“American Life” would be a concept album if weren’t for the incongruous James Bond theme “Die Another Day.” The basic premise appears to be that we’ve all got to choose love over illusion and intimacy over power–and that Madonna can show us how because she’s done so much more yoga than us. On the title track, which has nothing to do with war despite the flap over the accompanying video, the singer breaks into a rap about the gilded cage: “I got a lawyer and a manager / An agent and a chef / Three nannies, an assistant / And a driver and a jet / A trainer and a butler / And a bodyguard or five / A gardener and a stylist / Do you think I’m satisfied?” From there, she says goodbye to Hollywood–Eminem beat her to this, of course–and to artifice and greed. The sentiments are honorable, but the melodies just don’t stick.
“American Life” eventually warms up. There are two perfectly gorgeous songs toward the end of the album, “X-Static Process” and “Mother and Father,” about her husband, presumably, and her mom, who died when she was 5. Madonna’s voice sounds lovely and almost childlike on these tracks. They go a long way toward redeeming the album. It turns out that the woman really can sing when she’s not so hellbent on proving it.
