CAIRO: The queen of pop returns yet again with an album sounding a bit too familiar. Although Madonna is one of the few artists from a generation ago to still be on top, adapting to new trends doesn't seem to have worked this time. While her new album, Confessions on a dance floor, features ultra modern dance beats, it seems to be a revamp of her '80's disco hits. However, the album is not at all disappointing. Rather, Confessions is possibly the best album the pop icon has released since Ray of Light in 1998, the first time she introduced electronica into her music. The album is not trying to fall under pop but tries to assert itself as a pure sonic dance album. When you leave the album running, it is a kin to a DJ set with a continuously elevating form as all songs merge perfectly into the next. The European influence comes across strongly in this album. Madonna co-produced the album with Stuart Price, better known professionally as Les Rhythmes Digitales, which explains the brilliant digital beats. Songs like "Sorry, "Forbidden Love and "Future Lovers are perfect examples of the power of electro music. The hit single from the album, "Hung up features an uncanny resemblance to that all time favorite ABBA hit, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! It's hard to find a current artist that hasn't stolen a tune or two from previous greats, so it should not be held against her, especially given that it is a great song that always gets people dancing. The music is very uplifting, except for the song "Isaac where she gets a bit too into her new Kabala religion. Although it too is a dance track, it is slightly more spiritual and mellow, with guitar beats and Hebrew chanting in the background. Now that we have established the power of the music, it is unfortunate to say the lyrics don't quite measure up to the music. Since her not-so-successful last album, American Life, Madonna has decided to rage on her fame and fortune. In three of the 12 tracks on this album, "Let it will be, "How High and "Like it or not she is fixated on her fame and fortune. "This is who I am, you can like me or not ... "Was it all worth it and how did I earn it ... I guess I deserve it. At 47, you would think that she has matured past this type of self-verifying lyrics. A song like "I Love New York features a funky Madonna vintage quality to it, and contains funny simple lyrics that are amusing as long as you don't take her too seriously. "If you don't like my attitude than you can F#%$ off, just go to Texas; isn't that where they golf? On a whole, this album is almost brilliant. Although once upon a time Madonna pioneered the music industry, and was able to shock the world over and over again, today she has nothing new to offer, but instead uses her veteran status to make money. The album is a fabulous club mix, which is exactly how she began in 1983 with her self titled album. Two decades and over 10 albums later, she is still in the clubs, shaking hips and exciting the same age group of teens and young adults globally and is just as "in as she was when she first began.
