First Impressions: 'Hard Candy' Does Not Suck!

Over the last few days, all the tracks on Madonna's Hard Candy leaked to the mighty inna'nets. Last year, when it was announced that Madge was working with Timba and JT, I had my doubts and fears and trepidations about her working with the producers "du jour".

I can safely say that Hard Candy DOES NOT SUCK!

In fact, I am quite pleased with it! Shocking to say, maybe (read: not really), but I'm going to anyway. Even if this is her grand scheme to get back on the US Charts, I'm fine with that. What's wrong with having some goals, eh?

While this post is not really the end-all, be-all review, I did want to share with you the songs that grabbed me in the first 48 hours of listening, as well as the ones that maybe did not. Who's to say they won't all do it for me in time? However, here is what I am liking at the moment.

Miles Away -- the big "ballad" from the album. To be used as the theme song in a Japanese TV drama this year. Intelligent and strong lyrics. Sort of a "Till Death Do Us Part" Part 2. The punches haven't been thrown, the cops have not been called, but the relationship is basically over. A velvet divorce, if you will. Certainly, the love is gone and possibly the couple is on "auto-pilot", busy with their schedules and their own individual lives. Great song.

The Beat Goes On -- Okay, okay, I know I positively slammed the leaked version last August. It was shiteous, to be sure. However, Pharrell and Madgie must have read my posts and fixed it. So much so that I am now in love with this song! Maybe it's the "Let's Go / Beep Beep / Gotta Get Up Outta Yo' Seat" refrain, which is so Donna Summer that I can't stand it! Such a slick song now. In fact, you sort of hear the "beep beep!" refrain in a couple of Pharrell's creations here, whether in the arrangement or spoken. (Like in "She's Not Me"--the whistles, love them!)

Give It 2 Me -- I can see folks up in the club shaking their fists in the air and chanting along with these lines (in no particular order): " No one's gonna stop me / NOW!", "Gimme a record / And I'll break it", "No one's gonna show me / HOW!". And the "get stupid" part is hilarious! Pharrell delivers on this BIG SONG.

Dance 2Night -- Ought to be a single! Other than "4 Minutes" this is the other big ole Timbaland production. No (horny) horns here, but it's very R&B/Disco with Timba's signature synths and drums. Double hand claps and tinkling keyboards are also thrown in for good measure. It kind of has a Duran Duran "Nite Runner" feel to the beat, but that's also a Timba production so it's all good. I can so hear this being played on the radio. Oh yeah, JT also puts in an appearance here too.

Heartbeat -- I love the "see my booty get down like" line. It sounds stupid to say out loud, but trust me, it works in the song. Give it a listen. "Heartbeat" is a solid toe-tapper.

Which songs am I not feeling right now? "Spanish Lesson" (why is it on the album??) and "Incredible" (Although the beat is nice, it's basically "dressing up" a very weak and simple-as-ABC lyric. I may change my mind on it later, but the lyrics are on par with "I Love New York" and "American Life". EEK, right?

The Timba songs basically leaked about 24 hours ago so I am still "in my process" with them. Basically what I have above is the Pharrell stuff, with the exception of "Dance 2Nite". I almost want to say that I am preferring the Pharrell stuff right now, even though the Timba songs are more solidly produced and robust. I'll probably come back around and mention the Timba songs later on because I'm sure they will make more of an impression with further listening. "4 Minutes" was a grower for me, and I think it's the most "urban" sounding song on this otherwise pop album. Heck, is it just me or are some of the songs ("She's Not Me"?) sounding like they could've made Confessions on a Dance Floor? Not like that's a bad thing, mind you. :)

Overall, I am very pleased and super relieved. Hard Candy gets an A in my book.