Madonna - True Blue
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.15 You Save: $10.81 (77%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.38 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for True Blue
Free Music Review: This is Madonna's shining hour.
Hit: 5 Stars
Madonna has seen many phases in her phenomenal career. The "True Blue" portion of her career, arguably, could be seen as the turning point in her illustrious journey. "True Blue", is her third and most complete release.
Let's get the obvious out of the way here, first of all. We have Madonna, a regular hit factory, giving us the singles "Papa Don't Preach", Open Your Heart", "Live To Tell", and "La Isla Bonita". These are some of Madonna's best songs. She has started to grow as a person and, more importantly, as an artist. She broke away from the "dance bunny, teen star" persona that had been ready to haunt her. She says, with this release, that she can do other things than just techno dance songs. With songs like "La Isla Bonita" and "Live To Tell" she demonstrates great diversity as a singer and artist. These are both ballads with a great message, and wonderful continuity. We hear so often, dance music artists doing ballads and sounding like they are tied down; sounding restrained to the point of not being able to finish the song without adding some funk-inspired bridge or something. Madonna sings these songs with passion and, more importantly, patience. Looking back at her roll as Evita, and the class that she has developed throughout the years following this record, you got to believe that her growth began here. Even the jumping dance tracks have a fervor that others, that came previously, did not possess. The title track is a perfect example. "True Blue" has a slower tempo with a doo-wop shade to it. "Where's The Party" is so sharp and full of Madonna muscle that you can almost picture it as a hard rock track. "White Heat", "Jimmy Jimmy" and "Love Makes The World Go 'Round" revert back to something you might here on the first record, but there is just something more here. It may be the company that these songs keep. These more "fun" songs are surrounded by rich and well written songs, which brings us to the primary writing force for these songs.
Patrick Leonard is an incredible songwriter. Working with, and releasing 2 records with, local Chicago act Trillion in the 70's, he spent the beginning of his career opening for acts such as Styx and Aerosmith. It wasn't until he found Madonna that he found a listening audience though. She saw his great writing abilities and jumped at the chance at a partnership. Don't be fooled, the great Madonna songs that we all know and love may be 9/10 Pat Leonard. He's Madonna's secret weapon.
Surrounded by controversy, and shrouded by both positive and negative publicity, Madonna has emerged from the flames with her head on straight and held way high. She grew up here on "True Blue". She continued to grow in her future endeavors. If you want a great Madonna record, and the beginning of it all......this is the record you want.
For more Dr. Music reviews, visit http://DrMusic.new-sounds.com
Free Music Review: My Number One Fave Of Madge's Classic 80's Albums!!
Hit: 5 Stars
It was 1986 and I was 22 yrs old, partying hearty at the clubs as well as
performing in a very popular funk/rock band that was a very hot draw throughout
the deep south (Florida, Georgia, Tennessee). I was already well familiar with the
pop jaugernaut which was/is MADONNA because of her preceeding smashes with her
debut self-titled album and the now iconic "Like A Virgin", which shot her from
stardom to superstardom!--And had girls all over america trying to imitate her
trashy chic look with underwear on the outside, mucho bangles, big shagged
& teased hair, and more crucifixes than are in the vatican! (-:
I always wow people with the story of the first time I ever saw Madge perform,
in the early days (1982) before she was a megastar, at a gay club called
"The College Station" in Jacksonville, FL for a mere & unbelievably small fee!! (-:
It was just her and two dancers (one being her now estranged brother Christopher Ciccone!)
with 4 club tracks ("Holiday", "Everybody", "Borderline" and "Lucky Star") with just
the background vocals on them and she danced and sang the lead vocals live!
She already had the air of a star even back then!--The way she carried herself and
performed passionately for that relatively small crowd of a few hundred very rowdy
and screaming fans, even though nobody really knew who she was at that time!
Fast forward four very eventful years later and Madge was worldwide sensation!
Enter this fantastic album "True Blue" in the summer of 1986, which was packed full
of what would turn out to be pop classics: "Papa Don't Preach", "Open Your Heart",
"Live To Tell", "Where's The Party" and "La Isla Bonita", all of which are still
well loved by her fans and performed in all of her live incarnations since then.
Dedicated to the self-confessed love of her life, former hubby, Sean Penn...
"True Blue", with it's unforgettable cover photo by the late Herb Ritts
and memorable pop hits, paint a perfect picture of what was hot and cutting edge in 1986.
I can't tell you how many times me and my freinds danced our butts off
to "Where's The Party" and "Open Your Heart" mixed and extended to perfection
by whomever was the hot DJ of the time at whatever club we were feeling!
"La Isla Bonita" is just eternal with me!--That song will never play out!
"Live To Tell" was the theme song from a very good movie starring Sean Penn
and Christopher Walken called "At Close Range", which did really well back then.
All of these factors combine to make "True Blue" my number one favorite album
in the classic 80's catalogue of Madonna output which she made her name on!
Free Music Review: True Blue, Baby I Love You...
Hit: 5 Stars
Madonna was already an established pop phenomenon, when her third album, "True Blue" was released. It contained several monster hits, and solidified her place as the number one pop artist in the world, at the time. Constantly evolving, Madonna's material also displayed a degree of maturity that was not present in her two previous releases. No longer satisfied singing just fluff, Madonna asserted herself, having a hand in the composition of each of the songs on the album. The surprising "Papa Don't Preach", a song about teen pregnancy, was released as a single, guaranteeing that it would find an audience with millions of teenage girls. To exactly what effect, who can say? Creatively arranged, and filled with emotion, this song heralded the arrival of a "new" Madonna. "Live To Tell", was another single with a "heavy" message. The song spotlights her vocal talents, as Madonna sings with great depth and conviction. "Open Your Heart", a composition with an interesting rhythm, and a provocative video that has the singer skirting the dark side, but featuring a lighter, positive message (delivered in leather and fishnet stockings).
The hypnotic "La Isla Bonita", is a beautiful romantic number, set to a Latin vibe. Madonna did not completely abandon the dance party songs that had first made her popular. The aptly named, "Where's the Party", along with "Jimmy, Jimmy", and "Love Makes the World Go Round" were songs that could have been from the first two albums. "White Heat", dedicated to James Cagney, is another light-hearted tune, with an interesting bouncy rhythm, and a catchy hook. The title track, "True Blue" makes you want to sing along, snapping your fingers or clapping to the beat. It has, if you stretch your imagination just a bit, a nostalgic, early 60's pop feel. The sound is kind of reminiscent of the Supremes' (Motown) style of production. Hometown Detroit influences perhaps?
Madonna's typically keyboard heavy sound, also evolved a bit. Apparently, this is her first album with no bass guitar. Previous albums had included at least some bass. Any sonic void is filled by the active and creative keyboard work that characterized Madonna's early sound. Keyboard generated rhythmic lines and fills, and programmed drums too. Did you ever think that her early songs just sounded "different"? The absence of the bass, could be a reason.
In total, this is perhaps the most enjoyable Madonna album to listen to. It mixes songs of innocence and fun, with those dealing with some serious adult themes. Madonna's singing reflects both her past and her future. Not always a smooth blend, but an interesting one, coming from the artist at probably the peak of her popularity.
Free Music Review: Madonna - More then Just Dance-Pop
Hit: 5 Stars
"True Blue" from 1986 is Madonna at her absolute Top. This was her third album and it proved that she was defenitely here to stay, Not only had she changed her look but also found a great producer in Patrick Leonard and with this album she slowly transformed into the superstar she is today. Apart from the previous two albums she both co-wrote all the songs (With Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray) and produced the album. Out of the 5 single releases there were several number one singles both in UK and in US making it one of her most successful albums and Madonna the Queen of Pop Music. After a closer look at the songs feautured on this album it's undeniable that it's fullpacked with great songs, mostly dance-pop songs that always was Madonna's greatest quality.
The first song "Papa Don't Preach" deals with a young women who has become pregnant and wants to keep the baby and not to an abortion but also raise the child. This stirred some controversy, but it's among Madonna's best and most memorable songs. "Open Your Heart" is an catchy uptempo and just like "Papa" it reached number 1. "White Heat" is simular too the previous and perhaps should have been single released also since it's too good to be surpassed. "Live to Tell" is among Madonna's finest and most serious ballads and deals with facing a very comlicated situation. Quite new for an artist that had heavily relied on lightweight dance-pop until this song was released and made it to the top of the charts aswell. "Where's The Party" is a dance-pop song, but was no single.
The next song, title track is a 80's style bubblegum pop song written for her then husband Sean Penn. In the video we'll find Madonna with a 50 style Marylyn Monroe haisrtyle. In reached #1 in Uk and #3 in the US and is undoubtly a classic Madonna song. "La Isla Bonita" is a latin influenced pop song that even uses a few spanish words in is lyrics. It was her 5th single and also topped the UK charts in 1987. "Jimmy Jimmy" another dance-pop song that is rather forgettable and closer "Love Makes The World Go Round" follows the same trend but it's about world peace, and quite good song that could have been made a single.
Overall, Madonna's third album is one of her best and got plenty of notable songs to make it worthwile. Madonna was getting more serious on this album also and tackles some issues she hadn't done before. She proved she was a good songwriter, entertainer and became a superstar with "True Blue" and would only get better on "Like A Prayer" 3 years later. An album for your collection.
Free Music Review: Another pop classic from Madonna.
Hit: 5 Stars
"True Blue" makes it three-for-three for Madonna, now residing at the forefront of the public awareness as if she'd been there forever.
Honestly...isn't it now difficult to remember a time BEFORE Madonna? You sort of automatically jump back to either disco or Led Zeppelin.
Anyways, she continues to grow as an artist and singer, while trying some new pop flavors on for size.
"Papa Don't Preach" is one of her typical, awesome pop songs, but in what has become sort of cliche for her, intentionally provocative. Seeing the furor caused by "Virgin", she found it necessary to tweak our sensibilities with each subsequent record...at least once. (Think "Like A Prayer", the "Justify My Love" video, the whole "Erotica/Sex" thing...)
But the song has a killer melody, great drums and keyboards, and she sings so enthusiastically...you're hooked.
"Open Your Heart" is even better. This is a great song, backwards and forwards. The synth lines and chord washes back up her soaring vocals.
"White Heat" is a sort-of failed attempt at melding the whole Jimmy Cagney thing to a pop song.
Ah...but with "Live To Tell", first heard in the great flick, "At Close Range", Madonna nails her first epic ballad. Man does this still sound good. Mysterious, moody...
"Where's The Party" is yet another dance club anthem guaranteed to get people on the floor at any party. Most great pop songs are fairly simple and direct, as is this. Lots of fun.
"True Blue" goes a bit further than "Shoo-Be-Doo" in showing off her fondness for the girl groups of yesteryear. You can't deny it sounds sweet on the radio though. Again, simple and fun, with a catchy melody and bouncy tempo...what more should you ask for?
"La Isla Bonita" adds an exquisite Latin flavor to a "Madonna" song, and it fits like a glove...for many, the highlight of the album.
"Jimmy Jimmy" is the one forgettable, skippable tune on the set. I can instantly hum every melody of every song on this album, but I can never recall this one.
My personal fave is "Love Makes The World Go Round". It's not deep. It's not particularly original in lyric, but it has this little Caribbean flavor to it's uptempo sequences, and the chorus just destroys me every time...and Madonna sings her butt off during the bridges...
The nice remaster includes two additional but unnecessary remixes.
If you have either of the first two albums, you'll need this one.