1990 Album Review: Madonna - I'm Breathless, Music from and Inspired by the Film Dick Tracy (4/5)

To follow-up Like a Prayer, rather than a traditional album project, Madonna took this side detour into '40s-influenced pop inspired by her role as Breathless Mahoney in the big-screen version of Dick Tracy. It was one of the few movies considered a hit for Madonna, so to the extent the two products could cross-promote, the ploy worked. And the music, although never regarded as a Madonna "classic," is actually pretty decent. "He's a Man" strikes all the right notes with a vampy Madonna vocal backed a lush big-band orchestration and even chorus-girl vocals. A similar but campier approach for "Hanky Panky" makes it pure brass and sass. The ballads here are all strong: the piano-based "Something to Remember," as well as two of the album's three tracks that were actually from the movie, the Oscar-nominated "Sooner or Later" and the Mandy Patinkin duet "What Can You Lose." The album loses a bit of focus with a couple of over-the-top impressions of Carmen Miranda on "I'm Going Bananas" and Betty Boop on "Cry Baby."

Although there are some great moments among the '40-styled songs, for most people, I'm Breathless appears in their collection because of its closing track, "Vogue," the undisputed Madonna classic. Although at first blush the Shep Pettibone-produced dance pop number has nothing to do with the rest of the album, its inclusion isn't as out of place as it could be. First, the second half of the previous song, "Now I'm Following You," is given a '90s remix, creating a bridge between "Vogue" and the rest of the album. Second, "Vogue" pays tribute to classic Hollywood icons, including some dating as far back as the Dick Tracy era. Third, the vogue dance itself actually dates back to the '30s. So really "Vogue" is a fitting conclusion to the album as it acknowledges the influences of the past while firmly asserting its place in contemporary pop music.

Best: Vogue, He's a Man, Hanky Panky, Something to Remember, Sooner or Later