Chromatica: Reviews Thread

[Anveeroy 57,965]

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[Anveeroy 57,965]

Associated Press's Review: Pop star Gaga is back, but where’s the art or spark?

In the 12 years since Lady Gaga dropped her first album, the singer has exceptionally shown that she knows how to create a killer album.

“The Fame” was danceable and clever. “The Fame Monster” was an epic adventure into her darker mind. “Born This Way” brilliantly wove in elements of rock and house with her signature pop. Though she might have tripped over her disco ball on “ARTPOP,” the album still had direction and character. And “Joanne” was a deep, emotional set of songs that paved the way for the sound of “A Star is Born,” a flawless album that captures all the great sides of Gaga.

Enter “Chromatica,” her sixth studio effort, and her return to the electro dance-pop sound that made her a multiplatinum pop star.

It’s an album made for the clubs, though during this current pandemic, that’s equivalent to dancing alone in front of your floor mirror.

But instead of bopping along to the album, you’ll want to social distance from it.

“Chromatica” is a letdown from one of pop’s best voices. The production, which is basic, is the album’s biggest problem — and the flat sound doesn’t help bring the heavy themes of the album to life like Gaga has been able to do in the past.

BloodPop works as lead producer, co-crafting most songs on the project. But other helpers are also part of the process, including Max Martin, Skrillex, Ryan Tedder, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, Justin Tranter, BURNS, Rami Yacoub and Tchami. Too many cooks in the kitchen could be the reason the album lacks real flavor. Where is the salt, or spark?

“Alice,” one of the better songs on the 16-track set, opens the album as Gaga sings, “My name isn’t Alice/But I’ll keep looking, I’ll keep looking for Wonderland.”

Her search isn’t over if “Chromatica” is any indication — this feels like a watered-down version of the creative Gaga we all love.

In an interview to promote the album, she explained that “Free Woman” was about her sexual assault and “Rain on Me” was partly about her overdrinking. The topics are real and at times, extremely heavy, and Gaga gets points for sharing her real-life feelings and experiences in her music. But the album’s production doesn’t serve as the best vessel for those deep emotions to breathe. And her vocal performance, surprisingly plain and unmemorable, doesn’t help either. Sometimes it feels like Gaga isn’t even present.

Some of the lyrics feel lazy, too. On “Plastic Doll” she sings, “I’ve lived in a pink box so long/I am top shelf, they built me strong.” Enter side-eye emoji here.

Gaga fares better on tracks like “Replay,” or even “911” and “Babylon,” though both songs sound like leftover tracks from “Born This Way.”

But most of “Chromatica” is problematic: First single “Stupid Love” is forgettable; “Enigma” is predictable; and the inclusion of the chart-topping Ariana Grande on the bouncy but super-mediocre “Rain on Me” screams, “I JUST WANT A NO. 1 HIT RIGHT NOW.”

Having little depth, the best way to describe “Chromatica” might be shallow.

https://apnews.com/b728deadb313c3ab2a7081f352034903

[HausOfSin 13]

Many critics don't even want to give an album a proper deep review, they are biased from the beginning. Tragic.

[Haldy 1,062]

Associated Press doesn't count for Metacritic, so they can SEETHE.

[Queen Bitch 10,513]

I just saw that the largest music magazine here in Denmark gave it 2/6 stars and called it uninspired

[Madam Margolyes 7,783]

20 minutes ago, Aarghya said:

Associated Press's Review: Pop star Gaga is back, but where’s the art or spark?

In the 12 years since Lady Gaga dropped her first album, the singer has exceptionally shown that she knows how to create a killer album.

“The Fame” was danceable and clever. “The Fame Monster” was an epic adventure into her darker mind. “Born This Way” brilliantly wove in elements of rock and house with her signature pop. Though she might have tripped over her disco ball on “ARTPOP,” the album still had direction and character. And “Joanne” was a deep, emotional set of songs that paved the way for the sound of “A Star is Born,” a flawless album that captures all the great sides of Gaga.

Enter “Chromatica,” her sixth studio effort, and her return to the electro dance-pop sound that made her a multiplatinum pop star.

It’s an album made for the clubs, though during this current pandemic, that’s equivalent to dancing alone in front of your floor mirror.

But instead of bopping along to the album, you’ll want to social distance from it.

“Chromatica” is a letdown from one of pop’s best voices. The production, which is basic, is the album’s biggest problem — and the flat sound doesn’t help bring the heavy themes of the album to life like Gaga has been able to do in the past.

BloodPop works as lead producer, co-crafting most songs on the project. But other helpers are also part of the process, including Max Martin, Skrillex, Ryan Tedder, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, Justin Tranter, BURNS, Rami Yacoub and Tchami. Too many cooks in the kitchen could be the reason the album lacks real flavor. Where is the salt, or spark?

“Alice,” one of the better songs on the 16-track set, opens the album as Gaga sings, “My name isn’t Alice/But I’ll keep looking, I’ll keep looking for Wonderland.”

Her search isn’t over if “Chromatica” is any indication — this feels like a watered-down version of the creative Gaga we all love.

In an interview to promote the album, she explained that “Free Woman” was about her sexual assault and “Rain on Me” was partly about her overdrinking. The topics are real and at times, extremely heavy, and Gaga gets points for sharing her real-life feelings and experiences in her music. But the album’s production doesn’t serve as the best vessel for those deep emotions to breathe. And her vocal performance, surprisingly plain and unmemorable, doesn’t help either. Sometimes it feels like Gaga isn’t even present.

Some of the lyrics feel lazy, too. On “Plastic Doll” she sings, “I’ve lived in a pink box so long/I am top shelf, they built me strong.” Enter side-eye emoji here.

Gaga fares better on tracks like “Replay,” or even “911” and “Babylon,” though both songs sound like leftover tracks from “Born This Way.”

But most of “Chromatica” is problematic: First single “Stupid Love” is forgettable; “Enigma” is predictable; and the inclusion of the chart-topping Ariana Grande on the bouncy but super-mediocre “Rain on Me” screams, “I JUST WANT A NO. 1 HIT RIGHT NOW.”

Having little depth, the best way to describe “Chromatica” might be shallow.

https://apnews.com/b728deadb313c3ab2a7081f352034903

Good thing this pure comedy doesn't count 

[Patrick Garcia 312]

27 minutes ago, Steven said:

I know it's too early too tell but do you think there's a high chance that Chromatica will get a higher ranking than BTW? I have a feeling it will end up around 75/100.

Yes, I do. Most of the reviews are 80/100. If it continues to go this way, I think Chromatica will end up scoring between 78-82, specially if it scores another one or two 90+ to neutralize the one or two 70- that she is (probably) still yet to receive from bitter reviewers.

[gagaxsebert 5,804]

39 minutes ago, Aarghya said:

Having little depth, the best way to describe “Chromatica” might be shallow.

Not Gaga writing about her pain & struggles in depth (Fun Tonight, 911, Replay... etc) just for these delulus to call is shallow and having no depth 

[jacs vs looser 3,981]

8 minutes ago, Patrick Garcia said:

Yes, I do. Most of the reviews are 80/100. If it continues to go this way, I think Chromatica will end up scoring between 78-82, specially if it scores another one or two 90+ to neutralize the one or two 70- that she is (probably) still yet to receive from bitter reviewers.

An 80 would be a dream come true 

[Anveeroy 57,965]

The Arts Desk: 2/5 

Lady Gaga proclaimed by Tweet that her sixth album represents her “absolute love of electronic music”. Chromatica features EDM names such as Axwell from Swedish House Mafia, French DJ-producers Tchami and Madeon, bro’step superstar Skillex, as well as a good few more. It is a step away from the likeable pop experimentalism of her last album, Joanne, yet does not, unfortunately, have the sheer dancefloor heft of her albums ARTPOP and, especially, the bangin’ Born This Way.

The contradictory aspect of Chromatica is that while the music is often generic Euro-cheese, it regularly plays off incongruously against lyrics that speak of someone troubled. “Fun Tonight” mentions how the paparazzi cause her pain and announces, “I’m not OK”, “911” states that “my biggest enemy is me”, “1000 Doves” pleads, “I’m completely lonely” and there's plenty more long similar lines.  Maybe it’s all just self-help theatre for her “little monsters”, but, especially after watching the documentary Five Foot Two, in which she comes over as emotionally vulnerable, it does cause momentary concern.

The let-down here is that so many of these tunes are tepid, even with guests such as Ariana Grande and K-pop girl group Blackpink. However wild the videos, many songs here lack the stridency and contagiousness of her best work. A song such as “Free Woman” is just aural wallpaper for a Mediterranean beach bar, and there are too many along such lines, riding forgettable EDM ear chewing gum that does this brilliantly idiosyncratic pop star a disservice.

Let us focus on the good stuff, though. There are a few pearls among the forgettable froth. Opener “Alice” bodes well, a chugger that seems to conflate Lewis Carroll’s creation with the name’s sonic similarity to the word “jealous”, but then it’s a long wait for “Plastic Doll”, a song that questions Gaga’s history of post-modern messing with sexual objectification. The fabulous “Replay” is the real deal, Hispanic-flavoured electro-pop, catchy and full of vim, up with her best, the album’s stand-out, and it’s followed by a wonderfully unhinged tune with Elton John called “Sine From Above”, an outrageous dancefloor melodrama that contains a few classic Gaga lines (“When I was young  I prayed for lightning/My mother said it would come and find me”).

Closer “Babylon”, initially dipped in 808 State’s “Pacific State” before it decides it wants to be a hi-NRG reimagining of the rap bit from Madonna’s “Vogue”, is another two-and-a-half minute treat. Tracking back over the album, even when the songs are iffy that foghorn voice is on impressive form. What a singer! Just wish she’d had a few more songs this time round.

https://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/album-lady-gaga-chromatica

[Haldy 1,062]

The Art Desk also doesn't count for Metacritic, so the SEETHING can happen away from our pretty score.

[Anveeroy 57,965]

Metascore: 79 (=) 

1) The AV Club - 75 (B) - Positive 

2) Clash Music - 80/100 - Positive 

3) musicOMH.com - 80/100 - Positive 

4) The Independent (UK) - 80/100 - Positive 

5) The Telegraph (UK) - 80/100 - Positive 

6) NME - 80/100 - Positive 

7) The Guardian - 80/100 - Positive 

8) PopMatters - 70/100 - Positive 

9) Sputnikmusic - 60/100 - Mixed 

10) Slant Magazine - 50/100 - Mixed 

11) Variety - 96/100 - Positive 

12) Exclaim - 80/100 - Positive 

https://www.metacritic.com/music/chromatica/lady-gaga

[Anveeroy 57,965]

1 minute ago, Haldy said:

The Art Desk also doesn't count for Metacritic, so the SEETHING can happen away from our pretty score.

Yeah, no worries. I'm sharing everything, that's why I have created two separate section - one Metacritic and one for General Reviews! 

[KORG 4,756]

Variety, we love you. Blowies all around!

[Aga Gydal 3,158]

Reviews seem pretty consistent for Gaga critics. Guys keep in mind that reviewers will never take Gaga music at face value and will either knock it for being too out there or knock it for not being out there enough. No one ****ing knows what they want from her, even when she delivers great, signature music. Reviews are irrelevant