness, like, you know, when she finally does a send.
00:29:22 --> 00:29:50 I love it. Yes. No, it's such a good video. I mean, I'm glad it's in the club. Like, they didn't need to do anything too, you know, conceptual for this. Like, just take us to the club. It's cool. Yes. You know, I love the memes that have come out. Because you know that moment when Madonna and Sabrina are circling and kind of like staring at each other? Oh, yeah, the Commander music video part? Yeah, but it's funny because, you know, they do look quite similar. So all these memes came out about, like, confronting your younger self. I'm crying. Duh. Duh.
00:29:51 --> 00:30:06 Yeah, very funny. But yeah, I thought the way it was shot was awesome. And all the flying and stuff was very fun. It was very fun. And then the Coachella performance. Oh, yes. That was a fun surprise. Honestly, Sabrina's set was so good. Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:06 --> 00:30:28 Yeah. Like her, her staging and everything is so well thought out and she has a great ease to her with the way she performs. And you could feel that like the whole performance with the two of them felt quite relaxed. They didn't try to do too much. They had that they had some cute little moments like them both going down together and just kind of making sure the walking and stuff was timed. But the chemistry was great between the two of them.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:55 Oh, yeah, I agree. It wasn't too much like, let me kiss her randomly. Right. Yeah, yeah. I mean, back in the day, that was fire. But like, you didn't need to do that. Right. You didn't need to do too much here. Yeah. I'm getting a sense of I'm not trying as hard, which I appreciate. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And then the Times Square performance with the rotating platform and the two dancers kind of posing around her. And I love that extra kind of bassy remix that Stuart Price did there, too. Yes, indeed. So, yeah, that was a strong part of that set, too.
00:30:56 --> 00:31:21 You know what? Not a bad first set of songs. So 8.5 for me. Ooh. I will match you. 8.5. Okay. Up next is Danseteria. I'm probably saying it really unnecessarily difficult. Danseteria. Danseteria. It's probably like Cafeteria. Yeah, Cafeteria. I was being silly. I was just saying it because it looked like, you know, Danseteria. Maybe it is that also. It's not. It's Danseteria. Yeah.
00:31:22 --> 00:31:45 And this was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Watts, Circus, and Lou Reed. And this sample is Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed. And this song is named after a New York City club that Madonna frequented in the 1980s. And Danceteria is where Madonna's career began. And she met a lot of influential people in her life there, who she does name check during the song. But yeah, this is a fun one.
00:31:49 --> 00:32:16 And instead of waiting for a director to tell her story, Madonna does it in melodic fashion. So congrats to her. Yes, I will say shout out to all the journalists and fans who have done full breakdowns like on Reddit and across the web on all the different people that are referenced in the song and who they were and how they impacted Madonna and her career and her life. Yeah, so interesting, like her life. I mean, I can see why.
00:32:16 --> 00:32:31 the movie would have been really expensive because there's a lot of people involved. Yeah. And have them all meet in one night because it's like, this is too perfect. Like, um, like the, the, the names that she mentioned, um, hmm.
00:32:31 --> 00:32:59 some people were like really, they're still in the not still alive, but some are alive like Debbie, who is in the music video, which I think is amazing. Like she met one of her best life friends at the club. I mean, New York City is the best place to meet people, I think. Because either they'll tell you to go F yourself or they'll F with you. So I think her being this chick from Detroit and then finding her way there, it does make sense. Yeah.
00:32:59 --> 00:33:25 But yeah, she does paint a nice picture of her life in New York City for sure. She mentions Martin and then she also mentions Howie Montauk, the one who created the cabaret No Entiendes, which she mentions, and a showcase that provided that stage for Madonna. The melodies in the pre-hook changes things up in a way that keeps things fresh. The song, for me, feels like an upgraded version of I Love New York, not because they sound exactly alike. So before you say, I love that song. Congratulations. Good for you.
00:33:25 --> 00:33:52 I don't. But I think the spirit of NYC Nightlife was ejected properly into the song. Like, it just feels good to me. Like, it tells a good story. It explains why New York is amazing. It doesn't just, like, you know, other cities make me feel like a dork. Like, girl, no, why? This explains why New York City is so good. And this feels like I love New York City. Because if you know, you know. And that's what this feels like. So, yeah, feel free to leave a comment about it. It's whatever.
00:33:52 --> 00:34:21 but I do enjoy that I love her little name roll call with the artists and musicians that came with the instrumental switch up enjoyed that and I do love that she admits that the Chico's Latinos have her in a chokehold all the pop girls all the you know the pale pop girls love to mention the Chico Latino she said Puerto Rican boys but somebody got her Jerry Hollywood mentioned the Chico Latinos well she actually is part Spanish though
00:34:22 --> 00:34:33 Okay, but she appears as a very pale, ginger white woman. No offense to Jerry. Say for Christina Aguilera. Noah would have known had you been like, oh, that last name, what is it? You know? Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:34 --> 00:35:04 Yeah. I love the whole Chico Latino. Because she, listen, listen, I enjoy that. It was just so funny. She said, those Puerto Ricos drive me crazy. I was like, that's a Puerto Rican driving me crazy, girl. What? That's not the line. But the point is, she was like, oh, I love it. But again, it's just fun. And I do notice that the latter half does something like Vogue. But it's been long enough, y'all. I'm kind of how iconic the song is. It was a little like, okay, girl, I could try something a little different. But at this point, it's been long enough. She can reference herself. Everyone else does it.
00:35:04 --> 00:35:26 Oh, yeah. No, I love that she references herself. Like, I think actually, I was reading about this. And again, I'm not like a huge, major, major fan. So I can't just like call all these references out. But I saw a lot of fans are like, oh, this like one line like references this old song from this album. Like, I think that's so cool that she does that. And Vogue is iconic. So I'm bringing that vibe, I think.
00:35:26 --> 00:35:55 is a great choice, especially if she's doing kind of all the name checking. Yeah. Yeah. The storytelling in this song is so fun. It really paints a great picture. I love the everyone here is a work of art hook. I think that she's like complimenting her friends and all the people that she met there. But also it's just if you think about it, like at the club and stuff, like everyone's just being free and just kind of like being themselves. So I think that also just as a statement is also really great. Yeah.
00:35:56 --> 00:36:11 I love the way it repeats at the end as well. But yeah, the vocal execution here, this one does, you get a bit more texture here. You know, you kind of get the nonchalant spoken parts, but there's a lot of tones and stuff throughout the melodic moments too. And I also called out,
00:36:11 --> 00:36:38 the production switch-ups as all the people were being called out. Like, I love the drum switch-up with the mention of Rocksteady Crew and Crazy Legs. You get the funky guitar that comes in with the mention of, like, Nile Rodgers and everyone. So that's really fun to listen to. Like, it's just smart production and just well thought out. So, yeah, I think this makes a really good climax for this kind of first set of songs. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. What'd you think of the bathroom visual? Yeah.
00:36:39 --> 00:37:06 Oh my God. Again, her bestie was in the video. Yeah. Her bestie was in the video. I thought that was really sweet. The cameos were really fun. I found myself feeling, oh my God, wait, I know who that is. Wait, I know who that is. Shy Girl's in there. Shy Girl would have been an amazing collaboration for her on this. What the heck? Stop just having people in your video. Look at me. Stop just having these people in your video. Get them on a record. Shy Girl is amazing. I love her. Yeah. I saw a bunch of other people, some actors here and there, but I think Shy Girl is one I was most excited for because...
00:37:06 --> 00:37:35 love the new pop girlies who work who do the dance um especially from the uk they're killing it um but yeah benedict cummerbatch being there i don't know why he was there but it just whatever man wasn't it like something contentious at first they were beefing i think they were beefing but then now they're like friends or something someone tell us that's gonna be hilarious yeah i love that richard e grant is in there too that was a random one um yeah i just watched spice world again so i was like oh richard oh hello how you doing here yeah um
00:37:35 --> 00:37:53 anyway yeah i loved it i think all the grinder stickers her um you know messing with all the guys at the urinal and stuff i thought it was all like very funny yes that was like i loved it that was so i was like yeah so scandalous but like not exactly yeah yeah i did think it was funny how well lit this bathroom was though
00:37:53 --> 00:38:21 oh yeah yeah yeah the best lit bathroom in the club i've ever seen in my life yeah i was like wow clean as well pretty clean very clean yeah let's see a brand new club yeah oh anyway i give this one a nine i really like it okay this one for me was an 8.5 okay next up is read my lips with fade and this was done by madonna stewart price taney and fade and this actually is included on the soundtrack for the fifa world cup
00:38:27 --> 00:38:53 Good for her. Is it the strongest song? I'm going to start by saying no, it's not. But it's a little bit better than Hot Sauce. Hot Sauce is another song that's on the deluxe version. I feel like for them to trade, maybe this was like, we'll record this song. That'd be fun. Ha ha ha. This one might be a stronger track. I do love how this one comes in. The guitars give the album a little break from the obvious synths and the stabby. Yes.
00:38:53 --> 00:39:17 Something a little bit more rhythmic, giving us some ear candy. It does remind me of the 2000 Salsa-inspired dance music from yesteryear. Like when they used to just throw random Spanish guitar. This song is about a breakup and calling things off. Pretty simple. Melodically, I have to admit, this is not my favorite. The production is the star of the track for sure. It does not mean Madonna's not a talented artist. It just means that this was not...
00:39:17 --> 00:39:39 strongly written or it doesn't make me really feel anything um and i think maybe the icy vocal production with her being fed up like it happens to come across a little bit too bland now like there are some bgvs um but i just feel like the top line is just too simple and it doesn't evoke enough emotion like yes i get it you're fed up but like you can okay leave my house
00:39:39 --> 00:40:01 shut your mouth, get out, read my lips, you're broken. Like after a while, it's just like, okay, give me something. Sorry. But that's essentially the, if you take away the production and you just isolate the vocals, that's what we're listening. Read my lips.
00:40:01 --> 00:40:16 Yeah. It's not giving much and she can do more. But yeah, it's just cold the whole time. But then suddenly when Fade comes in, new rhythms and delivery makes your ears perk right up. And it shouldn't be like the featured artist is stealing the show.
00:40:16 --> 00:40:43 You know what I'm saying? Like you can love Madonna and still be like, okay, this is, you know, because he boosted up the rhythm changes. I mean, he's a reggaeton, like R&B artist as well. So he does have a different kind of flow. And I do appreciate them switching up the production to match him. But again, I just feel like the production does a lot of the heavy lifting period throughout the whole song. If you love this song, good for you. I love that for you. I do appreciate her collaborating with another Latin artist because Tokisha, she's fun.
00:40:43 --> 00:41:03 But that Tokisha is not like her style per se. And honestly, Madonna could get to collab with anyone. Anyone. Fate is cool. I do wonder what would have happened if she would have had like another female vocalist that was a Latin artist. There's one other artist that we've come across. I'm going to collaborate with Kylie recently.
00:41:03 --> 00:41:17 People think she's Argentinian. I forget. I'm so sorry. But yeah, basically the fans were like, oh, my gosh, you guys have to like get to know her. But yeah, I just wonder what would have happened if she would have had another woman on the track as opposed to a man, you know, basically saying his side.
00:41:17 --> 00:41:33 Well, maybe Fade will show up and Shakira can do it with them at the World Cup final halftime show. Oh, that'd be fun. That'd be fun. That's coming up. Yes. Yeah, I have a lot of the same notes as you. I appreciate the Spanish guitar here just to switch up the sonic a little bit.
00:41:33 --> 00:42:02 Yeah. And the percussion is very cool in this one. Like you still get that kind of pulsating beat, but it's just a different vibe from what's been on the album so far. So I think because of that, it did kind of perk my ears up, as you mentioned. And yeah, Fade does add an interesting dynamic to the song. And yeah, his whole section, unfortunately, is the highlight, though, which, like you said, maybe that's not what you want with a featured artist. But I do appreciate the lyric switch-ups and the final chorus. We get some ad-libs. So there is a build.
00:42:02 --> 00:42:24 there yes uh but i agree with you that this is one of the songs i kind of kept forgetting about as i listened through the album it just doesn't really do anything for me melodically yeah so i have yeah kind of agree with you there um it's interesting it was included in the visual i get the i get that the short film was basically like the first couple like six songs on the album yes
00:42:24 --> 00:42:48 um i feel like there's so many other songs on this that i would have rather have seen a visual for them this one yeah and that goes back to the whole like strategic planning of everything because like why have cameos why have these things happen why do we have certain people casted because you want people who are either fans of these artists or fans of the celebrities say oh my gosh wait you were in that video like i like me i saw shy girl i i was super excited and
00:42:48 --> 00:43:16 So it's important to realize that a lot of this is strategic. Yes. It doesn't mean fate is a bad artist, but even his visual, it was just him in the middle, right? Like giving him his big moment. And she was looking hot in her little red corset. Honey, the styling I love in this whole era, but I think that was purposefully done, which I totally get. So as much as it's like, Hey, she's always respected as artists. You have to be strategic as well. Sabrina is also a strategic move. Yes. She's a great artist. Love her. Damn. Love her perfume as well. Um,
00:43:16 --> 00:43:46 But we also have to think about the business of the music business. Yes, for sure. I did like the shot of them kind of in the mirror across each other. Yes, the fade. The fading into fame. Yeah. But yeah, not my fave. I'll give this one a seven. I'll match you with a seven as well. Okay. Moving on to the seventh track is Everything. And this was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, and Parisi, which is Marco and Jack. And this is a track about social isolation in this digital age. Ooh.
00:43:46 --> 00:44:14 You know? I love how this starts with super intense strings. And then goes into this kind of like vocodered moment. Yeah. And then into like a big bassy house moment. I feel like this song did not go where I thought it would. Like when it started. And I appreciate that. Because the whole song takes you kind of on this big spiral of a ride. Um...
00:44:14 --> 00:44:32 Because then it almost goes acoustic for the bridge. Yeah. You know, like, it kind of just takes you all over the place. So I appreciate this as kind of one of the more experimental songs on this album. Yeah. And, yeah, I think this whole kind of concept of social media...
00:44:32 --> 00:44:54 Especially in that bridge where she talks about how it makes you feel bad about yourself and everything. And then that whole, it's not okay. I don't F with it. Yeah. That's kind of this transition, which is very memorable. I kind of love that as a transitional moment. Yeah, I think I kind of like this song in concept more than actually listening to it. Okay. Like, melodically, again...
00:44:55 --> 00:45:22 doesn't do that much for me it's the production again that shines here because it takes you so many places and i appreciate in the context of the album yeah but this isn't one that i would necessarily pull out of the project right yeah i like the experimentation of it like i think you need that on this album and i want that from her like i want her to kind of play around with it so it's not too safe um so yeah i appreciate in the context of the album
00:45:23 --> 00:45:38 I get what you mean. I think the Parisi duo has brought something fresh to the album. Like there's no fuzzy bass. Sorry, there's just fuzzy bass lines and really cool percussion. They're not really relying on the sample. There's nothing wrong with relying on the sample. Stewart flipped the snot.
00:45:38 --> 00:46:07 out of everything. I'm not taking that from you, but it's just interesting when you're kind of working with producers who are of the modern times, of the EDC, Zoo, Tomorrowland, fun places of like, you know, debauchery and, you know, Bacchanalia and such and great music and lasers, right? So it creates a little bit of modernity that is necessary because Confessions was, I don't know how many years ago. We do know. 20 now. But the point is...
00:46:07 --> 00:46:15 But the point is you don't want to get stuck in this whole thing of like we're sampling older songs. We want this to sound like a time capsule. Because...
00:46:17 --> 00:46:39 Confessions 2 is an ambitious record. You're telling people that you're going to recreate the wheel here. So to have some newer production up here is important. And I do appreciate it. Because you have this acid house that's really chaotic, but then you have her speaking on the track as if she's delivering slam poetry. I was like, OK, I'm not mad at this. And even with the limited bit we have learned about Madonna,
00:46:39 --> 00:46:55 This does remind me of something from the Ray of Light era without being a super duper utter callback. The song production star, that's my note here. I do love that tubi sound that comes in the middle of the song before the emotional bridge. And the whole idea of social media being toxic
00:46:56 --> 00:47:23 um madame is very lucky that she was able to be an artist before social media because honey she got able she was able to develop herself as an artist as a per and as a person without digital demons um doing what they do um but yes in my in my head this song comes with a headcanon of rena sawayama on this if you're a pixel you understand that the whole cyber stockholm syndrome is real um but also if you are listening to this and you are having issues on the internet you control your
00:47:24 --> 00:47:42 Start fresh. Follow puppies and food or whatever makes you happy. You can control your internet. Change everything. Use DuckDuckGo. We are not sponsored, but also. Yeah, but I think it's hard when you're so famous, right? Yeah. Yeah. It's just everyone has an opinion on you. Yeah. And it's...
00:47:42 --> 00:48:00 It's more so the negative people that tend to be the loudest, unfortunately. And I think, you know, she did obviously come from a time where the media was really horrible to her. But I agree with you. Like, if you add the general public to that, too, it's like a whole other level, unfortunately. So. So, yeah, it's interesting. She has a song about this for sure.
00:48:00 --> 00:48:27 Yeah, I mean, considering how, quote unquote, older she's getting, I can imagine how that feels now and the pressure to feel like you need to stay relevant. So yeah, she's been through a lot in terms of her mental health, I think. She might not go into deep, deep about it, but the song does a good job of kind of going there. So yeah, for me, this one's an eight. I will give it an eight as well. Not my duck duck go rambles. But yeah, for people who are not celebrities, please protect yourself from the internet. You can. Yeah.
00:48:27 --> 00:48:44 Yes, that's true. Okay, next is Love Sensation, done by Madonna and Stuart Price. And this was released as a single in June, 2026, but oddly does not appear on the physical standard edition of the album. Dun, dun, dun. So maybe it was like still being mixed or something.
00:48:50 --> 00:49:18 She hates it. No, I'm kidding. Oh, secretly, right? I'm joking. And this was part of the Times Square set as well. I'm going to say this once. Kylie Minogue and Madonna forget y'all. Y'all sat there talking about some, why do you have to know everything? This is the song that she should have been on. Like, what is wrong with y'all? Maybe there's a remake coming. It better be. Sorry, my bad. Sorry. Sorry.
00:49:19 --> 00:49:47 There's also, Madonna has said there's extra songs. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. There's a deluxe coming. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hear me out, y'all. But to hear me out, though, you can understand my frustration. We, Chris was a Kylie, Chris was, still is, a Kylie Minogue fan. Yes, I am. And has, took me under his wing and was like, come, I'll flap you away to, like, pop paradise. And I'm like, wow, I love her. We've had her musical director on our show, Steve Anderson. We love him down. So, when you sit here in bingo.
00:49:48 --> 00:50:10 Miss Kylie Minogue in an interview. Guess who feels betrayed? Me. So I'll wait. I'll wait. But please understand that love sensation feels the most Daft Punk Kylie Minogue ever. Right. And I was just like, come on, sitting right here. Again, headcanon, headcanon. But yes, I'll let it go. Madonna Minogue collaboration. I'm waiting. Madonna Minogue. Okay.
00:50:10 --> 00:50:34 But yes, I think by the time of the album, though, now going back to the song, Madonna's icy trademark tone has become a little bit monotonous. Don't hate it. But again, we're doing this whole I'm gonna sing like here, right here. And I'm like, OK, you can do more, honey. I know you've got it in you. I'm rooting for you. But before you jump down my throat, think about your favorite dance tracks by Madonna from yesteryear.
00:50:34 --> 00:51:01 She can write a song, okay? She can sing a song. Or any other artist, some head voice would have been okay and welcome for me, okay? Hell, the bridge of the song is fire because of the higher melody in the harmony. So you have her singing the root and then you—not the root, the melody, and then the harmony is a little bit higher. This voice is in the background that makes it feel kind of full and feel like, oh, you're really in love. And the sentiment of the song just is more felt with more voices, okay?
00:51:01 --> 00:51:31 Because it feels very like heavenly as well. It feels like a sensation. I do wish you would have gotten a little bit of a break from that low chesty delivery. But it does not mean that she is a terrible singer. I was just like, dang, once I've heard it in the bridge, I'm like, why didn't we sprinkle it in here and there? Because for this to be the most electro disco track, I think it would have been fun just for even some spoken bits, you know. Or even some BGVs hitting ad-libs or adding emphasis on certain words. Just to give that extra, hey, this is kind of like a disco inspired song vibe. Doesn't mean it's bad though. This is not a bad song whatsoever.
00:51:31 --> 00:51:50 Yeah, I do like this one. It does make sense to me as a single as well, because it is kind of that more classic disco-y dance pop song. So it is one of the safer tracks on the album. But I don't mean that like in a bad way. Yeah, no at all.
00:51:50 --> 00:52:17 the kind of more kind of classic dance pop stuff to really make a cohesive project so um i'm not mad at that at all uh i will say i have a similar note to you about the vocal delivery i think because these lyrics are quite joyful yeah she just doesn't sound that happy she's like cool girls like she's like black cat like i like you love sensation it's like
00:52:17 --> 00:52:45 Should it be more like, whoo? I don't know. Yeah. Where's the sensation coming from? Yeah. I will say, though, the production, though. Yes. Very euphoric. Love that. And the bridge is my favorite part, for sure. I love the melody there. Yeah. And the build into the final chorus is super, super satisfying. So I like this song. But yeah, I agree with you. It could have been taken up a notch, I think, if her vocal delivery was just a bit more positive. And that maybe is where Kylie could have come in.
00:52:45 --> 00:53:14 Right. Sprinkle the Aussie with the American lady. It wasn't cute. Listen, it doesn't mean the song isn't bad without Kylie. I gave it an 8.5. Yes. I will give it an 8.5 as well. I will say I enjoyed the performance in Times Square. Oh, my God. Yes. Her joining Stuart behind the mixtable for a second and her just kind of climbing over everything. I'm just like, dang, she is agile. She is. Can I just say it cracks me up? Because if you guys have ever seen The Breakfast Club, like, when I was...
00:53:14 --> 00:53:41 with molly ringwald it's like i can put my lipstick on without my uh well my hands and she's like that when madonna put her microphone in her course that's that great better you go she's i don't need one of the dancers to hold it i'm gonna hold it boobs i was like go ahead girl oh i love it all right guys listen we enjoyed the performance and we're enjoying this album so far and if you're enjoying this episode so far you can follow us everywhere at cctv pops on everything and if you want to hang out with us
00:53:41 --> 00:54:06 unfiltered honey join us and the cctv crew for exclusive live sessions and the ability to help pick future episode topics at patreon.com slash cctv pops and now back to the episode up next is love without words and this was done by madonna stewart price and parisi is that italian accent parisi we do have an italian um friend of ours he's probably like girl what are you doing
00:54:13 --> 00:54:39 Okay, so we're back to kind of the experimentation again, which I'm kind of here for. I love the brightness of the synths. It gets kind of twinkly. You get this great house piano moment as you get into the second verse. And then again, it kind of gets all choppy for that, like, come to the club moment. So yeah, again, this one is kind of a great, like, counterpart to everything. Like, you kind of have everything and you kind of had the really poppy kind of standard
00:54:40 --> 00:55:07 dance song with love sensation now you're back to kind of a more interesting kind of experimental moment this one almost feels like you know when you're in some of those bigger clubs and they have all the different rooms yes and then this is you like stumbling into one of the smaller rooms yes so you went back to the main room for love sensation and now you stumble into one of those weirder rooms that's kind of darker and stickier
00:55:07 --> 00:55:28 Yes, Deluxe Flux at the bottom of Webster Hall. It's all black and everything is. Have you been there? I haven't. Listen, y'all, if you would. Isn't it an iconic club? Debatable. But Deluxe Flux, I feel like is iconic because of the black light. Everything is like neon lit. So if you go there, I wore white the time I went there. I was glowing like a stick.
00:55:30 --> 00:55:57 Okay, I love it there. So I get it. The vibes are different, though, because they play a lot more like urban music. But the point is, the whole dark, like everyone's dancing vibe, that was definitely present there. So I get it. That's what the song gives. And I will say, that final instrumental, one of my favorite moments on the whole album, it's so good. Yes, honey. Okay. Deeper approach. Darker approach. The beginning makes the pre-hook in chorus. Feel what? Yeah.
00:55:57 --> 00:56:04 So earned. I've said it so many times, y'all. You know? But yeah, she sounds dangerous for a second. It's back to that.
00:56:06 --> 00:56:29 things are coming now it's like okay i'm gonna take you to the next room now you're like okay sure let's go and then she puts her hood back on she's like creeping through you're like oh god where'd she go you know so you're sort of creeping through as well um i think i literally i have a note that says house pianos that's it there was something else nothing else just so you said it in the more articulate way i just said house pianos i liked it um
00:56:29 --> 00:56:48 The instrumental reminded me of Lights by Ellie Golden, not because it was like the same thing, but you have a popping bell sense that a bloop, bloop, bloop sound. Y'all, I can't do it because I'm not a doll, but I'm not a MIDI. But the point is, I just thought of like another artist singing on this as well.
00:56:50 --> 00:57:07 This song is sparse in terms of vocals and more pumped up by the music. So it's not exactly lights. I get it. But in terms of the synth and how to describe them to you guys, that belt synth, that's what I heard.
00:57:07 --> 00:57:22 But yes, this is the most interesting production on the album I have as a note as well. And I think for this song, my score is coming from a place of understanding that not only does the vocalist play a part or an MC play a part in the dance music,
00:57:22 --> 00:57:50 But the DJ is so important. How things are faded and mixed and the transitions and everything has to be perfect. Otherwise you're throwing off the groove. You've seen Empress New Groove, you get thrown off. Okay? You threw off the Empress Groove and then you're off, you know, the mountain. This is so important because DJs do play a huge part in our lives. I mean, there's so many DJs have gone viral. I mean, Boiler Room has like this whole set where like people are just standing there dancing
00:57:50 --> 00:58:18 having a good time. And it's really important. There's festivals surrounded by DJs. So I think it's really important. And this song does a really good job of feeling like a properly curated moment on the album as opposed to a lyrical or a melodic masterpiece. This is meant to be felt. And this is the music that plays at a temple. A temple sweat. Yes. Sorry. Nice. So what do you rate it? 8.5. I like this one. Okay. I will give it an 8.
00:58:19 --> 00:58:42 Next is Bizarre with Martin Garrix. And this is done by Madonna, Martin Garrix, Oren, Willem Borgeson, Upsall, and Stuart Price. And Martin premiered it at his show at Barclays Center in June 2026. So, can I just say, Madonna has spoken...
00:58:42 --> 00:59:07 more on these past two tracks than she did on Love Sensation. So again, this goes back to what I'm saying. The whole like her not speaking on Love Sensation are giving me a little bit more than Love Sensation. You know, she can do it. But yes, upon listening for the first time, I was like, these lyrics are very specific. I was like, honey, what are you talking about? Hollywood, Blue Eyes, the Shelby Coalbrother didn't last. Who are you talking about?
00:59:07 --> 00:59:30 Sean Penn, obviously. She penned this about Sean Penn. The whole picture perfect, but star-crossed lover thing. Oh, my goodness. She had a run in the 90s, y'all. She was... Listen, if Taylor Swift can do it, so can she. She was with Tupac. I've mentioned the Tupac relationship in our confessions. Y'all should watch that. The Tupac relationship, she was with Warren Beatty, right? Yeah.
00:59:30 --> 00:59:59 I think she was seeing him. I don't know, but Dick Tracy, she was in Dick Tracy. I remember that when I was a kid, my dad got that movie and I watched it with him and he's like, cover your ass. I'm like, what is this? But yeah, she was living her life as a beautiful mother. I mean, even her book was, you know, nasty. So who knows to her? But for her to actually like be very specific like this, it feels like a journal entry and then make it danceable. Oh my God, she's been through so much and it's like,
01:00:00 --> 01:00:17 Where her age could be seen as a hindrance, especially in pop, she's got a lot to say, like things to reveal her, quote unquote, dirty little secrets. And the production has a great deal of depth. And Madonna is finally using different tones in her voice. What? What I said earlier was true?
01:00:17 --> 01:00:43 And you know what it did? Made the song so much more dynamic. It made it feel relatable. It made me feel like I was listening to a human and not like this disco diva robot, you know? And then the chorus of this one is a little simple, but it is effective because of the layering. And even with the repeated phrases, there are distinct differences made with the vocal effects. And the production kind of reminded me of Eurythmics. Sorry, Sweet Dreams. But it was not like a strict copy where I was like, girl.
01:00:43 --> 01:01:10 But I will say, if I was a DJ, I'd mix the So Honey, okay? The personality of the song does have this little like... You know? And I feel like it expands the track in a way that feels very most entertaining. Yeah. Nice. Martin Garrix was a great choice for a collaborator on this album. I actually really enjoy his style. And he really knows how to make a great, just like pure...
01:01:10 --> 01:01:33 dance pop track like it's got such a great drive to it that synth breakdown that happens before the bridges so him you know very signature uh so yeah i kind of love that he's on this album for sure and the hook i also have the same note as you with the who knew love can be so bizarre it is simple yeah but it is super catchy and this is where her tone works and
01:01:33 --> 01:01:57 That kind of icy delivery really works here. And then you do get a bit of head voice with that outro. Yes. So, yeah, you do get some different tones, as you mentioned as well. I was reading some reviews of this album because it does seem like this album is getting some of her best reviews that she's ever had, which is awesome. But this song actually seemed kind of divisive. Some felt it's a bit generic, a bit formulaic. Yes.
01:01:57 --> 01:02:13 And I can see why you would say that, especially because it's kind of been now sandwiched kind of with these more experimental songs. Right. But again, I'm kind of here for it. This kind of takes her to kind of a bit more of a modern kind of pure dance pop space.
01:02:14 --> 01:02:43 And this is one that I remembered even after like the first listen through. Yeah. It's like Beyonce's Bizarre, not Bizarre, Cuff It on the, is it the best song? No, but you know it. Right. Yeah. Exactly. So I love this one for this album. This one's a highlight for me. I will give it a nine. Yes, this is my nine as well. Up next is School. And this was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Lanita Smith, Triangle Park, Mustafa, LeBeau, and Harlow. School is.
01:02:47 --> 01:03:13 Okay, so now she's both the teacher and the student. If you can teach her something. If you can. Hopefully. She wants to be the student. She said, been there, done that, please. I mean, you mentioned, you know, age and experience, you know. Yeah. You still, you should keep learning. This is true. I wonder what else she has to learn. There's a lot of new things. I wonder if she does any tantric work. I feel like maybe she should...
01:03:13 --> 01:03:28 look into that some somatic stuff um but yeah my my theory is as long as you're alive and as long as you got the juice get your freak on y'all i mean if you want to some of us are just like i'm good and she's been dating younger too right so she's
01:03:28 --> 01:03:43 She has been, you know, and the concept that a woman getting older is the kiss of death for her libido is not true for all women. There are studies, absolutely. But Madonna says, I still got some gas left in the tank. I mean, especially if they're mothers. Like, how do you think they became mothers? Okay.
01:03:43 --> 01:04:02 Um, the whole Madonna, wah, wah concept is something that Madonna truly embodies. If you know anything about that concept, it's like women can only be seen as like a perfect little, you know, version of a woman, or she's like a strumpet, a trollop. And Madonna has been both.
01:04:02 --> 01:04:32 Literally has been both throughout her whole life. And I think, you know, your name representing the blessed version, but you also have a large portion of your career was about the exploration of coitus. That's a flex. Okay. So this song is also about that. She's, I've done this. I've done that. You know, she's a teacher. She teaches you how to fudge. Her, you know, her book literally says, I'm going to teach you how to fudge. And also she's open to learning something. But what doesn't mother know? What does she know, Christopher? What does she know?
01:04:32 --> 01:04:49 I mean, I love the lines in the song, like making moves on the dance floor, on a man's floor, the pelvic floor, you know, like, I don't know. I love that. Yeah, the lyrics are really fun. This one's, I would say, maybe the weirdest song on the album. Yeah.
01:04:49 --> 01:05:19 But again, I kind of like it for that. Like everything just sounds kind of off. Like the synths are like slightly off beat. Even the note that they're hitting, it's like slightly off. There's like all like the lower pitched kind of vocoder vocals there too. Yeah. And yeah, I think this again is just very memorable on the album. Like the whole school is in session with like that kind of vocoder. Like it's kind of creepy.
01:05:20 --> 01:05:48 Yes. But then also kind of sexy. You know, it's like kind of an interesting tension kind of throughout the whole thing. Yeah. And then it all does feel like it's building towards something. And though there is a climax at the end, it's not like a really euphoric climax. Like it's kind of still like restrained in a way. And then you get these kind of like creepy whispers at the end. Like it's such a weird song. But it's another one that I do keep going back to where I'm kind of just like, oh, like I keep hearing different things in it.
01:05:48 --> 01:06:01 No, this is interesting for sure. I think the refrains of the song with the vocal filter that you were saying, it's trippy because you have something speaking to you in a way that sounds like you're on something. And then you hear these yelling voices. Trust.
01:06:01 --> 01:06:19 X, romance, blah, I sound crazy. But I think the whole concept of trusting someone in order to explore is very important. I think I've said to you before, a lot of K and K spaces are about trust and communication. Heck, any kind of interaction is about that trust. It's like, I want to have fun.
01:06:19 --> 01:06:42 Don't lie. If you got something, if you like something, if you don't like something, you have to tell me or else this would be very unenjoyable. Okay? I just want to give you a good time. I just need an equivalent exchange. But yeah, I like this one. This one was fun. And I also appreciate her as an older woman saying, yes, I like to have nasty time. I like an afternoon delight. So I was delighted with this one and gave it a nine.
01:06:42 --> 01:06:59 Ooh, okay. I have it as an eight. Next up is Fragile, done by Madonna and Stuart Price. And this has guest vocals by Astaire and Stella, her twin daughters. Yeah. And lyrically, the song is a direct tribute to her late brother, Christopher, and...
01:06:59 --> 01:07:13 and the two had a falling out due to his 2008 tell-all memoir, Life with My Sister Madonna. However, the two reconciled before his passing, and while on The Graham Norton Show, Madonna revealed that she wrote Fragile immediately after a phone call with her brother while she was in the studio. Music
01:07:19 --> 01:07:47 This one is an interesting come down from the night. Like, oh, golly. We left the house. We met beautiful people. We hit up our favorite clubs. We hooked up. And now here we are back at home where some of the hurt that we left behind is still waiting. Yeah. And the carriage has turned back into a pumpkin and all is back into reality. So it's interesting to have the magic essentially fade a little bit. But there's some glimmer of sparkle because the song does...
01:07:48 --> 01:08:07 still move but i think with the the usage of that um the percussion those at the drum and bass it makes it a little bit more serious um i love the energy never dies line it's just a portal you know but it's still hard to let go and it's true like you can understand that uh someone has passed and like
01:08:07 --> 01:08:30 appreciate who they were in your life, but when they're not there, it is hard to replace or find things to fill that void. Um, and I think the song is less about filling the void and just kind of remembering fondly and not forgetting. Um, so yeah, I think Madonna discovering her spirituality in the early odds has presented so much depth in her life and in the music. Um, um,
01:08:30 --> 01:08:49 So shout out to Kabbalah for her. But yeah, the delicate presentation of the vocals under the layer of ice feels like a dream. It feels like dry ice floating over the drum and bass, and it feels perfect. Because it is icy, but if you can imagine a sheet of ice in some type of...
01:08:49 --> 01:09:17 like creature trying to reach the surface, like maybe like a beautiful ice mermaid or whatever. It just feels like that. That's the imagery I kind of get from it. And then the rhythm switches to a heartbeat in the pre-hook in the second verse for a bit. And again, the song feels alive. The second verse build with the background voice vocals gave the song more body, even if it is coming from the bodies of two children. So again, going back to what I was saying about having those extra voices, having extra BGVs adds something so much
01:09:17 --> 01:09:47 wonderful to a song. And if you're talking about community and talking about relationships and things like that, I think it's so important to have these extra voices, regardless of what your style is. Just, you know, take a little bit of a risk and the risk paid off here, even if it's not considered a quote unquote risk. But like the addition paid off, in my opinion. The bridge is amazing in terms of storytelling. Like the vocal production here is probably some of my favorite in the album because you have the line, you came to me in the dream and said, don't forget about me. Don't forget to be happy before this other worldly voice comes in.
01:09:47 --> 01:10:13 And again, I'm going to use the word perfect because it's like, think about your dreams and how someone's reaching out to you. Maybe they're coming from the beyond. If you do believe in spirits and things like that, what does that sound like to you? It's going to sound so strange. But this song reminds me of a Miyazaki film or any kind of old school anime style where it's like, maybe it's about two siblings. One is living with...
01:10:13 --> 01:10:28 technology and being like, I accept it. Other one's like, no, but it's going to ruin our life. And it does ruin our lives. And then the sibling that accepts the technology ends up passing away, becoming like a digital form of itself. It's like, I'll protect you, sister, brother, brother. You know, like the whole thing made me feel very cinematic and I appreciate the song, so...
01:10:29 --> 01:10:44 Yeah, that's it for me, y'all. Yeah. I have a lot of visuals in my head. I love that. No, I think this one's cool. I think that whole drum and bass beat, that kind of metallic-ness of it, mixed with the emotion of the vocal and the strings...
01:10:44 --> 01:11:11 That's just a really interesting production choice. I think that was a really cool one, actually, to use drum and bass here. And yeah, the chorus is so beautiful. Like the way it's produced, it just feels so full. It like kind of really engulfs you in it because it's ethereal and spiritual. But again, there's kind of this like melancholy to it. And yeah, the background vocals are layered really nicely. I think the way they, it's not very obvious that,
01:11:11 --> 01:11:34 astir and stellar on here it's all kind of mixed and blended quite nicely here and you know them being on this holds holds a lot of meaning too so i kind of love that they're on it so yeah this is a really beautiful track it is kind of like you left the club and now like real life has come back you know like real life has kind of come back and kind of bombarded you a little bit and taken over your mind again yeah um
01:11:34 --> 01:12:00 as you leave the club so that's kind of an interesting kind of way to end the album and i kind of love that like these last few songs are all more introspective you know kind of similar to the first album um so yeah it's i kind of love that this is so multi-layered as a project yes indeed this one i use the p word so this one's a 10 for me i do like it yeah love that okay i will give it a nine
01:12:01 --> 01:12:27 All right, up next is My Sins Are My Savior featuring Stromae. And this was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Stromae, Magnus Bard, Lars Harkinson, Anders Hansen, Tim Norrell, and Per Theron. And this samples Army of Lovers by Army of Lovers. My Army of Lovers by Army of Lovers of Love.
01:12:27 --> 01:12:52 I forgot the possession. The pronoun. And this is the closing track on the standard physical album. And verse one features Madonna speaking French, where she says, I wasn't lost. I was just broken. They tried to bring me down. I don't care. My sins are my savior. Now, granted, she's not saying French, but I just thought I'd give you the Madge version of events.
01:12:53 --> 01:13:10 I will say this reminds me of justify my love a little bit with all the spoken. Ness of it. Yeah. Yeah. The production is great on this. Like again, it feels very spiritual, but the beat is just so heavy. Yeah. You know? And then again, it's very introspective. The,
01:13:10 --> 01:13:29 echoing in the production there are just so many little elements that come in that are all really beautiful you get these kind of like little little hits that come in some of them sound really metallic some of them are more kind of warm um so yeah this is a cool one to listen to because I feel each time I listen to it I just hear something different in it
01:13:29 --> 01:13:47 Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate this one because, like, I think the lyrical content is interesting because there's so many extremes when it comes to morality and how we all interact with it. Some people live so perfectly that they're sheltered and ignorant to differences. Others do wrong for so long that they become uber conservative or, like, they just...
01:13:47 --> 01:14:17 become a lost cause that passes away. And then some people live like secret lives that make them feel like they can never live in their truth. And I think with Madonna, from listening, I don't know the woman, but I think from listening to this song, she has found a sweet spot that makes her feel fulfilled. She's embodied the spirit of Belle de Jour and has found the light. And she's even provided liberation for other souls, which is what Stromae was saying in his verse. Like, you know, you're the light for others. You are, you know, his strongest soldier.
01:14:17 --> 01:14:46 And I think it's interesting because it's like, even if this is not my favorite song, I can understand the sentiment. Because there are people who listen to this who have found balance in a life where they're not arrogant but live shamelessly. Or maybe they found inspiration through Madonna or maybe they're an inspiration themselves. But yeah, I think the sample provides a great soundscape into how intimacy doesn't have to be explicit. Even if it is, it is okay. I think you have to bare your soul in certain ways in order to discover yourself and discover a higher calling or a higher power, etc.,
01:14:46 --> 01:15:13 And I think it's an exploration that creates revelation that can bring the peace and joy and freedom that she is, that she experienced previously. Because I think with, again, like I was saying about like dance music and the cultures that developed on different sides of the world, people think it's like dirty and like vain and kind of all these bad things. But she's like, I found so much saving in that sin. So I do appreciate that for sure.
01:15:14 --> 01:15:39 Yeah. What do you think of Stroh May's voice? Like his addition to this track? It was very nice to have. I mean, I was looking at a photo of him. He does not look like how he sounds. Ooh. Take a look. I am going to look now. Yeah. I was like, oh, okay. Oh. Yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah. Very cool. Yeah. I was like, okay, interesting look. Interesting look. Um...
01:15:40 --> 01:16:01 But yeah, Stormé does not look the way I was expecting them to sound, you know? But yeah, it seems like Stormé has been working with the girlies. Tove Lu, Tove Lu, Tove Lu, period! If you guys know what I'm talking about, Tove Lu, period! Working with the pop girlies. But yeah, I think just having that extra voice, that's just... It sounds like the voice of some type of hire.
01:16:02 --> 01:16:32 Exactly. It sounds like a preacher coming in. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know? So I appreciate that. I do. I do. All right. So I'll give this one a 7.5. I'm going to match you because I thought about my score and I was like, is it a little too high? I'll match you. Okay. Next up is Betrayal done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Mirwai, Eric, Sadie, and Parisi. And this samples No Cien No. 1 by Eric Sadie. And this is written about her stepmother, Joan, who passed away in 2024.
01:16:37 --> 01:16:56 Let it go. Oof. Wow. This is a truly confessional track. Her relationship with her stepmother was flawed. And granted, because we don't know the full scope of everything, we're just hearing it from not just one side, but like we're hearing it after everything has been said and done. It is hard for me to even determine what the truth is. Um...
01:16:56 --> 01:17:14 Between them, I'm pretty sure it wasn't easy because, you know, your mother has passed away and now you have a stepmother. You're just like, the stepmother thing is tough, tough shoes to fill for sure. But yeah, I'm like, was her mother a Judas, stepmother a Judas, or was she a Peter who denied Jesus three times? Yeah.
01:17:14 --> 01:17:39 Yeah, guys, I went to Catholic school. So I know a little bit too much. But yeah, I think there's a difference in betrayal because Judas was like straight up like, I'll sell you out. Peter denied Jesus three times when people asked him about him. And eventually he was like, I lied. I knew him. But yeah, this instrumental feels like a cop show. And before anyone says anything, I think about it. Ooh. Right? I hear that. It kind of goes like that.
01:17:39 --> 01:17:55 That's hilarious. And I don't mean to say that as long as it's so serious, but I thought about it and I was like, ooh, it's all pensive and revealing at the same time. And like, it's just asking the listeners to understand. And if you do relate, you can. But if you don't, also just again,
01:17:55 --> 01:18:24 understand where she's coming from. I don't think this song is meant to be like, oh my God, this is a hit. Like, if you don't like it, you're a fool. If I like it, I have better taste than you. It's meant to be some type of cathartic moment for her because she has experienced this complex relationship with a mother and now has lost that person. So I think I do appreciate that for sure. And the line, you'll never take my mother's place is a strong line. Because I do wonder if by becoming a mother herself, she's open to her eyes,
01:18:24 --> 01:18:46 to certain things or maybe understood the method in which, you know, that woman approached things or if it affected how she parented. So I think, like I said, it's just so nuanced to sit there and like try to understand the whole thing would be like a little bit unfair to both of us to be like, oh, we know because we're listening. We don't know what the heck Madonna was trying to do. But I think for me, like this is not about
01:18:47 --> 01:19:17 yeah this is a song to be on the record to make you guys be like wow this is her best work it's just for her to release the energy and i got that from this for sure yeah i i think first off the sample is so cool i did not know no cn number one but i did go listen to the original and it is that piano right and it's such a beautiful track that there's uh there's a dread to it yeah like there's
01:19:17 --> 01:19:47 to it, which makes sense given the topic. Because like I said, we don't really know what her relationship was with her, but clearly there was some drama there and a heaviness there. And having that as a sample was such a beautiful choice. And then you mix that with the dramatic strings and kind of these wiry synths and stuff. So again, I think the production really carries this one. The melody, not my fave here.
01:19:47 --> 01:20:04 I think that there's the use of layered vocals, which I enjoy. Like, they're kind of strategically done. And so the way it echoes and everything, like, it adds to the feeling of the whole thing. And I do like the lyric of the open the dam, let the water crush in. Yeah.
01:20:04 --> 01:20:26 Yeah, again, it just doesn't fully grab me the way that I want it to, melodically. Yes. Yeah. But I will say it did grow on me. I think the first couple times I listened to this album, I will be honest, as we got to this kind of last part, it did lose me slightly. Mm-hmm. Because, you know, kind of the whole energy just kind of stays quite low. Yeah. Yeah.
01:20:26 --> 01:20:53 um where he has the first kind of two-thirds of the album it really kind of goes up and down um so this song often lost me but as i really sat down and tried to listen to it and really kind of felt it more i i it grew on me okay um but i will say the production is stronger than the vocal and the melody yes i agree i gave this one a 7.5 okay i'll go slightly higher in june 8
01:20:54 --> 01:21:09 All right, up next is The Test with Lola Leon. And this is done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Lola Leon, which is Madonna's daughter, and ARCA. And Lola brought the idea to collaborate with Madonna as a method to repair their mother-daughter relationship.
01:21:09 --> 01:21:28 And I have to say, I do, again, appreciate the sentiment. I think this latter half is for Madonna. If you relate to this, great for you. I love that for you. You deserve to have reconciliation in your life.
01:21:28 --> 01:21:55 It's one of the key sacraments. The seven. So I think that's great. But I do believe in terms of what we're doing here on our show, which is to review the song, it is not my favorite in terms of its delivery. That little star reference to Madonna's track of the same name for her daughter from Ray of Light. Love that. It's very sweet. It feels more intimate. It feels like a little bit more of a peer into their life. And the first verse acts as an apology for Madonna with Lola's
01:21:55 --> 01:22:20 voice being more raspy and breathy and that second verse is a welcome tone um her voice does sound good on the record but is the record like absolutely amazing i can't say that it is again it's for madonna to feel connected to her daughter and i love that for her i just did not feel that this articulated that as well as i think it could have especially with the artist that especially with the artist that she is and that the
01:22:20 --> 01:22:50 the resources that she has. This is not like my favorite in terms of how it was executed. But, you know, just talking about the whole like story around it, Madonna as a mother, I wonder if that would have been like, like obviously it's a crap ton of attention, but then Lola had mentioned in 2021 in an interview with Interview Magazine that Madonna was a control freak. And that surprised me because it's like Madonna had been so carefree in her youth. And I guess with the change of, A, becoming a mother and also finding spirituality, she may have had a moment in her life where she was like,
01:22:50 --> 01:23:15 This is for your protection. Clink. And whatever that clink was, it just made her feel trapped, which goes back to what I was saying. I wonder what that was like being a young girl with your stepmother and you want to sit there and make music. So it's just so many dynamics are at play here. I would love to hear what she says about that eventually. And I do, again, appreciate the sentiment. I appreciate how they love each other and how they show mutual understanding by the end. But the execution was not super strong.
01:23:16 --> 01:23:45 Yes. I will say the kind of trip-hop vibe of this one is interesting. It did perk my ears a little bit because at least it was... It kind of added a bit more energy. Because like I said, the last part of this album is just a little slow. Maybe not slow. Just like lower energy. Yes. So it's good just to kind of give us something a little different here. I do think Lola's verse is interesting. Like given what you just said. You know, I think that whole...
01:23:46 --> 01:24:10 That whole first part where she's like, you're my reason to be and what I want and what I look like. Yeah. But then I trace the line of whatever and I like make it my own. Like make it her own. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I found that actually very well written. Mm hmm. But I agree with you in that the vocal. It's just. Again, it's that iciness that you mentioned, like there's no warmth.
01:24:11 --> 01:24:37 At all. And I think in this case, actually, the production's also not that warm either. So the whole thing just kind of loses me a little bit because in my mind, if this is kind of the reconciliation between the two and I'm just kind of acknowledging kind of what they are to each other, I want it to be really warm. Yeah. And yeah, I don't know. I don't get that at all. This is one that I...
01:24:38 --> 01:24:54 can't even really sing it back to you now. It's just not very memorable for me, unfortunately. Yeah. Okay, if I had to give you guys like a visual representation of the song, it's like giving two ice cubes, pushing them together and letting them melt. You know, you guys know how ice cubes get stuck together. Yeah.
01:24:55 --> 01:25:19 oh no madonna's a great artist lola i haven't heard a lot of her music but you know what i'm so sorry six i'll go 6.5 someone's gonna be so mad in the comments i feel so bad for i subscribe because at one point or another someone's like you guys don't have to apologize every five seconds i'm like no for madonna fans i'd rather just let y'all know i'm gonna say something crazy sorry not really but y'all say sorry anyways
01:25:19 --> 01:25:47 Oh, man. I love ice. I chew ice, you know? It's bad for your teeth. Okay. Anyway. Not all the time. It was hot this weekend, and I needed some relief. The last track on this album is L.E.S. Girl. This was done by Madonna, Stuart Price, Watt, and Circuit. And fans speculate that this song is about Norris Burroughs, who wrote a book about his relationship with Madonna in the late 70s.
01:25:47 --> 01:26:16 and did kind of look like Marlon Brando so there you go you know what listen Madonna also said she was dating this guy and she wanted to be the lead singer of his band and he was like no and she said bye so yeah I think they're both kind of confirming I think he gives like mildly serial killer in the eyes but that different strokes for different folks could it be me I think it's just that
01:26:16 --> 01:26:35 I think you're thinking of that one picture, right? Where he is like... His eyes are sunken in a little bit. You know? And his brow ridge is giving... I'm not going to read this man to fill. The point is, not my stroke. It's her stroke. Anyway! Well, it sounds like he could have been the one.
01:26:37 --> 01:26:58 The one would have let her sing Lee in that band. I'm totally teasing. But I'm not at the same time because if you love me, you love me down. Okay. But yes, this track ends the album on a contemplative note. Contemplative note. Excuse me. And there is no dancing. There is no holding her back. But there is opportunity.
01:26:58 --> 01:27:27 The Lower East Side girl is a hot mess. She's dating a handsome boy who's going nowhere. Well, in her mind, going nowhere because she's like, I'm leaving you in the dust, right? But the LES girl is leaving. And everything in her past fades away as she steps into her new life as a shiny star on the dance floor, bringing us right back to the top of the album. And I think if you're like playing this song and just letting it kind of flow, it's the same with the Beyonce album. I mean, before people say, she came before, this is the chicken, not the egg.
01:27:27 --> 01:27:56 If you think about how the album kind of repeated, it was like, oh my God, perfect. I think for this, this makes sense. Like if you needed a reason to understand why the LES girl, whoever it is listening to this album, needed to go to the club, it's my brother, my mother, my family, my boyfriend, everyone's, oh my, I gotta leave all this behind. The one place that I can shine is in the limelight of that club. So when you go to the beginning of the album again, it just feels again, what's that word? So what?
01:27:57 --> 01:28:19 earned okay i was waiting for you to say earned it didn't come it's cool oh i'm waiting for i think the fans are saying it you know okay y'all leave it it's yeah it makes you guys feel so what it's so leave in the comments earned earned is the word today um but yeah i feel like for that i love the story um song's not my favorite but i do appreciate how it ties everything in really nicely
01:28:19 --> 01:28:47 Yes, I have a similar note to you. I love this as the ending of the album. Because yeah, like you said, you start off entering this club to escape. And this is one of the things she's escaping from. And it is giving kind of mourning after a little bit. You know, I've kind of mentioned, like as we get to this kind of more introspective part of the album, it's the leaving and kind of the world kind of coming back to you. Yeah. But this one, I think because you get that kind of,
01:28:49 --> 01:29:16 guitar kind of drum machine kind of slightly kind of it feels vintage in a way with the way it was produced it is giving kind of the final kind of like morning after coming down a little bit and there is that warmth and innocence to this one as well which i appreciate like it really stands out in a great way i think on this album because i think madonna has quite a hard exterior
01:29:16 --> 01:29:42 Yeah, she's a cool girl. She's an ice cube. Yeah. So now, you know, it's kind of nice to get something that's a bit softer and vulnerable to kind of end the album. And I think the melody here is actually really nice. So I appreciate this one. I'll give it an 8. I will give this one a 7.5. Not bad. Maybe an 8 in eventual my future. I'll listen to this album again, but 7 for now.
01:29:42 --> 01:30:03 Yes. So Madonna did feature Hot Sauce as a bonus song on the icon edition of the album. And as we had mentioned earlier, she did also say that she recorded additional songs that did not make it onto the album, including one called What Will Save Me. So she hopes to release the extra songs in the future. So I'm assuming we'll get a deluxe version. Mm-hmm.
01:30:04 --> 01:30:27 If she does that, we will be back to review those. So until then, though, let's move on to our cut or keep section. So if we had to cut a song off this album, what would it be and why? So our producer, Ren, who is on our Patreon, his cut is between Read My Lips, which he finds a bit annoying, mainly in the latter half, when...
01:30:27 --> 01:30:49 the male vocalist appears or love without words, which isn't that memorable for him or my sins are my savior, which he says is also just okay. So what do you think? You know what? Valid to all of those love without words. I had to grow. I had to grow on me. I totally get that. My sins are my savior. I get that too. But I think the thing that I would cut is,
01:30:49 --> 01:31:12 is probably read my lips it is probably the weakest song on the album and it doesn't really take crazy risk and also she just does not sound the best on this i'm not gonna that's fair yeah that's fair i i think i would actually choose the test you know what i'm sorry i know it's very meaningful for her and lola
01:31:13 --> 01:31:24 But for me, it just doesn't do anything for me. And that is okay. And I'll tell you why. Because that song is for Madonna and her daughter's relationship. Y'all...
01:31:24 --> 01:31:47 it's gone yes so ren's keep for the album um is between danceteria which he thinks is superb yeah he also said bring your love which he said some are not loving but he adores it and aside from those it would be good for the soul or everything which are both epic okay let me see
01:31:49 --> 01:32:18 All good choices. There are really good choices. Okay. If I were to keep a song, I thought I'd keep a song. Okay. I know I gave one of these songs a 10, but I'm like, would I show this to someone like, oh, this album is really amazing. This is a 10 for me and my spirit. But the song that I would keep to represent the whole of this album, whole, to give an idea of what's fun and what's good, I would say very basically bizarre. I know it's basic.
01:32:18 --> 01:32:39 But it's the first song that I heard on here and I was like, okay, hang on. Hang on. There's some textures here. That or maybe school. But I just, I get, I like the songs where she's giving us a picture of her life with the music. Or she's like, I'm a hot chick. And as someone who likes to think that she tries a little too hard, because again, I got to know her in her latter half of her career.
01:32:40 --> 01:32:51 That school song doesn't feel like she's trying too hard. So between those two for me, really. Nice. Yeah. Bazaar is up there for me, too, actually. Yeah, I think I think it's really fun just as a as a pop song.
01:32:52 --> 01:33:10 But I would actually pick Good for the Soul here. Good for the Soul. Because, yeah, I think it's great. It's a great representation of just the thesis of the album. And I kind of like the kind of spiritual aspect of it as well. So, yeah, I'll go for that one. That's valid. All right, so...
01:33:11 --> 01:33:33 What do we think of Confessions 2? All right. You know, I like this a little bit more than the first one. I think so, too. Yeah, it's a testament to my personal taste as well. Euro dance is something that I'm still trying to, like, get into a lot. Not a lot. Not all of the time. But sometimes I'm just like, this kind of sounds like this is okay.
01:33:33 --> 01:33:58 Right. Because, again, I grew up listening to black dance music. So the rhythms that I'm expecting and I don't hear them like, oh, man, doesn't mean anything's better than the others is that my expectation kind of clouds a little bit. And I'm like, I don't know. I heard a little bit more there here. And I heard a good blend of Euro and American dance and a bunch of other futuristic things without it being too try hard.
01:33:58 --> 01:34:26 And I think that's really important. And also, like I said, because I got into her in the latter half of her career, like, you know, Four Minute came out and I was just like, what the heck? What is this video? Oh, my God. Like, I was a kid being like, ooh, what is this? You know, so I didn't really, I didn't get it. I don't know if any, like, Madonna fan, like, loves that song. But, you know, as an adult now, I love that song. It's probably not even her best song. Again, this is where I'm coming from, right, in terms of, like, my development of getting to know her. Yeah.
01:34:26 --> 01:34:50 And I've seen her do a lot of things that made me feel like, wow, that was kind of extra. That was a little bit much. Like, she's trying too hard. But again, I think if you think about, now that I know, now we're doing this show as well, where she started, where she hit her peak, where she kind of fell off and now is releasing this. This is pretty solid. And like she said, during that mildly awkward acceptance speech, Prince is gone.
01:34:51 --> 01:35:12 Michael's gone. I'm still here. And yeah, she's still here and she's still good. So rest in peace to those artists. Love them down, obviously, but it's true from the, to be from the eighties and how many decades later, not to come to. And yeah, to, to, you know, the grip. Impressed. This feels good as an album.
01:35:12 --> 01:35:39 Yes, I'm super impressed by the album as well. Just a really strong body of work. The journey it takes you on is great. Again, I will say, I think the ending, it drags just slightly, I would say. But overall, I do think it's stronger than part one. I do think actually the highs are maybe not as high as part one, though. I will say Hung Up is still just...
01:35:39 --> 01:35:48 I mean, that is a perfect, perfect pop song. You know what I mean? But I think as a project...
01:35:48 --> 01:36:11 It's strong as a whole. And you can tell that there was a very clear vision behind it. I think they executed that well. And I think I said this earlier, but this is going to be awesome visually as a tour. I hope this gets toured. Because I can... I mean, you were mentioning visuals for some of the songs. Like, there is so much you can do with this album. And I think she could do some really cool things with it. So...
01:36:11 --> 01:36:27 So yeah, I'm really happy with this album. I'm definitely going to keep a bunch of these on a bunch of my playlists for sure. And our producer, Ren, said he's really happy that she's having this moment. It's been so long since she's had a big moment. Because honestly, the last three albums...
01:36:27 --> 01:36:51 Not the greatest. Yeah. You know, and she has mentioned that, you know, the team that she was working with, with Interscope, the whole kind of, yeah, she just wasn't working in a way that she enjoyed. So her getting to kind of take control again with the label that she knows she's always been with since the beginning. That's awesome. And I love that she is still doing all this, you know?
01:36:51 --> 01:37:06 Yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot. But yeah, she's been doing a great job. I'm enjoying to kind of get to know her properly now. So yeah. Okay, so my final rating for this album is an 8.5. Oh, nice. I will give this one an 8.5.
01:37:07 --> 01:37:27 Madonna fans, Disciples. I don't know. We're going to figure out a name for y'all. I think you have an unofficial official name. I'll call it Disciples, especially for this album. What do you think of Confessions on a Dance Floor Part 2? Let us know in the comments and tell us what other artists or albums you want us to review and give commentary for next. And a huge shout out to our CCTV crew on Patreon. That's Hillary.
01:37:27 --> 01:37:47 Lily, Emily, Darius, Phoenix, Ren, George, Julianne, Jonathan, Janelle, Luke, Ivana, Wyatt, Ryan, and Celeste. Oh my God, we're almost like a Beyonce track listing for songwriters. Wow, we generally couldn't do this without you. And don't forget, you can follow us ever at CCTV Pops. And if you're watching on YouTube, don't forget to subscribe and turn on the notifications. And if you are listening from a podcast app.
01:37:47 --> 01:38:03 A follower rating really helps. Five stars, five stars. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Chantal. And we're signing off from CCTV, the nonstop pop show. It's good for the soul. Oh. I'm ascending.