This is the first time I've seen someone prefer 'Music' to the new album. 1/2

American Life is an album performed by a vocalist who has abandoned the U.S. for the U.K. and co-produced by a French techno mastermind, recorded during a time of strife in America, and released just after the country completed a war. Given that context and given that the vocalist is arguably the biggest star in the world, the title can't help but carry some import, carry the weight of social commentary. And it follows through on that promise, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, but either way, American Life winds up as the first Madonna record with ambitions as serious as a textbook. It plays as somberly as either Like a Prayer or Ray of Light, just as it delves into an insular darkness as deep as Erotica while retaining the club savviness of the brilliant, multi-colored Music. This is an odd mixture, particularly when it's infused with a searching, dissatisfied undercurrent and a musical sensibility that is at once desperate and adventurous, pitched halfway between singer/songwriterisms and skimming of current club culture. It's pulled tight between these two extremes, particularly because the intimate guitar-based songs (and there are a lot of them, almost all beginning with just her and a guitar) are all personal meditations, with the dance songs usually functioning as vehicles for social commentary. Even if the sparer ballads are introspective, they're treated as soundscapes by producer Mirwais, giving them an unsettling eerie quality that is mirrored by the general hollowness of the club songs. While there are some interesting sounds on these tracks, they sound bleak and hermetically sealed, separate from what's happening either in the mainstream or in the underground. Perhaps that's because she's aligned herself with such flash-in-the-pan trends as electroclash, a hipster movement that's more theoretical than musical, whose ill effects can be heard on the roundly panned James Bond theme "Die Another Day," featured toward the end of American Life. Then again, it could also be that this is the first time that Madonna has elected to rap — frequently and frenetically — on a record, something that logistically would fit with Mirwais' dense, house-heavy productions, but sound embarrassingly awkward coming out of her mouth. But that insular feel also comes from the smaller-scale, confessional songs, particularly because Mirwais doesn't give them depth and the songs themselves are imbalanced, never quite having a notable hook in the music or words. Even so, there's a lot that's interesting about American Life — the half-hearted stabs at politics fall aside, and there are things bubbling in the production that are quite infectious, while the stretch from "Nobody Knows Me" to "X-Static Process" in the middle of the record can be quite moving. But, overall, American Life is better for what it promises than what it delivers, and it's better in theory than practice. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

nasty edit
[This message was edited Thu Apr 24 10:58:59 PDT 2003 by TRON]

Seriously, I have heard only some of the tracks, I like some, but what kind of crap is "Mother and Father"?

She seriously needs to drop that Cherlike-Do-You-Believe-In-Life-After-Love soundeffect. It's tired. And I hated Die another day. I probably won't buy this album. I'll check it out at least but really not looking forward to it. I loved her last couple ablums incredibly.

Steven Thomas Erlewine's reveiws are some of the worst Ive ever read.He has proven on several of them ,that he doesnt know what he's talking about.This is one of the main problems of AMG.

what is AMG?

Raven said:

http://www.allmusic.com/c...dfyl54xp9b

there's a scathing review on cnn.com

calldapplwondery83 said:

I love this cut!

so, am I confused? Didn't Madonna "rap" in 'Vogue'? At least in the sense that this album contains 'rap'? I just don't get all the hype around the "MADONNA RAPS" reviews of this album. It seems like many media outlets were just waiting to rip this project apart. Hmmm, oh well. I like it still.

Some people don't know how 2 take an obvious piss-take...

The NME gave it ONE satr I was informed at work 2day. (I work in a record store).

I wanted 2 put the album on in-store when i got back off holiday the other day, but was told I couldnt because of the swearing on it (I think it was the parental advisory bollox sticker on the front that put the boss off).

So 2day (wanting 2 listen 2 the album properly all the way thru, as Id only heard a few tracks online) I have 2 say I thought it absolutely sucked.

I surprised she even considered releasing it. Sure, its gonna be number one (im awaiting the imminent arrival of the Madonna thought police, so ill try & make this quick). I wonder if she's just got 2 the stage now where she's thinking: 'I could release a recording of my farts and these chumps would lap it up'.

I heard TWO (count em) songs on the album that I felt were anything even CLOSE 2 'memorable' Madonna (I wont use the term 'classic' here, as it just dont apply) - and they WEREN'T the singles either...

'Music' WAS the better album, but that albums strength was teathered 2 Mirwais production techniques and clever hooks (which hey, I aint knockin - I LOVE that album, Im just pointing out what often gets over-looked, and 4 the record: 'Impressive Instant' SO should have been a single...). As a career re-defining exercise however, she was right on the money. LITERALLY.

She had re-evaluated her position within the industry, as well as her life by that point, and it shone thru everything she did. So ive no truck with that album, regardless of the above.

I have 2 hand it 2 her though, she is shrewd as all hell, and I totally respect her savvy - but this album...was just a big let-down. I think it is the worst of her career.

Im not saying any of this 2 push any individuals buttons - so dont be takin it all personal and getting all up in my face about it, because I will just do this:

'Ray of Light' was her last, truly GREAT album - that isnt out of personal preference, just stating FACT. Great, soul-searching, deep lyrical content, rich (but not over bearing production - my friend Youth was approached 2 do that album - but couldnt as he was working on The Verve's 'Urban Hymns' at the time) and great vocals from Madonna.

'American Life'? 'American Shite' more like...

ooh - look at me! Im speaking out!

2morrow's headline:
'Gay Man In Anti Madonna Demo Gets Stoned 2 death By Angry Mob'

I was reading a Madonna story on a news site & it gave a breakdown of her cds & their total sales in the USA. I was surprised that Evita sold more than Ray of Light & Like A Prayer. I don't even know anyone who saw Evita much less bought the soundtrack. But this article gave Ray of Light sales of 4 million & Evita sales of 5 million.
Go figure.

Was it alright to post this here or should I have started another Madonna thread?

thedoorkeeper said:

The 5 million figure is probably because it was a double album. It probably only sold 2.5.

bananacologne said:

that's the thing about free speech... it's usually the ignorant that choose to exercise the right





j/k. i respect your opinion. well i don't, but hey, it's your opinion. what do i care?

it won't be the last harsh review, either...i'm just gonna turn my stereo up louder with every bad review!

Im waiting 4 those speakers 2 'BLOW' (Just like her album does)

bananacologne said:

that's just wrong......but still funny!

Ahhh...u know Im just messin wit y'all!
I just dont think its up 2 par, that's all.

How come nobody is talking about the *positive* reviews? USA Today and People Magazine gave the album rave reviews.

LOADS of people have - on here, and in the media!!! Hence the dire need 4 some balanced opinion!