Confessions on a dance floor begins promisingly with the crescendo of a ticking alarm clock that marks the beginning of Madonna’s new hit single “Hung Up”. The ticking clock transitions to a disco flavored sound that gears the song to a modern day dance beat, that undulates all throughout the song along with the simple recurring lyrics.
Many people I’ve encountered like the song but just aren’t convinced enough to buy the album. I would say “Hung Up” is the result that would be obtained by averaging out all the tracks of “Confessions on a Dance Floor”.
“Get Together”, the second track brings down the verve of the listener, with its rather unsubstantial lyrics and beat-deficient, over digitalized music. The epitome of bad music and lyrics however, would have to be “I Love New York”, with shamefully lame lyrics ( “I don’t like cities but I like New York, other places make me feel like a dork”) and uncreative, machine-hum music.
The remaining four songs is the reason why “Confessions on a Dance Floor” is review worthy.
The third song, “sorry” begins to reflect the creative efforts put in the album; the song opens with the apology “sorry” uttered in five different languages. Having deeply apologized, it transits to its groovy hook in a stretched out crescendo. There is an excited back and forth motion that the music provokes, irresistible even if you were in front of the computer, working, as I was.
“Let It will Be” starts with gracious violin strikes, that give-in to simple words that Madonna sings enticingly until she gives it up to the hook that disperses the energy as though it crashed from the ceiling right on-to the dance floor, like a spotlight. The song remains concise though it exclaims at the hooks before it starts collecting itself again.
In “Jump”, Madonna’s singing completely takes over the dual aspects of a song, playing the part of not only the vocalized lyrics but also making up for the music that is mere background hum.
“How High” is the most invigorating song on the album. The chorus launches with the effect of boosting energy and evoking a party mood.
“Isacc” is reminiscent of “Frozen” from “Ray of Light” and similarly somber and eccentrically spiritual.
“Confessions on a Dance Floor” saves the best for last; The twelfth track “Like it or Not” is the most intricate, most harmonic and vocally admirable song on the album. The Lyrics of the song are at the closest degree that mainstream pop music can get to poetry. The lyrics connote a self love revelation and the music compliments that essence by being the perfect combination of uplifting, groovy and rhythmic. This combination of good music and good lyrics endows this song a confidence fortifying ability that makes it enjoyable to sing along to. Overall, “Confessions on a Dance Floor” is a great soundtrack to everyday life that requires mundane tasks to be executed. If it got me through laying out my pages without hysteria, it will get you through traffic, it will help you clean your room, and it just might make you confess that you’re “tired of dancing all by yourself and you want to dance with someone else”.
