ARTPOP- An interesting discussion of Art&Pop, but not the one Gaga hoped.

Music Review- Lady Gaga ARTPOP (2013)

Before starting to write this review, ARTPOP by Lady Gaga was easily her best album ever. The pulsating beat, infectious breakdowns and interesting lyrical content, it is a delight from start to finish and is made to be listened to in its entirety. It the perfect pop album. Through writing the track by track breakdown, however, I came across the fact that when put under the microscope the songs withhold my previously deemed perfect status.

Gaga's mantra of the album is her belief that Art and Pop can belong together hand in hand, but in actuality she highlights that when pop is met with the same analysis, same scrutiny and the same microscopic inspection that art receives, it is clear pop does not have the tools to adhere to such critique. When critiquing a piece of art you have all the brush strokes in front of you, your eyes can indulge in every image for as long as you like as the critic sits and explores every aspect of the painting. Pop is very different. Pop is a flowing narrative that refuses to stop and allow the critic to explore, but instead dances from one beat, one image, one moment endlessly. This does not mean that Pop should be low brow or uninteresting, but should be discussed in a different manner than a piece of Art.

Through my track by track review, I listened to the song in question on repeat with its lyrics in front of me and wrote what came to my mind. I can only feel that this may have been Gaga's intended mode of listening as it came to my fruition that every song is packed with reference that are complicated filters for the subject at hand. This is not a modernist piece of work, as with every message Gaga finds the most complicated and grandiose way of putting across that message. It is clear that Gaga wants her listeners to consider ARTPOP as art and to analyse it as if it were so, but through doing that it leaves any listener crying ''Just write what you mean''. The album is best when it is not trying too hard to be considered art as it strips away the complicated imagery and grandiose references.

To just listen to the album and not attempt to tear its layers back and find its message is the way listeners will find most enjoyment. ARTPOP is never lowbrow, uninteresting or bad, in fact it is quite the opposite with Gaga's most fun and ballsy lyrics and instrumentals to date. It is weird and wonderful. It is the definition of the perfect pop album, but when discussed in its parts rather than as a whole its cracks start to show.

Above all, credit is given where credit is due and Gaga sets the foundations for a discussion of Pop music's place in Art and offers a credible interpretation of how Art and Pop could belong together. Though to Gaga's dismay, it probably should be deemed that those two worlds don't fit as perfectly together as she may hope.

Album= 8.5/10

Track by Track breakdown:

Aura- Weird and Wonderful. The opening track starts with manic laughter and a strange voice filter, but builds into one of Gaga's best choruses ever. The peculiarities of the song may be a tad overbearing on first listen, but you will not forget the song after finishing the album. The production is anything but generic or boring and Gaga gives her all in one of her most feisty vocal deliveries ever. The song is not for the feint hearted, but damn the beat is infectious and the ''Dance, Sex, Art, Pop, Tech'' breakdown is glorious. For the start of the album, Aura beckons the listener in and tempts them to listen to what Gaga is hiding under her veil- she promises the album will be revealing and intimate, yet grandiose and artsy. These didactic descriptions are apparent throughout the album as Gaga lays the foundations for her Art versus her Pop. (8)

Venus- Not simply a love song, but a song that encapsulates the dominating and grandiose pull of love. At the heart this is a love song about the start of a relationship, but the song is filled to the brim with planets, Greek Goddesses, seashells and rockets. The metaphors capture the weird feelings when starting to feel love as you are blasted to a new world of emotion and discovery; however, the weird descriptions create a hodgepodge of images that are not relatable for the common listener. The song is certainly fun and dance-able, but a generic Adele ballad is better at capturing the feeling of love. The stripped opening to her performance on the UK X-Factor gave this song a deeper reverence and relatability as the haunting '' When you touch me, I die/ Just a little inside/ I wonder if this could be love'' was more impactful and resonant. The drowning of the verses in Artsy images is a rare misstep for a song that could have been a Pop powerhouse love song. (7)

G.U.Y- The natural older sister of Venus. After submitting to the feelings of love in Venus, Gaga reclaims dominance in G.U.Y. The Greek metaphors are turned down form Venus but are still present and instead act as cute indulges rather than a heavy overload. Again though, Gaga's lyrics are complicated with multi gender metaphors G.U.Y= Girl Under You and G.I.R.L= Guy I Romance and Love. The song again is extremely fun and very catchy, but is just too complicated to be relatable. G.U.Y is an earworm and the production is easy listening with the end breakdown of 'Nein Zedd' being just as glorious as the breakdown in Aura. The song isn't filler in any means but on this album it is the closest Gaga gets. (7)

Sexxx Dreams- Dirty but in all the right ways. The production is tight and grunge-like but not too far that the song sounds gross or uncomfortable. As with all good dreams there is a layer of gloss over the song that ensures it never sounds ewie, sweaty or sickly or goes too far like some Madonna tracks. Sexxx dreams captures the moment when our mind runs away from us and we indulge in our imagination things we really shouldn't talk to our partners about. Gaga does a lot of the heavy lifting with her vocal delivery being more like a soft sensual coo than the feisty attitude heavy Aura. It is clear she is having fun with the track and is not taking it seriously. Though the gloss and Gaga's coo keeps the song from going too far, one could only wish that the song was a tad less perfect pop and a smidge more risky to fully make the track euphoric. (8)

Jewels N' Drugs- An interesting sales pitch for the future. During Gaga's track by track breakdown before the release of the album, she introduced the track saying how many rappers refuse to work with her because her image is too gay. This song feels like a 'F$ck you' to those rappers, but more importantly it is a demonstration that they are wrong. At no point does this song feel 'gay' or that Gaga is out of place on a rap song. It is a good rap song with an infectious hook. But, with 3 rappers Gaga feels a little absent on her own track. It is certainly a good demonstration that Gaga would be at home on any rappers album, but it is not the best song. I appreciate what it is doing and the different side of Gaga more than I enjoy it, but it is still decent listening and certainly not boring. (5)

MANiCURE- The true lead single. With its clap beat and infectious hook, this is pop at its finest. Growl after growl from Gaga who shows how versatile her chops can be and demonstrates how to sing a fun pop song. The EDM is swapped for glorious guitars that make the song sound distinct and arena ready. The lyrics tell the story of someone getting ready to find their man and rightly so as the song is perfect for getting ready for a night out. The fast pace is pumping and ultimately the song is a lot of fun. With no complicated imagery, just a play on the word manicure (man cure), the song is simple, digestible and perfect for radio. (8)

Do What You Want- Simultaneously the worst and best song on the album. R Kelly is disgusting and his inclusion on the song is difficult to discuss as it adds a layer of disgusting that is beyond disgusting. But, after listening to the Xtina version and the solo version, it is clear that the song would not be as good as it is without him. To take the song on its own, with no R Kelly horror stories, it is perfect. But, we do not live in a world where you can take a song as a song without considering peoples back stories. It raises the Literary debate of whether you only analyse the words on the page or all the things around the novel; sadly, I am and have always been a believer that the wider context is important and affects a piece of work. For making me feel gross while loving this song, I can only feel passionately upset that this song exists and we were put in a position to choose where our morals lie. I think Gaga was right to remove the song. But, for a moment and only a moment, the first listen, this song was perfect. (Morally-0, Sonically-10)

ARTPOP- The titular track that is enhanced by good headphones. To listen to this song without headphones is a disservice to its art. The little things are what makes this song perfect. The tiny dusting of star like twinkles at the back, the brief but not ignored violins over the chorus. It is a song to get lost in. You could put this song on repeat for hours and enjoy every second of it. Gaga is soft and euphoric. The instrumental is perfect and euphoric. I think the only way to describe the song is euphoric. If ever a song was made for playing around with the mixer dials and playback duwigs, it is this as with every change in playback dial will unlock a new and interesting way of listening. (10)

Swine- Turn it up. If you have the song on low you are doing a disservice to your ears. EDM at its finest. Pumping, energetic and fierce. This is a song to jump to and most certainly perfect for touring and hyping a crowd. Gaga is angry and she is not afraid to show it. Whoever the song is about should be terrified. This is the perfect song to turn up loud and screaam from the top of your lungs whenever anyone has hurt you: relationship breaks up ''SWINE'', parents being problematic ''You're just pigs inside a human body'', someone uses the last bit of milk at work ''you’re so disgusting/ You’re just a pig inside''. It's over the top, weird and most certainly Gaga. (8)

Donatella- Love on first listen. The song is excellent on first listen. Feisty, fun and over the top. This is Gaga turned to 11. The song captures the sassy walk and packages it in a sexy EDM dress. Another song perfect to pump yourself up with before a night out. The lyrical content doesn't take itself seriously and that's what makes it so fun. It is a song to have a glass of bubbly with as you dry your hair in your pants and strut around your bedroom like you are Miss Gaga herself. You know that when Gaga shouts 'DONATELLA' it is time to let your inhibition out of the window and throw your body around the room like no one is watching. The only reason the song is not perfect is the fact it has a high burnout; you can only strut your stuff with bubbly for so long, so this song wont be on repeat, but when it hits it hits. (9)

Fashion!- Many consider the album to be too long and Fashion! is the perfect example of why. The song is good on its own. It is easily a 7 out of 10 maybe more as its lots of fun and definitely a good song. But, as the 10th song in an hour long album, that discusses fashion like the song right before it and many others in Gaga's repertoire, it feels like already tread ground. She even references 'Marry the night' adding to the feeling that this song has already been sung. In addition, with David Guetta and Will-i-am on production this song should be better. If it was in a void then i'd give it a 7 and be happy, but so many other problems are at play that I cannot listen to the song and enjoy it as much as I should. It's a feel good song about fashion, that is done so much better by the song previous. (5)

Mary Jane Holland- This song has similar problems to fashion!- it's good, but for an album this length is it that good. It's fun. But, not as catchy as others. It's EDM. But, doesn't hit as hard as others. The only thing that saves this song from a lower score is the fact that it acts as the counterpart to the next song. The couplet offer opposing sides to taking weed. Some may suggest that Mary Jane Holland offers the foundations that causes Dope to properly hit you in the feels. But, those 'some' have not seen the Youtube performance of the said song and know that Dope can stand on its own two feet. (6)

Dope- Ouch. Singing as though she was drunk, Gaga's vocal delivery is unhinged and her lyrics don't always make sense, both adding to the gut punch that is this song soaked in reality. Gaga's performance is convincingly dark and extremely heavy. She is on the edge and singing for her life. It is raw emotional and at times a tad musical theatre but gut wrenching all the same. The song is amazing, but I have a minor problem with the word Dope. I don't know if it's a more of an american term or because i'm not in the drug scene, but the word feels a little bit silly. I realise a chorus of ''I need you more than druuuugs'' sounds sillier, but I've always felt that the informal child-like word undermines the power and sentiment of the song. At the itunes festival this song was called, ''I want to be with you'', and though I agree Dope's struggle with drugs is much more compelling and harder hitting, I think the perfect song would be a mesh of the two: the theme of drugs with dope's verses and tone, but with a chorus of ''I want to be with you'' showing Gaga's vulnerable side and need of help to get out of her addiction. This is just fan dreaming. The song we got is amazing, touching and vulnerable in its own light. (7)

Gypsy- Ahhhh so close to perfection. The Edge of Glory's big sister, that only slightly misses the mark. Gypsy has two very different problems. One, the night she debuted the song, it was a piano ballad that was godly, heavenly, emotional, magical, superb, and in every way superior to the song on the album. Genuinely, the rendition that was previously performed would have brought tears to any body's eye- the lyrical content is strong enough to stand on its own without the dance-beat crutch. That is not to say what we have is bad, as it certainly isn't, but it is most definitely not the best song it could have been. Second problem for the song is at just over the half way point of the song Gaga introduces ''I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm a Gypsy Gypsy Gypsy Gypsy I'm'' which for any other pop song is an okay line, but when the lyrics of every other aspect of the song (except maybe the last 20 seconds that just list countries) is so superior that the repetition stands out like a sore thumb. There is a perfect song here, sadly the version on the album is not it, though a decent song in itself. (7) (piano version= 9, 10 if the stated 30 seconds was cut).

Applause- An excellent song. The reason I presume Applause was chosen for lead single is because it grows with every listen. The song is clearly a lot of fun from the beginning, but its charm is infectious and will have you giddy after multiple listens. The clappy beat is a lot of fun and will be in your head for days to come. Gaga teaches us to spell and offers a look into her psyche as she lives for our applause- a sentiment that can be taken as needing validity or the lust to make us happy, both are not completely relatable for the normal listener. The song homes in the sentiment from the beginning of this piece, if you stop and try and analyse the song it is a lot less fun and pop than it first seems. This isn't art, it is bloody good pop music and you will be singing it in the shower. (9)