Too Posh For Perfection

A new era has arrived in the world of Little Monsters with the release of Lady GaGa’s new album, “Artpop.” After two successful albums (“The Fame” and “Born This Way”) as well as an EP (“The Fame Monster”), Lady GaGa has returned to the roots of powerful pop culture, moving away from the darker side of “The Fame Monster” and “Born This Way.” The album’s debut single “Applause” was the first movement towards GaGa taking on a new persona, image and musicality. “Artpop” is a blend of pure Pop, old school Rock and hard hitting Electro beats to keep her fans, new and old, entertained.

The album opens with the electronically Infected Mushrooms production of “Aura” where she states the freedom of expression with lines such as “Do you want to see me naked lover?” This can be interpreted as her exposing herself to the media and society who have criticised her career and affiliated her with negativity due to her use of religious imagery in her previous works. The only religious affiliation on the song is the use of the word Burqa, which, as you may have guessed, received criticism from religious parties. GaGa’s interpretation of the Burqa is, however, not in the religious sense but rather that of someone stating “Hey! This is me and I am letting the world know who I am without hiding my true self.”

The eclectic mixture of sounds makes this album one that you do not need to skip a track on as each song brings its own unique sound and lyrical content. There is a strong influence of 70s and 80s Rock music, which has been evident in GaGa’s musicality since “The Fame.” Songs such as “Venus,” “Sexxx Dreams” and “Manicure” represent the style of old meets new in the world of music. “Manicure” sounding like a reminiscent of Joan Jett mixed with Shampoo (the British riot grrrls who did “uh on we’re in trouble!”) and possibly a little bit of 3OH!3 with a hard hitting rhythmic drum beat in the background. For those who prefer a little R&B and crunk Hip-Hop, songs such as “Jewels ‘n Drugs,” which features rappers T.I, Too Short and Twister, give the listener a satisfying pleasure of driving down the hood with your top up blasting this song at full volume. “Do What U Want,” which features R&B crooner R. Kelly, is an epic R&B club banger with a sexy bassline and addictive chorus.

Inspirational lyrics have become a GaGa trademark and songs such as “Fashion!” and “Gypsy” represent this. “Fashion!,” with its happy-go-lucky pop sound, allows the listener to feel like a celebrity owning their fame in their own way. The power of the individual is represented in the lyrical content which teaches you to love and accept yourself for who you are. “Gypsy,” on the other hand, states that no one wants to be alone and that life is about taking risks and finding yourself through the journey of love and happiness. Other songs, that are a dedication to GaGa’s fans, that have positive messages of love, hope and adoration are “Dope,” a 70s Soft Rock sounding song, and the album’s lead single, “Applause.”