What to make of Madonna in 2012? At 53, is there still a place for her in a pop music scene so dominated by twentysomething sex kittens (ironically, a product of her own great influence)? Does she even have the goods to compete with these new girls on the block? It's not the first time in her career that Madonna has faced these questions, but 30 years on, there are still no clear answers, as she flits across the musical landscape between genres, personas and taste levels. Her last two studio albums have presented opposing extremes of that spectrum: On 2005's Confessions on a Dancefloor, Madonna was at her techno-diva best; the Neptunes and Timbaland productions of 2008's Hard Candy, by comparison, felt like a desperate bid for youthful relevancy (look, a Kanye West feature!), though it was not without its merits.
Madonna's latest single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," seems to be stuck somewhere in between. The surf-rock guitars and subtle '60s mod vibe are fierce and inspired, bringing something fresh to a Top 40 format now saturated with dance sounds. But the dubstep breakdown and guests verses from M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj feel obviously calculated, even when they offer their own lesser pleasures. And at times, the lyrics can feel awfully juvenile for a woman with a nearly-grown daughter of her own. Clearly, Madonna is concerned about winning over those radio listeners just born when Ray of Light came out and heard that this is what the kids are listening to these days. So is "Luvin'" the song that will put the Her Madgesty back on top? The jury's still out on that one. But she's certainly made a valiant attempt. A-
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