London Evening Standard ARTPOP review

[Venus de Artpop 0]

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/lady-gaga-ARTPOP--album-review-8920243.html

 

 

In the five heady years since her debut album, The Fame, the  former Stefani Germanotta has transformed herself from a Madonna wannabe into a global force (she has 40 million Twitter followers, whereas Madonna reaches just 200,000 hardy souls), but if Lady Gaga’s recent X Factor appearance is any yardstick, she still craves attention like a bolshy but insecure teenager.

Much rests on ARTPOP, and for the most part it delivers. It’s as annoying, frustrating and contradictory as its author but it’s also as brilliant, provocative and as thrilling as she can be.

At 15 tracks, it’s too long and too stodgy. A more rigorous editor would have trimmed the interminable title track and the feeble duet with R. Kelly, Do What U Want. But at its best, ARTPOP is an exhilarating musical bungee jump.

Built around stentorian keyboards, clattering electro-percussion and thumping backbeats, it’s constructed to soundtrack hair-waving, body-shaking routines at stadium shows. The startling opening triumvirate barely pause for breath as Gaga asks, “Do you want to see me naked, lover?†(no thanks, dear), on Aura, while Venus takes its lyrical cue from Europe’s The Final Countdown before she simpers “touch me, touch me†like Samantha Fox did back in 1986.

Strangely, for one so supposedly keen on empowerment, she’s a curiously submissive lyricist, whether suggesting “do what you want with my body†on Do What U Want or wailing that “I need you more than dope†on DOPE. She’s much more intriguing on the shark-eyed, rueful Fashion! and on the standout Swine, where she declares “I’m just a pig in a human bodyâ€. She has something to say: exactly what it is remains tantalisingly elusive, beyond her not entirely surprising admission on the poppy Applause that “I live for the applauseâ€.

The only real change of pace is DOPE, where Gaga becomes a torch singer in search of a torch song, but ARTPOP is the true sound of 2013: impossibly busy, overflowing with ideas and in love with the idea of being loved.

ARTPOP is released on Monday November 11.

4/5 Stars :o And I think his review is based off Singles + Promo. Not full album. 

[Jenniferella 2,774]

I stopped at "Madonna"

 

biased as hell

[Venus de Artpop 0]

I stopped at "Madonna"

 

biased as hell

I didn't even notice that lol. I just looked at the end look what I do with all things I read

[Bye 3,947]

Stan hard for the Queen

I can't at them criticising ARTPOP and DWUW though but at the same time I love how different reviewers are gonna hate songs others will love. Queen of controversy tbh

[alffy74 53]

I stopped at the interminable title track.

[Jenniferella 2,774]

I didn't even notice that lol. I just looked at the end look what I do with all things I read

Something's wrong when you find the word "Madonna" only at the second line of the review imo. Either the reviewer is a Gaga hater or a Madonna stan (in both cases, the review will be biased)

[Antidote 95]

Saying something stupid about da queen track called Aura? Bye tbh :nails:

[Didymus 34,379]

Mess of a review. Amateurs.

[Bad_kid 2]

ARTPOP is the true sound of 2013: impossibly busy, overflowing with ideas and in love with the idea of being loved.    

[Venus de Artpop 0]

Something's wrong when you find the word "Madonna" only at the second line of the review imo. Either the reviewer is a Gaga hater or a Madonna stan (in both cases, the review will be biased)

A Madonna Stan who says ARTPOP is the true sound of 2013 has my respect That's the only thing I read tbh :smh:

[Bye 3,947]

I think everyone mentions Madonna because now the public thinks Gaga is a copycat so by mentioning Madge the reviewers are trying to gain some credibility from Gaga haters and the public. I mean look at this, he says she's a wannabe Madonna and then he praises her album, calling it the true sound of 2013, and gives it a 4/5.

Is this review credible enough to be listed on Wikipedia and Metacritic? I want to see that critical acclaim tbh :whitney:

[Nissa 51]

The "submissive" comment...   ARTPOP is her most feminist album yet. The reviewer then proceeds to display how DWUW's entire concept goes right over their head and gets Swine's lyrics totally wrong to top it off.

[CHANTEL 2]

This is not eligible for Mediacritic right?

[Bye 3,947]

This is not eligible for Mediacritic right?

Metacritic* ;)

I hope it is, it's a 4 stars out if 5 :laughga:

[rslayer 0]

I love it that the reviewer praises it and recognises the genius musicality of it, but he really got it ALL wrong when it comes to interpreting the meaning of the lyrics. And c'mon, you'd have to be REALLY shallow not to get it. And:

 

The "submissive" comment...   ARTPOP is her most feminist album yet. The reviewer then proceeds to display how DWUW's entire concept goes right over their head and gets Swine's lyrics totally wrong to top it off.