Voices carry

The two CDs today come from the opposite ends of pop’s musical spectrum. One is the never-aging Madonna’s new studio album, which will no doubt be topping the charts in no time at all, proving there’s still life in the good ol’ girl. While the second CD is the soundtrack for one of today’s top movies (as adapted from the equally popular book), The Hunger Games. With an impressive array of the more popular artists of today contributing songs, what is surprising to find is how gritty and true to the film and book, the music is. 

MDNA by Madonna (MCA Music, Inc.). Fresh from her Super Bowl halftime appearance, singing Give Me all Your Lovin’ with Nikki Minaj and MIA, here is the studio CD we’ve all been waiting for. If there was a phase in her musical career when Madonna exemplified sexuality, naughtiness and being outspoken, age has not mellowed the artist, and this is Madonna still playing “agent provocateur” to the hilt! While this isn’t a masterpiece along the lines of Like A Prayer or Ray of Light, we can thank our musical gods that this is no hard candy. Electro-pop, techno, ballads and a smattering of dance club remixes make up the songs in this double CD. A voiced-over Act of Contrition opens the musical offering, segueing into the first song, Girls Gone Wild, and we’re off to the races, with Madonna proudly strutting her “stuff.” I’m Addicted sounds Kylie Minogue-ish, while Superstar has Madonna’s daughter Lourdes contributing on the back-up vocals. The ballads Masterpiece and Love Spent showcase her voice and vocal range. Fun, punchy and with attitude, it’s good to have her back. 

The Hunger Games – Songs from District 12 and Beyond by Various Artists (MCA Music, Inc.). Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire and Maroon 5 may make one have the wrong impression about this very unique soundtrack. Yes, these artists may have contributed numbers, but they’ve definitely kept away from the pop or rock sounds we traditionally associate with these artists. Instead, producer T-Bone Burnett have them, along with the other artists, faithfully sharing the bleak, haunted vision that emanates from the book and film. Acoustic neo-folk, traditional country and electro-industrial rock — these are the three musical genres represented in this CD, with the neo-folk carrying the brunt of the songs assembled. Neko Case, Kid Cudi, the Decemberists, the Civil Wars and Jayme Dee — among the rich roster of alternative musicians who are part of this musical enterprise. Perfect for a rainy afternoon, or times of reflection and rumination, I especially loved the numbers of Kid (The Ruler and the Killer), Neko (Nothing to Remember) and Jayme (Rules). A very singular collection of songs.