Gaga's Leave of Absence — Welcome Joanne

[Ray of Light 8,134]

Gaga's Leave of Absence — Welcome Joanne

Joanne, Lady Gaga’s fifth studio album is one that perfectly captures the essence of a bigger than life pop star jumping off the egg vessel and softly landing on a haystack as a rawly-authentic, American-Italian girl. Following her commercial and critical underrated album ARTPOP (2013), both fans and Gaga naysayers should tune into this effectively crafted country-rock-folk- funk, but most cleverly, pop album.

The album opens with “Diamond Heart”. It’s a mid tempo song that has very minimalistic production, along with a heavenly build up that slides into a rough and raw chorus. The song is very much simple but dynamic. Its lyrics deal with themes of patriotism, sexism and love. It’s indeed a good choice to serve as the opening song.

 8/10

The second track on the album is “A-YO" a song similar to Taylor Swift’s song “Shake It Off” (2014). However, it’s still a very unique song with funky production that makes it a very lighthearted tune. Interestingly, the lyrics contrast this and are very “in your face” and aggressive. Such relatable lyrics and its catchy hook, along with its use of a cliche “Marlboro” reference makes this a harmless and good song. It even shows off Gaga’s vocal ability with acrobatics that soar in her high voice and take a beautiful dive in her lower tones. The edgy guitar breakdown is also a very nice touch that takes the song to another level of cool.

8/10

The title song “Joanne” is about her late aunt. It takes use of a melancholy tone and production, yet still finds a way to evoke happiness and a sense of hope. The chorus is very fitting to the song itself and to the album it represents, not too dramatic nor generic. Joanne’s heartfelt and personal lyrics, along with its quality Mark Ronson production — combine to tell a story, and work in parallel to take the lister on Gaga and her family’s experience on the loss of their close relative.

9/10

“John Wayne” follows, opening with a very odd dialogue. It gives the song a touch of carefree, but sounds somewhat unnecessary. Get to singing Gaga! Thumping production proceeds this introduction, and feels like a nice change in the album so far after the more simplistic production in the first songs. The buildup in the pre-chorus is highlight within the album, and the unique and grungy chorus that follows it is too. Additionally, the second verse of this song is very memorable and distinctive in that its lyrics are of standout quality delivered with a country-glam enunciation.

10/10

The subsequent song “Dancing In Circles” is a more uptempo track. It applies dance production reminiscent of Gaga’s previous work such as “Alejandro” (2009). There is also a very cool touch of sitar that not only makes the production superb, but allows the track to heavily stand out. The lyrics have romantic themes, yet also weave in self-love and masturbation motifs. “Dancing In Circles” shows relation to Gaga’s old work with its catchy hook over a foundation of Euro-pop, yet endeavors into contemporary popular music due to its Ragge undertone.

8/10

The lead single, “Perfect Illusion," is next on the track list. This song is a mixed collection of both raw and electronic. The vocals Gaga applies are very strong and clear, no editing even when she’s belting. The chorus is very repetitive and a bit too loud compared to rest of song, making the song hard to listen to when you need to relax or be calm. However, the bridge is very well done and adds dimension to the entire song by balancing all of the loud and gritty with smoothness and sexiness.

10/10

“Million Reasons” is up next, a track that is very much acoustic with traces of folk and country. It’s undeniably the most relatable song on the album, and not only that, but also a highlight. It shows off Gaga’s vocals in a way none of her other songs have done before. Both her lower and higher register come into play as she takes advantage of her great range. It’s a simplistic song with minimal use of electronic production; unlike most of the tracks she’s put out since The Fame Monster (2009).

10/10

“Sinner’s Prayer” is the 8th track on the album. Its old western pop-rock hybrid production is one hard to describe, but very easy to appreciate. The lyrics found within this song are very bold and deal with themes of religion, desire and self. It’s a clear standout track that sounds like it would be amazingly performed live.

9/10

“Come To Mama” is the following song, and opens up with a retro 90’s feel. Gaga’s enunciation is different already, implementing a more heavy tone. The lyrics are very clever and play on words; warning humanity about the dangers both our future and present face. It’s a poppy and cheerful song that has a very meaningful message about the current status of our society.

7/10

Up next is “Hey Girl” featuring Florence Welch, the female empowerment anthem. It’s very easy to spot out the Elton John inspiration as the groovy mood in the production is reminiscent of “Bennie and the Jets” (1973). In this track, Gaga purposefully under sings to compliments Florence’s hefty vocals, creating a nice harmony and not some vocal-battle. The lyrics are very cute and sweet, surprisingly not complex as one would expect from artists like Gaga and Florence. Its message of females sticking and fighting together rather than being pitted against each other is refreshing, and the great choice of collaborator makes it even better.

10/10

The album then closes with “Angel Down" a memorial to Trayvon Martin who, at 17 years old, was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in Sanford, Florida. It’s a ballad with vocals that can be described as raw. Gaga successfully expresses sorrow, yet anger. The lyrics are indeed specific to the tragedy, but also apply to a bigger spectrum of the chaos found within our society along with the hope of a positive change. It’s a wonderfully emotive and powerful song, very worthy of closing the album.

7/10

In conclusion, Joanne is an album that avoids all of the glitz and glam Gaga heavily relied on previously in her career. However, it does not lose any of the grandiose power the Lady evokes through her beautifully vigorous songwriting. The more acoustic-driven production of this album sets it apart from anything she’s done before, but that doesn't make it a simpler album. Actually, it’s a record of complex nature that could be analyzed through many perspectives such as Gaga’s herself, her late aunt’s Joanne, the fans who have followed her for years, and even those who don't particularly enjoy Lady Gaga. It can be said that this album serves as the meeting point where Gaga decided to congregate the general public and her fans — pleasing both parties with fantastic music and an extremely cohesive record. Where her previous albums touched and brazed the concepts of who Lady Gaga is, Joanne dissects her anatomy and soul enabling one to encounter her human nature. Not only that but by dabbling into various genres such as country, rock and folk; Gaga allows her music to reach audiences that it otherwise would not have before. This album not only met expectations, but it surpassed them. After enduring a tumultuous defeat during her ARTPOP (2013) era and endless media backslash, Lady Gaga... now Joanne, returns triumphantly to the music scene.

Rating: 80/100 

[Ray of Light 8,134]

Thank you all for reading! 

 

 

[MarryTheKnight 2,181]

Does this count for metacritic???

[Squeeshy Keety 9,908]

Average song score: 8.7/10 or 87%

Final rating: 80%

Spoiler

Interesting read, though! I'm glad at least one reviewer can approach it objectively 

 

[Pacify Him 9,073]

“John Wayne” follows, opening with a very odd dialogue. It gives the song a touch of carefree, but sounds somewhat unnecessary.

"Unnecessary"

It's the song's weavesnatcher 

So deluded