Evening Standard Review: ‘a collection of serious, well-crafted songs’

[Leaf 2,429]

http://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/music/lady-gaga-joanne-review-a-collection-of-serious-wellcrafted-songs-a3374201.html

Gaga drops the strangeness for an album that could win her mainstream attention again

Her last solo album, the high concept ARTPOP in 2013, felt like the point where the strangeness slipped towards desperation.

Now, the woman whose obituaries will one day talk about her meat dress before they mention any of her songs, is sporting a smart pink hat on the new cover and declaring that it’s all about the music. 

Joanne is both Gaga’s middle name and her father’s sister, who died from lupus aged 19. Such a sad, personal inspiration means that there’s not much fun to be had here, aside from A-Yo’s handclaps and funk bass. This is where the influence of producer and main co-writer Mark Ronson can be heard most clearly.

In contrast, the title track which follows is lovely and plain, an acoustic guitar meandering over a fine chorus on which her voice shows rare restraint.

It’s not strictly a rock album – the Latin awkwardness of the pretty dreadful Dancin’ in Circles, written with Beck, puts paid to that idea. But there are echoes of Springsteen in the saxophone swing of Come to Mama and the pounding chorus of Diamond Heart. On Sinner’s Prayer, she even edges towards country music. 

Her falling album sales as her career goes on aren’t that surprising. The former Stefani Germanotta was a stick of dynamite thrown into the pop world in the beginning but as a certified freak, more Marilyn Manson than Madonna, she was always going to find her true level a few steps over from the mainstream.

This could be the point where she wins vanilla America back with a collection of serious, well-crafted songs that contain the DNA of past greats. Or with the lobster hat removed to reveal someone more straightforward, it could be the moment where we lose interest altogether.

3/5 

[DavidLirk 962]

do they count to MC?

[djBuffoon 12,115]

"the Latin awkwardness of the pretty dreadful Dancin’ in Circles"

lmao bye

[display name 4,360]

"Latin awkwardness of the pretty dreadful Danci-" **** THEM.

[viniferrett 16,684]

gtg

[Music 15,215]

"the Latin awkwardness of the pretty dreadful Dancin’ in Circles"

stop reading and about to exit thread.

[The Surrealist 27,470]

Not them saying Dancin In Circles is Latin when it's Bollywood/Hindi.

Lowkey racist.

[Diamond Heart 4,400]

'the Latin awkwardness of the pretty dreadful Dancin’ in Circles'
 

Review cancelled

 

[Naufri 7,424]

1 minute ago, DavidLirk said:

do they count to MC?

nop, for once we are fortunate. Isn't a bullshit review either, they simply don't like it a lot.

[SlayGagaloo 16,152]

I'm officially done with critics. They can literally shut the **** up at this moment ☺☺

[GagzDonkeyD 1,293]

they're not listening to the album I'm listening to bye

[giskardsb 12,565]

4 minutes ago, Leaf said:

http://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/music/lady-gaga-joanne-review-a-collection-

former Stefani Germanotta was a stick of dynamite thrown into the pop world in the beginning but as a certified freak, more Marilyn Manson than Madonna, she was always going to find her true level a few steps over from the mainstream.

this I think is true, to the consternation of mainstream leaning fans.

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

"The former Stefani Germanotta was a stick of dynamite thrown into the pop world in the beginning but as a certified freak, more Marilyn Manson than Madonna, she was always going to find her true level a few steps over from the mainstream."

true

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

1 minute ago, giskardsb said:

this I think is true, to the consternation of mainstream leaning fans.

It was the right time at the right place back then.

[JHS 4,714]

Queen of getting 3 stars out of 5