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Madonna - American Life [Import]

Details

Format: CD
Catalog: 100491932
Rel. Date: 04/22/2003
UPC: 093624843924

American Life [Import]
Artist: Madonna
Format: CD
Used: Available
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''American Life'' is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on April 22, 2003 by Warner Bros. Records and Maverick Records and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï. It was the world's 32nd-best-selling album in 2003. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI) both certified it platinum in recognition of one million shipments, and three hundred thousand copies sold, respectively. It is the second Madonna Album to have a Parental Advisory sticker, after ''Erotica''.

In the United States and in the United Kingdom the album debuted at number one. It was nominated for two Grammys at the 46th Grammy Awards. Madonna promoted the album in the "American Life Promo Tour" and the worldwide "Re-Invention World Tour". Also, the second earned US$125 million, becoming the 2004 ''Billboard'' Top Tour. Music critics variously described the album as "unpatriotic", "slack", and "serious", with some praising the "interesting" album for its "warmer sounds". The album is considered a concept album, with recurring themes of "American Dream" and "materialism". Furthermore, the themes reject the reputation Madonna held in the 1980s with her worldwide hit "Material Girl". - Wikipedia

Call it Roger Daltrey disease. In the mid-70s, the Who's lead singer's tonegrew more robust, his range broadened and deepened, his notes contained morepower. And oh yeah—his music started sounding stupider and more irrelevant.The same thing has been happening to Madonna for the past decade: the longershe's able to hold her notes, even when they're sent through the Autotuner,the less they seem to signify. But even if she hasn't made an all-the-way interestingalbum since 1992's Erotica, at least Ray of Light and Music each contained acouple killer singles—enough, at least, to distract you from the MOR soundtrackballads she's become inordinately fond of.

American Life, though, may be the first Madonna album in history not to containany great singles. The title cut wastes a head-turning Mirwais beat on the singer'sgodawful rap about how disillusioned she is despite being rich and powerfulenough to enjoy as many soy latté shottés as she wants-sympathy-inducing!From "I'm So Stupid" ("I used to live in a fuzzy dream/ And Iused to believe in the pretty pictures/ That were all around me/ But now I knowfor sure/ That I was stupid") to "Die Another Day," reprisedfrom last year's James Bond flick ("I'm gonna close my body down")to the self-explanatory "Mother and Father," the lyrics are as self-examiningas she's ever been. But atop Mirwais' increasingly stale electroclash-isms,they seem less confessional than self-serving. And the less said about the sub-RageAgainst the Machine cover art, the better.
        
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