Disclaimer: Everything in this review are my own personal feelings toward Lady Gaga's 'Joanne'. These feelings are obviously biased and you may not agree with some of the things I say but thank you for reading! Without further adieu, here's a track-by-track review for Lady Gaga's 'Joanne' after the jump!
DIAMOND HEART
This is a very nice and flashy opening track. The chorus is ridiculous catchy. It's one of the highlights of the album, in my opening. One of the few tracks that could pass as the traditional pop we're used to hearing from her. 8/10
A-YO
This is a really fun track! A lot of things are going on the track. Her vocals are effortless, here especially. She goes from raspy, to a little twang in her voice. Overall it's catchy and a good song to dance to. 8/10
JOANNE
Absolutely gorgeous! There were some real country influences on this track. I had never really caught just how versatile her voice is. The simple production of the song, along with the vulnerability in the lyrics and her voice, were just a joy to hear. 9/10
JOHN WAYNE
Another fun song that had me picturing her in the wild west from some reason. I'm weird. Another fun song to dance to with interesting production. 7/10
DANCIN' IN CIRCLES
I'm getting flashbacks to 'The Fame.' Is that just me? There was just something alluring and different about her when she came out and this song does it's best to incorporate all of those elements. The tone of her voice and and the Indian vibe I get to the music make for a great listening experience. 8/10
PERFECT ILLUSION
Don't get me wrong, this is a good song and I could understand why it was released as the first single. It's very, very catchy...it's just not memorable. Does that make any sense? In the grand scheme of things it's not a bad song, I've caught myself singing along with it on more than one occasion. The metaphor of the lyrics and title are pretty clear. It's just a bit simple for Lady Gaga, if you ask me. 7.5/10
MILLION REASONS
Here we go. There are a lot of variables to consider when ranking this song. Sure, it's a bit of a generic tune but there's something about Lady Gaga's artistry that separates it from being a bland generic song. I still haven't put my finger on it. There's something about the tone of her voice, that specific Lady Gaga vibrato that she has (you know what I'm talking about), and the way she's able to just give herself over to a song that separates it from everything else on this album. 9.5/10
SINNER'S PRAY
This is one of those tracks I could take or leave. It's not a bad song, just not my style. This also kind of reminds me of the wild west. Genre wise, it's one of the more country influenced tracks. Eh. It's sort of on the same playing field as John Wayne, it just lacks the fun of John Wayne. 6.5/10
COME TO MAMA
Right here, to me, is where the album begins to hit it's sweet spot. The production on this track is absolutely outstanding, to me. It was clearly very Motown inspired, and you could here that. The actual instrumentation, and the message behind the song, were just very beautiful and I'm sure it spoke to a lot of people. 9/10
HEY GIRL (Feat. FLORENCE WELCH)
I don't know about you. but this song just gave me everything. Two incredible vocalists, excellent production and a message that everyone needs to hear. Woman's empowerment is just something I really love to hear. A track where two women are telling each other how much they need each other, how much easier it would be if they were to lift each other up than to feel the need to one up the other is a gorgeous message to send out. 9/10
ANGEL DOWN
This song, man. This song. I've said this about the past few songs, and I'm going to say it again about this one. The message behind it is so important and beautiful that the sound/production takes a backseat, at least to me. Small lyrics like "Angel down, why do people just stand around?" "Where are our leaders?" are questions we shouldn't have to be asking but find ourselves circling back around to question. Now the simplified production worked well as Gaga voice seamlessly guided the bridge with simple "oohs" that complimented the entire song. Pardon my French, but fuck, this song just took me somewhere. 9.5/10 Also, do yourself a favor and listen to the demo of this song. It's absolutely gorgeous.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
Following the trend of many artists lately, Lady Gaga has gifted us with her most intimate album so far. Sure, there's a lot of fun to be had (Diamond Heart, A-Yo, John Wayne, etc.) but as Lady Gaga continues trying to find out her new sound, the more intimate tracks (Million Reasons and Joanne) carry the true weight of the album. Whether that be emotional weight, or otherwise. Personally, I think Lady Gaga is beginning to transition into the music she's always wanted to make. She made a splashy entrance, delivering shock after shock, but has slowly begun to downplay her image. I think she used those radio friendly tracks and dialed up the crazy to an 11 to get herself noticed to the point where she made music that had even more meaning to her. I'm not downplaying her previous work, I've been a Lady Gaga fan from the beginning of her career. I just think this album is a step in the right direction as she continues to grow as an artist and become who she truly wants to be. Not like you asked for my opinion, but I gave it to you anyway. Haha.
-All gifs and photo(s) in this review are courtesy of giphy!
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