What are your thoughts on Mayhem?

[Ronk 14,548]

34 minutes ago, River said:

I'm team The Beast, it such a good song and parallel to Monster in the story, Monster is about being a victim of SA while The Beast is about controling the situation the beast, being liberated from the "monster" chains and liberated sexually.

One thing I love about Gaga is how much she cares about people, including the terrible things they endure, their striving, and overcoming.   Thanks for pointing out two examples; Monster and The Beast.  Gaga shines even brighter as a person than she does as an artist.  

I'm sure there are mixed feelings about The Beast and actually any song.  I value everyone's opinions about music and learn from them.  I am probably the least knowledgeable person about music on this site.  My only strength is that I lived through music genres, songs, and artists starting in the 1950s.  Living through those times influences my opinions but does not make me an expert.  For example, I have followed MJ since the 1960s when The Jackson 5 appeared on TV on the Ed Sullivan Show.  But that doesn't make me an expert.  @PartySick knows so much more about MJ than I ever will.  So I really appreciate what everyone expresses about music, present and past.

 

[Rivah x Gasfrefart 109,724]

3 minutes ago, Ronk said:

One thing I love about Gaga is how much she cares about people, including the terrible things they endure, their striving, and overcoming.   Thanks for pointing out two examples; Monster and The Beast.  Gaga shines even brighter as a person than she does as an artist.  

I'm sure there are mixed feelings about The Beast and actually any song.  I value everyone's opinions about music and learn from them.  I am probably the least knowledgeable person about music on this site.  My only strength is that I lived through music genres, songs, and artists starting in the 1950s.  Living through those times influences my opinions but does not make me an expert.  For example, I have followed MJ since the 1960s when The Jackson 5 appeared on TV on the Ed Sullivan Show.  But that doesn't make me an expert.  @PartySick knows so much more about MJ than I ever will.  So I really appreciate what everyone expresses about music, present and past.

 

I totally agree, watching the press conference, felt like it was a safe place to anyone to be who they are, it was amazing.

I'm curious to know what was your reaction for the first moonwalk of MJ??

[Addison Rae 15,594]

it’s a really solid album, her best since ARTPOP imo. i think the main takeaway for me is that mayhem was her way of reclaiming her artistic identity after abandoning those roots for a while. much of the album is reminiscent of those fame era funky unreleased demos as well as the 80s sonic palette of references that you associate with lady gaga at her peak 

[Ronk 14,548]

1 hour ago, River said:

I totally agree, watching the press conference, felt like it was a safe place to anyone to be who they are, it was amazing.

I'm curious to know what was your reaction for the first moonwalk of MJ??

OMG I was shook.  I hadn't remembered other artists doing moonwalks earlier.  That was 1983:

Moonwalk is 3:37 into this, but MJs dancing throughout this entire performance is extraordinary.

But this should be a different thread, to not take anything away from this Mayhem thread.

Speaking about Mayhem, it must be very rare for an album by any artist to have no skips.  No weaker songs to fill out an album.  Gaga has truly hit the ball out of the park with this album.  I am still stunned.

[PartySick 150,110]

Literally perfect. The only problem is I can't replay it enough

[PartySick 150,110]

1 hour ago, Ronk said:

@PartySick knows so much more about MJ than I ever will.  So I really appreciate what everyone expresses about music, present and past.

 he was the biggest "safe space" I had as a kid so his work, iconry, and persona were woven deep into my identity as a person.

Lately I've been touch and go with Gaga, mostly 'cause I've formed my own principles over the years and I've learned to value my stances over my faves' stances, and I can admit when I don't like something, but Gaga still consistently gives the same energy MJ always has.

Supportive, healing, kind, and nearly omnipresent

[Alejandra 3]

I think this album will grow on me, but…I went through Apple Music song credits and there are songs where she is not credited with writing lyrics. This seems shocking to me. Anyone else notice this?

[LauraPalmer 243]

it gets better with each listen. it really reminds me of her unreleased work 

[Ronk 14,548]

32 minutes ago, LauraPalmer said:

it gets better with each listen. it really reminds me of her unreleased work 

Same.  I keep listening repeatedly hoping to find any song I can give less than a 10 so I don't look ridiculous.  But the opposite is happening.  I have gone from 3 songs to 6 songs in strong contention for my 11 on megarate.   If Mayhem doesn't win Album Of The Year I will totally not understand.

[HugoJG 1,093]

Amazing, I really loved it.

Perfect? No, sorry.

I still think she hasn't reached her full potential. She can do better.

[PartySick 150,110]

58 minutes ago, Alejandra said:

I think this album will grow on me, but…I went through Apple Music song credits and there are songs where she is not credited with writing lyrics. This seems shocking to me. Anyone else notice this?

She's officially credited as the lead writer on all but one song (DWAS )

[freebit 6,187]

Meant to listen on Friday night, but spent the day writing an essay that was due, but fell asleep once I got ready for bed. I FINALLY got done with my other midterm last night, and got to listen to the album (2AM ended up being a fitting time for the soundscape IMO), and it's fantastic, like I was blown away. It even gave me an appreciation for Disease, which I was a bit tepid on until now. It might be my favorite album she's ever done, and I don't say this lightly, as I consider The Fame and The Fame Monster as holy grail albums that could never be topped. She honed her style to absolute perfection here, and it's so crazy how until now, a lot of people didn't even want to give her credit for having a unique style in the first place, but it's undeniable here. Artistic growth while playing with all her trademark motifs and sounds is evident all across this album - she's elevated her style and reached new heights.

One of the things I noticed is that her vocal choices are absolutely perfect on every song. I remember up until now she'd bring out certain vocal tics and styles, and while I love that aspect of her artistry and can't stand singers who sound the same on every song, sometimes  these choice would feel out-of-place on certain songs, but none of that happens in Mayhem - she's unique and playful with her voice, but we don't have one situation where she's bringing out the weathered voice on something that is screaming (for me baby) for light airiness, or doing a light and airy vocal where she could go more interesting. Instead her instincts are in top form - everything fits like a glove. 

Her lyrics are pop perfection, that right amount of unique lyrics painting a specific picture in the listeners mind. I also think that Cirkut and Andrew Watt put their whole necks into this album and had great chemistry with her, Also the most interesting production I've heard from each of them respectively. You can tell that everyone had fun making this record. When I heard they were involved I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but they did her and her songs justice with the production. Bloodpop is a sweet person, and is talented, Mark Ronson too, but their work with her didn't contain this much sauce. I also get the sense that Cirkut and Andrew Watt knew to hone in on interesting choices while keeping things grounded in the pop sphere (like making sure to do justice to Gaga's huge anthemic pop choruses), like, no one had any sort of stylistic agenda here other than to make damn good songs. 

All in all, this is among her personal best, and I don't understand anyone who didn't like it? Y'all not like fun? What happened to fun? (cue the Kirsten Johnston falling out a window.gif) With  ARTPOP and Joanne, I could get those being acquired tastes, but anyway, yeah, the album is quality. So glad it exists, things have been so stressful, this album arrived like a balm on my tired soul tbh. 

[HermesG 1,420]

I m already obsessed ✨

[dubstep111 609]

I don’t like

[Alejandra 3]

1 hour ago, PartySick said:

She's officially credited as the lead writer on all but one song (DWAS )

Then Apple Music needs to update their credits.