Reviews by daniel

When Madonna announced the sequel to Confessions on a Dance Floor it felt like an ambitious project, and one that could actually not work that well shaded by one of the most acclaimed works of the Queen of Pop. But, actually, this Confessions II is pure dance floor, pure Madonna and pure great production and lyricism, constituting not only an ambitious project, but a magnificent album that could enter among Madonna's best albums ever.

The queen of reinvention does not only seek for catchy songs and disco vibes in this album, flowing through different sounds, more encapsulated into house and electronic music. In that sense, this album is also a little bit of Erotica, Ray of Light, Music and even American Life (there are several moments in which acoustic sounds appear, as well as the breathtakingly beautiful final track, "L.E.S. Girl", a very "Intervention"-esque track). In that sense, the album is the actual continuation, the new version of the original Confessions, going from the 60's-80's to the 90's-00's. And, in that exploration, Madonna finds also sounds that have been in her music, because she was also part of the music of those decades – and still is, this album is just a reminder. It's beautiful to find songs that sound a little bit like her previous works, but updated, with a new outstanding production, fruit of her collaboration with Stuart Price. This album, as the previous one, sounds very atemporal: there are nostalgic moments, futuristic ones, ethereal songs and very innovative productions in here.

Also, Madonna finds in this album new sounds that match her so well. And there is also a mixture of textures that is very rich. From pianos, experimentations, the pitching of her voice, a trumpet, choirs and subtle strings, this album really grows and becomes breathtaking. The music drives you through a kind of trance ("call it trance [...] call it love without words") in which Madonna shows herself vulnerable, fragile, but also optimistic and full of joy and energy. This album is about love, the need of connection, of being surrounded by people, in contrast with Confessions on a Dance Floor, which is a very individualistic record in which Madonna finds the liberation in herself (in Jump, "I can make it alone"). After this liberation, this Confessions II seems to find Madonna in that seek of love, of connection of which she talks about throughout the record.

The first half of the album is about love and liberation. Of being surrounded by the loved ones and letting go. And, as in Confessions on a Dance Floor, as it flows, it becomes more introspective, confessional and intimate. Songs like "Bizarre", "Fragile", "Betrayal" and "The Test" show a more vulnerable side of Madonna. The loss of her brother Christopher, the marriage with Sean Penn and a love she has never forgotten about, the relationship with her daughter, and with her stepmother. Madonna sings about loss and regrets, and the dance floor becomes a place in which she can canalise this sorrow. As she says in "One Step Away", a ritualistic place for healing. And, as a way of ending the party, "L.E.S. Girl" adds a more optimistic point of view, her story when she wasn't Madonna, when she got to New York and a relationship there which was not meant to last. But there are several paths, and she followed her own to be Madonna, letting some things go. But that's what life's about.

This Confessions II is a wonderful project, a very cinematic album (something that is very well accomplished through the narrative parts) in which the songs are also soundscapes, and the music drives you from one stage to another, diving into the meaning of love and connection. The production is exquisite, very polished and very moving, but also ethereal when the songs become more introspective. And it surely is a very beautifully written album. So, what to say? Madonna has done it again, she has recovered all her force and channeled her feelings through this music. Through an album that is a blend of different sounds, that really gets you in a dance floor, in that place of healing and connection in which Madonna has found herself, liberated herself, and learned to love.

Is this album the definition of a waste of time. Because, it surely is what I expected, but I must say the beginning of the first song confused me and made me think it would be better. Sure it is not better than just a bunch of sounds blended all together in endless loops that try to be atmospheric and dance at the same time. It feels weak many times, and I cannot see the real appealing of this music. It is just the same thing over and over, and, to be honest, as the album progresses it gets even worse, more annoying and distasteful. It may have been an inspiring record, or a highlight in the techno scene, but, to be honest, if it is really anything of that, the album hides its secret very well. Because the songs are not enjoyable at all on a conscious listen. Even as background music it must be a pain to listen to.

Well, it is, at least, interesting. This album starts very nicely, but loses its touch as it evolves. The songs are a mixture of different things, and there is some cohesion too, which makes of it a very well-constructed album. It does not feel repetitive. But, it feels bland at many moments. Some songs, even though creative, lack a better development of their ideas. It feels like it tries so hard to be a much more interesting record and fails at delivering something that is nice, at some moments even interesting and enjoyable, but most of the time is just a good idea that has not been well accomplished. It lacks better hooks, more interesting textures and melodies, and not just that alternative sound that feels more of a way of masking the imperfections.

Great, fantastic, spectacular. This album is such a funny and very interesting one. Irreverent, virtuous, varied and so comical, it takes so many different sounds and blends some different genres so effortlessly into also very fresh and also great songs. I've loved every second of it. It is very inspiring and original, and so enjoyable too.

This album is… well, not my kind of go-to record, for sure. I can appreciate certain things, what can be appealing, some nice productions. And that is why I consider that is is not bad. It is even enjoyable sometimes. But I cannot say that I’ve liked it either. It is pretty repetitive sometimes, pretty uninteresting too. And, to be honest, it would have benefited from being shorter. Some songs are just not appealing at all. So, maybe in this case I appreciate it more than I like it. I can understand what is remarkable. It is just not remarkable for me.

I’m starting to discover that I really love Neil Young. The songwriting, warm sound of the music, the beautiful melodies, such great instrumental arrangements… everything is immaculate, spectacular, so moving, so touching, so enjoyable. It is such a fantastic record with so many great songs. I’ve loved every single second of this album. It is simply fabulous. Catchy and virtuous at the same time. So great.

It's The Rolling Stones, and it's magnificent. Bluesy, energetic, so enjoyable and fun to listen to, and with some great songs. It may be nothing innovative, but in this album they really play their cards by making a pretty solid debut. I may judge it considering their later albums, but I also have to speak for the great time I had listening to this one. So, I cannot deny that they were really fresh even at the beginning. They are not inventing anything in this album, but, damn, ain't it so much fun?

This album is really surprising, and one that, at the end, unfolds to be better than what it may seem at the beginning. But, first of all, and as much as I love a good acoustic album, as an acoustic record, it has the mistake of being too insipid at certain moments. It just tends to be mellow, warm, pleasant, sometimes to the extent it does not transmit anything or has nothing actually interesting to offer. But, it has something interesting though. It has some great, beautiful melodies and really good songwriting. Some instrumentals are wonderful, and it really flows so well. If it were not because of some melodies, the album would be unremarkable, bland and even bad. But it combines perfectly all its elements, and, although it fails in some songs to really get to something good, most of the songs are pretty good. And the whole project is pretty bold and enjoyable, with some interesting switches to more energetic tracks. It has a little bit of everything an acoustic album can offer (even though it is not acoustic all the time, or even purely acoustic as there are some other instruments and arrangements that escape what could be considered actually acoustic), and it really feels like an immersive experience. So, at the end, it really wraps everything sweetly.

I really like how eclectic this album feels. There are some great songs, some that combine the punk spirit of the record with a pretty nice goth rock sound. And, it really sounds pretty well and fresh. The vocals also sound pretty original, matching greatly the spirit of the record. So, although it has its flaws, it’s still a very energetic and enjoyable album.

This album has some interesting ideas, and some really nice choices. The production is great too, and yet, even if it is very polished, it feels cold at times. It does not transmit anything at some moments. I cannot deny that Beyoncé has a nice voice, but it is not enough if she does not have any emotion in some songs, being plain and very average. It is the result of how bland rhythm and blues became because of its mixture with hyper-produced pop and hip-hop. Some songs are really good, some are nice, but many are just insipid and uninspired. I think it is a nice album, I would not say it's bad, there are certainly some really good tracks in it, but it lacks of more personality, of really outstanding tracks, of feeling genuine. Not just as a product. Because it feels calculated. And, even though it works, I do not feel it is enough for an album to be qualified as great. I won't go against the mainstream, but I need to feel that it is trying to go somewhere. And it just feels like a compilation of some good songs with other not-that-good tracks under an also very uninspired title as calling it BEYONCÉ. If it is supposed to represent her, she must be a very boring and plastic person, because this album has some really good parts, but most of it is just the same thing over and over.

I’m very surprised. In theory, this is the kind of album I would (and usually) dislike. But it’s not been the case at all. Melodically, it is a very pleasant album, with some really wonderful melodies (although most are pretty silly, and still enchanting, if I may use the word "silly" to describe a melody). Also, there is a psychedelic touch that really complements this album really well. It’s not an absolute masterpiece, but it is great, such an enjoyable album to listen to.

This album is such a gem, so interesting and hauntingly original. There are lots of little details, mixtures of different gentes (a bit of folk too), and a great psychedelic touch. Many of the songs are also pretty strong, although there is so much experimentation going on too. It’s delicate, joyful, and even beautiful at many moments. I’ve loved it.

This album has really interesting moments and sounds, as well as some great songs. But, more than forty tracks is heavy. And, sure, they are not so long, the length of it is certainly nice, but the issue does not come from the length itself but the content. It is difficult to put more than forty great songs in a single album, it is hard to make everything outstanding, and, in this case, some songs strip the magic of this record. I found some songs really original. Maybe not in the sense of inventing something or pushing something further, but they have a great personality, and they flow really nicely. That is why I hate to find songs that are very unmemorable too. It is not immaculate, and it wouldn't necessarily need to, but it does not have a good balance either. It feels like fulling it with so many songs kills the rhythm, the interest, and, lastly, opaques what could be a fantastic album. It is great, but it lacks a more clear direction.

I'm very surprised by this album. I didn't know what to expect, but it has great compositions that evolve genres like indie pop music into other more substancial, or original sounds, by mixing layers of acoustic instruments with other electronic sounds and arrangements, building a beautiful and warm album with some great songs. And I am not a fan of indie pop, but this album is absolutely gorgeous.

I've really liked it. I mean, it's funny, energetic, a well-focused live (some great songs), concise. Yeah, it's not too much, nothing really surprising, there is not much to judge in here. It just comes and goes. And for that, I am down. Not to call it memorable, but to call it really good.

This is really fun, at least at some moments. But it’s not brilliant at all. This album has some nice songs and others not so good too. But it’s not memorable at all, nor an album that really sticks in any place. It has some nice arrangements, some pretty good tracks and so much energy. But it lacks of songs that really highlight. Everything in this album has some good energy but not much impact. Most songs feel the same and, even though as a whole the album works for having a nice time, it has not the flavour that may make of it something really outstanding.

This is a really surprising record, to be honest. When I first listened to it I was delighted by how beautiful and melancholic it is. And I still am. It is surely a more mature step into Billie Eilish's discography, developing her very soft and warm way of singing into some very atmospheric yet emotional tracks, some with pretty wonderful twists. The production is also fantastic, and the variety of sounds in here also make of this album something much bolder and interesting. It is very immersive, sonically talking. And I love how she does it without being bland or insipid at any time, the songs flow very well and have some subtle changes or new layers that build a great soundscape in which to get lost.

I would say this is not what I like at all, but, for some reason, I have really enjoyed listening to this album. And, listening to it I have had a debate while thinking that I usually dislike this kind of music, but the combination of very volatile and noisy pop-rock songs with some funny layers at times and some really nice arrangements too has won me this time. I have really liked it, and that is strange, but strangely wonderful. It's a very pleasant album, to be honest, and even enjoyable if you listen to it at the right time. I wouldn't say it's the greatest thing I've ever heard, but surely it is very well constructed and effective as a very jingle-ish album, with some pretty solid songs. Not bad at all.

What a fun record, it actually is such a huge energetic one full of great songs. It sounds raw, and so full of different layers too, so aggressively wonderful. It's been such a great time listening to it.

This album is delightful, so beautiful and full of different wonderful directions. Sometimes Tori channels Kate Bush, or even all over the album, but she also has a lot of charm and personality. This album has some rock directions, some even folkish, and all through very ethereal sounds, very sweet songs. I am delighted by this record. It is candy for the ears. So melancholic at certain moments, and so grandoise at others, so stripped too, and even so energetic sometimes. It is so full of emotion.