ray of light

As an Orbit fan I owe it to myself to get this.

I listened to this for the first time in years the other day. It sounded dated in 1998, and more so now; it's still stiff, gaudy, fussy (the live versions of "Candy Perfume Girl" and "Ray of Light" indicate what she lost in the studio). But "Sky Fits Heaven" and "Skin" impressed me more this time around, especially the piano undergirding the chorus of "Sky...".

I voted for "Swim," surprisingly.

swim is awesome

'to have and not to hold'. it's like being in a jacuzzi.

gross

I love this whole record, but really the title track is head and shoulders above the others.

'to have and not to hold'. it's like being in a jacuzzi

with other people's hair floating in the water?

I haven't heard the whole album, but I would be surprised if there's a better track than Frozen on it.

Her most wildly overrated album. These songs signify for me only in their shameless Victor Calderone remixes that went for the circuit party jugular and got it (big time!). The profit-taking four-on-the-floor is a quantum improvement on something like the well-named "Frozen."

That said, the title track, only cuz I'm too lazy to dig out the album and discover a song that might be a skoche (sp?) better (although I vaguely remember that "Shanti" bit being one of the more successful cuts strictly on a musical basis).

For me, the highlight on this album was "The Power Of Good-Bye". A fine comeback, the only really good Madonna album in her weakest decade.

xpost

fuck. you.
the calderone mixes were absolutely attrocious, as all calderone mixes are (let's strip away everything that makes the song special, add a hypergeneric house beat, and throw vocals on top of it!!). Orbit's production is flawless, and "Ray of Light" is easily one of her best 5 singles (along side "Vogue", "Beautiful Stranger", and "Music")

I have not heard the whole album but I have nostalgia for the days when you'd hear "Ray of Light" every five minutes no matter where the fuck you were.

I haven't heard the whole album, but I would be surprised if there's a better track than Frozen on it.

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― chap, Sunday, October 19, 2008 2:58 PM Bookmark

^^^

Horrible album. This is right when Madonna turned completely to shit. The title track's amazing, but that's the only one. Anybody ever heard the original version of "Ray of Light"? You listen to it, and it's like what the hell made William Orbit think the song would work as a dance tune?

RAY OF CHALLOPS

please don't say "challops" stevem

i mean do u want to sound like noodle vague? no u don't

you are in no position

You listen to it, and it's like what the hell made William Orbit think the song would work as a dance tune?

Exactly why would that be required? Maybe he intended it for something bigger and more important than just dancing?

"Candy Perfume Girl" is easily the worst song on here!

For me, this album is "Skin" vs "Sky Fits Heaven".

I would say "Shanti/Ashtangi" is the worst song here. But generally this is among her best albums ever anyway.

i love the thickness of candy perfume girl, i drown in it.

actually i kind of just love everything about it.

i voted.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

"Frozen" walks this.

i think so.

went for Skin

*H5*

Looking forward to seeing "Skin - 2"

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

shoulda guessed

lol @ my 1 vote! :/

WOAH

Who's the third person who loves "Skin"???

Sky Fits Heaven 0

;_;

I'm not like this all the time

Do I know you from somewhere...?

For me, this album is "Skin" vs "Sky Fits Heaven"

Totally agree with this. Surprised that SFH got a 0.

Who's the third person who loves "Skin"???

Don't we all? I voted for it.

The middle stretch ("Candy Perfume Girl," "Skin, "Nothing Really Matters," "Sky Fits Heaven") is pretty goood.

funny, i was listening to this myself, except the last stretch - the b2b of "the power of goodbye" and "to have and not to hold" is so gorgeous and warm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk3lS2q9QGk&feature=youtu.be

When she goes "oh oh oh-oh-oh" in Substitute, that's the stuff.

hi everyone, it is monday night and therefore i am having a real moment with this album

Right here with you. I heard Sky Fits Heaven today

I still like this album a hell of a lot, still love the production and Madonna's voice sounds great (although I'm probably one of the only people who prefers her pre-Evita voice) - not every song is great, but the highlights are ludicrously strong and the lesser material isn't awful.

I much prefer Like a Prayer and even Erotica.

(although I'm probably one of the only people who prefers her pre-Evita voice

uh what

I've heard people defend her performance on this album and a few other singles (Confessions is my favorite of her post-training albums), but I know no one who doesn't think she was a more fascinating, creative, and alive singer before 1996.

^^^^^^^^^

ba ba da ba ba ba

Was "I Want You" the last iteration of the old Madonna? It possibly was recorded during or post vocal training. It doesn't sound like it.

Makes for an interesting mirage of an alt.history Ray of Light sans constipated vocalising.

The middle stretch of this album is fire ("Skin," "Nothing Really Matters," "Sky Fits Heaven").

I said this already a few years ago lol lol

http://www.newnownext.com/madonna-ray-of-light-best-songs/02/2018/?fb_ref=fbshare_web

Maybe I didn't vote on this. "Nothing Really Matters."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-wkVmwp9M

And Chris Molanphy celebrates via the latest Hit Parade

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/hit_parade/2018/03/how_madonna_turned_electronica_into_pop_for_her_1998_comeback.html

Been listening to this for the first time, I'm admittedly not blown away by most of it so far but the run from Skin to Nothing Really Matters to Sky Fits Heaven is fucking amazing.

Lol whoops I just scrolled up and noticed that Alfred made the exact same comment back in February

how the hell did "Little Star" receive 0 votes?

We forgot who we are.

girl
boy
girl
boy
girl
boy

"Frozen" is rubbish tbh

The full seven-a-half-min extended title track is the one. The album version isn't really the full story.

"Frozen" is rubbish tbh

Incorrect

Nothing she did in this period comes close to rubbish

it's dirgey, "Drowned World/Substitute" is the absolute killer

I never got along with this album but even I’m surprised at the antipathy upthread.

it's no substitute for love

I always thought the song Ray Of Light (my pick) was an early 90's song. It has that early 90's techno crossover sound

it has that wonderful mix of electronic production and live instruments that some of orbit's best work exhibits and that really peaked in the 90s early 00s

substitute for love forever