Madonna - Madonna (The First Album/Remastered) (CD 2001)

In 2000 Madonna's first three albums were remastered and reissued with their original artwork. This explains why this reissue features the black and white photographs and the original self-title of the first 1983 issue.

Now, 20-odd years later some of the songs - most notably the singles still sound fresh, although one or two album tracks haven't aged well and sound very 1980s. That aside, every pop tune has been designed to make people get up and do their thing, and there's no ballad to slow things down. Lyrically, the songs vary from the joy of a celestial boyfriend (Lucky Star) to the promiscuity of Burning Up and Physical Attraction.

The downside with all three reissues is the lack of imagination. On each album two extended mixes of singles are stuck on the end like a last-minute idea. In this case, Burning Up and Lucky Star, which wouldn't have been my personal choice for remixes anyway.

Still, these reissues are cheaper now and provide a good starting point if you're looking for Madonna's back catalogue.