Joanne should have been bolder

[Guest]

We all know Joanne was Gaga's attempt at creating a "personal" album, and the reason I say 'attempt' is because I think it's not personal. Gaga used Joanne Germ as an inspiration, not herself, and this is where all the 6/10 reviews came from. Of course the NYTimes review was bull, but Pitchfork and Fantano rightfully pointed out its flaws. To further my point, we can take a look at some other (albeit worse) "personal albums"

Britney Jean is the obvious catastrophe - will.i.am ruined its production and its so generic and uninspired, and Britney has won much more acclaim with bangers than personal tracks

Younger Now - a painfully obvious PR move that would never have been without Joanne

Man of the Woods - another ripoff 

But there's one good one that actually built off personal struggle

Rainbow by Kesha. Her years of abuse and torment are channeled into a masterpiece album of regret, anger, and redemption, that is what Joanne should have been, but also could not have been. That's my point! Gaga simply did not have the material, and she has preferred to keep mostly quiet about her rape at 19, possibly she can't artistically channel it for various reason, or is uncomfortable. 

Joanne was a good move to earn a wider audience, but for long time fans like myself and critics, it is lacking. Rant over. Thoughts?

[jared011 549]

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[rumours 45,521]

I view Joanne as a step in the right direction, rather than it being some sort of masterpiece. That being said, it’s still my second favorite album of hers after C2C. 

[Ryusei 59,929]

Stream Million Reasons  

[River 90,386]

So you missed the point of Joanne..

Joanne was personal but in a public point of view, it was not personal from struggle, but personal from family and love life, it was public in a struggle point of view because of how the world is unstable atm..

It was never intended to be private and speak about her own struggles like the rape..

[Didymus 32,696]

I agree. The lyrics are almost shockingly bland when you think this album was supposed to be her confessional, "this is who I actually am behind the costumes" album when compared to her previous albums which, personally, I find 100x more personal and revealing, actually

Anyway, there's some cute melodies and instrumentals on there but there's nothing really that was improved quality-wise compared to her previous outings, with the exception of only a few songs that felt different and fresh songwriting wise (specifically A-YO, Sinner's Prayer and Angel Down for me). So you're basically getting the same stuff that is actually less exciting but is sold as something different and a lot more. That's what made me disappointed.

[LibraOctober98 3,456]

I get the inspiration. Joanne is the biggest source of her father's sorrow, so Joanne is a major influence in her life. You're right in everything you said, but idk how it could have been better... I love MR and PI, but some other songs do fall short. Should they have been scrapped or just made better?

[JustAnother 5,113]

2 minutes ago, River said:

So you missed the point of Joanne..

Joanne was personal but in a public point of view, it was not personal from struggle, but personal from family and love life, it was public in a struggle point of view because of how the world is unstable atm..

It was never intended to be private and speak about her own struggles like the rape..

This. Everyone keeps misinterpreting Joanne on this site and it’s frustrating. 

[bloody g 31,729]

Joanne is too mild to have Gaga's name attached to it. Tracks like Million Reasons, Come To Mama, Angel Down or Dancin In Circles are good. But there are some tracks that are just too empty like Perfect Illusion or Diamond Heart.

Joanne is my least favorite album because of that. Not because of the sound. ASIB tracks got it all right however.

Edit: I'm glad it happened though. I think it was important for her.

[iAstroLeo 14,206]

2 minutes ago, Bloody Grammys said:

Joanne is too mild to have Gaga's name attached to it. Tracks like Million Reasons, Come To Mama, Angel Down or Dancin In Circles are good. But there are some tracks that are just too empty like Perfect Illusion or Diamond Heart.

Joanne is my least favorite album because of that. Not because of the sound. ASIB tracks got it all right however.

Edit: I'm glad it happened though. I think it was important for her.

Really? Perfect Illusion is empty?

 

[Didymus 32,696]

1 minute ago, River said:

So you missed the point of Joanne..

Joanne was personal but in a public point of view, it was not personal from struggle, but personal from family and love life, it was public in a struggle point of view because of how the world is unstable atm..

It was never intended to be private and speak about her own struggles like the rape..

I mean, you're right about the struggle thing but that doesnt mean she didn't present the album as private, extra meaningful and (for her) innovatingly candid and illuminating. When I read some of these past interviews it's obvious she wanted to present this as her Ray of Light:

"I will just tell you that it’s a wonderful, soul-searching experience. And it’s very unlike the last album in that way. I made that album on the road. ARTPOP was, you know, the acid-making record. And this record is like—my old self as a cadaver. And I’m just, I’m operating on my old self." (2014)

"Returning to your family and where you came from, and your history... this is what makes you strong. It's not looking out that's going to do that—it's looking in... Joanne is a progression for me. It was about going into the studio and forgetting that I was famous." (2016)

"the deepest stories that I have of my life and turning them into songs that I hope will touch people in a deep and meaningful way about their own lives and their own stories" (2016)

Whatever her intention, I still don't understand what songs she's talking about Like, ok, you have Million Reasons and Angel Down which are sort of (not really though) inspirational and impactful from a lyrical pov but most of them... aren't When I think of John Wayne and Dancin' in Circles I'm just like... seriously? This is progress for her discography?

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, River said:

So you missed the point of Joanne..

Joanne was personal but in a public point of view, it was not personal from struggle, but personal from family and love life, it was public in a struggle point of view because of how the world is unstable atm..

It was never intended to be private and speak about her own struggles like the rape..

The title track works in this regard, as does Diamond Heart especially, but Angel Down feels empty and too gloomy for a political statement. Come to Mama is quite achingly generic, Million Reasons is pretty good I guess. Same with Grigio Girls. I see your point, but I still thing its lacking in punch and soul. Perfect Illusion is furious but it's basically a chorus repeated four times after the first two verses. Gaga has stated herself that she likes A-YO the most out of all of them

[crisTEAne 21,059]

2 minutes ago, hurricane326 said:

Angel Down feels empty

wtf     

[bloody g 31,729]

10 minutes ago, iAstroLeo said:

Really? Perfect Illusion is empty?

 

Umm clearly

[Doncho 27,241]

I think she really didnt know what to do with the album. It is "personal" but it also has songs like Perfect Illusion and Dancin in Circles (wich I love) that doesnt fit with the personal stuff. Not to mention her fashion was toned down sometimes and then she would come up with John Wayne crazy video or some look with super high heels.

Also the simple videos of the era failed to be good. They are just... there. Gaga promoting Perfect illusion video as "Im just singing the song" still hurts to this day