MAYHEM: The Official Discussion Thread (Act II) It’s MAYHEM in here 👹

[Foolofatook 109]

Thesis incoming.

Okay. Just got home from work in Ireland and got to listen to it. I have major thoughts. I actually made notes when listening 😂

First of all I'm not getting where the negativity and disappointment is coming from. This album is a slam dunk. It's the album I always wanted from her! Lyrically it's her best work in such a long time. There's huge relatability in the lyrics and they're really visually descriptive putting you in the setting of the song. I was worried because I thought Abracadabra wasn't lyrically strong but the rest of the album shows just what she has in her! The guitars permeating the album satisfy the Rock-Ga fantasy that I always hoped for. Living.

The harmonies are silky as **** and the production is insanely smooth when compared to the aggressive overproduction of BTW.

I hear Gaga's entire discography all over this. The Fame, ARTPOP and BTW style vocals and melodies peppered throughout. No massive skips but HBDYWM, DCT would qualify.

Sonically, I hear major 70s, 80s and 90s influences. I hear influence from Hole and Republica. Gwen Stefani with Hollaback Girl. Killah is funk with 90s R&B vibes. Guitars on Zombieboy are electric! I hear TS in How Bad Do You Want Me and it would fit right on the soundtrack of Heartstopper. Phil Collins In The Air Tonight vibes on The Beast. Blade of Grass is a bit Lana but I also hear early Radiohead in the production and her voice. Can't specifically pinpoint songs, I'd need more time with it.

Her voice sounds like her younger voice from earlier eras. It has a nostalgic feeling while also feeling modern and different from everything else that's popular at the minute.

I was so sad when it was over but haven't been this happy about a Gaga album in ages.

Far superior to ARTPOP and Chromatica. Easier listening than BTW. Just a brilliant album. Brilliant.

[AcidWashBoys 141]

Listening to cant stop the high and i need her to collab with the pretty reckless so bad

[Tolemo 131]

Been listening all day and I thought I was maybe just shocked by 4 years of no Gaga, but no. Sonically it is such an ode to all she has done and who she is. It is the most Gaga since BTW in my opinion. Definitely brings me back to when she first slammed onto the scene those first 3-4 years of her nonstop domination of the radio.

[southpaw773 3,000]

[TheOriginalOne 10,092]

YALL  💀💀💀💀💀

 

[Creyk 17,487]

Really not happy about people shitting on Chromatica just to uplift Mayhem tbh. Chromatica will always be that girl, and recency bias is also largely at play here.

[gagzus 15,510]

Not to be mushy as hell, but actually cried listening to the album today because it feels so nostalgic and she just really knows how to make music for the time of my life that I’m in always. It feels mature, it feels angry and it feels appreciative. 
 

She’s gave us (to me) her best work ever and now she’s nearly middle aged it feels like her first album all over again but with hindsight. I hope she now takes some more time to herself after this era.

Go have a baby, go be with your man and have a beautiful wedding. I can’t wait for her first album as a mother. That’s what this album is to me; it’s a precursor for future work and a send off. 

[Starmie25 16,109]

1 hour ago, FFXIV WhiteMage said:

As expected

How Bad Do U Want Me dominates the straights 

 

only the phagguettes hate it 

 

 

He was vibing hard to "Vanish Into You" and stated "Don't Grammy Tomight" is the standout. 

[ChvVolk 2,055]

LoveDrug is so Kings and Queens by Ava, same electric guitar sound 

[Creyk 17,487]

1 hour ago, FFXIV WhiteMage said:

As expected

How Bad Do U Want Me dominates the straights 

It looked like that because of the online discourse, but after seeing the partial day streams, it really is not the case. Perfect Celebrity and Garden Of Eden are the ones which seem to be getting attention. It will be interesting to see the full first day numbers.

[TeaHaus 145]

9 hours ago, ChvVolk said:

Listened a few more times, some songs are really great. Some songs tho, to me at least, lyrically are so basic. I love Garden of Eden but she could've opened up a Bible and gotten more clever inspiration. It's just a hook up song. Not bad but then you have HBDUWM and that was not it in any way. 

Blade of Grass and The Beast, are so well written. Wow. Vanish Into You as well. I love them instantly. 

Having fun is great. She definitely had fun making this. But you can have fun and use less basic words too. HML is fun but clever. HBDUWM is just bad. 

There was an AI version that had amazing lyrics along the lines of :

“hold the gates open wide

whisper my name and step inside

something something fallen fruit, take a bite

when we go down, we going to paradise “

so … the real lyrics were a let down but still so fun !

 

[FFXIV WhiteMage 5,762]

5 minutes ago, Creyk said:

It looked like that because of the online discourse, but after seeing the partial day streams, it really is not the case. Perfect Celebrity and Garden Of Eden are the ones which seem to be getting attention. It will be interesting to see the full first day numbers.

 GOE and Zombieboy are taking off on TikTok, though.

Considering GOE also gets the benefit of coming after Abracadabra and the partial streams (including YT views), me think it'll be Zombieboy that will take off

Edited Friday at 07:31 PM by FFXIV WhiteMage

[Creyk 17,487]

2 minutes ago, FFXIV WhiteMage said:

 GOE and Zombieboy are taking off on TikTok, though.

Considering GOE also gets the benefit of coming after Abracadabra and the partial streams (including YT views), me think it'll be Zombieboy that will take off

That would be good, because it's also one of the highlights. Although IDK if those verses would be accepted by radio.

[bowlsofbrett 431]

I’m very thankful I stayed away from social media, reviews, and leaks before I listened with my OWN ears and formed my OWN opinions. My friend and I got in the car at midnight, hit the highway, and listened to the album front to back. We danced, sang along, and screamed! This is such a fun album that harkens back to the likes of the 70s and 80s vibes of Disco Heaven, Boys Boys Boys, The Fame, with sprinkles of 90s and early 2000s inspiration (Garden of Eden, Perfect Celebrity). I heard Yazoo, Michael Jackson, and Peter Gabriel inspo as well. Most of the album is perfect for the dance floor. Gaga gave us amazing vocals, full songs (not these 2 minute Tik Tok songs without a bridge), and most importantly, she seems to be in the happiest place I’ve seen and heard her in a long time. I think it’s her best work since Born This Way.

[smitherz 2,309]

Sooooo curious to see what it sells first week. This album is being PUSHED. Multiple outlets tweeting out posts about where to buy the album, got emails from Target and Urban Outfitters… all the variants on her website. I’m hoping for a biiiig debut.