 Madonna Madonna has never been much of an album artist, despite all of her albums being huge sellers and generally well-regarded critically. To her credit, almost all of her albums have a unique feel, and she has never really been caught in "spinning the wheels" mode like, say, Van Morrison or Ringo Starr. (Ringo Starr's reaction to that last sentence: flattered. Madonna's: pissed. Van Morrison's: wasn't paying attention.) With 1989's Like a Prayer, Madonna succeeded in creating an album that was notable not only for great singles ("Like a Prayer," "Cherish," "Express Yourself," "Keep it Together"), but also for album tracks that are even better ("Oh Father," "Dear Jessie," "Till Death Do Us Part," "Spanish Eyes"). It is the only album in her catalog that really feels genuine, giving you a feel for Madonna as a person rather than as a manipulator of trends. In either case she's excellent, but this album has a depth to it that she's never really topped – not helped by the fact that she immediately went in the opposite direction with the follow-up (I'm Breathless – Music From and Inspired by Dick Tracy) and then the whole "Sex" thing and Erotica album. Ray of Light is another great Capital-A Album, but Like a Prayer is still her finest. The production values are definitely 1989, but the songwriting is incredibly strong, and at any rate it's not as 1989 as, say, Kon Kan's Move to Move or even Maria McKee's first album. Madonna really shines on personally revealing songs like "Oh Father" and "Promise to Try," which address her issues with her abusive father and dead mother, respectively. Listening to how sincere songs like these are, while still remaining very much pop songs, makes you realize how self-indulgent something like John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band really is. You'll find few people arguing that Madonna is more subtle than John Lennon, but there it is. Similarly, "Till Death Do Us Part" addresses her miserable relationship with Sean Penn, or at least that's how I see it – a truly scary portrait of domestic violence that admittedly seems incongruous with later Madonna tracks like "Hanky Panky" ("Nothing like a good spanky"). The surprising element is how well Madonna pulls it all off here, providing solid evidence of her artistry for anyone who dismisses her as simply trendy or "lucky." The album as a whole is incredible, easily one of the best albums to come out of 1989 (Lou Reed's New York? No thank you). From the gospel choir on the title track to the duet with the Artist ("Love Song") to the bubblegum strings of "Dear Jessie" to the drama of "Spanish Eyes," the album doesn't misstep at all – only dropping the ball in the last few seconds of the closer, "Act of Contrition" ("WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT IN THE COMPUTER?!?!?") – triple yuck. Any time I put this CD on I have a different favorite track (though it's never "Act of Contrition" – "WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT IN THE COMPUTER?!?!?"). Given that Madonna's albums are often time capsules of the pop atmosphere from when they were released (I mean, come on, who is seriously listening to 1983's Madonna at this point?), it's amazing how well Like a Prayer continues to hold up. It's the only album she's done that seems to have had any deeply serious intent behind it, closer to an intentionally designed "critically acclaimed album" than any other Madonna release. Nowadays criticism of Madonna seems unnecessary, but Like a Prayer documents the moment in time when Madonna wasn't yet so huge that her status as a superstar was a given. It amply illustrates how great she can be when she feels she has something to prove, and for my part I hope she returns to this type of album at some point. Ray of Light was definitely a return to form – this kind of form, at least. Though just watch, her next album will be all nursery rhymes or knock-knock jokes or something.
Review by Charles Tampon-Padd |