On her last outing Madonna wowed both critics and the public alike. By brilliantly combining electronic beats with strong melodies on Ray of Light, Madonna took pop music in a bold, new direction. Madonna's new album Music picks up where Ray of Light left off, but ultimately this album will not be remembered as adventurous as its predecessor. Madonna sticks with the same formula that made Ray of Light a critic's darling, and that's certainly not a bad thing.

It would be easy to be misled by Music's first single and title track. The single Music, currently in heavy airplay on radio stations around the country, is a quirky, fun little number with simple, easy-to-digest lyrics. It brings to mind some of the happy-go-lucky music of Madonna's past. Music the album, however, sometimes gets deeply personal and strangely moving at times. It is older, wiser Madonna that we find here, one we can relate to and empathize with. "Many miles, many roads I have traveled, fallen down on the way," sings the one-time Material Girl on "I Deserve It." Suddenly Madonna doesn't seem so much like a glamour icon here as much as a world-weary soul-searcher.

Style-wise the album is still punctuated heavily with electronic loops and beats. "Impressive Instant" is an incredible sonic whirlwind, and "Runaway Lover" is headed straight to the dance floor. There is however more use of acoustical guitar here though than on Ray of Light. For the first few seconds of "Don't Tell Me," you would think you were listening to a John Denver song until staccato beats punctuate the song to a magnificent effect. There is heavy use of vocal manipulation (ala Cher's "Believe") throughout the album. Sometimes this is distracting, as in "Nobody's Perfect," a beautiful ballad that suffers from over-production.

On Music, Madonna continues here collaboration with electronic-mastermind William Orbit, as well as bringing in French artist Mirwais to produce some songs. On this album though, we the audience are more familiar with electronica thanks to Ray of Light, so nothing seems as new and shocking as than on that album. Most of the songs are heavily produced with beats and synthesizers, but they rarely mask the underlying melodies and emotion.

All in all, Music is another highly accomplished effort from Madonna, and one of her best albums. High-tech wizardry aside, this is still very much a Madonna album- sometimes light, sometimes challenging, but always entertaining. "Selling out is not my thing," she sings on "Gone," and she hasn't. More a continuation of her foray into electronica than a new effort, this album makes a nice bookend to Ray of Light, and it certainly deserves a spot in your CD collection.

Madonna's new album "Music" is by far the most artistically interesting work to come from mainstream pop this year. After being bombarded by "teen queens" and "boy bands", the follow-up album to the highly successful "Ray of Light" is a breath of fresh artistic air. The new material is introspective, thought-provoking, and challenging. Musically, Madonna has once again taken underground sounds and transformed them into mainstream gems. With the help of producers Mirwais and William Orbit, she has taken the work she accomplished with "Ray of Light" and gone further into the electronic musical genre. If you are looking for more of what the smash single "Music" has to offer, this album is not the place to look. However, the rest of the album stands solidly on its own apart from the first track as soulful, funky, folky, and definitely inspiring. Contrary to other criticisms, the use of vocoder in "Nobody's Perfect", and the electronic manipulation of the musical tracks does not detract from Madonna's well-written lyrics. The vocals and the music intertwine to form a sound that may be challenging for the general music listener, which may be detrimental to generating airplay or selling singles. But for those of us who enjoy music for what it offers us artistically, "Music" not only outshines "Ray of Light", but it challenges mainstream music listeners to listen to something outside of the common pop formula. This is grown-up Madonna, with grown-up lyrics and music to match. Hopefully, Madonna fans and other listeners have grown along with her in order to understand the place of valor this album should take in one's CD collection.

I'm really quite impressed with this CD. I think Madonna's recent choices (i.e. "Evita", "Ray of Light", "Music") show that's she's really growing up. I always knew she was talented, but that hypersexual stuff was starting to get old, eh?

With "Music", Madonna once again has her finger on the pulse of what people want to hear. Only she can make a CD that's essentially experimental, yet highly danceable and ready for mass consumption. The title track shows that Madonna hasn't lost her sense of humor or fun.

Many people have already dissected this CD track-for-track, so I'll spare you. But for anyone who's considering buying this CD, go ahead and try it. It's a party, and your hostess will entertain your mind, and let you exercise your "groove thing" for once. :) Viva Madonna!

Well, well, its been over 6 years in its release, and it still gets a HIGH play count from me, the CD is so amazing and is just as good as Ray Of Light, in my opinion. Okay here is the break down:

01. Music: (9.99999/10) Great way to start of the album. I love how she says, "do you like to boogie woogie, do you like my acid rock" very clever lyrics and just great dance music. Remixes are good too! I just think that it has been played a lot but its still good!

02.) IMPRESSIVE INSTANT: (10/10) OMG THIS IS MY FAVORITE MADONNA SONG LIKE EVER, THE LYRICS ARE BRILLIANT AS WELL AS THE BEATS, SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SINGLE AND HAD A MUSIC VIDEO WITH IT, I REALLY ENJOYED THE VERSION ON TOUR BETTER, (AND HEARING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON TOUR, AND ON THE ALBUM MAKES YOU GO.. "WOW") AND THE REMIXES FOR THIS ONE AS WELL ARE JUST AS BRILLANT AND AMAZING, THERE ARE LIKE 10 REMIXES ON THE ONE I HAVE, AND HAS A RUNNING TIME OF 78 MINS, JUST ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT, IT NEVER EVER GETS OLD!!!! (Buy the Album for this Track, you WONT BE LET DOWN! Promise.) If Universe and Love At First Sight is your thing, this is the song for you... If you cant tell I could go on and on about this song, SO GOOD!

03.) Runaway Lover: (10/10) 3 Dance songs in a row! This is another stand out track from the CD, once you listen to it, your hooked! "uh uh no way!" should have been on the Drowned World Tour 2001 :( Oh well, Remixes are good too, espically the one by DJ Tiesto! (should have been a single)

04.) I Deserve It: (8/10) My least favorite Song on the album, its okay i like the ending of the song the beats are funky country! :)

05.) Amazing: (9.5/10) Title says it all, should have been on the Drowned World Tour 2001 :( Remixes are alright too.

06.) Nobody's Perfect: (10/10) Another one of the better songs on the album, kind of like "Sorry" but with a different and better twist, great slower song, and remixes are GREAT If you dont buy it for Impressive Instant, buy it for this one!

07.) Don't Tell Me: (9/10) I think I have heard this song too much, Good song, has that techo/country vibe again, remixes are okay too..

08.) What It Feels Like For A Girl: (9/10) Alright so I'm a guy and yea dont really like the lyrics but its still good nonetheless, and great for this album... Remixes are some of the best ones I've heard in my LIFE!

09.) Paradise (Not For Me): (10/10) Longest song on the album. My cousin got me to love this song, it does grow on you, and very different from any other song on this album; Should have been a opitional single, and no remixes either which is a bummer :( The Video on tour had a pretty awesome Chinese thing going on...

10.) Gone: (8.5/10) Good way to end the Album, however though the album starts off with a BANG, you think it would end with a BANG, but no, just a slow and easy going song. It is good, however, a nice 'fresh' sound.

TOP 10 Picks: (in order)

01.) Impressive Instant

02.) Nobody's Perfect

03.) Runaway Lover

04.) Paradise (Not For Me)

05.) Music

06.) Amazing

07.) What It Feels Like For A Girl

08.) Dont Tell Me

09.) Gone

10.) I Deserve It

Overall 9.5 out of 10 Please just get this CD you will like it and enjoy it very much, and will love it for all that it is. You wont be let down I promise, What have you got to lose but like 10 bucks... trust me!

"Music" marks Madonna's comeback to the music scene since the release of her milestone "Ray of Light" album. During her hiatus from the world of music, Madonna took time to star in films (the unsuccessful "The Next Best Thing"), give birth to son Rocco, and expand Maverick Record's success by announcing plans to open up a Latin music division in Miami. However, music is what made Madonna a star, and with this album, "Music" surely will get her fans together to celebrate her return.

Produced by French-techno wiz Mirwais Ahmadzai and "Ray of Light" collaborator, William Orbit, "Music" is a combination of electronica, mixed in with a bit of folk music. While many probably can't picture Madonna doing something as folk, she does succeed with such songs as "Gone," and "Nobody's Perfect." While she is no Jewel when it comes to folk, she still does a great job in capturing and mastering any musical style that happens to find itself in her way.

The album's title track, which is already in heavy rotation on radio stations and television, has a highly addictive groove that will remind many what made Madonna famous. With a highly stylish video directed by "Ray of Light" director Jonas Akerlund, "Music" is guaranteed to be Ms. Ciccone's next number one hit. You can take the girl out of the world of dance music, but you can't take dance music out of the girl.

"Impressive Instant" is another song that surely will capture the admiration of electronica fans everywhere. This song, also produced by Mirwais, is a blend of Madonna's vocals going through a string of changes blended with some of the best electronica to come out of France.

Other songs such as "Runaway Lover" and "What It Feels Like For A Girl," are guaranteed to be hits within the near future. If you loved her previous album, than "Music" should be added to your music library as soon as possible. Ms. Ciccone is the ultimate Queen B! Jennifer Lopez and Lil' Kim can't even come close to her in anything they do. Unlike Madonna, they will never get the ultimate diva status Madonna has acquired after years of experience in the music scene.

"Music" is a must have for any Madonna fan!