In perhaps her most complex album, Madonna seems determined to plant a flag for her 30-plus year career, even giving a crash course in Madonna-ology on the self-referential "Veni, Vidi, Vici," featuring Nas, during which she playfully incorporate phrases and titles from past hits.

At its best, "Rebel Heart" pulsates with a vibrancy that reveals both the sour and the sweet in Madonna's extremely complicated life and leaves no doubt that she still has a lot more to share.