Think back to 2008, and you’ll remember the debut of Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” She was a bit weird then, but the songs were danceable and the lyrics were pretty standard for pop songs. It’s now 2013, and we have ARTPOP, a bizarre, sexual, vulgar album boasting a variety of sounds. Lady Gaga has attempted a mix of several different genres on this album, from electro dance music to questionable hip-hop (T.I., Too Short and Twista are featured on a song). Lady Gaga’s power voice is one of her redeeming factors, but again, Gaga is confused as to whether she is going for a late 80s to 90s pop revival (one that has critics shouting, “Madonna rip-off!”) or an electronic dance album.
And while the album drops electronic beats, the songs aren’t especially dance-worthy, especially when the lyrics are so blatantly sexual in the worst type of way. This trend continues through not just one but most songs on the first half of the album. It makes one wonder who Lady Gaga’s audience is anymore. While she was always bizarre, at least her songs were only slightly strange. Lady Gaga is now pushing the limit on how weird her songs can go before people will stop listening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4123vzCDS4
Her best songs on the album are the ones that showcase her voice and take a more pop approach with less electronic elements. “Aura” does a pretty good job of opening the album, and while “Venus” has lyrics that will undoubtedly make you do a double-take, it’s catchy and maybe even danceable. The subsequent songs contain mostly crude and flat-out wacky lyrics, from a song about manicures to “doing what you want with my body” to a song comparing someone to a “swine” as electronic pig-snorting noises play in the background. After this adventure in borderline consensual sex, over-plasticized fashion designers and “Mary Jane Holland,” the listener is ready for a break.
“Dope,” a raw, emotional ballad, showcases Gaga’s powerful voice. Then you realize the chorus is “I need you more than dope.” This gives this ballad a lighter feel, but the song still remains captivating. It makes the listener wonder if this is a serious song about addiction or a self-criticizing spoof. “Gypsy” comes after, and it actually contains relatable lyrics. The song contains aspects of 80s power ballads, but is still something you could play at a party. “Applause,” the album’s first single, finishes the album. It’s reminiscent of older Gaga songs and ends the album well. Sadly, it makes you wonder what in the hell went wrong with the middle 10 songs in the album.
2.5 out of 5 stars
