To set the scene… I’m currently listening to ‘Joanne’ for the 3rd time, I’m sat looking at the hazy British sky and I’m very very into this album. For me the ‘Fame Monster’ is one of my favourite albums of all time, it came at a time that pop needed something new to make the industry exciting again. Whilst ‘Joanne’ doesn’t bring anything quote on quote “new” it brings something that pop is lacking in 2016, soul, artistry and lyrics that compliment production. From Gaga’s previous endeavours in the past few years many might have assumed she was DONE with pop, and whilst ‘Joanne’ is a genre-blend of many it still has the overbearing ‘pop’ fluidity that has accompanied all of Gaga’s previous albums.
‘Joanne’ as a whole is a cohesive, well thought out pop album with hints of rock, country, soul and funk. Underneath the gorgeous album cover and ‘stereotypical’ pop title ‘Joanne’ lays a heartbreaking, thought-provoking look into the life of one of the biggest pop stars of the 21st century like you’ve never seen her before. Just as Gaga said, she’s her father’s daughter, her mother’s daughter, her sister’s sister. She is named after her Father’s sister who died at the mere age of 19 ‘Joanne’. She is real. She is an ever present part of pop culture yet contrasting that she’s also still that girl from the Lower East Side of Manhattan who had a big dream.
Some of my personal favourites from the album are ‘Diamond Heart’, ‘Dancin’ In Circles’, ‘Million Reasons’ and ‘Angel Down’ (a song Gaga wrote about the shooting of Travyon Martin). The album has this overall feeling of introduction, we are being introduced to Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. We hear about her thoughts on social issues (Angel Down), heartbreak (Million Reasons) and her haters (A-Yo). With this overall feeling, Gaga has created an album that in 5-10 years I believe people will look back and say “yeah that was a bloody good album!”.
Gaga is currently in full swing promotion for ‘Joanne’, but all eyes will be on the longevity of the album and what she can bring to the 2017 Superbowl in February.
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