You would think that nothing more could be said of the Pop Queen who can do no wrong. But instead of growing more conservative with age, it seems Madonna only gets more adventurous.

Hard Candy, scheduled for release on April 29th, is Madonna’s latest and last studio album with the Warner label (fans still have a compilation to look forward to). The pop icon has continued to expertly cultivate her tough-but-feminine image here, both in appearance and in the music itself. It would be difficult to follow Confessions On A Dancefloor, but Hard Candy does not disappoint. With nearly every song proving to be a hit, this album will get more than it’s fair share of play on the dancefloor.

Almost all signs of her decade-plus love affair with disco are absent, making way for Latin and funk beats. Infusing all 12 tracks of the album is a definite hip-hop pulse, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it’s produced by industry heavyweights Pharrell Williams and Timbaland. Also making an appearance on several songs is pop’s golden boy, Justin Timberlake. 

Madonna has always had a strange relationship with the Spanish culture. Like "La Isla Bonita" before, “Spanish Lesson” just doesn’t work as it’s supposed to, and winds up being awkward. But “Beat Goes On” (featuring Kanye West) is classic Madonna, reminiscent of "Holiday", and destined to become a hit single. You might also recognize the song “4 Minutes”, which was used in a Sunsilk hair product commercial that debuted during the Superbowl.

The bottom line is that Hard Candy is a diverse effort that is consistently good while still keeping a tight grip on it’s pop spirit. Sporting a very appropriate championship belt on the album cover, the Material Girl has proven once again that she’s at the top of her game.