Lady Gaga's second studio album, dubbed "Born This Way" after the CD's first number-one single, is a (little too) cohesive pop-rock album that shows listeners a whole new side of Gaga, a side that no one really wanted to see in the first place.
I'll probably be crucified by a million "Little Monsters" for saying this, but Gaga's new album doesn't compare to the pop masterpiece that was "The Fame" & "The Fame Monster". Oh, and for those of you calling "Born This Way" her third album, just stop. Okay, "The Fame Monster" is basically a two-part album, get over it.
As an album, "Born This Way" is a showcase of great production (even Mutt Lange makes an appearance on a Monster favorite, You And I) and incredible cohesion. Thematically, the entire album takes a more introspective look at Gaga as a person and we feel much more as if these songs actually have something to do with her life and experience than her previous pop anthems that were about either dancing or love.
However, I'm disappointed that Gaga decided to dedicate this entire album to talking about how she was born "this way" because my favorite thing about Gaga was her music. Her great voice, creative ways of saying she's in love (Paparazzi, anyone?), her infectious beats. Here, they all fall by the wayside so that Gaga can make the claim that she is her own person…over, and over, and over again.
She makes it clear on tracks like Judas, Bloody Mary, and Electric Chapel that she's aware of religion and we get the sense she either loves or hates it or just wants to have sex with it…we're not sure because we're so distracted by the fact that this album might have been produced in the 80s by someone with the "Back to the Future" car who came to the 2000s to steal some Euro-pop beats.
I, personally, miss the old Gaga tracks like Bad Romance that could take over the radio stations and play endlessly. The only one on this record with that kind of playing power is probably Judas, although Edge of Glory and Fashion of His Love have a shot. Hair is pretty good but it's a played-out message, even more played-out than the Express Yourself melody she stole from Madonna for the album's namesake track.
For cohesiveness (both thematically, musically and lyrically) and great production, and…okay a few dance-worthy tracks, I'll give the album a 4/5. But Gaga, please, go back to talking about something other than yourself.
P.S. I thought you learned the first time around that songs like Alejandro don't work out for you…so why Americano? Definitely my pick for worst track. Scheibe isn't much better…please stop rapping (but man, that chorus is catchy!).
If you're interested in purchasing "Born This Way" visit our friends at Amazon.
