Saturday 4 February 2012

Madonna - Give Me All Your Luvin' (feat. M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj)


You'd think at 53 Madonna could at least learn to spell.  "L-U-V" does not spell 'love'.

If Give Me All Your Luvin' is indicative of upcoming album 'MDNA' (not to be confused with MDMA...), it's clear she's attempting to fuse the old and the new.  Recruited on board is William Orbit, producer of her critically acclaimed 'Ray of Light' album, with some guest appearances from recent hip-hop stars M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj.  But is it a mix that works?

On the one hand, Give Me All Your Luvin' is a great pop track, reminiscent of her mid '90s glory days.  The production bares similarities to Ray of Light and the Austin Powers record Beautiful StrangerIt's a catchy and flirtatious piece of pop which, like the Super Bowl inspired video, is simply a bit of fun, Madge looking fantastic for her age.

But on the other hand, is this record the hallmark of an artist struggling to retain her youth?  Are those high-cut skimpy outfits really suitable for a 53 year old mother, writhing suggestively and prancing around like a six year old at a beauty pageant?  The inclusion of M.I.A and Nicki Minaj is a blatent attempt to attract a younger audience, but it's unnecessary - Madonna is a big enough star to go it totally alone.  Besides, their middle eight raps rush by so fast, blink and you'll miss them.  The dubstep breakdown meanwhile, far from updating Madonna's sound, merely highlights her copycat attempts to keep up with current trends rather than pioneering a new sound.

Madonna has always excelled at her musical pursuits over her film and acting career and, despite its flaws, Give Me All Your Luvin' does hint at a return to form.  'MDNA' is certainly an interesting proposition.

3/5

Listen: 'MDNA' is released on 26th March.

Watch: Madonna will be debuting Give Me All Your Lovin' during tomorrow's Super Bowl.