I am done marinating on the album... It definitely feels like her best since COADF. I enjoyed her post-COADF output for what it was, but damn, this is an insane turnaround. I love how this album's not exactly copying its predecessor, but instead borrows elements from Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light, and Music. The highlights / Top 3 for me are definitely School, Everything, and Love Without Words. These three are ******* crazy and exactly what I have been craving from Madonna for a long time, especially after the Honey Dijon remix of I Don't Search, I Find. Of course, there couldn't have been a better opener than I Feel So Free. With every listen, it yanks me into a completely different, air-pressure-free atmosphere whenever I close my eyes. I really hope we get a 10-minute dub of One Step Away, phew what a song... I like BYL, but they should have made the Stuart Price Afterhours Mix the standard album version. I really don't get the addition of Sabrina, it just doesn't fit imo. It should have been a remix or a video edit only instead. For some reason, "My Sins Are My Savior" just isn't that memorable to me, even though I enjoy it when it's on. On the other hand, I am obsessed with the "Open the dam, let the water rush in" line in "Betrayal". "Fragile" is beautiful and it really sounds like Frozen in parts. However I really don't come back to these tracks three that much. She should honestly sit down for a week straight and break down every single line of every song in her catalogue; she is such an interesting person. I'm obsessed with how Lola said during that TikTok Live that M is a very intimidating person, which in turn made Lola not feel intimidated by anyone else. The Test is lovely and I enjoy getting more insight into their relationship, though I wish Arca's production was more prominent there (thinking of KICK ii or Vulnicura production). Somehow, it's just missing something for me. Lesbian Girl would be an immediate skip if it were placed in the middle of the album. As for "Hot Sauce" I definitely like the beat. It's catchy, but it has no business being on the album, even as a bonus track. If that's there, they might as well put Bambola on as a bonus too. Why does the songs not mainly produced by Stuart sound better They really should have left that 30-year-old rusty microphone in a ditch. I seriously hope there's a remix album coming with Charli, Kylie, and Addison… We've had rumors forever about the first two, and Miss XBOX recorded that party intro with Madge, which could literally be turned into a 1-hour loop and I would eat it up like crazy AOTY
