How would you change Chromatica?

[Bling 31,076]

58 minutes ago, PartySick said:

I've made these same points a million times but I never get tired of ranting

Chromatica I - love it

Alice - Finish making the song. Find more original sounding percussion and skip the sample kits (apply that to every song, actually). Write a second verse and a better hook.

Rain on Me - It needs something more. Not sure what but it sounds rushed. Songs this good shouldn't be scared to hang around for longer than 3 minutes.

Free Woman - LMAO. Scrap that god awful album version and finish cleaning up the incredible demo. Retain the distorted vocal synth, scrap the unnecessary dance break in favor of a powerful "BE. FREE.", keep/expand on the bridge, have the belts come at a climactic build to and after a third chorus instead of during the second "chorus".

Chromatica II - no notes

911 - Flesh out the production, it feels flat. Write an actual chorus, turn the "my biggest enemy is me" bit into a post chorus ala "p-p-p poker face", keep and expand the bridge from the demo, and don't be scared to let a song exist for longer than 2.5 minutes. There's a member here that I connected with on Telegram that made a 6 minute version of 911 and I exclusively listen to that now because it's amazing.

Sour Candy - start with a Gaga verse, chorus, BP verse or shared verse, chorus BP bridge chorus chorus

Enigma - I wish it were longer and the bass was reflected with a wide sounding electric guitar like the live version is. This is the kind of song you put a dance break in! That reprise at TCB is probably my favorite part of the show.

Replay - Like nearly every other song, it's missing something. The sample is great but other than that, the production feels flat and empty. Ever since I mixed the two myself, I see Replay as the "Swine of Chromatica", but Swine is just...better?

Chromatica III - My favorite one, no notes. Love it with or without the snares.

Sine From Above - My former favorite track because it actually feels fleshed out a bit. It's interesting to listen to, even though it does replace a chorus with a dance break, and that drum and bass ending was shocking but in a good way.

1000 Doves - Should have remained a piano ballad because now it just sounds like someone put Gaga's lyrics on top of a Bloodpop/Bieber song from 2014.

Babylon - YET AGAIN too much is cut out. Idk why they were so scared to let a track spin for longer than a couple minutes.

I was listening to Janet again earlier and realized so many of her songs are basically "over" at the 3/4 minutes mark but they keep going for another minute or two...or three. They vibe, they live, they breathe. Chromatica does exactly none of this. It gets in, briefly screams why it's there, then evacuates like the building's on fire.

Her worst album by far imho. Here's hoping she and her people aren't so scared to let music simmer for LG7.

Omg we share so many of the same sentiments EXCEPT

I would delete Stupid Love, Plastic Doll and Fun Tonight entirely. These have absolutely no business being in Gaga's discography. Just like Before I Cry 

If anything we should have had an Alice-Replay-Babylon 10min film to complete the era. 

With the Free Woman demo version finalized and video featuring drag queens and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. This song could have been HUGE as a political statement in 2020...

Sour Candy could have been cute with Gaga verse, chorus, BP verse, chorus, shared bridge, chorus chorus. No clue why they tried to make a collab happen with 5 people lol. Also it's dying for a video treatment.

So the era would've looked like this:

February 2020: ROM lead single and video release same week (with a longer video)

April 2020: Chromatica released

May 2020: 2nd single Free Woman (with the video treatment and edits I described above) just in time for pride and summer 

Aug 2020: 3rd single 911 with different video that followed more of the futuristic world of Chromatica that she created with SL and ROM...and longer video

Oct 2020: Sour Candy promo single (just in time for Halloween ) video w BlackPink

---intentional dry spell---

June 2021: Alice-Replay-Babylon 10min shortfilm to close out the era, announcement of DOC (Sept)

The tracklist would be better like this:

1) Chromatica I

2) Alice

3) Replay

4) ROM

5) Free Woman 

6) Chromatica II

7) 911

8) Sour Candy 

9) Enigma 

10) Chromatica III

11) Sine From Above 

12) 1000 Doves

13) Babylon 

Deluxe (released Dec 2020 as a gift to fans)

14) SOPHIE track

15) SOPHIE track

16) Boys Noize track

17) Boys Noize track 

18) BURNS track

19) 1000 Doves (Piano Version)

20) Babylon (Bowie Version)

 

And then I wake up 

[Bling 31,076]

Oh also I thought it would have been genius if they released a Non-Stop version where every track flows into the next. 

They actually did this for Madonna's Confessions years back but it disappeared from Spotify...

[Bling 31,076]

1 hour ago, freebit said:

1000 Doves sounds too much like the end of a Sex and the City episode outro as Carrie walks along the balmy NYC streets circa 2001 (now this just sounds appealingly nostalgic instead of dated, perhaps I am wrong? IDK, lol).

We must be from the same planet because I know EXACTLY what you're talking about and I can see it rn 

"And just like that....I was single again"

*Carrie trot trot trots on the streets of NY at night as steam comes up from a manhole*

A THOUSAND DUH UH UH UH UHVES!!

Edited May 5 by BlingNotTheMusic

[freebit 6,119]

7 minutes ago, BlingNotTheMusic said:

We must be from the same planet because I know EXACTLY what you're talking about and I can see it rn 

You get it! I can just see her little hot pants and Fendi bag, lol (and maybe even a questionable hat)

[PartySick 145,850]

48 minutes ago, Anderson123 said:

 

In danger from what? I ban SC stans on sight

[PartySick 145,850]

39 minutes ago, BlingNotTheMusic said:

Omg we share so many of the same sentiments EXCEPT

I would delete Stupid Love, Plastic Doll and Fun Tonight entirely. These have absolutely no business being in Gaga's discography. Just like Before I Cry 

If anything we should have had an Alice-Replay-Babylon 10min film to complete the era. 

With the Free Woman demo version finalized and video featuring drag queens and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. This song could have been HUGE as a political statement in 2020...

Sour Candy could have been cute with Gaga verse, chorus, BP verse, chorus, shared bridge, chorus chorus. No clue why they tried to make a collab happen with 5 people lol. Also it's dying for a video treatment.

So the era would've looked like this:

February 2020: ROM lead single and video release same week (with a longer video)

April 2020: Chromatica released

May 2020: 2nd single Free Woman (with the video treatment and edits I described above) just in time for pride and summer 

Aug 2020: 3rd single 911 with different video that followed more of the futuristic world of Chromatica that she created with SL and ROM...and longer video

Oct 2020: Sour Candy promo single (just in time for Halloween ) video w BlackPink

---intentional dry spell---

June 2021: Alice-Replay-Babylon 10min shortfilm to close out the era, announcement of DOC (Sept)

The tracklist would be better like this:

1) Chromatica I

2) Alice

3) Replay

4) ROM

5) Free Woman 

6) Chromatica II

7) 911

8) Sour Candy 

9) Enigma 

10) Chromatica III

11) Sine From Above 

12) 1000 Doves

13) Babylon 

Deluxe (released Dec 2020 as a gift to fans)

14) SOPHIE track

15) SOPHIE track

16) Boys Noize track

17) Boys Noize track 

18) BURNS track

19) 1000 Doves (Piano Version)

20) Babylon (Bowie Version)

 

And then I wake up 

The most unrealistic part of this is that a "gift to the fans" would be an additional 5 songs instead of a Haus Labs bundle

I would actually still prefer a full visual narrative album over a trilogy but I'm slowly realizing my "idea" for the Chromatica adventure is just a fanfic version of Lego's last Bionicle story

[RichAssPiss 4,725]

I want to hear what she wants to make. Chromatica is the only album in her catalog that feels like it's burdened by the idea of "Lady Gaga."  I think she didn't want to make a dance album but everyone was too afraid to let her be herself.

Once you become a nostalgia artist trying to recapture your glory days, you become irrelevant. 

[TEANUS 12,787]

So obvi my ideal Chromatica era would not include COVID and the social/political issues of 2020, but that’s another discussion….so here’s my concept for what they could’ve done despite world issues.

1. Stupid Love - Feb 14, 2020

I stand by SL as a great choice for lead single. Hearing that intro for the first time was surreal and it’s a perfect kickoff for Gaga’s return to dance-pop. But I think a drop earlier in February with more time before the pandemic really kicked in globally would’ve done wonders for its overall longevity/reputation.

COVID takes over. Obviously the album gets postponed…..drop that remix of Stupid Love sooner along with a couple of other remixes while she puts together the benefit concert

First week of May, kick things back into high gear. No leaks. Announce the cover and tracklist along with the new release date to capitalize on buzz from the collabs. 

2. Rain On Me - May 22, 2020

ROM’s drop was perfect as it happened in my opinion. But then BLM takes over….

Album Release - May 29, 2020

BLM takes over and Gaga halts the album campaign

First week of July, kick things back into gear. By then EVERYONE had returned to normal programming - and she still could’ve dedicated her Instagram stories and other philanthropy to the cause whilst also saying “I have a new album full of dance music to take your mind off of the awful in the world”.

In July, drop the ROM remixes and GagaVision along with GagaRadio on Apple Music. Gaga and Ari do a few more skits for The Weather Channel, one of them on the actual live TV channel. In July, Gaga also secretly films the ‘Sine’ film.

The Sine Film - A short film including segments for Alice, Sine From Above, and Babylon diving into the lore of Chromatica and finding mental solace again in its landscape/escapism. Dropped in Mid-August along with the Billboard cover and Sour Candy’s lyric video + merch. A BTS GagaVision for the Sine film is dropped right before the VMAs

VMAs - Same as it happened, except right after the performance/awards she uses the hype to announce 911 as the third single

iHeartRadio Music Festival - Gaga performs at the festival (Stupid Love, ROM, Alice, 911 + hits)

3. 911 - September 18, 2020

Music video premiered on GMA, Gaga does interviews for Vogue and a few radio stations. Dom Perignon is launched. 911 merch and remixes are dropped in October along with its GagaVision

October-November Gaga focuses on the US election while quietly planning/working on Replay as a single

December - Chromatica Oreos are dropped along with an initial stage of a Fortnite collaboration. A long form GagaVision detailing the creation of Chromatica is dropped. 

4. Replay - January 8, 2021

Music video features easter eggs of moments throughout Gaga’s early career, including references to the living dress, meat dress, and “The Orbit”. Remixes are dropped the same month along with merch. Gaga announces the tour will happen in 2022.

SOPHIE tragically passes away on January 30, 2021. A few weeks later, Gaga and BloodPop announce the release of one of the songs they did together as a stand alone release and give 100% of the proceeds to transgender charities

[DrKindnessKunt1999 5,731]

This version of the album still has the same producers, except that Boyz Noise is the main producer. Also, SONIKKU, A.G. Cook, Danny L. Harle, SOPHIE, and Baseck are involved with the production, too. The shortest track is 3:30 minutes long. It’s a love letter to music genres that are part of queer spaces. 

1. CHROMATICA I

2. ALICE (longer dance break, more 90s elements with a modern twist)

3. STUPID LOVE (sounds more like the early/90s version that leaked not too long ago)

4. RAIN ON ME (would sound more like the SONIKKU remix/It’s Okay to Cry, co-produced by SOPHIE and SONIKKU) 

5. FREE WOMAN (sounds like a polished version of the demo version, but with some A.G. Cook and Danny L Harle tweaks and it sounds more Boys Noize coded overall) 

6. FUN TONIGHT (co-produced by A.G. Cook and Baseck, a hyperpop/techno ballad) 

7. CHROMATICA II 

8. 911 (more 2000s techno sounding, features the ambulance walkie talkie dialogue/sounds more loudly. Produced by Madeon, SONIKKU, and Bloodpop) 

9. PLASTIC DOLL (co-produced by SOPHIE) 

10. SOUR CANDY (longer, all the members of BLACKPINK have a chance to shine. Lisa rap added. Shygirl is featured in the music video with her verse) 

11. ENIGMA (extended, longer dance breaks, instruments have more room to shine) 

12. REPLAY [longer intro, starts with It’s my House by Diana Ross (giving the listener a false sense of ease) it starts to get darker the more that her vocals are manipulated, then there’s the sound a VHS rewinding, then Replay starts)] 

13. CHROMATICA III

14. SINE FROM ABOVE (more intense Drum & Bass influences) 

15. 1000 DOVES (more 90s house influences, darker and more dramatic)

16. BABYLON ft Bree Runway (Bowie Version) 

Bonus:

17. CHROMATICA IIII (ft HANA)

18. LOVE ME RIGHT (the production would sound more like the extended version on YouTube. SOPHIE co-produced)

19.  BURNS TRACK 

20. BOYS NOIZE TRACK

21. SOPHIE TRACK

22. SOPHIE TRACK

23. TCHAMI TRACK

24. BASECK TRACK

25. OUTRO 

[River 105,778]

7 hours ago, PartySick said:

I was listening to Janet again earlier and realized so many of her songs are basically "over" at the 3/4 minutes mark but they keep going for another minute or two...or three

It’s like every song has a 1-2 min outro 

And I like how she’s leaving small “break” in every song for a potential dance break in the video, you can notice that in All 4 You.

Janet is so underrated 😤

I think her biggest mistake is releasing the awful remix for Son of Gun as a single over the album version, Carly Simons outro is the best thing in the whole album, like suddenly Janet is the feature, and the sample from You’re So Vein   It’s giving the song so haunting spy movie vibes lol

 

OT: I honestly wouldn’t change anything in Chromatica, I think it’s a perfect album as it is.

Replay deserved to be a single.

[PartySick 145,850]

13 minutes ago, River said:

It’s like every song has a 1-2 min outro 

And I like how she’s leaving small “break” in every song for a potential dance break in the video, you can notice that in All 4 You.

Janet is so underrated 😤

I think her biggest mistake is releasing the awful remix for Son of Gun as a single over the album version, Carly Simons outro is the best thing in the whole album, like suddenly Janet is the feature, and the sample from You’re So Vein   It’s giving the song so haunting spy movie vibes lol

 

OT: I honestly wouldn’t change anything in Chromatica, I think it’s a perfect album as it is.

Replay deserved to be a single.

Right?! There's like 2/3 whole different segments between the first chorus and second verse of some songs. Their structures incorporate instrumental breaks that feel more substantial and meaningful than most whole lyrical chunks on Chromatica

I think that's what I find extremely lacking in Gaga's music. I've been spoiled by the Jackson siblings, MJ and JJ, whose music feels like a living creature. MJ once said he "let's the song create itself". The kicks feel more like heartbeats and the music itself is filled with flourishes, flares, style, and emotion.

Gaga's work, while it's my favorite non-Jackson music, just doesn't have that quality and I guarantee it's because her producers force themselves on a song rather than creating it linearly and organically.

Maybe that's the real root of the reason I'm not anxious for LG7  I know it's gonna be more manufactured sound coming out of a sample bank or a tired recipe or formula. Even structurally her music has pretty much always followed the "verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus" formula and when she finally decides to shake it up, we instead get "verse / non-chorus / bridge / non-chorus"

Gaga will bring it to life in the end but I'd just as soon go watch Joker II or something instead...kind of wild to lose interest in your fave's music but that's where I am 

[hELXIG 41,737]

No covid. Letting the original plans and retro-futuristic concepts play out as they were first intended. The whole brutalist approach at the Chromatica Ball was obviously how she reinterpreted the concept years after the original one was killed. She had all these performances planned and a proper album rollout with promo and all.. for the first time in like 8 years. And it was all ruined. The original promo and looks and concept was so cool

[hELXIG 41,737]

2 minutes ago, PartySick said:

Right?! There's like 2/3 whole different segments between the first chorus and second verse of some songs. Their structures incorporate instrumental breaks that feel more substantial and meaningful than most whole lyrical chunks on Chromatica

I think that's what I find extremely lacking in Gaga's music. I've been spoiled by the Jackson siblings, MJ and JJ, whose music feels like a living creature. MJ once said he "let's the song create itself". The kicks feel more like heartbeats and the music itself is filled with flourishes, flares, style, and emotion.

Gaga's work, while it's my favorite non-Jackson music, just doesn't have that quality and I guarantee it's because her producers force themselves on a song rather than creating it linearly and organically.

Maybe that's the real root of the reason I'm not anxious for LG7  I know it's gonna be more manufactured sound coming out of a sample bank or a tired recipe or formula. Even structurally her music has pretty much always followed the "verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus" formula and when she finally decides to shake it up, we instead get "verse / non-chorus / bridge / non-chorus"

Gaga will bring it to life in the end but I'd just as soon go watch Joker II or something instead...kind of wild to lose interest in your fave's music but that's where I am 

I understand all of what you're saying but I think we need to stop vilifying and blaming producers for everything and accept that Gaga has the final say on how everything is done, and always has, but she just doesn't have the passion for creating music as art like she used to. It's Gaga. If Gaga wanted to create music that breaks the mold, pushes boundaries, comes into reality like a living breathing organism, if she wanted to push herself to write creative lyrics.. she would

[crazygato 448]

There are not many strong songs in this album to be singles , the strongest is ROM, so Imma do it realistically, with the 1st 3 singles appealing to the GP. 

1. Enigma ( February 2020) 

* Stupid Love (promo, April 2020) 

2. Rain On Me (May 2020 )

*album release* 

3. Sour Candy ( August 2020+VMA's )

4. To be honest, after the success of the 1st three singles and the features, the album runs dry so the 4th single should be a fan favorite like 911, Alice, Replay, or Babylon. No one would care at this point except the fans. Then start the tour. 

[PartySick 145,850]

1 minute ago, Helxig said:

I understand all of what you're saying but I think we need to stop vilifying and blaming producers for everything and accept that Gaga has the final say on how everything is done, and always has, but she just doesn't have the passion for creating music as art like she used to. It's Gaga. If Gaga wanted to create music that breaks the mold, pushes boundaries, comes into reality like a living breathing organism, if she wanted to push herself to write creative lyrics.. she would

I agree somewhat but her producers' styles drip through so much of the work so they hold much of the blame imo.

The Fame/Monster is oozing RedOne, ARTPOP is clearly mainly DJWS and Zedd, Joanne is obviously Mark Ronson, Chromatica is Bloodpop's lazy self. She relinquishes so much of the musical direction to those people and it shows plain as day.

Born This Way sounds like it reflects her mostly, which is probably why so many fans call it her best album. It's my third favorite but the one I'd say is objectively the best.

I don't doubt her passion, I just don't think she really has that particular quality needed to make songs like MJ or JJ.

Which is fine, I still stan her, just more so as a person and a performer than a musician 'cause, hand to god?....I'm kinda bored