Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" DVD & CD - a review

[Coventina]

Apologies if this was already discussed. I haven't been around much due to work and health reasons. I'm also in the middle of moving. All these reasons contribute to why I am just now getting around to watching and listening to this DVD/CD combo of Madonna's most recent tour.

I'm going to start with the CD:

I have to preface it by saying that "Hard Candy" - which this tour supported - is my least favorite Madonna album next to "Erotica." Hard to say which one is more disappointing, but, IMHO, they are the worst two albums of her career. So, looking at a track list that is "Candy"-heavy was not encouraging.

1. Candy Shop Medley - one of my least favorite tracks from "Hard Candy". It's a lifeless song, but is watchable on the DVD because Madonna is, well, so full of energy and life herself. On the CD though, it still fails. But, since it's the opening number of the show, it sort of had to be included on the CD.

2. Beat Goes On - this is a fairly listenable track from "Hard Candy". Once again, much more entertaining to watch on the DVD than to listen to on the CD.

3. Human Nature - Yay! So glad to see this great song brought back! It is as relevant as it was when she first recorded it. "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me" indeed!

4. Vogue 2008 - Another timeless track reinvented by the mother of invention.

5. She's Not Me - One of the better tracks from "Hard Candy". Much better to watch on the DVD, however, to see the clever staging that goes along with the song's message.

6. Music 2008 - Awesome song, once again reimagined for a new tour. Great job!

7. Devil Wouldn't Recognize You - I have no use for this song, and would have preferred the inclusion of "Die Another Day 2008" from her sadly neglected, unfairly maligned, and misunderstood "American Life" album.

8. Spanish Lesson - one of the WORST songs Madonna has ever recorded, both melody-wise and lyric-wise. Ugh! A much better choice for inclusion would have been the brilliant "Into the Groove 2008".

9. La Isla Bonita 2008 - A much better homage to Latin culture than the painful "Spanish Lesson". This version of Madonna's classic mixes in "Pala Tute" with great results.

10. You Must Love Me - from Evita. This song has grown on me over the years.

11. Get Stupid Medley - I cannot understand why this was included on the CD. It is a sequence that fills time between scene and costume changes. For some reason, at least one of these fillers gets included on each of Madonna's concert CDs. A much better choice would have been the AMAZING rock version of "Borderline".

12. Like A Prayer 2008 - Fantastic. Don't know what else to say.

13. Give It 2 Me - the only truly great song from "Hard Candy". Great performance, and nobody does a finale like Madonna.

DVD review - short and sweet. Madonna is the hardest working woman in show business, and the results are in her performances. Her shows are spectacles that must be seen to be believed. Even a show with as many "bad" songs as this one is still amazing to watch.

So, I'll conclude this by saying fans will love it (and probably already own it).

What's ahead for Madonna? Word is that she's working on a rock album with a producer who has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Rage Against the Machine, AC/DC, Pearl Jam & Aerosmith. I don't know what I'll think of it, but I can't wait to hear it!

[applegrove]

1. I saw her concert years ago. She was outdancing her dancers. I look forward to getting this CD.

[Coventina]

2. If you're a fan, it is well worth it. IMHO, the Confessions Tour CD/DVD

package was better. But I was pleasantly surprised by this one. As I said before, I didn't like "Hard Candy" much, so "Sticky and Sweet" was a harder sell for me.

[applegrove]

3. I actually can't think of any of the hard candy songs. Didn't get the CD.

[Coventina]

4. The biggest single was "4 Minutes" with Justin Timberlake.

The other singles were "Give It 2 Me" (the best song on the record) and "Miles Away".

A collaboration between Madonna & Justin Timberlake should have been epic - two great pop powerhouses coming together! I was really excited about it (even though I'm not a big Timberlake fan, I don't have any of his records). But "4 Minutes" is a really weak song. It's not lyrically nor musically compelling, and the video was an odd mixture of boring and disturbing images. It was kind of like they couldn't decide if the song was supposed to be about sex or a "2012"-type end of the world.

"Miles Away" was obviously about her impending breakup with Guy Ritchie, kind of like how "Til Death Do Us Part" was on "Like A Prayer." "Miles Away" was really not strong enough to be a single, I was surprised by the choice. I don't know if it was one final message to Guy, or if it was just the best choice out of a bunch of bad ones.

I'm really hoping that her next album will be better than "Hard Candy". I think she can make an excellent rock record (which the rumors say she is moving toward). Although, in her case, I suppose people would label it "power pop." Either way, I'm looking forward to it!!

on edit: spelling

[bbernardini]

5. Meh. I did a version of "Borderline" like that at an open mic night at least 14 years ago.

I do like it that way, though.