Confessions II Review And First Impressions

[The Breast 6,252]

Ive only heard a couple songs from the middle on and I am very very impressed. Cant wait to experience it as a whole 

[SimonBaetens 9,433]

21 minutes ago, The Breast said:

Ive only heard a couple songs from the middle on and I am very very impressed. Cant wait to experience it as a whole 

as a hole you mean?

[Mars 2,636]

A great record, her best since COAD 1. Finally...

Some tracks slightly miss a mark for me and one of the more distracting things is her very thick over produced vocals but other than that its great, vast and at moments emotional.

I love how it shifts sonically but remains cohesive. Techno, ambient, deep house, into 90s 2step, ending on a really beautiful ballad.

 

 

[djparky 267]

I'd given up all hope that Madonna had another good album in her, after the crap she's released since then...but at last, reunited with Stuart Price, she's ditched the rent-a-rappers and all the other nonsense and here we are

From a first go round Fragile, Betrayal,  Les Girl, Bizarre, Love Sensation and Danceteria stand out

Overall I'd say its a hybrid of Ray of light, Music and American Life albums

[JoeCool 928]

Love Madonna but the album didn't totally impress me yet like it did many other fans.

 

But maybe it has to grow on me.  

[Ayesha Erotica 1,910]

@imogen2133 I kinda agree with you, having listened to it now.

Tbh half of the album feels like filler songs that would not make it into COADF 1. Confessions 2 feels like a leftover album

And yes, most songs sound indeed similair-sounding as you rightfully noted

The songs have a COADF mature-melancholic vibe and it's appropriate to call it a follow-up but my biggest criticism is that Confessions 2 lacks hits that COADF had

There's nothing like Hung up, Sorry or Jump or How High

It is important to have hit songs ......

The only good thing I can say is that it doesn't sound EDM 2013 generic

Madonna calls herself Queen of Pop but this album does not live up to the level of a Queen

[Ayesha Erotica 1,910]

On 7/2/2026 at 9:32 PM, imogen2133 said:

I do want to like this because the last album I liked from her is COADF but I also wont force myself to like it and I admit I felt a bit underwhelmed from my first listen but I have said that about some Madonna songs in the past and they ended up growing on me so we will see.

Don't force yourself to like it! After having listened to it, I felt the urge to listen to something again but not to Confesisons 2 but instead to Dara's Bangaranga.

Bangaranga is energetic, powerful, reflects well the Zeitgeist.... It is a hit and Confession 2 lacks hits

I like to listen to it on repeat but I can't say this about Conf. 2. because the songs sound so similair that it gets draining.

 

[Ladle Ghoulash 51,092]

5 minutes ago, Ayesha Erotica said:

lacks hits

Just like Ayesha Erotica iktr

[imogen2133 517]

1 hour ago, Ayesha Erotica said:

@imogen2133 I kinda agree with you, having listened to it now.

Tbh half of the album feels like filler songs that would not make it into COADF 1. Confessions 2 feels like a leftover album

And yes, most songs sound indeed similair-sounding as you rightfully noted

The songs have a COADF mature-melancholic vibe and it's appropriate to call it a follow-up but my biggest criticism is that Confessions 2 lacks hits that COADF had

There's nothing like Hung up, Sorry or Jump or How High

It is important to have hit songs ......

The only good thing I can say is that it doesn't sound EDM 2013 generic

Madonna calls herself Queen of Pop but this album does not live up to the level of a Queen

Very true I agree, I would not say there are any major songs that stand out like Hung Up, Sorry and Jump do on the first confessions and many tracks on Confessions II blend together. The closest one to a hit is either Bring Your Love, Bizarre or Danceteria but those do not hit as hard as the ones from Confessions 1 and I think I would like the album more if there were more songs like those ones. I think the songs are distinct enough from each other to a degree but also blend together a lot (which partially happens due to the continuous mix structure) and also I would say production wise this is closer to Ray Of light then Confessions 1. 

Edited Saturday at 10:26 PM by imogen2133

[FfFfFfFF 57,887]

The album is imperial! So many good songs

[Ayesha Erotica 1,910]

On 7/3/2026 at 9:49 AM, SimonBaetens said:

It's okay. ... I see a lot of people saying this is her best album in 20 years,...

1. Which means it is worse than the original COADF.

2. Which means the albums in between cannot have been that good either as a whole

3. Which means COADF was Madonna's last big peak and perhaps her last and Madonna's Golden times are over, I don' expect an improvement ever to come anymore

4. I agree with you - it’s "okay." But you know, there’s one thing "okay" songs and "terrible" songs have in common: there’s no reason to listen to either of them when there are other good songs and actual hits out there. In that sense, it makes no difference whether something is "okay" or "terrible" - it simply isn't good enough, and in the competition among songs - and there are millions of them - , it makes no sense to play such tracks repeatedly.  

As I said, the problem is the lack of hit songs. "Give Me All Your Luvin'," for example, was a hit, an energetic song. The album as a whole wasn't that great - maybe okay, with a mix of better and worse tracks but it did have a banger. And in that respect, I think MDNA is better than Confessions 2, even if both are just average overall. Because having no hits and being okay without truly bad songs is worse than having good and bad songs.

On 7/2/2026 at 11:57 PM, imogen2133 said:

 It could grow on me more after more listens but idk if it will or how often I will revisit it. 

Like you, I’m neither a huge pro- nor anti-Madonna fan.  She’s released a lot of songs over the course of her career - some good ones that we listen to, and others simply not.  When she comes out with a new album, you give it a listen and decide then.  I find COADF is very, very good and was curious about the new one - I was looking forward to it. But the new one was just mediocre. I don't think it makes sense to keep listening to it when there are songs by other artists or even older Madonna songs that are better. And I'm glad I’m not a Madonna superfan, because those superfans practically force themselves to like it and some are underwhelmed and don't admit it: peer pressure from their communities.

I feel like Madonna’s golden prime era ended with COADF. She had a few hits and moments of brilliance after that, but in terms of a major era, COADF was the last one. I don’t think she’ll ever do anything big again as a whole era, maybe a few hit songs and that's it. I think she’s been so busy with anti-aging so obsessed with looking youthful that unfortunately, she puts little effort into the thing people actually like her for: her music.

I honestly don't care whether Madonna looks ker age or 10 years younger or like 25, it is the music that matters where she does not need plastic surgery but she did not deliver this time. 

Edited Sunday at 06:58 PM by Ayesha Erotica

[imogen2133 517]

13 minutes ago, Ayesha Erotica said:

1. Which means it is worse than the original COADF.

2. Which means the albums in between cannot have been that good either as a whole

3. Which means COADF was Madonna's last big peak and perhaps her last and Madonna's Golden times are over, I don' expect an improvement ever to come anymore

4. I agree with you - it’s "okay." But you know, there’s one thing "okay" songs and "terrible" songs have in common: there’s no reason to listen to either of them when there are other good songs and actual hits out there. In that sense, it makes no difference whether something is "okay" or "terrible" - it simply isn't good enough, and in the competition among songs - and there are millions of them - , it makes no sense to play such tracks repeatedly.  

As I said, the problem is the lack of hit songs. "Give Me All Your Luvin'," for example, was a hit, an energetic song. The album as a whole wasn't that great - maybe okay, with a mix of better and worse tracks but it did have a banger. And in that respect, I think MDNA is better than Confessions 2, even if both are just average overall. Because having no hits and being okay without truly bad songs is worse than having good and bad songs.

Like you, I’m neither a huge pro- nor anti-Madonna fan.  She’s released a lot of songs over the course of her career - some good ones that we listen to, and others simply not.  When she comes out with a new album, you give it a listen and decide then.  I find COADF is very, very good and was curious about the new one - I was looking forward to it. But the new one was just mediocre. I don't think it makes sense to keep listening to it when there are songs by other artists or even older Madonna songs that are better. And I'm glad I’m not a Madonna superfan, because those superfans practically force themselves to like it and some are underwhelmed and don't admit it: peer pressure from their communities.

I feel like Madonna’s golden prime era ended with COADF. She had a few hits and moments of brilliance after that, but in terms of a major era, COADF was the last one. I don’t think she’ll ever do anything big again as a whole era, maybe a few hit songs and that's it. I think she’s been so busy with anti-aging so obsessed with looking youthful that unfortunately, she puts little effort into the thing people actually like her for: her music.

I honestly don't care whether Madonna looks ker age or 10 years younger or like 25, it is the music that matters where she does not need plastic surgery but she did not deliver this time. 

Agree 100% from what I have seen a lot of Madonna fans will love whatever she puts out regardless of its quality and use it as a weapon to talk negatively about Gaga. I also have not enjoyed a full album from her since the first Confessions. Also agree that none of the songs on Confessions II are really hit material and there are not really any big stand out songs like "Hung Up", "Sorry" or "Jump" from the first album or even "Let It Will Be" or "Isaac", the first album had more variety whilst still being cohesive and I also think that album lyrically fit the idea of "Confessions On A Dance Floor" much better than the 2nd because most of the songs on the 2nd one are just about love, dancing and sex. Also big agree about the anti aging stuff she looks awful now because she tries to look young with all of her facelifts.

[4th Time Around 5,039]

27 minutes ago, imogen2133 said:

Agree 100% from what I have seen a lot of Madonna fans will love whatever she puts out regardless of its quality and use it as a weapon to talk negatively about Gaga. I also have not enjoyed a full album from her since the first Confessions. Also agree that none of the songs on Confessions II are really hit material and there are not really any big stand out songs like "Hung Up", "Sorry" or "Jump" from the first album or even "Let It Will Be" or "Isaac", the first album had more variety whilst still being cohesive and I also think that album lyrically fit the idea of "Confessions On A Dance Floor" much better than the 2nd because most of the songs on the 2nd one are just about love, dancing and sex. Also big agree about the anti aging stuff she looks awful now because she tries to look young with all of her facelifts.

I saw Madonna basically front row on the Celebration tour and she looked fantastic, why are you talking about a womans face anyway? Most people just like the album, has nothing to do with Gaga actually. This comment is honestly giving "stan gets salty because perceived Opp releases an acclaimed album" 

Edited Sunday at 07:44 PM by 4th Time Around

[Nenifir 85]

57 minutes ago, Ayesha Erotica said:

As I said, the problem is the lack of hit songs. "Give Me All Your Luvin'," for example, was a hit, an energetic song. The album as a whole wasn't that great - maybe okay, with a mix of better and worse tracks but it did have a banger. And in that respect, I think MDNA is better than Confessions 2, even if both are just average overall.

As a MDNA hater, I am fighting not to say anything shady here. But I get your point, but also I disagree, because I think Confessions II easily is better than her last 4 albums. Give Me All Your Luvin def was not a hit? 

[imogen2133 517]

1 hour ago, 4th Time Around said:

I saw Madonna basically front row on the Celebration tour and she looked fantastic, why are you talking about a womans face anyway? Most people just like the album, has nothing to do with Gaga actually. This comment is honestly giving "stan gets salty because perceived Opp releases an acclaimed album" 

Well I have not seen her in person so I can't say 100% but I wish she would have just let herself age naturally because she looked great before all of that but anyway that is not the most important thing yes, I have no issue with people liking the album because yes it is her best since Confessions easily I just was not that impressed by it overall and think it could have used more "hits". Also I truly don't care for the stupid "stan" wars between Gaga and Madonna fans it is all stupid I have just seen many Madonna fans on twitter using it's success to say bad things about Gaga but you are right that many just like the album and do not care about all of that yes. Honestly would be happy if Confessions II is as acclaimed or more so than Mayhem tbh as well.