She’s still the Queen of Pop, but it’s been a while since Madonna made innovative, edgy and boundary-pushing music. Lately she’s more content continuing her chameleonic adaptation to trends of the day, and with her 12th studio album, that’s electronic dance music. Though “MDNA” does offer a pinch of her attention-grabbing ways with its ecstasy-referencing title and numerous potshots at ex-husband Guy Ritchie, for the most part it’s all pulsing beats and shallow lyrics. But leave it to the Material Girl to make it interesting. The many Madonnas heard on the album are indicative of her career-long fascination with reinvention – she’s murderously violent on “Gang Bang,” chirpily sweet on “B-Day Song” and nonchalantly confessional as she raps – yes, raps – alongside Nicki Minaj on “I Don’t Give A.” “MDNA” won’t go down as one of the peaks in Madonna’s 30-year career, but it’s a great reminder of why she’s been around so long.
Grade: B-
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