Madonna

Ray Of Light

A Ray of Golden Light to Thaw the Frozen Soul

Review Score:

(10/10)
It seems this is Madonna's last great album, well to me at least. On 2000's MUSIC she stumbled, and 2003's AMERICAN LIFE she plummeted even further into the abyss. On 1998, she seems more focused than ever before on her music, which is more than I can say about her newer stuff. This was one of the best era's of her career, she truly made a huge comeback and impact with this album. A lot happened between 1994's BEDTIME STORIES and the release of this album in March of 1998. She starred as Evita Peron in EVITA in 1996, and gave birth to daughter Lourdes in the same year. Did motherhood change Madonna? Yes it did.

Working with producer William Orbit, the album has a sonically sweet sound that borrows heavily from electronica without overshadowing the poignant impact of the lyrics. She sings about how she's changed on "Drowned World/Substitute For Love", "Nothing Really Matters", and others. "Swim" seems to be an epiphany about how she longs to be renewed and whole again. She sings of motherhood on the lullaby-ish "Little Star". She tackles past demons about her own mother on "Mer Girl", which is haunting and graphic. "To Have And Not To Hold" is an excellent ballad, as is "The Power of Goodbye". Overall a strong collection of songs from the material mom.

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