Gaga's most cohesive studio album

[Disabled Account 392]

There’s none...   Sonically or lyrically... AND I DARE YOÜ TO CHANGE MY MIND. 

I’d say The Fame Monster is the most cohesive of them all, but then we have Telephone,  that would’ve fitted better in The Fame. Because, I am sorry, but all this story about the different monsters, and Telephone being “the monster of suffocation” is a whole mess that only 2009Ga believed. She included it in the EP because she knew it was a hit and it would sell well.

In The Fame there’s songs like Summerboy, Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) or Again Again, that have nothing to do with the album’s theme or sound. Like, does Summerboy sound Poker Face or Just Dance to you, hunny? Tell me about how you can relate Eh, Eh to fame? 

Born This Way is my favorite album of hers because of what it meant to me when it was released (and it’s still one of my favorite albums of all time). But it is her messiest, wildest, all–over–the–place album. Specially sonically. Like, what about Judas vs. The Edge of Glory? To just mention one pair... Then, lyrically, it’s also a mess... The album is supposed to preach strength, and love, and self–acceptance–and it does with a few tracks–but then we have Electric Chapel, Judas, Government Hooker... that not only have a darker production, but darker lyrics also. Then, we have songs like Scheiße or Bloody Mary, that preach about strength and being bold–that certainly fit the album lyrically–but sonically they would’ve fitted better in The Fame Monster... And it’s just–it’s a mess. A capital MESS. 

ARTPOP... I guess songs like Applause, G.U.Y., Swine, Donatella, Venus, Aura, Sexxx Dreams, Mary Jane Holland, do sound cohesive... But then we have MANiCURE or Dope.  And lyrically, it doesn’t matter because her ARTPOP could mean anything, right?   

Joanne it’s pretty cohesive in both areas. So I could mentioned this one as an option too. The only song that doesn’t fit sonically is Perfect Illusion, but lyrically it can be part of it, definitely. Also, I read John Wayne and Dancin’ In Circles do not fit in the album’s concept in a previous comment and I disagree.  Ya’ll can dance your booties all you want to Dancin’ In Circles, but that song it’s sad as hell if you consider it’s about the actual physical pain we could go through after a heartbreak, and missing somebody’s touch, and the need to “rub the pain away”. If you know what I mean.  And John Wayne could be about her stormy relationship with men, for example. 

So, there you have it, hunnies...  I guess what truly matters is that we connect to the music and with Gaga, and that this music–cohesive or not–it drive us through life. 

EDIT: I just wanted to clarify, I dared to use the word “mess” in the context of whether the music were cohesive or not. Just to give my point of view and discuss. I love Gaga and respect her artistic decisions. 💓

[Skylight 911]

future nostalgia 

[Massive Monster 5,020]

I went for the easy option, Fame Monster.

What I personally look for is how tracks flow and this album flows so well.

The most impressive flow is from Speechless to DITD in my opinion. From BR to Alejandro is also pretty sick.

Second option would either be The Fame or Joanne.

Born This Way is messy as ****, however it remains my personal favourite. I actually changed the tracklist and only listen to my version  

[Dramatica 13,690]

11 minutes ago, Skylight said:

future nostalgia 

 

Also people should stop comparing albums, we know that most people only vote to save their favorite album no matter what the question is

[Aga Gydal 3,158]

Born This Way had such a wide palette of references but reflected Gaga’s message of inclusivity, so all the different styles mesh together really well. Also, the lyrical arrangement is really consistent. Almost every single ****ing chorus was an anthemic statement: 

I’m gonna marry the night

I‘m beautiful in my way

I’m gonna drink my tears tonight

I’m just a holy fool

I don’t speak your language

I’ve had enough, this is my prayer

I wish that I could dance in a single prayer

I won’t cry for you

We can be strong

I’m on the edge of glory 

 

Joanne would be second.

[joannester 1,270]

9 hours ago, xoxo Craig said:

There's only one song that doesn't fit the album sonically, and thats Dope.

Yes but the song has a point to be on the album - It's the low after the high in a way, this is accentuated by the lighter and  deflating sounds at the end of MJH. Sonically some elements like the synths do give it some ARTPOP-ness. Plus it really makes Gypsy's bittersweetness shine more when played in order.

Imo cohesive doesn't have to mean one-flavoured.

( Ik, nobody asked but I Had to defend Dope )

[TEETHTEETH 1,717]

9 hours ago, DiskoBaby said:

ARTPOP doesn't have a good flow. It starts out fine as Aura as the opener, then Venus-Guy-Sexxx Dreams. Then it takes another turn with Jewels and Drugs and Manicure. Then it continues the flow again with Do What You Want and ARTPOP. Then she loses me on Swine. Donatella and Fashion are just... there. And then the flow continues with Mary Jane Holland-Dope-Gypsy. It would have ended fine with Gypsy as the closure but for some reason she needed an Applause at the end. 

Like the first few songs on the album have this sonic flow. Then it gets more upbeat and loud. DWYW has this smooth production like Guy and Sexxx Dreams that continues with ARTPOP. But then Swine sounds abrasive. Then there's a fashion theme for two songs and then a drug theme and a farewell song.

If the album was trimmed down there would be a more even flow. There's just songs in the middle that sound out of place, the track list could be arranged better. It's her most random sounding album and the production doesn't sound cohesive. 

Sconically, yes, it's more chaotic. I think that was intentional. But the track order, regardless of the sound, keeps the flow with the lyrical content. She isnt just shuffling her way through the album. You can clearly see how her mental state progressed from one track to the next. 

[littlepotter 75,146]

This really made me realize that Gaga doesn't have a non-cohesive album. Truly one of the greatest pop discographies of all time.

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

12 hours ago, xoxo Craig said:

The Fame. Every single song fit that album perfectly. It told the different sides to fame, how that effected love, how she wanted to he viewed in fame... etc. Partner this with the EP, The Fame Monster which delves into the darker sides of fame, is a match made in heaven.

Born This Way got messy. 

Joanne was cohesive and portrayed the message fine... but then we have songs like Dancin' In Circles, Just Another Day and John Wayne that don't really fit the album conceptually.

ARTPOP was cohesive to an extent, but the message of ARTPOP kind of got lost and not many people got it. There's only one song that doesn't fit the album sonically, and thats Dope.

Chromatica... I feel like this will be her most cohesive album yet. The way we have 3 Chromatica (assumed to be interludes) to break up the story into 3 parts is genius.

So to sum up, I'd say The Fame coupled with The Fame Monster... but don't count out Chromatica

Exactly this. I pretty much agree with all of it. 

I voted for The Fame 

[DiskoBaby 1,929]

8 hours ago, Massive Monster said:

I went for the easy option, Fame Monster.

What I personally look for is how tracks flow and this album flows so well.

The most impressive flow is from Speechless to DITD in my opinion. From BR to Alejandro is also pretty sick.

Second option would either be The Fame or Joanne.

Born This Way is messy as ****, however it remains my personal favourite. I actually changed the tracklist and only listen to my version  

What order is that? 

I personally think the transition of Highway Unicorn to Heavy Metal Lover to the end of the album is the best transition. 

[Suspiria 10,683]

I don't really get how TFM is cohesive in any way. Sonically it's a mixed bag - how does the very conventional Speechless fit with BR, or whatever sound Teeth is? And I don't think the concept really comes through in the songs. Visually, there were only 3 videos and yet there is a absolutely 0 visual or conceptual cohesion between Telephone and the others.

Joanne was very visually cohesive (unfortunate, given what the visual theme was...). And the production does flow very nicely throughout the album, her best produced album IMO. But I will never not find it hilarious how she sandwiched a ballad about her dead aunt in between mindless bops about smokin' em all and getting high with bad boys. Or how a tropical 2010s bop about masturbating fits on an album supposedly about her family... thematically it was a mess.

TF was pretty cohesive but all the acoustic ballads kind of throw it off a bit.

ARTPOP was sonically super cohesive (everything had a super polished, glittery 2012 electronic palette) but thematically the album touched on absolutely everything except the supposed theme.

BTW is her only truly cohesive album and era IMO... visually it was so strong, with a distinct visual theme maintained throughout the whole of 2011. The music was a total smorgasbord of all her different genre influences, yet they managed to tie everything together quite nicely. And the themes of self empowerment and strength, overcoming your personal obstacles and social barriers was pretty consistent throughout. Truly her magnus opus

[Massive Monster 5,020]

50 minutes ago, DiskoBaby said:

What order is that? 

I personally think the transition of Highway Unicorn to Heavy Metal Lover to the end of the album is the best transition. 

I agree, Highway Unicorn to Heavy Metal Lover is decent. Here's how I listen to the album, hopefully no one will be offended because I only listen to 13 of the tracks :

1. Highway Unicorn (epic opener and sets the theme of the album)

2. Born This Way (the beginning and tempo fits the end of 1. perfectly)

3. Black Jesus - Amen Fashion (it starts rather quiet like the end of 2.)

4. Bad Kids (the guitar riff is very similar to the synth in 3.)

5. Bloody Mary (starts with a quirky cabaret tune which fits the melody of 4. but then goes into darkness)

6. Government Hooker (5. was dark and had a Gaga chant, guess what happens in this track?)

7.  Heavy Metal Lover (continues the sonically dark vibe and the "lover" sounds like a "Gaga")

8. Fashion Of His Love (7. faded away, perfect moment for a track that fades in and has a completely different vibe)

9. You and I (8. faded away, perfect moment for a track which sounds sonically different but is still uplifting)

10. The Edge Of Glory (9. ends very quietly and this one starts very quietly, these two fit very well together even on the piano)

11. Hair (same reasons as above)

12.  Scheibe (11. faded away, time for a track that starts abruptly and changes the whole vibe)

13. Marry The Night (perfect closer or encore, for me the end sounds like a broken record that's stuck which I love)

 

 

[Massive Monster 5,020]

38 minutes ago, Suspiria said:

I don't really get how TFM is cohesive in any way. Sonically it's a mixed bag - how does the very conventional Speechless fit with BR, or whatever sound Teeth is? And I don't think the concept really comes through in the songs. Visually, there were only 3 videos and yet there is a absolutely 0 visual or conceptual cohesion between Telephone and the others.

Joanne was very visually cohesive (unfortunate, given what the visual theme was...). And the production does flow very nicely throughout the album, her best produced album IMO. But I will never not find it hilarious how she sandwiched a ballad about her dead aunt in between mindless bops about smokin' em all and getting high with bad boys. Or how a tropical 2010s bop about masturbating fits on an album supposedly about her family... thematically it was a mess.

TF was pretty cohesive but all the acoustic ballads kind of throw it off a bit.

ARTPOP was sonically super cohesive (everything had a super polished, glittery 2012 electronic palette) but thematically the album touched on absolutely everything except the supposed theme.

BTW is her only truly cohesive album and era IMO... visually it was so strong, with a distinct visual theme maintained throughout the whole of 2011. The music was a total smorgasbord of all her different genre influences, yet they managed to tie everything together quite nicely. And the themes of self empowerment and strength, overcoming your personal obstacles and social barriers was pretty consistent throughout. Truly her magnus opus

It's weird because I get what you are saying, BTW is super cohesive as an era and visually. The album for me has some issues regarding how the tracks flow and some sound super quiet because where they are fitted (Heavy Metal Lover). I also think there's too many tracks on it. Even if I consider it messy to listen to with it's original tracklist it remains my go to album 

About Joanne, I never thought about that and you are absolutely right  The only thing that justifies DIC (which is the best song on the album in my opinion) is that it does fuse some country sounds.

[HookerOnAChurch 6,786]

The Fame and Born This Way. 

[Where is LG7 3,720]

9 hours ago, Mermaid Yuyi said:

There’s none...  Sonically or lyrically... AND CHANGE MY MIND.  

I’d say The Fame Monster is the most cohesive of them all, but then we have Telephone  that would’ve fitted better in The Fame. Because, I am sorry, but all this story about the different monsters, and Telephone being “the monster of suffocation” it’s a whole mess that only 2009Ga believed. She included it in the EP because she knew it was a hit and it would sell well.

In The Fame there’s songs like Summerboy, Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) or Again Again, that have nothing to do with the album’s theme or sound. Like, does Summerboy sound Poker Face or Just Dance to you, hunny? Tell me about how you can relate Eh, Eh to fame? 

Born This Way is my favorite album of hers because of what it meant to me when it was released (and it’s still one of my favorite albums of all time). But it is her messiest, wildest, all–over–the–place album of all time. Specially sonically. Like, what about Judas vs. The Edge of Glory? To just mention one pair... Then, lyrically, it’s also a mess... The album is supposed to preach strength, and love, and self–acceptance, and it does with a few tracks, but then we have Electric Chapel, Judas, Government Hooker... that not only have a darker production, but darker lyrics also. Then, we have songs like Scheiße or Bloody Mary, that preach about strength and being bold, that certainly fit the album lyrically, but sonically they would’ve fitted better in The Fame Monster... And it’s just–it’s a mess. A capital MESS. 

ARTPOP it’s just... I guess songs like Applause, G.U.Y., Swine, Donatella, Venus, Aura, Fashion!, Sexxx Dreams, Mary Jane Holland, do sound cohesive... But then we have MANiCURE or Dope.  And lyrically, it doesn’t matter because her ARTPOP could mean anything, right?  

Joanne it’s pretty cohesive in both areas. So I could mentioned this one as an option too. The only song that doesn’t fit sonically it’s Perfect Illusion, but lyrically it can be part of it, definitely. Also, I read John Wayne and Dancin’ In Circles do not fit in the album’s concept in a previous comment and I disagree.  Ya’ll can dance your booties all you want to Dancin’ In Circles, but that song it’s sad as hell if you consider it’s about the actual physical pain we could go through after a heartbreak, and missing somebody’s touch, and the need to “rub the pain away”. If you know what I mean.  And John Wayne it’s about her stormy relationship with men, for example. 

So, there you have it, hunnies...  I guess what truly matters is that we connect to the music and with Gaga, and that this music–cohesive or not–it drive us through life. 

woah woah woah 

 such an in-depth analysis, sis.

welp, might delete topic later