REVIEW Madonna: Rebel Heart
Madonna comes out fighting on her 13th studio album. The 56-year-old battles scorned lovers and rival pop princesses while trying to maintain relevancy with a bloated yet thoroughly intriguing release, her most personal and mature since 1998's Ray of Light.
As with the majority of Madonna's career, Rebel Heart has been shrouded in controversy.
Multiple demo tracks from the album were leaked late last year after the superstar's computer was hacked, with the pop icon making headlines for her emotional response, labelling the attack as "artistic rape" and "terrorism".
On Rebel Heart, we see two sides of Madonna, the defiant pop star and the intensely personal warrior who has battled years in the public eye.
The latter provides the most interesting material, in particular the simple yet beautiful Joan of Arc ("Each time they take a photograph I lose a part I can't get back") and the introspective acoustic title track with its exhilarating soaring chorus ("I've spent some time as a narcissist . . . Trying to be so provocative").
But that isn't to say Madonna has lost her edge.
The extravagantly produced pop tracks are still here, made with a roster of some of the world's hottest DJs and producers, including Kanye West, Diplo, Avicii, Billboard and Blood Diamonds.
The 90s house throwback Living for Love is a barnstorming dance-floor anthem, second single Ghosttown is an adult- contemporary wall-of-sound epic and Apologetic Bitch shows Taylor Swift just how to scorn an ex-lover.
With 19 tracks on the deluxe edition (24 on the super deluxe) there is bound to be some filler, such as the more provocative moments like Madge's guide to S.E.X. and the West-produced cuts Holy Water and Illuminati.
Quibbles aside, with her recently announced world tour anticipated to reach our shores after an agonising 23-year wait, Madonna's latest album should reignite the Rebel Heart of anguished fans.
