Nagini 2,445 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 For better and for worse, that means the voice is the focus of her fourth proper studio album Joanne (out October 21). Real or not, Gaga has presented the image of a stripped down singer-songwriter who has put away the meat dresses and Warholian album covers in an attempt to find the artist underneath it all, the artist she was when she was making the rounds at dive bar drag shows in NYC in the early aughts. (Even her latest string of shows reflects this concept.) So while, yes, about 60 percent of the album is Gaga in a lower gear, over quieter production, this is still a Lady Gaga album, so “stripped down” means nearly every song drips with the quaking histrionics of a broadway showman. Lead single “Perfect Illusion” and opening track “Diamond Heart” could have been back-end filler songs on any of her previous albums, but instead of garish synths and heavy bass, both attempt to showcase Gaga’s rock and roll bonafides, showing that even in the era of poptimism, rock is still a signifier of authenticity. Replete with guitar squeals, kickdrum hearts and flashy credits (Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker,Bloodpop, Josh Homme), Gaga’s over-the-top vocal performance on both songs outweighs all that. She’s obviously trying so damn hard to sing the living Christ out of strained lyrics (that “It wasn’t laaaaaawwwvvveee” chorus becomes very grating very quickly), and it can be actively distracting to listen to. The handful of Joanne’s more forgettable tracks are a hodgepodge of quiet ballads (the country-tinged “Million Reasons,” the well-intentioned “Angel Down”) and songs that feel like unnatural chart grabs (the hand-clappy “A-YO” gives shades of Meghan Trainor, “Come To Mama” cribs Ronson’s retro soul-pop bombast, “Dancin’ In Circles” calls upon the undying trends of trop house and polite Euro-tinged dance music). But the album’s highlights — the genuinely moving acoustic title track and Florence Welch duet “Hey Girl” — are both exciting glimpses of what Joanne could have been. The problem with these two standouts is that they highlight what so many of the other tracks on Joanne failed to capture: Lady Gaga, unencumbered by the illusions and the theatrics, laying herself bare in her music. Considering she just recently claimed her “whole life is a theater piece,” it seems she’s still more content to stand in front of a curtain on stage than to let listeners behind that curtain. 2.5/5 http://www.idolator.com/7648936/lady-gaga-joanne-review Why do all these people keep having the wrong opinions? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarmaPolice 4,731 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Doesn't count to metacritic! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secret 2,320 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Oh a bad reviw, I bet this counts on MediaCritic, doesn't it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarstruckIllusion 52,768 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 who? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GANGIE 5,420 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 So... Does it count? TONIGHT I WON'T WEAR MY DISGUISE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirLudicopro 1,351 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I just want to say I'm at McDonald's and they're playing PI on the radio Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipper 13,078 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Please tell me this don't count? Like, what kind of album gets a high rating? Give me an example? Just to see where all this critics stand. 🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradley 59,076 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 1 minute ago, Shipper said: Please tell me this don't count? Like, what kind of album gets a high rating? Give me an example? Just to see where all this critics stand. Britney's Glory I like Britney but no Joanne is 200 times better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanWinchester 41,390 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 3 minutes ago, Tommi said: They don't count to metacritic! Flyin' like a 1000 Doves Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Music 15,215 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 are we listening to the same album these "journalists" are listening to? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlaeUrAnus 15,969 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Give them a free copy. We need album of the millennium! In my messy era. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versace 7,971 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 What does all this bullshit mean though I feel critics just say stuff, even those who say good things, say too much BS it's either you like the album or not and give one valid reason for either choice and goodbye, don't tell us your life story or try to show off your IQ, it comes off as cringe-worthy and pretentious Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitterngrease 482 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 What the ****? I really don't understand. What are they on? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
River 116,896 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 It's like they are writing Gaga's history while reading the albums tracklist and giving it a mark.. they didn't even listen to the album.. So sploosh your juice all over me you Riverboy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagini 2,445 Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Also, I don't understand why they don't include Grigio Girls+Just Another Day in their reviews? Do critics just ignore the bonus track editions? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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