Album- Artpop
Artist- Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is undeniably a pop phenomenon in today’s music
world: ever since she burst onto the scene with her stellar album The Fame, the
singer has been a great staple of the music scene, and her extravagant persona
and infectious tunes have really captured the public’s attention. Yet at the
same time her eccentricity can be polarising, and at times she can seem like a
woman caught up in her own world rather than being a really good pop force.
Artpop has been positioned as very big music event from the singer that will
push the musical envelope in terms of bringing artistry back to pop music, but
does the music actually measure up, or is Gaga’s craziness at this point just
too much.
Track 1- Aura
Opening track Aura is a psychedelic techno affair that was used
as a soundtrack song for the film Machete Kills, in which Gaga stars. The track
begins with this snazzy guitar riff before morphing into this weird
conglomeration of subdued, cowboy based instrumentation, distorted vocals and
stomping EDM rhythms. The songs production is cool and powerful but definitely
leans more towards the albums artistic qualities. Lyrically the track focuses
on Gaga’s persona, with the singer reflecting on herself and reasserting her
feminity and agency as a human being. The song is wrapped around a solid pop
chorus and in places the verses are fun and catchy, but other times Gaga’s
crazy vision is a bit too much too take, whilst the vocals are strong but too
heavily distorted and add to this hard to fully understand if you like it feel
of the track.
3/5
Track 2- Venus
The first song of her career solely produced by Gaga
herself, Venus is another of the tracks more weird pop numbers in which find
the singer placing herself as this goddess of love and using a wide array of
space imagery, wanting to be taken to the planet venus. The songs manic energy
and fragmented lyrics shouldn’t work but they kind of do, and although the
vocal distortions and manic state of the singer’s voice is annoying, the vocals
work well with the lyrical substance. The dance/ synth pop sound of the record
features a simple thumping babe and euphoric sounding synths that creates an
equally manic pop song that is another track where you are in this state of
love and hate.
3/5
Track 3- G.U.Y
Once again invoking gods within the beginning of this track,
G.U.Y is a quirky, heavy feeling synth pop number that simply focuses on Gaga
telling this person that she wants to be the girl under him, in various (but
more obviously sexual) interpretations of the phrase. The message is simple but
just comes across as annoying rather than appealing, with the rumbling, snappy
tones of the production giving the song a gritty but ultimately
unimpressionable sound. The vocals are good in places as the singer utilises
her range, but in other places she comes across as whiny, particularly in the
chorus, which just acts as the seal of the songs failure.
2.5/5
Track 4- Sexx Dreams
Sexx Dreams continues the sensual edge of the album going as
Gaga sings of seeing this person in her dreams about sex, and how this person
was amazing. Whilst the subject matter may seem a bit weird, lyrically this
song is the best track on the record yet, with a solid pop chorus that invokes
the spirit of some of her earlier work, whilst the power of the song is also
elevated by the way Gaga sails along in her lower range in the verses before
giving us a brilliant, falsetto driven chorus. Keeping the production equally
more simple than the previous offerings with a steady beat in the verses and
some snappy, catchy electro beats in the chorus makes the songs sound more
appealing, whilst the sound also evokes a euphoric edge within the track that
is nicely in tune with the lyrical message.
3.5/5
Track 5- Jewels n’
Drugs (featuring T.I, Too Short and Twista)
From the nice pop sensibilities of Sexx Dreams Gaga takes a
u turn into more trap, hip hop based music that just doesn’t sound good. The
song simply finds Gaga singing about not wanting drugs and jewels but simply
wanting this guy’s love, with the chorus being short and annoying. The verses
find Gaga singing in a weird, I am in a state of passion kind of way that
leaves little impression on the listener, whilst the guest rappers on the track
aren’t utilised well and just give us short, boring rap verses. The songs
structure is also too frenzied, with the production changing in intensity and
giving us different hip hop flavours to the song that might have worked for
other artists, but which just doesn’t work for Gaga. She may be a lover of hip
hop, but just cause you love a certain type of music doesn’t always mean you
should have a go at it yourself.
2/5
Track 6-
Manicure
Gaga goes back to a more simplistic pop state with the fun
and energising manicure. The snarling vocals that open the track really grabs
your attention brilliantly and shows the nice performance side of the singer,
whilst the shouting ‘manicure’ hook is really catchy. The song lyrically
focuses on the singer telling this guy what she wants him to do with her and
how his love is really potent for her, with the lyrics being elevated by the
feistiness of the singers vocal delivery. The blend of the snappy percussion
with shimmering synth notes and a funky breakdown in the bridge gives a vibrant
pop sound to track that makes you want to dance around and revel in the singers
energy, whilst the electric guitar solo at the end is an awesome way to end the
song.
3.5/5
Track 7- Do What U
Want (featuring R. Kelly)
Due to the popularity of the song at its release, Do What U
Want was promoted from promotional single status to be the records second
official single. And it is easy to see why, because the song is one of the most
pure pop moments from the singer with a slight smooth RnB feel, and the song
just shows that there is a really good artist behind all the craziness of her
persona. The song is a lyricaly strong piece where Gaga tells people that they
can say what they want about her body, but they can’t hurt her or take away her
thoughts, feelings and passion. The feistiness of her vocal delivery really
elevates the song, whilst Gaga also really shows off her vocal chops to great
effect. R Kelly is a smooth, nice addition to the track that gives the song a
sensual edge and compliments the slight grit that lies in some of Gaga’s
delivery of lines. The songs throbbing club beat and simple synth sound that
characterises the song creates this rumbling energy for the tracks lyrics to
follow, and simply with this track we see that Gaga maybe should just strip
things back.
4/5
Track 8- Artpop
Title track Artpop is a light synthpop affair that finds
Gaga singing to this guy and suggesting that they could belong together, whilst
she also lyrically acknowledges the craziness of the Artpop album could
actually mean anything. The singer keeps things light and simple with her vocal
performance and brings this sense of sweetness and love to the track, whilst
the stuttering, stomping rhythm of the production with the clattering synth
notes creates this equally as light and simple sound that keeps the lyrics at
the forefront of the song. Some of the Auto Tune could have been taken away,
and the bridge is a bit weird, but once again the singer shows strength in
giving us more simple pop numbers.
3.5/5
Track 9- Swine
After the relative simplicity of the last two tracks Gaga
goes back to her crazy, musically volatile, crazy self with Swine, an
aggressive electro pop number where she basically refers to this guy as a swine
who wants her but who she just sees as disgusting. The lyrics are a bit awkard
in places but the ‘swine’ hook is actually quite catchy, whilst the singers
vocals are cool in the way that she moves from a sensual to aggressive vocal
delivery seamlessly, and too great effect. The problem with the song is that
the production is once again over dramatic and too frenzied, going from simple
synth pop notes to this rumbling bass and dance, club ready breakdown that
sounds as boring on paper as it does actually listening to the song. It is
probably a song that clubs might actually start playing, but it lacks an
innovative edge and just feels to complicated.
2.5/5
Track 10- Donatella
Donatella’s rich beginning is cool satirical piece in which
Gaga speaks of being great cause she is blond and skinny, etc. This cool
opening shows that Gaga is fully aware of her craziness and can easily poke fun
at herself, offering the listener a closer connection to the artist. Then the
song starts to kick in and you get bored again. The song finds the singer
indulging in her love of the fashion brand Donatella and although she nicely
uses some clichés and a cool analysis of the fashion industry, the song
ultimately just self-indulgent and lacks a really catchy chorus. The song finds
the singer vocals going from cheerleader shouts to drawling tones that just
brings an unappealing quality to the track, whilst the fuzzy dance beats of the
track is just a pop sound that, whilst nicely simple in places, is also just
simply boring.
2.5/5
Track 11- Fashion!
Co-written and co-produced with will.i.am and David Guetta,
Fashion is a song that opens up with this intriguing piano melody and is
weirdly a successful collaboration, in that whilst both will.i.am and David
Guetta’s solo material is quite hectic, here we are given more of a simple pop
tune that once again places the singer in better state of musical being. The
song features a funky 80’s guitar groove and swirling synth flourishes that
brings a fun energy to the track that is infectious. The singer’s vocals are
light and simple and blend well with the fun sound, whilst the lyrics are
catchy in their equally simplistic evoking of Gaga’s love for fashion. Some
elements of the song could have been avoided like the vocal presence of
will.i.am and the post chorus dance elements, but other than that this is a
nice pop tune.
3.5/5
Track 12- Mary Jane
Holland
Mary Jane Holland is another song that features a drawling,
frenzied vocal performance from the singer that is just boring to listen to,
whilst the song also utilises a heavy synth bass and forceful electro sound
that is also lacking in any ability to grab the listeners attention, whilst the
song also seems to show that in many respects Gaga is one trick pony kind of an
artist, becomes at this point the sound seems to blend into one. The lyrics of
the song lack a catchy appeal and simply seem to facilitate the singer’s need
to speak of a love of theatricality and the alluding to drugs.
1.5/5
Track 13- Dope
From the simple title of this track you could easily view
this song as either being a song where the singer sings of her greatness, or
where she sings of the greatness of drugs. Yet instead we are given an
intriguing electronic rock ballad that has a lyrically dark theme where the
singer focuses on her substance abuse and a yearning for a lost love that goes
beyond her need for drugs. The song is passionate and honest and is elevated in
its power to touch the listener through the way the singer delivers her vocal
in a despairing, intoxicated, slurring kind of a way. The minimalist production
with the simple mix of piano and distant synths makes for a more impactful,
emotionally strong piece that is more brilliant in this respect.
3.5/5
Track 14- Gypsy
The only song on the record to feature any sort of input
from one of the singers major musical collaborators, that is producer RedOne,
Gypsy is a stomping dance track with some acoustic elements interspersed in the
dominating synth pop production. Lyrically the song draws on the singer jet
setting lifestyle and the fact that she doesn’t actually own her own home, with
the singer stating that one day she might settle down but at the minute she
loves life and being with people, with the song nicely having the ability to be
read as a love letter to the singers fans. The vocal is strong in the way that
the singer builds up her voice and brings passion to the song, whilst the thumping
dance grooves and eclectic, electronic style fun and euphoric, although at
times the frenzied nature of the song can detract from its ability to impress
the listener.
3.5/5
Track 15- Applause
Closing track Applause was the records first single and
introduced the world to the crazy, new type of Gaga theatrically that would
mark this record. But whilst I like many probably thought it was a step back
for the singer and not all that good, on subsequent hearings I have been won
over by the pop brilliance of the song and the analysis of pop culture that
characterises the track. Here Gaga sings of how she lives for the applause and
loves to hear it, with the song allowing the singer to address the fact that a
lot of her artistry is based upon her love to just entertain people and make
them happy. It is a strong sentiment that is centred around a weird but really
catchy hook that will just get stuck in your head the more you listen to them.
The vocals are simple and snappy in the chorus whilst the singer nicely commands
the listeners attention in the verse with her warbling, David Bowie like tone.
The production is feisty synthpop at it’s finest with a glittering synth base
and hand clapping grooves that will also just elevate the songs ability to get
stuck in your head the more you listen to it, and so whilst it may not have
struck me the first time I heard it, now I can finally see this songs
brilliance and the reason why it is both on the end of the album and was the
beginning of the Artpop era.
4/5
Final Review
Artpop is an ambitious album that unfortunately fails to
grab the listener and achieve what it strives to do. It is all well and good
for Gaga to try and put some strong artistic merit in her work, but with too
many of the songs her crazy persona just takes over and we just get a jumbled
sound that just sound bad. There are some pop gems within the record that show
that the singer should keep to a simpler sound and go back to the level of
sophisticated music that led to her early career, whilst the vocals need to be fine-tuned,
because at times her voice sounds amazing and at other times she sounds like an
Auto Tuned mess. It just is a fun album at times, annoying at others, and Gaga’s
team just need to finally do something and control the artistry, cause freedom
is all good but sometimes it is just too crazy.
4.5/10
Best Track- Applause
Worst Track- Mary
Jane Holland
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