What I want from a Lady Gaga album is something that you can learn all the words to and then sing as you bounce violently around your living room after one too many glasses of goon. (I was actually busted doing this very thing by an unexpected visitor quite recently.) ‘The Fame’ delivered that, but ‘Born This Way’ falls considerably short with way fewer catchy party hits.
The best tracks on the album are the singles, ‘Born This Way’, ‘Judas’ and ‘The Edge of Glory’. I could maybe throw the Spanish-techno-power-ballad track ‘Americano’ in there, but really, nothing is comparable to the pop brilliance of ‘Bad Romance’.
Some of the tracks are just plain confusing. Like ‘Hair’, which at times sounds like she’s channeling Meatloaf but overlaid with weird club beat more suited to a late 90s pop song. Then she randomly starts speaking German. Which is cool I guess, who doesn’t like German? There are also a few weirdly un-Gaga tracks like ‘You and I’ which is essentially a country song. No one buys a Gaga album hoping it sounds like Carrie Underwood. Sort your shit out Gaga!
The Lady thrives on controversy and this album is nothing if not a blatant attempt to piss people off; Christians in particular. Songs such as ‘Black Jesus’, ‘Bloody Mary’, ‘Electric Chapel’ and ‘Judas’ being reasonably obvious examples of this, not to mention ‘Born This Way’ which its heathenish lyrics declaring that it’s ok to be gay, bi, lesbian, transgender or whatever you want baby! Who does this devil woman in platforms think she is? Madonna, probably.
Gaga’s outrageousness is very divisive, but really Gaga-haters should stop wasting their energy. She makes a lot of people happy and if ‘Born This Way’ empowers one depressed closeted kid somewhere she’s done good.
If you really like pop music, you will probably find this album pleasurable listening. If you ironically like pop music you will find this boring. Mad respect Gaga, generally you’re pretty rockin’, but I wanted more.
3/5
Lady Gaga. Born This Way.
