- Label
- Warners
- Release date
- 28th April 2008
- Genre
- Dance / pop
- Buy this album
- Order CD
As the Queen of Pop approaches 50 she's still got tunes that are as big as her pants
From Cyndi Lauper to Britney Spears, her ladyship has counted them in and counted them back out again as one competitor after another has self-destructed or declared themselves unfit to claim Madonna's pop crown.
With the smarts to work with producers du jour Timbaland and Pharell (what took her so long?) Hard Candy delivers a sweeter pop punch than Nelly Furtado and Gwen Stefani's recent releases but follows the same commercial R&B path. The Justin Timberlake-guesting 4 Minutes is a joy, its cut up marching band brass providing some much needed fun and snap amid the disco sheen. Elsewhere Hard Candy feels rather too safe – Kanye West provides a lazy, going through the motions rap on Beat Goes On, Candy Shop is alarmingly close (both in terrible puns and melody) to 50 Cent's track of the same name. Meanwhile Incredible, She's Not Me and Heartbeat are sharp, shimmering songs that mix cool and pop as only Madonna can.
She's still got it but her powers are on the wane.
More to try: Nelly Furtado: Loose Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape Justin Timberlake: Future Sex/Love Sounds Amerie: Because I Love It
