Madonna

Ray Of Light

Shedding some light

Review Score:

(8/10)
Let's make this 4.32 stars...to be as fair and accurate as possible;)
This was actually the first Madonna album i bought, and though i was expecting it to be interesting, i was very surprised by the emotional depth and musical exploration it showcased for the masses. First off, i think that many people should be grateful to Madonna for showing this more esoteric music for the commerical market, getting more people to be interested in "the underground". But let's get to the album itself, which i think is a great triumph for Madonna on many levels, as well as a musical treat.
1/ Drowned World/Substitute For Love: from the moment you hear this song, you know the album is going to carry some sort of heavy weight. Perhaps, like most of the album, there is something Slightly pretentious, let captivating. It's a good song and was a single with a frightening video.
2/ Swim: perhaps one of the most cliche-sounding songs on the album, with slihgtly clunky yet sincere lyrics...and it spite of this, it isn't a bad song. it has William Orbit's trademark "wah-wah" drifting, guitar, which does very much evoke images of liquids.
3/ Ray Of Light: undoubtedly the biggest hit from the album, with its frantic video to match its equally frantic beats. It is very listenable and well remixed.
4/ Candy Perfume Girl: A cool and edgy song with bizarre lyrics and loud guitar, this song is one of the highlights of the album.
5/ Skin: a fragmented, trippy, and engagingly disturbing Eastern-tinged techno song...its lyrics are desperate and dificult to ignore. the length of this song is part of its appeal to the listener.
6/ Nothing Really Matters: One of the catchiest songs on the album; uptempo, yet relaxing. Melancholy, yet uplifting. And yes, there is something somewhat pretentious about these lyrics as well, but we can forgive her, cuz it's such a memorable song. The video for it is one of her best.
7/ Sky Fits Heaven: A fragmented tale of her personal "revelation", the lyrics are once again questionable, but the production is sweeping and superb.
8/ Shanti/Ashtangi: Arguabley pretentious, but it is my personal favourite on the album. It is an Indian-dance chillout song, sung entirely in Sanskrit from ancient texts, and set to music by none other than Madonna and William Orbit.
9/ Frozen: This song and its striking video, were the first single off the album, and it's difficult to forget the longing lyrics seamlessly blended with the eastern and the techno, and the visuals, if you saw the video when it came out, as i did.
10/ The Power Of Goodbye: Perhaps the most openly mournful song on the album, it's simple yet compelling and catchy. Also a single, with a lonely-looking video.
11/ To Have and Not To Hold: This song is beautiful and heart-wrenching, with a drifty-sound.
12/ Little Star: This is Madonna's sweet tribute to her then-recently-born daughter. It's a new side of Madonna, coupled with a gorgeous arrangement and tune. It's one of her most memorable songs.
13/ Mer Girl: This song, which somehow manages to be frightening, pretentious, regretful, angry, contemplative, and yet sincere all at once, ends the album on a sobering, if not chilling note. It deals with her feelings of her mothers death at cryptically epic proportions.

Although we may miss the more rebelloious madona, it's nice that she's happy and willing to show us a side of her previously unrevealed. this album is refreshing and reccomended for every music lover's collection.

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