LindsayBW's Full Review: True Blue [Remaster] by Madonna
You may remember in the previous two reviews in this series, we had to imagine a world where Madonna was not the reigning queen of pop. We've got one more album left, but for this one, she's damn near there.
Madonna burst onto the scene with her funky, dancy debut, Madonna in 1983. The next year, she launched herself into megastardom with the massive selling, but mediocre Like A Virgin. She took some time off to bask in the glow of her new found status (and Sean Penn), but came back to appease us in 1986 with True Blue.
Madge got her rep from her super successful single Like A Virgin, where she coyly sang about sex. The art of the taboo was something she really didn't discover until this album. With the gentle strings opening and being backed up by a catchy 80s beat, we have Papa Don't Preach. This is one of Maddy's masterpieces. Musically, it's got her trademark 80s beat and predictable synths, but the chorus is so catchy if you don't sing along you're a madman. But what really stands out is the lyrics. Madge sings about being a pregnant teenager who is keeping her baby. At the time, it was pretty risque, and she sings it so emotionally that this becomes an instant pop classic.
Madge keeps the pop classic going with the tinkly opening of Open Your Heart, arguably one of her best 80s tracks. It doesn't get completely away from beat + synth = good song, but the production is a bit busier with a few more instruments thrown into the mix. This song is catchier than all hell. "Open your heart to me, darlin', I'll give you love if you turn the keeeey!" If you don't sing along with it, you're a madman. As far as pop song goes, in this era, there was nothing better.
An odd spoken intro and a few drums bring us into White Heat, a dancy track. This one does have our trademark instruments, but it throws in a guitar for good measure. The tune is a bit forgettable at first listen. And second listen. Okay, it takes a while before you'll like it, but eventually it's a pretty good tune. But as for the first impact, this one isn't too memorable at all.
If you've read my other reviews in this series, you'll know I love when Madge takes it slow. It seems like such a window into her soul to hear her powerfully belt. She did pretty decent on her last album, but she blows me away on the beautiful Live To Tell. It's got a long intro of a nice husky beat and some hollow chords. But it's Madonna's hauntingly, soft, gorgeous vocals that make it what it is. It doesn't have a definite chorus, which just makes it even better. "A man can tell a thousand lies, I've learned my lesson well. Hope I live to tell the secret I have learned, 'til then it will burn inside of me." The personal lyrics never cease to amaze me, and this is an easy highlight of not just this album, but the entire era.
Cherish that personal, non-cheesy stuff while it lasts, because the fluffy, dancy stuff comes back in full swing with Where's The Party?. This song can only be described as inane. It's about absolutely nothing, but having a party. Bye bye, lyrical depth! Anyway, all the synthesized sounds have their hey day throughout this entire track as Madge sings emotionally "Where's the party? I wanna lose control!" I have a feeling any party that plays this kind of music would be super lame, but maybe it's just me. Anyway, this one is pretty obvious filler, and it fits the blueprint of all the rest of her filler up to this point.
It gets better with the next title track, True Blue. It's got the 80s beat in full swing, but it's not busy or as formulaic. It has a sweet melody, with buttery harmony throughout the doo-wop sounding chorus. "I'm gonna be true blue, baby, I love you!" she sings sweetly. She has a talent for making her voice sound different ways, and in this one she simply sounds in love. Despite the horrid video, this is some of Maddy's best of the 80s.
She hadn't gotten it down to a tee yet, but Madonna was always into experimenting with different sounds, which is why she tries a Latin island exploration on La Isla Bonita. Lyrically, it's nothing special, about how great life on some island is... or something. Oh, and the Spanglish doesn't really make sense since Madonna is from Detroit, but whatever. Musically, it sounds pretty unique on this album, with Latin inspired guitars and a few castanets thrown in. Overall, it's a decent song, but nothing special.
80s heavy beat and synthesizer put on timewarp speed. Need I say more? They kick into full swing from the first second of Jimmy Jimmy, which is nothing more than pop fodder. "Oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why." I could go on, but I won't. This song is so busy and weird. Madge sounds like she's one of those girls who tries her hardest to sing well, but just sucks to the core. This song goes on for far too long. A minute into it, I'm done. Filler. Fodder. Whatever. It sucks.
I'm running out of different words that I can use to describe the 80s beat. But we're on the last song, so yeah. Anyway, that beat, plus an uncharacteristic bass guitar and some more synthy sounds bring us into Love Makes The World Go Round. Musically, it's nothing stand out, but it's a lot catchier than some of her other material. Lyrically, it's some kind of peace movement, song, but she actually says "Unless we're gonna fight, but not with guns and knives." It's a decent effort, I suppose. This one is okay, but nothing amazing.
Like on the previous remasters, since these albums have no more than 9 songs, they include some bonus remixes. The first of these is True Blue (The Color Mix). This one starts off with a spiced up beat and some sampled giggling, but it still sounds like the exact same song. (I guess producers weren't as creative back then.) It's also been extended, but that's really the only noticable difference. La Isla Bonita (Extended Remix) actually doesn't fall flat on its face. The vocal samplings at the beginning are really effective. After that, it sounds like the same song over again, but at least the things they added don't suck. Still, I would've been fine with 9 tracks.
Overall, Madge did okay on this album. Like with her previous work though, you can't afford to have filler on a 9-track CD. She also doesn't go very far from her old familiar formula. But this one is mandatory anyway, if only for Maddy's terrific pop gems like Papa Don't Preach and Open Your Heart, and especially Live To Tell. This was a decent enough effort from the queen supreme.
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