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Back with a ‘Bang’

New Madonna album is upbeat campy fun, but also packs emotional punch with deluxe cuts

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14 years ago

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Madonna's new album dropped this week. (Image courtesy Liz Rosenberg Media)

It seems to take a few years to fully assess a new Madonna album. That may be true for many recording artists, but there’s always so much excitement and anticipation around a new Madge disc, it’s only after that’s died down a bit can one determine how it stands up to her best projects.

The downside to being such a consistent hitmaker is that she has no “Tapestry,” “Jagged Little Pill” or “Miseducation” to her name. All her albums have several great songs, but there’s always a dud or two — “Words” from “Erotica,” “Mer Girl” from “Ray of Light,” “I Love New York” from “Confessions” or “Spanish Lesson” from “Hard Candy” — that keep her from having a start-to-finish masterpiece. Even “Like a Prayer,” which many consider her most consistent effort, gets derailed slightly by the clunky “Love Song,” a Prince duet.

The new “MDNA,” out this week on new label Interscope after Madonna spent decades at Warner Bros., is refreshingly clunker free. Only a couple tracks — the throwaway “Turn Up the Radio” and nursery rhyme-ish “I’m a Sinner” — sound like they could have been B-sides. As expected, there are several killer batches of smoking dance songs — more on those in a sec — but the biggest surprise is the bonus material on the deluxe edition.

Get the no-frills version and you’re missing out on some mind-blowing stuff. “Beautiful Killer” is the most traditional bonus cut here, an old-fashioned pop song with a strings topcoat, but then things get really interesting. “I Fucked Up” sounds a little ho-hum at first, even though it’s a great idea for a song. It kicks into high gear with a killer middle section that slowly works up a nice lather. “B-day Song” is cute and silly with a late ‘60s vibe. The whole project simmers to a shattering climax with “Best Friend,” a mid-tempo barn burner that beautifully captures the mixed emotions of a shattered relationship courtesy of some of Madonna’s all-time most insightful lyrics and the Benassi production duo.

Madonna, acknowledging (presumably) the complicated relationship she shared with ex-husband Guy Ritchie, sums things up cleverly when she suggests they were “driving with two hands on the clutch.” She gets the anger out elsewhere — on the campy, crunchy “Gang Bang” and rap-doused “I Don’t Give A,” which veers into high drama with its “Carmina Burana”-esque outro. But once the anger subsides, “Friend” is the more cathartic experience, both musically and emotionally.

It didn’t take a genius to realize these two had a complicated marriage — fans sensed they were a mis-match from the “I’m Going To Tell You a Secret” documentary and the last album’s melancholy “Miles Away.” But it’s refreshing to hear the seemingly invincible Madonna address and assess her own disappointments. She’s never so much as acknowledged that her brother wrote an unflattering memoir; at least with her marriage, “MDNA” brings insight and closure. She can pose for glamorous photos, pull off tour acrobatics and craft mindless dance pop til the end of time, but all that resonates more when we have a sense of the woman behind the face, and “MDNA” brings us that.

Though more notable for its eye-popping video, album opener “Girl Gone Wild” is light, catchy fun as is “I’m Addicted,” first single “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” and the aforementioned “Killer.” The Golden Globe-winning ballad “Masterpiece,” the theme from the “W/E” movie Madonna directed, brings things to a lovely finish along with the refreshingly lush “Falling Free,” which doesn’t even have a rhythm track, giving the beat-heavy album a nice change of pace.

It’ll take awhile for all this to sink in, but regardless of whether U.S. radio gives its singles the time of day (though “Luvin” did briefly crack the U.S. top 10), “MDNA” is a resoundingly solid effort. Helmed by producers new (Martin Solveig) and old (William Orbit), “MDNA” is a more unified, less trend-influenced album than “Hard Candy” and that bodes well for its ultimate place in her increasingly vast canon.

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Bars & Parties

Mixtape Sapphics hosts holiday party on Dec. 13

‘Sugar & Spice’ night planned for Saturday

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8 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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(Photo by New Africa/Bigstock)

Mixtape Sapphics will host “Sapphic Sugar & Spice: A Naughty-Nice Mixtape Holiday Party” on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Amsterdam Lounge.

This is a festive, grown holiday party for queer women and sapphics 35 and older at Revolt’s Christmas pop-up. There will be music, joy, and an optional White Elephant.

This is Mixtape Sapphics’ first-ever holiday party — a cozy, flirty, intentionally grounded night created just for queer women and sapphics 35+ who want real connection, festive joy, and a warm place to land at the end of the year.

Tickets start at $13.26 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. 

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Calendar

Calendar: December 12-18

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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8 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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Friday, December 12

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website or email [email protected]. 

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. 

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, go to Facebook. 

Saturday, December 13

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. 

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. D.C.’s queer community will gather for good food, laughter, and community. For more information, email [email protected]. 

Sunday, December 14

SADBrunch will host “HokiSlay Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Throw Social. This festive affair brings fierce performances, over-the-top holiday looks, and more sparkle than a tinsel explosion. Expect powerhouse lip-syncs, laughter, and cheer hotter than your spiked cocoa. Cake Pop will host the event. Tickets cost $28.52 and are available on Eventbrite. 

Monday, December 15

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Tuesday, December 16

Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather and discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ community and a full-time martial arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a Fifth Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website. 

Wednesday, December 17 

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected]. 

Thursday, December 18

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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Egypt

Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’

Game to take place on June 26

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1 day ago

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December 11, 2025

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(Photo by fifg/Bigstock)

Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.

The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”

“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.

The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.

Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’

The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.

“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”

“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.

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