Joanne- A chocolate box of fun, heart and nostalgia.

Music Review- Lady Gaga Joanne (2016)

Though Artpop is a fantastic album, it is clear from the audience reception that Lady Gaga needed to take a different turn in her next release. What Gaga offers up is a selection of songs that are impossible to hate. Whether they are emotional ballads that hit home, crazy fun pop songs or tracks that take inspiration from classics like Elton John and the Beatles, it is clear Gaga is showing a maturity and growth from her previous work. However, through trying to show off this wide variation of fun, heart and nostalgia Gaga is left with a track list that feels more like a playlist than a cohesive album. It is a selection of songs that have some really standout moments, but without a narrative or the bow to tie them all together.

In addition, after coming off of her most controversial album it is clear very few risks have been taken here. The songs are good and some are even excellent, but it doesn't offer the risks or daring ambition of her previous work. To put into perspective: The Fame put the whole concept of fame under the microscope, The Fame Monster discussed 8 different and interesting fears, Born this way offered a sanctuary for people that don't feel accepted and Artpop tried to make a marriage out of two conflicting worlds. Each album had immense ambition and a clear reason for being. This albums only ambition is to present Gaga in a better light to the general public. It does a fantastic job at that and puts forward some great tunes that are fabulous additions to her discography. But, it is the kind of album that is usually offered by lesser pop stars than Gaga. That is the problem. If this was any other artist it would be a masterpiece, but for Gaga it feels too risk advert to be phenomenal.

Though all of the above is true, it is nice to see this different side of Gaga. It is an album that I am glad to have and the album that Gaga and the general public needed to have. It is a chocolate box of yummy surprises and in the streaming age making a good playlist rather than an album isn't really a bad thing.

Album = 7.5/10 (8 for Deluxe)

Track by Track breakdown

Diamond Heart: 'Young, Wild, American', from the first line it's clear that Gaga's cowboy hat is not just an aesthetic as from the beginning song her traditional American roots are showing. It is clear from Diamond Heart that Gaga is trying to woo back the traditional and conservative American general public that were scared off from her Artpop album. The foot tapping beat, occasional guitar riffs and the build up of synths leading to the chorus are infectious and a clear lean to a cleaner sound than the heavy edm of Artpop. But, the songs lighter production leaves a feeling of something missing. The lyrics allude to a man taking Gaga's innocence and her further struggles with cruel men: lyrical content that is not made for a light and clean production. Furthermore, Gaga is belting for her life, but the production doesn't give her arena ready vocals the backing to make this song fire off. If Mark Ronson, the lead producer of the track, listened to Gaga and made the guitars and drums a little less tame and more 'wild' to match the lyrical content, then Joanne's opening track would be better for it. (6)

Ayo: A fun and catchy hook that will get you dancing and singing even if you are not sure what she means. Everything about the track screams fun: the production and the lyrics are a perfect slice of pop that you can't not smile at. As Gaga says 'you can try and hate it' but your attempts are futile. Continuing the iconography of wild America, the lyrics are filled to the brim with cars, smoking, alcohol and southern gravy. It is crazy. The images and hooks hit you so fast that it's not truly clear what Gaga is singing about nor the point of the song. But, it's clear that no one is taking the song seriously as it is just crazy fun. (9)

Joanne: Going from the fast paced and fun Ayo to the slow ballad about Gaga's dead aunt is a weird transition. Though metaphorically the transition works as death can come at any time and puts even the wildest of fun into dismay, it does not give the most enjoyable listen from an entertainment point of view. Gaga's delivery is soft like a saddened mother, but strangely she doesn't sound raw: her sound is rounded and not harsh like a voice breaking. She doesn't give the song a vulnerability, but instead a sense that she has come to terms with the loss and is learning to move on. It's not emotional and heartbreaking, but sombre and pleasant listening. The song stops you in your tracks certainly, but not to make you cry instead it gives you a moment of peaceful reflection. The song isn't one you will be constantly coming back to, but if it comes on on shuffle you will stop, reflect and be better for it. (6)

John Wayne: Ayo's big brother. Returning back to the crazy fun is another weird transition that makes the album experience feel like an emotional roller-coaster. John Wayne treads the well trodden path that Ayo so wonderfully rode down: wild american iconography, catchy and infectious hooks and a a chorus that isn't understandable. Though Gaga doesn't actually use real words in her chorus it most certainly will get stuck in your head. The song is a firecracker of fun and is so bombastically pop that you will be humming along many hours after it finishes. Gaga's vocal delivery is a little harder and louder than the sleek pop perfection of Ayo which leads to a higher burn out for the song, so it's not one to be left on repeat. But, her fiery attitude and demanding presence certainly makes for an excellent song. (8)

Dancing in Circles: A decent pop song that doesn't reach the heights of greatness. Gaga has a fun metaphor that works both with her cowboy-esque imagery and for female masturbation. Gaga clearly is having a lot of fun tip toeing around the two ways her metaphor could be interpreted. It is a decent song about self exploration that never feels gross or sickly. It is Gaga's careful tip toeing that stops the song from falling into uncomfortable territory. But, other than some interesting production choices, the song has very little else to offer. Usually a Gaga song has so clear intentions and worth on an album that it is difficult to point to a song and label it filler, however Dancing in Circles is the closest Gaga gets. (6)

Perfect Illusion: An excellent song, but not a lead single. The frenzy of energy and attitude on the song offers a lot to love. Gaga is giving her all. The production is sleek and glossy. It is the perfect arena ready banger. To play the song quietly is a disservice to it's pumping beat and ready to be shouted from the top of your lung lyrics. At a quick 3 minutes, it is the perfect energy boost before any night out. Admittedly, the heavy production, loud vocals and repetitive second half make the song have a quick burn out which is the reason it was a silly idea to have as a lead single (a lead should be played to death on the radio and still sound fresh when you listen to the album, not be burnt-out after a few listens). If Gaga moved the bridge from being a background coo to a more prominent position, then the repetitive second half wouldn't feel as heavy. But, the song is energy packaged in to a pop song box and is fabulous for it. (7)

Million reasons: A beautiful ballad that has Gaga singing at her most powerful and rawest. It is a great song to listen to from start to finish as Gaga's vulnerability shines through and her desperation for happiness has her fighting for what she deserves. The song has two tiny flaws. It is a tad repetitive: ballads leave the lyrics bare and for all to scrutinise, and for the most part the song holds its own being as relatable as an Adele ballad but actually has decent detail; but the chorus feels a tad bloated with Gaga repeating the words ''million reasons'' enough times to make it feel like a million. The other problem the ballad has is the fact that her live performances are so much better. When live, her raw vocal delivery is gorgeous with more little flicks and dashes of detail that make the song hit home so much harder. It's hard to wonder why Gaga would choose to make the album version vocals tamer and less beautiful than she is capable to do since so many artists now a days do the opposite. (8)

Sinners Prayer: A good old fashioned camp fire story. This is Gaga grabbing a guitar and telling you a story from her heart. It is the kind of song that was all over the charts in the past, but have seemingly fell of the face of the earth from popular artists. It is a great listen and an interesting narrative of struggling love with a juicy amount of details to get your teeth into. The production is tame, letting the story take front and centre, but the guitar riff that opens the song is gorgeous. What stops this song from properly hitting off is the fact it is not as dark or moody as when she first performed it live in her dive bar tour. The atmospheric opening and then being hit by the guitar riff had much more potential than what is given on the album. (7)

Come to Mama: A slice of cheesy fun that you can't help but have a big grin when listening. Another blast from an era that has long gone, the song is reminiscent of the Beatles or Elton John. But, Gaga's quirky stamp is certainly all over it. It is fun all over. With lyrics about love, unity and a cute nod to the lgbt community ''look what that rainbow did'', it is a song you can't help but love. Admittedly some of the lyrics feel like a quote on the walls of middle class kitchens, but Gaga's conviction and the swinging production let you get lost in the dream. It's a song that becomes more fun with every listen and if it was earlier in the track list it would receive more love than it currently gets. (8)

Hey Girl: Another Elton inspired gem that suffers for being later in the track list. It is another beauty that gets better with every listen as if you are anything like me your reaction on first hearing would be immense disappointment that two insanely talented vocalists, that are known for their superb belts, would make such a tame track. After getting over the shock, it is clear that the song is a mastery of gorgeous effortless vocals. This is two artists holding back, but in the most beautiful way. It is an atmospheric track that is supported by the singers airy vocals and elongated notes. Swapping back and forth between the two at times their voices meld effortlessly into one. This is ''less is more'' packaged in a song. But, I will forever be left wondering what a collaboration between the two would sound like if their restraints were removed. (8)

Angel Down: Joanne is a peaceful reflection, whereas Angel Down is an angry and raw ballad with all the emotion and drama that its counterpart left out. It is heartfelt and packs a punch as it tackles the world we live in and atrocities such as the Trayvon Martin murder. It hits home. But, the most impactful moment is when Gaga reins it in and for the outro sings in a sad mumble that really pulls on the heart strings as it gives a feeling of desperation and feels like no one is listening. It is a beautiful end to the album. (7)

Deluxe tracks

Grigio Girls: Why was this not on the standard edition? It has the story of sinners prayer, the heart of Joanne, the important message of Hey Girl and the catchy hook of the pop-ier songs from the album. It is an excellent song that deserved to be on the album. It is Adult Contemporary radio gold- it would have been on BBC radio two on repeat. With an added layer of emotional depth after the sad passing of her friend Sonja, the song is beautiful and spreads the importance of friendship. It is not only really personal to Gaga, but relatable to everyone. (9)

Just another day: Another excellent song that shouldn't have been left to a deluxe track. It is again another track reminiscent of the Beatles and it captures all the fun and love of one of their tracks. It is an easy listening track that would be ate up on BBC radio two or any Adult contemporary radio. A deluxe album should be fan service not two amazing songs that would be loved by the general public. Gaga's delivery and the production are so lovable and light hearted fun that I can only wish more people actually heard the track. It is the type of song that would be perfect in the back of a tv ad. (8)