Fantastic and quite apt third single release from her multi million selling album Hard Candy. Its been quite a while since Madonna released a down beat ballad type song (The last proper was the truly beautiful Power Of Goodbye). Its no haunting, power ballad from Madonna of old but what this single lacks in dramatic sound scapes, it more than makes up for that with its simplistic yet heart wrenching lyrical message. It speeks of un-requited love and the failure of one half of a partnership to be true to themselves and true to others....very apt considering the breakdown in her own relationship. The song itself is quite upbeat in rythm, typically Timberland/Timberlake but Madonna was always canny with a song.....the beat is uptempo but the lyrics certainly arn't. Accoustic in its set up with a hispanic tinge, Miles Away is the perfect final release from this, her most ambitious chapter in a long time...and her final release under Warners. Personally i feel that such a prestigious task should have gone to the more upbeat Beat Goes On, maybe as a single after Miles Away itself but the looming Greatest Hits package in Feb/March means there will not be enough time to release a much deserved 4th single from this fantastic album. The Beat Goes On would have closed one of the greatest chapters in musical history with a firm message to all....that Madonna's beat will still be going way past her old marriage and near ended record deal with Warners. Based on this then her last single under her old contract, Madonna still has a very bright if somewhat exciting future with Live Nation. Her last 10-15 years have been her most experimental to date, i see no reason why this should suddenly cease.....judging by her past, the future for her can only get better, Miles Away is as current as anything out there right now, fantastic single and a personal fave from the album. Coupled with some killer dance remixes by the one and only Stuart Price (Confessions, American Life), Peter Rauhofer, Johnny Viscious and Marcus "Demo" Castellon AKA Re-Birth, and you have the perfect package from the ultimate pop queen. Highly recommended.
