The Warmer, Gentler Side of the Material Girl
Bedtime Stories (1994)
1. "Survival"
"I'll never be an angel/I'll never be a saint/it's true." Hmmm, this smooth R&B track seems to be about Madonna's "survival" mentality as she seems to be express the views of the media and public toward her. Even saying where she's been through heaven or hell, "I'm living to tell". It's a very cool intro to the album, already setting up not only a whole new sound and vibe for Madonna, but stating the album's theme/concept. I really enjoyed this one the first time I heard it a while back and I'm reminded this is solid song!
(B+)
"I'll never be an angel/I'll never be a saint/it's true." Hmmm, this smooth R&B track seems to be about Madonna's "survival" mentality as she seems to be express the views of the media and public toward her. Even saying where she's been through heaven or hell, "I'm living to tell". It's a very cool intro to the album, already setting up not only a whole new sound and vibe for Madonna, but stating the album's theme/concept. I really enjoyed this one the first time I heard it a while back and I'm reminded this is solid song!
(B+)
2. "Secret"
This is one of those Madonna songs I grew up listening to when I was a kid; constantly hearing it on the radio. I always wondered who sang this as the melody was so catchy! This is some fine R&B music right here. Madonna really captures the whole "swag" of the genre with songs like this and I adore it from start to finish!
(A)
This is one of those Madonna songs I grew up listening to when I was a kid; constantly hearing it on the radio. I always wondered who sang this as the melody was so catchy! This is some fine R&B music right here. Madonna really captures the whole "swag" of the genre with songs like this and I adore it from start to finish!
(A)
3. "I'd Rather Be Your Lover"
Another exceptionally smooth track is exactly what I wanted from "Did You Do It?" on "Erotica". It's an R&B/Hip-Hop jam that sees Madonna front and center with a brief cameo rhythm by Meshell Ndegeocello. With Madonna singing about her frustrating over a guy she wants to be more than friends with, this is an subtle yet enticing track that she has that head bopping vibe. Now, when your song has that affect on people, you know that's some good R&B or Hip-Hop music!
(B+)
Another exceptionally smooth track is exactly what I wanted from "Did You Do It?" on "Erotica". It's an R&B/Hip-Hop jam that sees Madonna front and center with a brief cameo rhythm by Meshell Ndegeocello. With Madonna singing about her frustrating over a guy she wants to be more than friends with, this is an subtle yet enticing track that she has that head bopping vibe. Now, when your song has that affect on people, you know that's some good R&B or Hip-Hop music!
(B+)
4. "Don't Stop"
This is a nice dance/R&B drack with a feel-good vibe. A nice groove to it like the previous tracks. I enjoy it simply that to it's a cool track for hanging out with you friends or just dancing to the beat or your own drum....or whatever the hell that saying is! Most might consider it filler, but it has a nice enough beat to it that makes you want to listen to it again, so I say pretty solid.
(B-)
This is a nice dance/R&B drack with a feel-good vibe. A nice groove to it like the previous tracks. I enjoy it simply that to it's a cool track for hanging out with you friends or just dancing to the beat or your own drum....or whatever the hell that saying is! Most might consider it filler, but it has a nice enough beat to it that makes you want to listen to it again, so I say pretty solid.
(B-)
5. "Inside of Me"
Hmmm, this is giving me "Erotica" vibes! Well, the title suggests that this song might be very sexual...but unfortunately, Madonna isn't talking about penetration again! Seriously, forgive my perverted expectations during these last reviews but....never mind. Anyway, this is a nice love song with a soothing beat and melody. But honestly, I just want to get to the next track because....
(B)
Hmmm, this is giving me "Erotica" vibes! Well, the title suggests that this song might be very sexual...but unfortunately, Madonna isn't talking about penetration again! Seriously, forgive my perverted expectations during these last reviews but....never mind. Anyway, this is a nice love song with a soothing beat and melody. But honestly, I just want to get to the next track because....
(B)
6. "Human Nature"
Not to be confused with Michael's social commentating classic, Madonna's "Human Nature" is her response to the scrutiny she endured from the media and the public from "Erotica"....hell, most of her career at that point even. And what does she have to say about? Oh you know, "And I'm not sorry/It's human nature", "Express yourself/don't repress yourself" and "I'm not your b!tch/Don't hang your shit on me". Over a classic R&B/Hip-Hop beat, Madonna denounces her naysayers and proudly says she has no regrets of being so sexually blunt. Also, the video for the song is one of my favorites from her with the latex/dominatrix outfits with Madonna and her dancers dancing in square cubs, dancing with rope, Madonna spanking her dog (lol), etc. But my favorite part of the song (or the video version of it) has to be at the very end where Madonna unapologetic-ally declares "Absolutely no regrets." A giant middle finger done so well! Love this song, one of her best!
(A+)
Not to be confused with Michael's social commentating classic, Madonna's "Human Nature" is her response to the scrutiny she endured from the media and the public from "Erotica"....hell, most of her career at that point even. And what does she have to say about? Oh you know, "And I'm not sorry/It's human nature", "Express yourself/don't repress yourself" and "I'm not your b!tch/Don't hang your shit on me". Over a classic R&B/Hip-Hop beat, Madonna denounces her naysayers and proudly says she has no regrets of being so sexually blunt. Also, the video for the song is one of my favorites from her with the latex/dominatrix outfits with Madonna and her dancers dancing in square cubs, dancing with rope, Madonna spanking her dog (lol), etc. But my favorite part of the song (or the video version of it) has to be at the very end where Madonna unapologetic-ally declares "Absolutely no regrets." A giant middle finger done so well! Love this song, one of her best!
(A+)
7. "Forbidden Love"
Madonna's confession of yearning for an unconventional romance is so stunning delivered here. You can definitely tell Babyface did his thing on this one with the nice sax cues and the lush R&B groove. This is just so great...yet short! I wanted more. Madonna and Babyface's vocals actually mesh really well. Which is also another great aspect of the song. Really good stuff!
(A-)
Madonna's confession of yearning for an unconventional romance is so stunning delivered here. You can definitely tell Babyface did his thing on this one with the nice sax cues and the lush R&B groove. This is just so great...yet short! I wanted more. Madonna and Babyface's vocals actually mesh really well. Which is also another great aspect of the song. Really good stuff!
(A-)
8. "Love Tried To Welcome Me"
This is a good sultry ballad with nice guitar playing and a beautiful production that elevates it. I love the romanticism of Madonna's music on this album. There's a softer side she's showing that feels authentic and she sounds wonderful with the sound she's experimenting with here. Such a lovely song.
(B+)
This is a good sultry ballad with nice guitar playing and a beautiful production that elevates it. I love the romanticism of Madonna's music on this album. There's a softer side she's showing that feels authentic and she sounds wonderful with the sound she's experimenting with here. Such a lovely song.
(B+)
9. "Sanctuary"
Ok, I can bop to this one again! The beat incorporates a flute and smooth melodies. This is some grown music right here and I like it. This is sensual perfection. Not to mention, I love how the song ends, seamlessly leading into...
(B)
Ok, I can bop to this one again! The beat incorporates a flute and smooth melodies. This is some grown music right here and I like it. This is sensual perfection. Not to mention, I love how the song ends, seamlessly leading into...
(B)
10. "Bedtime Story"
...This otherworldly masterpiece!! Written by Bjork, "Bedtime Story" has a trippy, techno/electronic beat with thought provoking lyrics about the loss of consciousness of when we sleep...yet I feel I'm missing a deeper meaning between the many layers this song has. This is really some wonderful produced music and an obvious precursor to Madonna's compelling exploration of the electronica genre with her next album. The video is also one of her best, if not one of the best music videos of all time! The visuals alone are literally insane, full of so much disturbing meanings and haunting illusions of dreams/nightmares. [eek] Back to the song, it's just so brilliant song in so many ways and when I listen to it, I entranced by it's insatiable bizarre nature. It's in my top 5 favorites from Madonna.
(A+)
...This otherworldly masterpiece!! Written by Bjork, "Bedtime Story" has a trippy, techno/electronic beat with thought provoking lyrics about the loss of consciousness of when we sleep...yet I feel I'm missing a deeper meaning between the many layers this song has. This is really some wonderful produced music and an obvious precursor to Madonna's compelling exploration of the electronica genre with her next album. The video is also one of her best, if not one of the best music videos of all time! The visuals alone are literally insane, full of so much disturbing meanings and haunting illusions of dreams/nightmares. [eek] Back to the song, it's just so brilliant song in so many ways and when I listen to it, I entranced by it's insatiable bizarre nature. It's in my top 5 favorites from Madonna.
(A+)
11. "Take A Bow"
This has got to be one of the greatest R&B songs of all time! Hell, it's one of the best ballads of all time too! Babyface...WOW, he did that! Madonna has never sounded so beautiful and the lyrics are so heartbreaking. I mean, it's no wonder this became the most successful song of Madonna's career as it went #1 for 7 weeks; her longest running #1 on the Hot 100. It truly is R&B perfection and the video is so nostalgic for me when I use to see the video on MTV frequently. The video was also great visually with the period piece set in Spain during the 40s and the Matador theme. It's really breathtaking and really captures the beauty of the song. Such an exceptional end to a superb album!
(A+)
This has got to be one of the greatest R&B songs of all time! Hell, it's one of the best ballads of all time too! Babyface...WOW, he did that! Madonna has never sounded so beautiful and the lyrics are so heartbreaking. I mean, it's no wonder this became the most successful song of Madonna's career as it went #1 for 7 weeks; her longest running #1 on the Hot 100. It truly is R&B perfection and the video is so nostalgic for me when I use to see the video on MTV frequently. The video was also great visually with the period piece set in Spain during the 40s and the Matador theme. It's really breathtaking and really captures the beauty of the song. Such an exceptional end to a superb album!
(A+)
So, you're the biggest female popstar in the world and you want to recover from the near career ending backlash of your last album. So what do you do?? Revamp your image, of course! "Bedtime Stories" did exactly that as Madonna transitioned to a more subtle (at least for her) and softer image. So she started working with music's hottest R&B/Hip Hop producers as both genres were at their peak in popularity at the time. Madonna has always been known for switching it up musically album to album, especially in the 90s, which I felt where she was her most experimental with pushing her music in directions that people have absolutely no idea you would go in. That's what differentiates a good artists from a great artists. Good artists are completely content with their style of music and follow trends when great artists like Madonna are constantly pushing the envelope musically. She's always changing producers, trying new sounds and she (for the most) succeeds with most of the musical endeavors she encounters. Dallas Austin and Babyface produce some of their best work on this album. "Take A Bow" is especially a stand out and is a remarkable R&B/pop crossover ballad that still hold up today easily! "Secret" is also stunning as well as "Love Tried To Welcome Me" and "Sanctuary". "Human Nature" is a hip hop powerhouse track with it's profanity infused shout out to critics who just don't get her outspoken ways. So while the album was meant to soften her image, she was still Madonna underneath it all! Then there's "Bedtime Story", the only non-R&B/Hip Hop track and it's also one of the album's best. I honestly can't wait to listen to "Ray of Light" in full as "Bedtime Story" always reminds me of how good that album will be. But even with the success of singles like "Take A Bow" and "Secret", "Bedtime Stories" wasn't the big blockbuster once again like her 80s efforts and it still suffered from the media and public not being a fan of her persona. It sold 3 million in the US and 7 million worldwide, which wasn't bad at all but not nearly up to her global dominance of her previous big sellers. But I think this was a great first step for Madonna to re-invent herself to a public friendly celebrity again. The music once again is top notch and she did just as well in this genre as her contemporaries at the time like Mariah, Toni, TLC, Janet, etc. She would go on to build from this with her all ballads release "Something To Remember" and her Golden Globe award winning performance in "Evita". Then came arguably the best album of her career but we'll get to that.
"Going for a contemporary R&B/Hip Hop sound, "Bedtime Stories" is a lush, lovely sounding album with some of the best music from both genres. When it's edgy, it's awesome and when it's vulnerable, it's beautiful. It's a terrific evolution from "Erotica's house influences and new jack swing by showing a more mature, even more confident Madonna with no signs of a supposed dwindling career at the time. This is sensational!"
(A)
Comments
Post a Comment