horn Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I love all the videos i.e. DAD, AL, Hollywood & Love Profusion. But I think that military dance in AL it's quite Floppita-esque. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I adore it and have probably listened too it as much as ROL. Its either my No1 or No2. There are a couple of shitty songs which is a shame but when its good its amazing!! I think for it to sell more, she shouldve kept the video, dropped the rap and had a different 'warmer' non political cover. Nothing fails or KNM shouldve been first single. But anyway, I love the cover and the album, its just a shame its considered a flop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
promise to try Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 haven´t you see the images of I don´t know what fashion week??? they were using militar images and clothes...it was very ALesque!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat.Guy Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaspoe Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 INTERVENTION X-STATIC PROCESS :bow:/> :bow:/> :bow:/> yes! Intervention is one of my favorites as well. And Die Another Day. Ugh, quite a few amazing songs. Tracklist suggestion: Take American Life out (save maybe a part of two and place it on another song) and add Set the Right and Miss You. Voila - the pop tribute to Joni Mitchell that she's always wanted to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Coffin Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Of course, this is the album that gave us her UGLIEST tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasqual Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Re invention wasnt ugly I enjoy in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick00 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I really like the reinvention tour too for the most part. The beast within, nobody knows me, nothing fails, bedtime stories, burning up, lament, music, etc,... sounded and looked great (but not every single wardrobe change). I always say I preferred the albums released after TIC as opposed to her earlier eighties material, but I have to admit that I'm glad that I got to see her perform some songs from 1983 thru 1990 on that tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky guy Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 That was when you switched on the radio and they said 'The new Madonna single' and you EXPECTED something different. And you GOT IT. To be fair, alot of people in the UK really didn't like American Life (the single) though. Alot of those cowboy hat wearing girls and women who adored her in the Music era. But Hollywood was really well received -I remember people at uni going mad when that was played. So funny to think of teenagers these days (in general) digging a Madonna tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyber-Raga Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 she really screwed it up with WBR tho, I mean because of this album. This was the point of no return for M. She wanted to get out of her contract as fast as possible which she eventually accomplished only 4-5 years later. She felt they screwed her over the promotion of the album and the way they handeled all of the stuff ever since AL - the Video - had premiered and then vanished. The abum is too hypercritical for my cup of tea but not necessarily bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erotica blu Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Her most artistically challenging effort to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 That was when you switched on the radio and they said 'The new Madonna single' and you EXPECTED something different. And you GOT IT. It's funny cause as mediocre as the song is, radio still played it when it first came out. They gave it a chance. That's the last time (besides 4 minutos) radio actually played "New Madonna." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaspoe Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 It's funny cause as mediocre as the song is, radio still played it when it first came out. They gave it a chance. That's the last time (besides 4 minutos) radio actually played "New Madonna." what's more - it was the last time radio took Madonna in her own terms. Hung Up onwards was all catered to radio, and not the opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Barthes Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Genesis timeline : http://forums.madonnanation.com/index.php?showtopic=29501 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVC Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 GREAT ALBUM!! I always thought the lead should have been HOLLYWOOD and the album called HOLLYWOOD. American Life (the song) would make a great filler track on an album. Either way, I LOVED THE PROMO and ARTWORK!!! Dark hair is gorgeous on her. This album gave some great tunes to her catalog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVC Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Genesis timeline : http://forums.madonn...showtopic=29501 your Gyllenhaal avatar gives me an instant woody.... SLURP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ai Papi Si. Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Honestly, the floppage of this album led to some of the biggest all-time-lows in Madonna's career. Forget the missed opportunity that was the launch of MDNA... you think that's bad? American Life gave birth to that stupid lead single, The English Fucking Roses, abuelita dresses, The Reinvention Tour, and... MY GOD... Me Against The Menopause. Hard Candy doesn't seem like such a bad era in comparison does it? So... long story short, I respect the album, but it's not my favorite. Some great songs mixed in with some horrible ones, and I hate to say this about an album that was meant to be so personal, but lyrically I think it may be her weakest. You can tell it was created in a vortex, as she said later... so that accounts for great ideas and some pretty bad ones. It was a bold statement though. It's hard not to point out that the era itself was very neutered, despite the music being so unique and unapologetically light on hit singles. Started off with a bang, seeking to make all these big statements, only to be abandoned in 3 months, pressing the panic button, then opting for really bizarre career choices. Starting with the pulling of the video. I guess I understand why she did it. But it did set a pattern of what was to come. Not that I even care much for that crap video, and I'm all for anti-war statements. But conceptually, it was another post-90's Jonas Akerlund mess. Just crap. And the song 2003/2004 was all bark and NO BITE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I listen to American Life from start to finish and love every minute of it like a real loon I do love it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensch Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 American Life was an extremely important record for me. It was the first time I was able to go see Madonna myself (at Tower Records) and I was going through a growth period where I was becoming more aware of the world and of myself personally. I feel like the record has a very worldly exterior (the artwork has political themes and the first single video as well) but when you dwell deeper into the record, it's a personal reflection on M and who she perceived herself to be and also who she was searching to become. I never saw it as hypocritical and I still don't. I think people don't understand Madonna (even among her own fans, no matter how much of a stan you are). I don't claim to know her personally but I just don't think people seperate who she was in the 80's and early 90's to the person she was shaping herself to being up until now. Sure she wants to look great in public, wants success with her music, has a defiant personality which may have her perceived as "materialistic" and of course she is the "Material Girl." But people grow and change and she was opening herself up and experimenting with two sounds that are virtually unheard of together. The general audience is stupid and they just can't comprehend the beauty of the record. Sure, the rap in AL and M&F was silly but I think it was an attempt at poking fun at herself and the entertainment business and also as someone stated in M&F playing herself as a young girl experiencing the loss of her mother. It's really the album I'm influenced "musically" most by. When I write and record my records, they probably sound more like American Life than anything else, lyrically and in the simplicity of the production, which is not to say I'm not inspired by ALL of her other records and demos and unreleased material. I think it was a ballsy move and she knew it and the whole thing fell apart rather quickly. Her image and performance style (which granted, was lacking) didn't help anyone even "want" to care. She stuck to her guns musically as she always does and it might not have been a hit, but in the long run, musicians that are likely to open up to it, will see the greatness. I think Nelly Furtado mentioning it so recently is a sign of that. I'm not saying she's the most amazing musician but she understands production and lyricism and making a record conceptually and she can see where M was going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadCrazy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Such a great concept & cohesive album. It was another example that displays her extraordinarily forward thinking which general audience didn't quick follow.. I remember Billboard chartbeat mentioned "intervention" as potential single choice ... One of my all time fav non single tracks ever!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 1251, what songs do like and dislike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVC Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Honestly, the floppage of this album led to some of the biggest all-time-lows in Madonna's career. Forget the missed opportunity that was the launch of MDNA... you think that's bad? American Life gave birth to that stupid lead single, The English Fucking Roses, abuelita dresses, The Reinvention Tour, and... MY GOD... Me Against The Menopause. Hard Candy doesn't seem like such a bad era in comparison does it? So... long story short, I respect the album, but it's not my favorite. Some great songs mixed in with some horrible ones, and I hate to say this about an album that was meant to be so personal, but lyrically I think it may be her weakest. You can tell it was created in a vortex, as she said later... so that accounts for great ideas and some pretty bad ones. It was a bold statement though. It's hard not to point out that the era itself was very neutered, despite the music being so unique and unapologetically light on hit singles. Started off with a bang, seeking to make all these big statements, only to be abandoned in 3 months, pressing the panic button, then opting for really bizarre career choices. Starting with the pulling of the video. I guess I understand why she did it. But it did set a pattern of what was to come. Not that I even care much for that crap video, and I'm all for anti-war statements. But conceptually, it was another post-90's Jonas Akerlund mess. Just crap. And the song 2003/2004 was all bark and NO BITE. very well put!! couldn't agree more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic_system Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I adore it. Yes, the era sucked because at one point she really didn't care about it and went on with the english lady era, but the album is one of my favorite, probably my favorite from the last decade. It's such an important record to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeravA Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 She had every right to go through the Lady Of the Manor phase! She was a mother, married, living in London, and that the place she felt was right for her at the time. We all want the Erotica era Madonna, but nothing lasts forever. Life is a journey, and this was her comfort zone back then. She explained in IGTTYAS later that nothing turned out to be the way she wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 it should either have been a double album, or, instead of the 'revisited' EP, a deluxe 2cd version could have been released. from what i have, this works well for me: CD1 01. american life [no rap] 02. hollywood 03. i'm so stupid 04. love profusion 05. nothing fails 06. intervention 07. x-static process 08. set the right 09. easy ride 10. miss you 11. i'm in love with love 12. it's so cool 13. is this love [bon d'accord] 14. the game 15. i love new york 16. little girl bonus tracks 17. american life [headcleanr rock mix] 18. love profusion [headcleanr rock mix] 19. nothing fails [nevins mix] CD2 01. die another day 02. nobody knows me 03. mother and father 04. american life [felix da housecat radio edit w/o rap] 05. hollywood [jacques lu cont thin white duke mix edit] 06. love profusion [the passengerz hell's kitchen edit] 07. easy ride [tracy young easy pleasy edit] 08. die another day [thee retrolectro radio edit] 09. mother and father [johnny rocks radio edit] 10. nobody knows me [rauhofer's private life edit] 11. nothing fails [peter rauhofer's classic house mix edit] and sure, that won't be to everyone / anyones taste, but works for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat.Guy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I don't share the hate for the rap. I drive my mini coopa / And I'm feeling supa-doopa This is obviously the 11th best verse in a rebel song of all time. And when I get the rap perfect while rocking on the street, I feel a lot better about myself. Another bless from Godonna of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I worked out to this album the other day. It's a good album, I like it. Definitely some of the lyrics are abit amateur and it's sort of a more depressing less catchy sequel to Music. But it's a good album to listen to the whole way through. I think its really the style of music, and the preachy whiney lyrics of the 1st 3 songs that just didn't work for Madonna. Madonna is best when she's about empowerment of letting go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 it should either have been a double album, or, instead of the 'revisited' EP, a deluxe 2cd version could have been released. from what i have, this works well for me: CD1 01. american life [no rap] 02. hollywood 03. i'm so stupid 04. love profusion 05. nothing fails 06. intervention 07. x-static process 08. set the right 09. easy ride 10. miss you 11. i'm in love with love 12. it's so cool 13. is this love [bon d'accord] 14. the game 15. i love new york 16. little girl bonus tracks 17. american life [headcleanr rock mix] 18. love profusion [headcleanr rock mix] 19. nothing fails [nevins mix] CD2 01. die another day 02. nobody knows me 03. mother and father 04. american life [felix da housecat radio edit w/o rap] 05. hollywood [jacques lu cont thin white duke mix edit] 06. love profusion [the passengerz hell's kitchen edit] 07. easy ride [tracy young easy pleasy edit] 08. die another day [thee retrolectro radio edit] 09. mother and father [johnny rocks radio edit] 10. nobody knows me [rauhofer's private life edit] 11. nothing fails [peter rauhofer's classic house mix edit] and sure, that won't be to everyone / anyones taste, but works for me! I don't agree to changing the original disk. And btw, some of those remix edits are not official. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm from CT but I bought the American Life cd at Tower Records on Sunset BLVD. I walked out of the store (where her beautiful cover cd was painted on the side - like they used to do), put my headphones on and previewed it as I walked up and down Sunset BLVD. It was like the best o fdreams. It became my soundtrack for that weekend in West Hollywood! Bills posted on Whiskey A Go Go was also a delicous nod to the rock and roll past of Sunset Blvd!It will always be special for me for that reason alone! Everyboby comes to Holywood.......They want to make it in theh neighborhood...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elysium Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Of her entire catalogue, this is the one album I find it the most difficult to revisit....simply because I would really have to be in a particular mood to even want to listen to it as a whole again....it was a dark album encapsulating a lot of angst and disillusionment following the 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq, etc...the album has a context which doesn't take me to a happy place which might be why I favour other albums over it. I don't think it's a terrible album but conversely, it's not the masterpiece a lot of fans harp on about. Some of the lyrics were embarrassing and some of the songs were so self-indulgent and monotone it was off-putting. On the plus side AL did bring us a few gems in the form of Nobody Knows Me, Love Profusion and the Thin White Duke remix of Hollywood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts