submerge76's Full Review: Bedtime Stories by Madonna
We worried for about Madonna for a while there. After the public and critical backlash of the Erotica album and infamous Sex book, the David Letterman appearance and a horrible mobie Body of Evidence, we werent sure she would recover. Erotica was a cold dance album about the darker side of sex..maybe too cold for the general public. Maybe even Madonna thought this herself...so she took some time off, released a very popular ballad with old time collaborator Patrick Leonard called I'll Remember, then she released the warmer, romantic r&b album of Bedtime Stories.
Madonna called up the eras hottest r&b/urban producers(Babyface, Dave Hall, Dallas Austin), along with Massive Attack/Bjork uberproducer Nellee Hooper for her own version of Barry White sexiness. It was a bit odd for Madonna to work with such big name producers, responsible for hits by Mariah Carey, TLC, She usually working with more obscure talents. It could sound like Madonna trying to stay painfully relevant, but she pulls it off well. Its not a huge stretch anyways, since many people thought Madonna was a black artist to begin with, her first singles getting heavy R&B radio airplay.
On Erotica Madonna wanted to poor candle wax on you, On Bedtime Stories she just wants to light them to set the mood.
You can see Madonna is a bit on edge with defensiveness from the Erotica fallout on album opener Survival Madonna is hear to stay, no matter what people say. Shes not an angel or a saint, shes just trying to live her life. Its a great album opener, and sets the mood and feeling for the entire album. Sensuous r&b grooves, sweet backup vocals from longtime Madonna pals Donna and Nikki.
The acoustic soul of Secret was a great first single choice. It was interesting at the time to hear this new r&b sound for Madonna. Its cryptic and mysterious lyrics add intrigue to the single. It hark backs to the "secret" of live to tell.
I'd rather be your lover is fun, (yet not very deep) r&b funk with label mate Meshell Ndege Ocello on bass and rap vocals.
Dont Stop once again is fun sing songy pop, however the lyrics arent especially strong or deep. But this album is definitely more about mood and ambiance rather than strong individual songs.
Inside of Me Has Madonna using her rarely utilized upper register on what is actually a song about her mother.
Human Nature is one of the discs strongest moments. Madonna gets all gangsta on our @ss, with squiggly Dr Dre like analog synth lines. A bit defensive yet, but shes strong and sassy, and she aint your b-tch so dont hang your sh-t on her.
Forbidden Love really should have been a single, its one of the discs sexiest moments, with is slow Babyface groove and whispered vocals.
Love Tried to Welcome Me is a bit of bossa novafied r&b with literary refrences.
Sanctuary and Bedtime Story really need to be listned to in one sitting. Nellee Hoopers production really comes to the forefront. Its Madonnas first step into proper trip hop and techno respectively. Sanctuary is slow, sexy, and lyrically interesting drawing connections between love, death, religion, and the afterlife. It then bleeds into the much heralded Bjork penned Bedtime Story...it sounds very much like a track from Bjorks Debut album, sitting somewhere between Bigtime Sensuality and Violently Happy. As much as I love the song, its spacey slow throb techno sounds out of place next to the r&b
The album closes with Madonnas biggest chart topper to date, Take A Bow Probably her best written ballad, with analogies drawn between an ending relationship and the theater, focusing on Shakespeares classic line "all the worlds a stage"
Like most Madonna albums there is some filler, but this is an enjoyable album that will definitely get you in the mood. So call your baby, light some candles and incense, and turn off the phone for a romantic night in.
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