anyway, I don't listen to Confessions that much these days (I don't listen to Madonna that much these days) but I have only great feelings about it, and I think even some of its biggest fans do it a bit dirty with a general attitude of "well it wasn't exactly Madonna REINVENTING THE WHEEL but she was DOING WHAT SHE DOES WELL" - in particular people seem to imply that this was a safe retreat for her, but I don't think making by far the most overtly gay music of her career after almost driving it into the ground was particularly a safe move at the time.
I also resent the idea that because it was backwards-leaning dance music that paid homage to the 70s and 80s she "wasn't trying new things anymore". I think Confessions' influence on pop culture can be more clearly felt in the last couple of years than at any other time since - these things take time to come around. one of this year's most critically acclaimed dance records by a female popstar using segues to give a continuous "setlist" feel; the year's biggest pop record by a woman has taken clear, direct influence from COADF both sonically and visually. I don't know if other would exist as they are without this album as a reference point.
musically, the best songs here are Hung Up and Jump (that fucking
dirty bassline! the double handclaps! "my sisters and me"! it's all too much
) but it's really all just
stellar and high quality until the obligatory final quarter drop-off that affects so many Madonna records. not even to mention, of course, the tour being the literal greatest of all time...