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Hard Candy | 
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| Artist: Madonna
Label: Warner
Category: Music
List Price: £15.99
Buy New: £4.98
You Save: £11.01 (69%)
New (55) Used (6) Collectible (1) from £4.01
Rating:  137 reviews
Sales Rank: 227
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 093624988496
UPC: 093624988496
EAN: 0093624988496
ASIN: B0015D3Z4O
Release Date: April 28, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Candy Store | | • | 4 Minutes | | • | Give It 2 Me | | • | Heartbeat | | • | Miles Away | | • | She's Not Me | | • | Incredible | | • | Beat Goes On | | • | Dance Tonight | | • | Spanish Lesson | | • | Devil | | • | Voices |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Overwhelmingly surprised April 28, 2008
BA Wilson (Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA)
47 out of 65 found this review helpful
To be honest, after hearing that Madonna had teamed up with Timbaland, I was rather apprehensive about the release of "Hard Candy". Admittedly, I am not entirely a hip-hop fan, although I did enjoy the album "Loose" by Nelly Furtado, also produced by Timbaland. "Hard Candy" was released a day earlier in South Africa (Sunday, 27 April) and, after listening to it, I can only say that Madonna has definitely exceeded my expectations. In fact, to be honest, the last album that made me smile this much was an album released almost two decades ago - "Like a Prayer". I could perhaps also throw "Ray of Light" in here too. Although Madonna has scored some major hits since "Like a Prayer", like "Vogue", "Deeper and Deeper", "Frozen", "Ray of Light", "Music" and "Hung Up", she has not since then produced an album as exhilarating as this. I thoroughly enjoyed "Confessions on a Dance Floor", but there were only really three or four potential singles from that album.
"Hard Candy", I can assure you, contains at least six potential singles, and that is no lie. I don't quite think it was accurate to describe "hip-hop" as the main influence on this album. Sure, there are definite hip-hop stimuli, but fans both old and young will find the material far more dance-oriented than it has been made out to be. In fact, there is something for everybody on "Hard Candy". Some tunes have a definite 80's groove, 70's disco and stomping 90's dance. Madonna has certainly proven her staying power with this album.
The album opens with the tune "Candy Shop". With no disrespect at all towards Madonna, this sounds very much like a track from Nelly Furtado, from her album "Loose". The song is definitely not the strongest on the album, but is indeed catchy with repeated lyrics declaring 'Sticky and sweet, sticky and sweet'.
"4 Minutes" was for me personally, a bit disappointing. I suppose I expected a bit more for a first single release. However, it has proven popular on the world charts, reaching the top 3 in more than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Africa and France.
The third album track, "Give it to me", really put a smile on my face and will put a smile on the world charts too. It is undeniably catchy - a stomping dance track with a beguiling chorus that sticks permanently in your head. This is a definite third or fourth single release and will likely be a huge hit.
"Heartbeat" mixes hip-hop with both 80's synth and early 90's trip beats. Not a possible single, but the track is honest, in your face and hummable. Madonna also tests the upper realms of her pitch potential, and succeeds with ease.
"Miles Away" - oh wow! Beautiful guitar, deep grooves, alluring lyrics and oh so captivating. This is Madonna at her poetic best! 'You always love me more...miles away' is clearly an ode to her sometimes long-distance relationship with Guy Ritchie. This begs to be released as a single.
"She's Not Me" is a dig at some floozy who has clearly upset Madonna enough to proclaim that 'she doesn't have money; she'll never have what I have'. However, this description in no way illustrates what a breathtaking track this is - single number three or four without a doubt. This track sounds like something that could belong on a 'teen movie' soundtrack, especially towards the middle when we are greeted by a bubblegum, up-tempo surprise. It has incredibly catchy lyrics and the bassist deserves a gold medal. This is yet another stomping club track and fans of European singer, Mika, will also be very impressed. However, Madonna makes this 'single' her own.
"Incredible" is a synth-based, hip-hop-mixed, fresh tune. Definitely not a single but, again, could likely become catchy with time.
"Beat goes on" is, for sure, single release number two. What a fantastic job Madonna and Kayne West have done on this track. I'm apt to say that this is my favourite track on the album, and my favourite in many years. The chorus is so captivating, I have no doubt in my mind that this will be Madonna's biggest number one for many years. It's a beautiful dance groove that can simply be described as "mesmerising". If I do dare criticise this track, it would have to be the minute-long "rap" in the middle of the song, which appeared to be out of place.
The remaining four tracks, "Dance 2Night" (reminds me of Wham's "Young Guns (Go for it)", "Spanish Lesson" (the weakest track), "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" and "Voices" can mostly be regarded as pleasing. The only possible single release here though would be "Devil Wouldn't Recognise You", a catchy ballad that gets better with each listen.
Well done, Madonna. She will indeed surprise many, many people with this album. This album might not be regarded as Madonna's best, but it certainly beats "Bedtime Stories", "Music" and "American Life". It has come at the right time, and is polished, immaculate and enthralling.
Utterly Brilliant Album!!! April 22, 2008
G. J. Griffiths (Shrewsbury, UK)
9 out of 16 found this review helpful
well, it's finally here ... all the worry bout it being too r n' b or too timbaland etc can be put to rest, this is up there with all the other classic Madonna albums, and has hints of The First Album, Like A Virgin, True Blue, Like A Prayer, Bedtime Stories, Ray Of Light and Confessions On A Dancefloor to prove it!!!
It's great how well it all holds together as an album ... and the oblique arrangements and little quirky bits make for an exciting listen ...
Candy Shop is an interesting novelty opener - minimalistic funk workout, and 4 Minutes (Madonna's 13th UK Number One single this week) we're already familiar with (and these are for me 2 of the weaker tracks on the album) so let's move on ...
'Miles Away' is a swirling summery soft, guitars n harmonies tune('La Isla Bonita 2008'?) which ends with a great glam rock stomp!
'She's Not Me' - a dancey track with brilliantly spikey lyrics (sounds bit like it shoulda been on the 'Like A Virgin' LP) has a Motown style middle 8, hand claps, whistles, ace melody and as you think it's ending turns into a 'Confessions' type electro-disco-thon with orchestration and a chant of ''she's not me and she never will be''!
'Give It 2 Me' (the next single) is Ska-dance with organic sound and relentlessly catchy chorus, ending all whistles a go-go at a rave up! A Madonna classic!
'Heartbeat' start with a heartbeat, and is very 80's (actually reminds me a bit of Pet Shop Boys 'Heart' or something off 'The First Album') which doesn't settle for any obvious melody and has a hilarious ''see my booty get down'' break mid tune!
'Incredible' is pretty amazing concoction of everything that you could throw at one song including the kitchen sink (although i didn't hear a sink) kinda 2-step loveliness and fluffy which outta nowhere gets all rocked up, then raved up: ''sex with you is incredible, let's finish what we started''
'Beat Goes On' reminds me bit of 'Holiday' or 'Spotlight' and references Hung Up in the ''i can't keep waiting for you, anticipating'' hook... and the rap is actually not bad at all ''let's go, beep beep, gotta get up outta your seat''
'Dance 2night' is cool 70's funkadelica with what feels like several irresistable choruses in one song! another one that sounds like it'd be screaming from a Brooklyn Boombox in 1983 and an '08 ending which will send the clubs wild!
'Spanish Lesson' is the 'experimental' track a la 'Shanti/Ashtangi' which most will wanna skip thru - it's bit of a timberlake album track...
'Devil Wouldn't Recognize You' is a brilliant epic ballad type tune that's a bit lost in a production that can't match the song... still an excellent track - very dramatic - tells a good story, and has piano's and thunderstorms and multi-layered harmonies and everything! oh, and yet another great chorus!
'Voices' is more dramtics... great orchestration, with philosophical musings over a driving beat and ends with a repeated clanging bell of doom - ooer!
I give Hard Candy 4.5/5
Excellent Album - Highly Recommended.
Delicious April 26, 2008
L. McEvoy
8 out of 15 found this review helpful
I can just see Madonna sitting at home today, sucking on Ferrero Rochers and Creme Eggs, feet up, having a good ole' laugh at all of us who thought her album would be rubbish. This is one of her best albums yet! I shuddered when I heard "Four Minutes", I thought she had run out of steam and was falling prey to modern musical tuneless tripe. How wrong I was - "Four Minutes" was just to lure in new listeners and then hit them with a triple whammy of musical exuberance and hardcore funk when they bought the album. It's a delectable concoction, reminiscent of "Erotica", "Bedtime Stories" and believe it or not, early Prince albums such as "Prince", "Dirty Mind" and "Controversy". The heavily sexual opener "Candy Shop" is my favourite, with its shamanic beat and devilish Prince-ish synthesizer. But it's all great. Your Madgesty, I am a mere unworthy mortal in your presence.
Madonna The Queen May 9, 2008
Mr. S. Miller (London, England)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
First Big up to Madge as this is her doing what she does best and that is reinventing herself and sound.
I am a Madonna fan a true Madonna fan not someone who flits from liking her to disliking her because she doesn't conform to what commercial pop (yes i said it commercial pop)fans like, Madonna has been a big part of musical culture since 82' and on every single album since then she has moved with the time even setting the trend for other females ie Kylie (whose album by the way sold how many?). If people raved on about how Nelly furtados Loose Cd was so fantastic whats wrong with madonnas i think its just as good if not better there has been alot of effort put into this album and if people actually listened to the album properly then they would actually enjoy the album instead of studying how she looks on the front cover, cause if i remember rightly everyone and their mother fell over for the front cover and videos for Confessions on a dance floor, so for all you haters out there except change welcome it cause most of them 80's females and male pop stars are not around today even some of the ones from the 90's so give props where its due.
More funk than disco, but excellent none the less May 10, 2008
Max
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
As many of the other reviewers have said, I was a little nervous at the thought of a Timberland Hip Hop album for Madonna, with that typical Timberland sound. After the excellent "Confessions on the dancefloor" album, how could she better that. I would describe Confessions as pure disco, where as Hard Candy is not really hip hop, but pure funk.
After a couple of plays each track starts to really get better and better. A wide choice of singles available too. It is good to know that the Timberland sound is toned down, I suspect Madge wore the real trousers in the studio, and it does still feel like a Madonna album, not Madonna guesting on a Timberland Album.
Let's not also forget production here by the Neptunes and P. Williams.
Best tracks are Give It 2 Me, Miles Away, Heartbeat, Beat Goes On (feat. Kanye West) and Dance 2night. Poorest tracks are Incredible, and Spanish Lession. But even these are still good.
If you like me were worried about the Timberland Timberlake overkill, don't worry, 4 Minutes is the only track your really notice either. This is a great album, and a great follow up to Confessions.
Madonna could have just done Confessions 2 and produced another disco album, which many would have loved, but Hard Candy has taken it a step further and taken us to another level.
When you look at her contempories in the early 80s, George Michael, Prince, Bryan Adams, Whitney Houston, all of a similar age, yet all struggling to produce anything new or fresh, or that doesn't feel middle aged. If she can produce fresh new music like this at 49, god knows what what she will be doing when she is 70!
Madonna you are a legend and a genius.
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