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Little Monsters, rejoice!
After a brief collaborating period and album release with Tony Bennett, Mother Monster has returned to pop music with her her fourth solo album Joanne. Gaga’s been teasing the record for months with g clips of lyrics and samples of songs — really just to drive us crazy with anticipation. We should probably mention that the album’s first single,Perfect Illusion, dropped on September 8 — and already has over 33 million views on YouTube.
The album’s roster of collaborating partners is nothing short of impressive — the record has sprinklings of Florence Welch, Beck, Father John Misty and producer Mark Ronson. With Joanne Gaga has created a new sound, taking us behind the lavish costumes and the grand musical numbers. This is definitely a new era of Gaga — and it’s safe to say fans have been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Are we in love with Lady Gaga’s new album Joanne, or is it a perfect illusion? Find out in our track-by-track review:
Diamond Heart
With an 80’s rock influence, the album kicks off with Diamond Heart and features our new favourite lyric: “I may not be flawless but I’ve got a diamond heart.” Right off the bat Gaga introduces us to the feel of the entire album — a departure from the electro-pop of her past and into an era where Gaga’s rock n’ roll voice is the focal point. Solid first track.
A-Yo
Gaga is getting country with this one. It’s pop meets country with a little bit of rock n’roll — and it’s a whole lot of fun. This is a new side to Gaga musically,and her voice suits it.
Joanne
Gaga wrote this song as a response to the tragic death of Treyvon Martin and the countless African-American children that are the victims of gun violence and police brutality. The acoustic guitar lends a folkier sound than we expected this song to have, but the lyrics are really what shine here.
John Wayne
Can we first talk about Gaga expressing her love for cowboys in the opening of the song? Same girl, same. John Wayne feels like a hybrid between past and present Gaga. It’s rock n’ roll with an electro-pop undertone.
Dancin’ in Circles
Another song that feels reminiscent of past Gaga, “Dancin’ In Circles” is reminiscent of “Alejandro” and gives us a little bit of Bollywood flavour. It’s no secret what the song’s about — if you’re not sure, give it another listen. If you’re nostalgic for the early days of Mother Monster, you’ll enjoy this.
Perfect Illusion
The album’s first single is punchy and musically reminds us of the days of the “Born This Way” Gaga. Mark Ronson earns one of the producing credits — which is definitely one of the reasons why the song pops. LG delivers compelling vocals and lyrics that will hit home for a lot of her fans. The single is a great gift from Mother Monster for so many reasons.
Million Reasons
This beautiful ballad starts with Gaga and a piano, as she sings about all the things that should make her want to leave someone — but all she needs is one good reason to stay. No doubt we can all relate to that kind of feeling. As the song goes on, the intensity in the melody and the urgency in her voice will leave you breathless.
Sinner’s Prayer
There’s something about Gaga’s voice that works really well with country and blues — specifically this bluesy-folksy sound. Lyrically , Sinner’s Prayer is one of the record’s strongest. It’s sultry, sweet and damn catchy — and a quick favourite.
Come to Mama
Gaga just wants everyone to get along as she sings in Come To Mama. It’s a sweet song with a beautiful jazz sound and just feels honest. Father John Misty’s writing credits are unmistakable, lending his talents to help create this delightful track.
Hey Girl
FLORENCE AND GAGA YAS. Ok, sorry, got a little excited there. This friendship is one we never knew we needed — but now we can’t imagine life without it. Two very cool voices blending together in one beautiful song about female friendship. It’s fun to see Florence in this kind of song, because it’s not the usual Florence and the Machine-sound. Their voices are able to equally shine, benefitting the song’s uplifting message with “Hey Girl.”
Angel Down
The opening piano and violin give way to the kind of hauntingly beautiful song that we can only expect from Gaga. It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s emotional. This is the kind of song that will live on long after she is gone. It’s message will hit home for many. Angel Down is absolutely a stand out. If you can get through this song without a tear or a river of them, we’re not sure what to tell you.
Grigio Girls
This song was written as a tribute to a friend of Gaga’s who is battling breast cancer. It’s a really touching song that lyrically feels like a recipe for a girls night in. Keeping with the country-overarch of some of the songs, you might just be humming the lyrics “Pinot Grigio girls keep it real cold. Cause it’s a fired up world.”
Just Another Day
“Just Another Day” is a bouncy and retro song that reminds us of the Lady Gaga/Tony Bennett era that we loved. It’s a light-hearted, charming tune that is packed with personality and a notable musical collaboration with Mark Ronson and Brian Newman. A tip of the pink hat to you, Gaga.
Angel Down – Work Tape
Demo’s are always a treat to have on an album — they allow us to see how the song progressed from it’s early stages to the final production. We will never get over the power of this song. Even the demo version is dripping with heartbreaking beauty.
Verdict: 5 Perfect Illusions out of 5
Joanne is a gift from Gaga’s soul to our ears. It was a bold move to strip away all the costumes and the theatrics that propelled Gaga to the top of the charts, but from it comes a wildly honest record that crosses genres and boundaries. These songs are some of her best — whether or not it becomes a commercial success it will be known as her most honest record to date. This isn’t a perfect illusion, it’s simply perfect. This is Gaga at her realest. She’s putting it out there and isn’t hiding behind any effects — this is all her emotions, her lyrics, and those powerhouse vocals.
Keep doing you, Gaga!
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