ARTPOP: One Little Monster's Thoughts

Lady Gaga. The pop entertainer's very designation triggers a plethora of reactions, nearly all of which are highly polarized: outrageous, colorful, provocative, overexposed, and even revolutionary have all been used to define the singer and her approach to her art, to her work, and to her life. But is there another side to this enigmatic young icon that has yet to be revealed in her recently released LP, the much-anticipated ARTPOP?

Admittedly, when initially considering a review of the superstar's latest pop offering, I couldn't help but take into consideration my passionate, fanatical bias toward a positive representation of the work. Over the past several years, Gaga's rise to fame - and we do mean fame here - has not been by chance, default, or even arbitrary whim, but by nothing short of indisputable vocal ability, hard work, innovation, and an undeniable talent for media manipulation. Spanning only two previous full-length albums and one ruthlessly clever EP (The Fame, Born This Way, and The Fame Monster, respectively), Mother Monster's material prior to ARTPOP has undoubtedly secured her standing in the annals of pop culture for eternity. But how does this new collection of dance-pop anthems hold up to closer scrutiny, and what does it say about Gaga's future in the universe of pop musical creativity? Let's find out.

Piercing the silence first, "Aura" gives listeners a bizarre - yet, somehow, familiar - introduction. With an almost Spanish flavor in its first guitar rifts, the track suddenly veers back into familiar futuristic blips, bleeps, whirs, and stutters which Gaga's vocals have been known to smoothly and cleverly complement. Coupling the throbbing electronic gallop of "Americano" with a swerving melody somewhat reminiscent of "Judas," this little introductory gem offers a fun - although perhaps not necessarily memorable - and inventive blueprint for what is yet to come.

"Venus" alters the momentum of its predecessor with - likely - the catchiest and most memorable chorus of the entire album, and this is one of those songs in which Gaga's vocal ability and songwriting skills really glisten. Like a sort of hybrid between an 80's fantasy cartoon theme and a grinding trip-hop explosion, it is easily one of the album's strongest and most original offerings. "When you touch me, I die, just a little inside," she screams to her lover in ecstasy, "I wonder if this could be love, this could be love." Satisfying both commercial and artsy consumers alike, "Venus" outshines all other songs on the album on nearly every level.

Next up is "G.U.Y. (Girl Under You)," a noticeably weaker composition held together by rather unoriginal - and surprisingly conventional - production, but this one will be loved by little monsters who miss the flavor of older-school tracks on The Fame. Dancey and electronic, but with a confusingly R&B vocal styling, it still has its moments, notably toward the end, when the pulsing beat nearly jumps out of your subwoofer and grabs you by your proverbial throat. As usual, her voice on "G.U.Y." is as strong as ever, carrying the weight of whatever the producer couldn't.

Always one to pull the erotica card out of her pop arsenal deck, this songstress doesn't shy away from some of her more personal sensual musings on "Sexxx Dreams," a casual and lighthearted romp through some offbeat - and often, downright silly - confessions. After having "a couple drinks," Gaga "can't believe [she's] telling you this, but..." and then proceeds to reassure her listeners that hey, you're not alone in your lustful, imaginative dreamland.

Though one might be hasty in dismissing any Gaga track as filler material, the next several almost come across as rushed, incoherent, and perhaps even juvenile (and not in the fun, catchy, irresponsible way we've come to expect from the chanteuse, but rather as ill-conceived). "Jewels N' Drugs," despite its somewhat bouncy and rebellious rap interjections from indisputably skilled rap sensation T.I. - quick and sassy in his Ludacris-like execution - just doesn't seem to fit in with what most of the entertainer's fans have come to expect of her in terms of genre. Neither "Manicure" nor "Do What U Want," one of ARTPOP's promotional singles featuring the infamous R. Kelly, seem to provide ample recompense, despite the latter track's instantly appealing beat and filthy-in-the-best-way-possible bass line.

Things start looking up for the album, however, when the title track explodes out of the speakers in convincing, elegant simplicity. "Artpop" sticks with you, primarily due to a clean, snappy, and remarkable chorus of "we could, we could belong together," against a forceful - and consequently, memorable - beat that, for lack of a better phrase, just makes you want to dance your ass off.

As far as "that one track" that has both an energetic, pulsing electronic feel and also an upbeat, empowering mantra, which most little monsters should be seeking, if I know my audience correctly, is unquestionably "Swine." ARTPOP's answer to "Government Hooker" or "Heavy Metal Lover," this song is the most likely to be looped in your car en route to somewhere exciting. A lively and magnetic drum programming arrangement - coupled with a grinding, steely synth-hook - take Gaga's flawless vocals to new heights of ethereal rave-pop ecstasy. "Swine" is among this album's strongest moments.

The following three tracks, all of which somewhat resemble "Swine" in terms of production - but not in terms of innovation or ambition - are assuredly fun and danceable, but somehow lack what the first half of the album initially provided listeners. "Donatella," Gaga's ode to - whom else? - the controversial and often misunderstood fashion designer of fashion house Versace, is a cheerleader-esque, kitschy electropop blowout somewhat reminiscent of Gwen Stefani and Le Tigre all in one go, while "Fashion!" and "Mary Jane Holland" keep the party alive well enough. Maintenance alone, however, isn't what has propelled the singer's career or long-term vision; evolution, it would seem, is the key to this artist's growth and development, and in this capacity, these tracks fall flat.

Changing her tune - and, clearly, her mood - with "Dope," Gaga shifts gears toward the end with a heart-wrenching piano ballad that should only be reserved for lonely, late-night regrets and long-lost memories of loved ones who have, by fate or by choice, fallen by the wayside. Tinged with just a hint of electronic production, "Dope" is a teary-eyed admission of poor choices, human faults, and a closely personal, warm-blooded need for affection. One can hear our Lady's heart breaking in half through her honest and brave performance here, and it's a moment of vulnerability that is never quite matched throughout the rest of the tracklisting.

If one were to seek an ARTPOP equivalent of its predecessor's "The Edge of Glory," "Gypsy" would be first on the list. The emotional resonance and epic panache of "Dope" carry over here, with one of the easily strongest chorus melodies on the disc. "I don't want to be alone forever, but I can be tonight" says it all and, along with subtle Wizard of Oz references, Gaga takes listeners to a completely different world than the rest of the album's flavors offer.

Lastly, though "Applause" has been stuck in our heads for nearly a year now - as it was the very first material and the first video ever released from this LP, which is vital for an artist as visual and as provocative as Gaga - we shouldn't neglect to include it as an essential component of ARTPOP. Maintaining the never ending theme of fame, achievement, and recognition, "Applause" rounds out the work and homogenizes it all in a way listeners could have never anticipated. By aptly placing its most recognizable track at the end of ARTPOP rather than at the beginning, she has reminded us as fans that there is still so much more to look forward to from this pop star, despite any flaws in the final product.

Ultimately, while ARTPOP fails to live up to its impossibly high expectations - and hardly succeeds in topping previous efforts such as Born This Way or The Fame Monster EP - it does achieve Lady Gaga's underlying goal: to satisfy her fans with damn catchy, well produced, and brilliantly executed dance pop. At this endeavor, the album succeeds radiantly and, in time, such a formula will solidify Gaga's already-immovable status as a pop culture icon.

FINAL SCORE: 86/100