Music
‘Joanne’ by Lady Gaga — album review
Overall, ‘Joanne’ is another proof that Lady Gaga is indeed a music chameleon. Throughout her eight year career, Gaga has proven that she can do anything.
“I am not quite convinced yet with the new direction she has taken in her music. For me, the album felt a bit pretentious and troubled. I do admire her growth as an artist and her drive to take risks, to do new things especially for her fans.” ★★★☆☆ — By Jape Garrido
From her disco-stick-riding debut, outrageous headline grabbing performances, and innovative fashion, Lady Gaga has been known for her artistry that took the music industry by storm. She is known to as the ‘Mother Monster’ by her fans (who call themselves ‘Little Monsters’), and is considered to be one of the prominent music icons of this generation with her singles and albums that earned both commercial and critical success. She is now the only female artist of the decade with four number one albums with her newest release, besting other female pop album auteurs Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
For her fourth studio album, Gaga opted to take a break from her famous persona, rebranding her sound with a country-pop singing cowgirl named Joanne, which is in dedication to her dearly departed aunt, Joanne Germanotta, who died at a very young age because of lupus.
With all of these serious changes, and with the abysmal performance of her last solo offering Artpop, I was expecting something extraordinary, a game-changing gamble from the singer. She is known as an innovator that revolutionized pop excellence in the current music scene. Her music eras are considered to be very iconic, all oozing with creativity and versatility in their respective releases. Instead, I was bit disappointed. Crafted by numerous A-list producers and Gaga herself, Joanne didn’t really live up to the hype.
Compared to her former albums, Joanne is considered to be her most raw and personal body of work. There are flashes of her personal life throughout. Perfect Illusion, Million Reasons and Angel Down appear hugely as personal tracks from the album.
“Lord show me the way, to cut through all this worn out leather. I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away. But I just need one good one to stay,” Gaga sings, referring to both her recent failed relationship with her fiancé and her relationship with the music industry. The stripped down country ballad really allows her words to rise up, pushing the lyrics into something far more powerful and momentous. However, these personal moments are short-lived. The album becomes a complicated experience. The cascade of hooks falls flat and the fusion of country and pop seems to never blend cohesively together, as heard in songs like Dancin’ In Circles and John Wayne.
Though a very talented singer, Mother Monster chooses to show her vocal abilities through a distressing, theatrical yowling, as heard in her strained lead single Perfect Illusion, as if she got cast in a Broadway rock musical.
Despite of these flaws, Joanne does have a couple of raw, emotional ballads that suits this new style, such as the title track, Million Reasons, Angel Down and Diamond Heart. A-YO, Perfect Illusion, and Come To Mama are also amusing if you listen to them as individually. Their presence in the album seems awkward and incoherent to the overall flow and vibe.
Overall, Joanne is another proof that Lady Gaga is indeed a music chameleon. Throughout her eight year career, Gaga has proven that she can do anything. With countless records and Grammys under her name, she continues to be a recognizable face in the music industry.
As a music fanatic, I am not quite convinced yet with the new direction she has taken in her music. For me, the album felt a bit pretentious and troubled. I do admire her growth as an artist and her drive to take risks, to do new things especially for her fans. Joanne may not be her best work but it’s her boldest one yet. ■ AH Online / The Culture Review
Listen to the album on Spotify here:
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