Hello everyone…welcome to Xustralia! FINALLY, the day has arrived: Lady Gaga has released her highly anticipated fifth studio album “JOANNE”.
The 14 track multi-genre album is, in my opinion, Gaga’s best yet. I love how from the moment the first song (Diamond Heart) begins it tells a story. It talks about Gaga’s sexual abuse whilst attempting to break out into the music scene whilst performing at intimate venues around downtown New York.
The rock vibe quickly changes to a MANiCURE country remix vibe in the form of A-YO Gaga quickly changes the tone and direction of the album with an immediate “here we go!”. This song was initially debuted in Nashville and rightfully so, it fits in perfectly with the country scene Nashville is famous for.
Still sticking with the country vibe we are given the title track of the album Joanne, this song cannot be faulted as it is just so personal to Gaga and her family. This song is particularly powerful because someone who knew nothing about the Germanotta’s and what they’ve been through could simply play this song and learn of their history.
John Wayne is one of my favourite tracks on the album and I’m surprised because I expected another country song but the Taylor Swift-esque spoken intro immediately let me know I was wrong. The beat of this song is the fresh new pop-rock vibe is the sound I didn’t know I needed and this is a track I had on repeat numerous times.
“It’s like, I just love a cowboy you know? I’m just like, I just, I know, it’s bad but I’m just like…can I just like, hang off the back of your horse and can you go a little FASTER?!”
-John Wayne
My next favourite from the album is in the impeccably perfect, self-love promoting Dancin’ In Circles. I am honestly lost for words with this song because I just love it so much: the relaxed beat accompanied with Gaga’s sexy lyrics and vocals mean that we are given nothing less than a pleasant listening experience.
We are now entering the single/promo single section of the album: Perfect Illusion and Million Reasons I’m so glad both of these tracks were selected as promotion for the album as they provide enough of a teaser that listeners are left wanting more. For an in depth review of Perfect Illusion click here.
Although I enjoy the Tarantino western motion picture vibe to this track, Sinner’s Prayer is my least favourite mainly because of its positioning on the track listing: it doesn’t maintain the powerful bar that the previous tracks set. That being said I do enjoy the personal second verse in which Gaga reintroduces the family element of JOANNE as an album by referencing her younger sister Natali.
“I can carry you but not your ghosts. Wish I had the faith, but I don’t, oh”
-Sinner’s Prayer
Next up is Come to Mama in which Gaga take a John Lennon approach and uses music to preach togetherness and unity. The song is genuinely feel good and the first track on the album to have a jazz-pop feel to it. The title of the song is also clever as Gaga is frequently known as “Mother Monster” by little monsters.
“The only prisons that exist are the ones we put each other in”
-Come to Mama
The first and only collaboration on the album comes in the form of Hey Girl featuring successful indie artist Florence Welch (Florence and The Machine), the track has a smooth instrumental and discusses the importance of female unity and feminism in the 21st century.
I was so excited about this track ever since Gaga announced the collaboration during her appearance on the Radio 1 breakfast show, safe to say the track delivered and I am impressed. Gaga and Florence worked well together and made a track that will be remembered for years to come.
I have been excited to hear the next track, Angel Down, ever since it was highly rumoured that Gaga wrote a song entitled “Chaos Angel”. The track is a stripped down pop-ballad discussing Gaga’s opinions on religion and the world today whilst spreading awareness to the tragic murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin.
Another one of my favourites comes in the form of Grigio Girls, the track is about Gaga and her friends getting together, getting drunk and letting the emotions come naturally. The inspiration for the track came from Gaga’s friend Sonja who is a type four cancer sufferer. No matter how many times I listen to the song I immediately get goosebumps it’s just that good, you can feel the emotion in Gaga’s voice and lyrics.
Gaga is so powerful in this song that I feel I am “turning on a bachelorette, dying Ashley’s hair red and having our sixth spice girl in this bitch!” (sorry I had to I just love this song so much).
“Seven years ago, I said you’d make it so-nja was Joanne’s friend, tough girls on the mend. So when I’m feeling small I toss that cork and call”
–Grigio Girls
The final song I will be discussing is Just Another Day, this is because I deem this song the end credits of the album (the song afterwards is the demo of Angel Down). Gaga has once again returned to her roots, like she did in the opener of the album and the story of JOANNE has gone full circle in true downtown New York fashion.
As soon as Gaga starts singing I immediately think back to Stefani Germanotta’s debut EP Red and Blue. Gaga also makes reference to Mark Ronson (the producer whom worked with Gaga a lot during this album) and Brian Newman who then proceeds to have a trumpet solo giving the track a jazz flare reflecting Gaga’s recent shift in image.
Overall I loved this album more than I thought I would, as stated earlier I think it’s Gaga’s best album because it shows the many layers of Gaga’s talent, the album when played in its entirety tells a story of not only Gaga’s aunt Joanne but Gaga’s career from the beginning to now.
I will be giving this album a five star rating because I am obsessed with it and I cannot wait to see what Gaga does with it and I already cannot wait to see her again on her next tour!
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy JOANNE as much as I am, until next time…thank you for visiting Xustralia!
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