Review: Nearly 35 Years After You Can Dance, Madonna Returns to Remix Albums With Finally Enough Love

Originally published in Twin Cities Gay Scene

The 1-CD/2-LP, 3-CD/6-LP editions both delight this listener and lifelong fan. They tell the story of Madonna reinventing the pop wheel, “Over and Over” again.

Madonna is pop music. She is the original that paved the way for the multiple generations of all gender expressions of talent in today’s pop landscape. Never slowing down herself, always pairing more perfect pop music with artful, controversial imagery.

Within Madonna’s storied career, the listener’s attention must be paid to both reinvention and remix. Both are present on her new remix album configurations, Finally Enough Love (1-CD/2-LP) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (3-CD/6-LP).

Reinvention is in Madonna’s wheelhouse. She invented the remix wheel in pop, collaborating with DJs and producers on 16 and also 50 number one club remixes heard here, depending on which edition you buy. Thanks in large part to excellent new mastering by the legendary producer and audio engineer Mike Dean.

The Madonna Wannabe era. The cowgirl chic Music era. The pulse-quickening Confessions era. It all sounds exquisite here on both configurations. Only a sampling appears on the former, where the latter encapsulates all 50 of her number ones on Billboard Dance. Go full 50 if you can. It’s just worth it.

If you do, shop at your favorite indie retailer — mine is Down in the Valley, which has three Twin Cities-area locations — and you might even score some swag, like indie-exclusive vinyl slip mats. Limited edition, free swag was sent out by Warner Records to multiple territories.

This already includes Amoeba Records in LA, who have advertised it on social media. Look around town for your local Madonna official album release party, where you could collect more free swag… like bags, fans, Finally Enough Love 3-CD sets, branded sunglasses and more.