Imperfection is Sometimes Perfect

"I'm Going to Tell You a Secret's" cover image is beautiful, showing the artist alone in the light.

Live albums sometimes eclipse their studio counterparts. Live albums capture the electricity and power of a live concert, that extra magic and wonder, that special "moment," that makes concerts so great: that connection between thousands of fans in one room, at one time, united by the music. Studio albums are perfect, controlled pieces of music. Live albums capture the idiosyncrasies of a live performance, when perhaps not every note is hit just right, or the arrangement of the song differs from the studio version. These make the live recording special and unique.

Madonna released "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret" in 2006, on the heels of her highly successful "Confessions" project. The documentary, an inside look at her life behind the scenes of her Re-Invention Tour, and the highs and lows of being a star, is an excellent testament to her message. The accompanying CD, is sadly overlooked. Perhaps its because the parent album "American Life" was one of her most excellent works yet, or because it was her first proper live album, but it deserves a five star rating.

Madonna's voice is what makes this album so great. It's not the soft vocals of her albums, but a raspy, sometimes flat voice, at times strained, whose secret to success is its strength. She is a powerhouse on this album, belting out with all her might. We are rarely treated to such a performance by Ms. Ciccone.

"The Beast Within," a reworking of her sexual magnum opus "Justify my Love," sees Madonna reciting bible passages from the Book of Revelations, this segues into "Vogue," which is mimed in concert from a recording but still thunders. "Nobody Knows Me," a pounding electro song about her rejecting the material world (yeah, right) is followed by a rock and roll version of "American Life," replete with bomb effects and the infamous rap, herein screamed in a strained voice. An Eastern-influenced electronic remix of "Hollywood" segues into the robotic orchestra of "Die Another Day." "Lament," a resounding ballad from "Evita," is one of the high points of the album. She really belts it out on this track. Things continue soaring upward with a thundering rendition of the always powerful "Like a Prayer." The autobiographical song "Mother and Father" is touching and sung in the same high pitch as its studio version. A surprisingly touching rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" features Madonna leading the audience in the arena in a singalong. The result is powerful. Ominous Scottish bagpipes and drums reverberate as a fusion of Celtic, dance and hiphop rhythms collide in a memorable version of "Into the Groove." "Music" is reinvented as a fierce, bubbling dance song sung by Madonna in an alternatingly deep and high voice. "Holiday" features tribal drums and powerful, throaty vocals that end the concert in a celebratory manner. A bonus track, the original rock version of "I Love New York" is a vast improvement on the released version. Madonna's singing is sweet (as in endearing) and the lyrics don't seem so silly.

Madonna's voice is excellent and carries the record, imperfections and all. It must be said though, that people who aren't fans may easily dismiss the album because of they could perceive the singing as downright awful. The CD segues seamlessly, though perhaps a proper double album of all the songs would have been better. But this under appreciated album deserves more love.

Madonna's strained but strong rendition of "Like a Prayer"