I am not the most avid Lady Gaga fan out there. Yes, I know of the few classic hits like Bad Romance and Poker Face, but I have never sought her music out. So when her newest album Joanne was released earlier this month on Spotify, I thought that it would be a good opportunity to give her songs a try. In this review I will be giving you my honest opinions as I listen to the album for the first time. Since Lady Gaga is coming to Tokyo next week, I thought this would also be the perfect time to brush up on some Gaga.
The album starts off with “Diamond Heart.” It’s hard to put this song in a specific genre, as it begins as a ballad and suddenly becomes a more rock-inspired song with very strong vocals. On the topic of vocals, I never realized how awesome her voice is. It doesn’t have a wide range, but the vibrato gives me chills. So far, so good.
For me, “A-YO” was just as confusing to put in a genre as the previous track. I think she was trying to go for a clap-along happy song while trying to incorporate good vocals, but I just found it a little too cheesy for my taste.
“Joanne,” the next song and title track is up next. This song has a folk/country feeling because it is such a minimal and raw song. The only sound that you can hear besides Lady Gaga’s voice is an acoustic guitar. Since many songs these days are filled with excessive sounds and noises, this is a refreshing song to have on the album.
The next song is “John Wayne.” The country feel of “Joanne” continues in this song, but with considerably more instruments in the background and an added electro feel. This song would be better for a night where you want to dance around alone in your room, because it has a really nice beat that drives the song.
If I had to compare “Dancin’ in Circles” to another Lady Gaga song, it is equivalent to “Alejandro” for me because it has a flamenco-esque beat with vocals filled with vibrato in all of the right places. As of now, this is one of my favorite tracks on the album because it can make you in a better mood when you feel great, and a song that lifts you up when you feel down.
When “Perfect Illusion” started playing, I had to pause the music a few times. The intro was kind of confusing, but once the song kept on playing, it progressed into a power ballad-esque song. I loved the vocals in the song, but overall it’s not my favorite.
I probably sound like a broken record by now, but “Million Reasons” is so beautiful. With this song’s minimal background music, it brings out Lady Gaga’s beautiful voice that is filled with soul, passion and love. I completely understand why this song is ranked in the iTunes music rankings. It’s definitely a great song to listen in your room, alone with your thoughts.
“Sinner’s Prayer” has a reserved tone overall but yet I find it really powerful. There are a lot of emotions that are contained in Gaga’s voice, and the slightly agitating beat contributes to the mood of the song. Also, the lyric in the chorus that said, “I am what I am” made me incredibly happy, because I love how she is using her music to share positive messages.
The beginning of “Come to Mama” reminds me of a Sara Bareilles song in the sense that there is a really uplifting happy beat. But there is definitely an essence of Gaga that is still left, which is especially clear through the vocals and the slightly soul-like feeling to the song. Also her use of key changes and minor chords are absolutely phenomenal (my inner music nerd came out a little bit there).
My inner fangirl squealed when I saw that the next song, “Hey Girl,” featured Florence Welch of the Florence and the Machines. They are an unexpected duo, but Gaga’s powerful voice and Florence’s ringing voice complement each other in the best way possible. I think the instrumental also is a healthy mixture of the two artists. This is definitely one of my favorites on the album, mainly because of Florence spicing up this track.
“Angel Down,” the final track on the album, begins with a dark minor chord that is reminiscent of Lana Del Ray. Once again, it is a beautiful minimal song with just a piano and simple background vocals. I got chills. What a spectacular way to end an album.
Overall, Joanne explores many genres, and I was impressed by how versatile Gaga’s voice is. Whether you are looking for a wholesome album experience or just a few jams here and there, there is something for everyone on Joanne.
My picks: “Dancin’ in Circles” “Million Reasons” “Hey Girl”
This article was written by HC Waseda Guest Writer, Megumi Kitamoto.