Madonna

Ray Of Light

The best album of 1998

Review Score:

(10/10)
Nobody knew what Madonna was up to back in 1997. Then came Frozen and the world stood still. I can still remember the first time I listened to Frozen on the radio and thought - wow, that's a good song. And that I've never heard anything like that before. Then came the album in 1998 and became one of the biggest successes of the 90's. However, it wasn't predestined to become a success.

Before getting into detail with the songs there is a question that has to be answered. What led Madonna to Ray Of Light? We all know that Erotica (despite being a damned good album) with all its electronic beats failed. Then she tried R&B with Bedtime Stories - with moderate success. We all knew Madonna was fond of electronica and she had close ties with the `underground' artists. We also knew that `underground' was beating the `ground above' heavier than before in the 90's. However, nobody thought the ground would brake under Miss Ciccone's feet. Nevertheless there were some signs. The first: the song Bedtime Story (written by Bjork). Then: I Want You with Massive Attack. Anyway it was a big surprise when Madonna chose William Orbit as the main co-producer of her next album. The result was Ray Of Light. The album manages to find the golden middle way between the beeps, clicks, etc., music, harmony and good lyrics. Ray Of Light is electronica, it is mainstream and it is underground. Some might say these classifications can't be true all at once. In case of Ray Of Light they are. That's why it is the best album of 1998 and dare I say - the whole 90's. The album is perfect from the very beginning to the very end. It is Madonna's most mature album and the highlight of her career. Anything she's done since then or before is worse (which doesn't mean that her other works are bad!).

The songs:

1, Drowned World/Substitute For Love: surprise opener and the third song released as a single. I always like to analyze the first and last line of Madonna's albums. This time the first line is: "I traded fame for love without a second thought". The line is absolutely true. It is the perfect opener to an introspective album. The song begins slow and gets pace at the end.

2, Swim: William Orbit plays guitar and the Queen of Pop sings about the great truth of our lives - once you get to the bottom of your life, things will get better. Meanwhile there are some nasty lyrics designated for the church and the schools. The song is middle-pace.

3, Ray Of Light: the Grammy Best Song Winner of 1998. Third best song of the album and the second single. The video made for this song was Madonna's best video. Many clicks and beeps however, all have their place and the songs really kicks. The tempo rises.

4, Candy Perfume Girl: a bit annoying, though not bad. The worst song of the album and the only forgettable piece of work. Indefinable tempo.

5, Skin: begins slow and gets quicker and quicker until the `let's dance the hell outta myself' ending. The best dance song on the album. The lyrics are silly though what would you expect from a dance song...

6, Nothing Really Matters: expressive song about past failures. Despite the theme, it is a dance song and a good one. It was the fifth single from the album. Still uptempo.

7, Sky Fits Heaven: racing song in a Buddhist mood. The best lyrics of the album can be found here. Despite being absolutely uptempo this is not a dance song. From here on we go spiritual.

8, Shanti/Ashtangi: many people didn't like this song. It's good. It is a blow-down-your-head ethno-techno-pop song that (if you don't mind Madonna's pretty bad Indian accent) is very good. It is in fact a yoga verse that Madonna though could become a song. I liked it.

9, Frozen: the first single and the best song of the album. It such a stand-out track that if you don't listen to anything else from the album, just Frozen, you get what the album can deliver only as a whole. It is not a quickie, it is the longest song of the album and from here on the tempo and mood goes down.

10, The Power Of Goodbye: the second best song and the fourth single from the album. The song is about learning to say goodbye (in this case - to a relationship, but the meaning is broader) and knowing the power of letting go. This is also a showcase song - how to write a song that cannot be put into any style yet to find an arrangement that is simply perfect.

11, To Have And Not To Hold: song about not having luck in love. The lyrics are very good (`Like a moth to a flame only I am to blame'), the mood and the tempo are absolutely down here. Yet it is good to listen to this song. It has a kind of foggy November mornings mood.

12, Little Star: song for baby Lourdes. I like this song, it reminds me of Dear Jessie from Like A Prayer (both cutes songs). Back then, Madonna didn't have a child and sang about pink elephants and lemonade. This time she knows that being yourself is more important and she says `Never forget who you are, Little Star'.

13, Mer Girl: strange closing song about her mother. I swear I got the chills the first time I listened to it because of its lyrics about the rotten bones burning in the forest. Anyway, it's a good song. And the last line of the album is: `I run and I run, I'm still running away'. It is true once again just like the first line of the album was.

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