LADY GAGA - ARTPOP era - restarting April 2014!

[Az Paynter]

The second half is losing me...

[grandelf]

Nov 2, 2013 10:23:17 GMT -5 @jazzysoul47 said:

I feel like this album is just really loud and noisy, and the melodies are lacking compared to her previous material. Some of these songs have strong hooks but loud, obnoxious verses and terrible lyrics. It's like an entire album of "Judas"/"Government Hooker"/"Scheiße" type songs. I don't even know what they should release third. "Gypsy" maybe?

Nov 2, 2013 13:28:13 GMT -5 Codex said:

Donatella... why do half of these songs have the same instrumental

These describe the album perfectly, unfortunately. It has the "heard it all before" feeling as well. Mary Jane Holland is a less melodic Bloody Mary with the usual everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production, Gypsy is cool but it's a The Edge of Glory knockoff, and like jazzysoul said you can hear Scheiße throughout etc. It's just more of the same bar a couple of different stuff like Jewels n' Drugs. And for sure this album is not having a "should have been a single moment" because even Gypsy and Venus are a bit pushing it, I can't even pick a 5th single. Fashion! and the title track are absolutely annoying, by the way.

[Love Plastic Love]

ADN I thought you accidentally put Good twice for your tiers and then I realized it was God. I am going to start using that ranking now

[SPRΞΞ]

Very underwhelmed by ARTPOP.

score: 3/5

I wanna give it a 2.5 because there are some really low lows, but there are also some pretty high highs, so overall, it's a good album. But it doesn't even remotely compare to Born This Way or The Fame Monster, and it's not even close.

Jewels N Drugs - She should run away from this genre as fast as possible, cuz it just doesn't work. It's like Madonna performing at a rap concert and expecting her gay fanbase to show up and not get beaten up. It just doesn't work.

Dope - After the 2nd verse, I shut it off, cuz I just couldn't take it anymore. It's a terrible rendition of a ballad.

G.U.Y and Sexxx Dreams - They're good, but i'm not so sure about single material worthy. It's gonna be a hard sell.

DWYW - This is the saving grace of the album and I am fully behind it completely now. They should honestly milk this one as long as possible, cuz I honestly have no idea what single #3 should be aside from Gypsy.

Gypsy - This one is good. I guess they could shoot for this one as #3. But again, it's not a sure-fire hit.

Swine - I feel that this one will be the highlight of the tour. It's great, but definitely not a single. Very aggressive.

Fashion! - Terrible.

Manicure and ARTPOP - They're good also, but again....hard sells as singles.

MJH and Donatella - filler

Venus - I like this one and I can see why it was originally chosen as single #2. But it's so weird that I just dunno about it's wide-range appeal. One of the better ones, tho.

Aura - It's great, but not a single.

Overall, this album is very beat-driven. Nothing screams single to me other than Applause, which remains my favorite, and DWYW, which ultimately was the correct choice for #2.

Her fanbase will eat this up, no doubt, but i'm unsure of it's lasting appeal once DWYW is over with. Kinda bummed actually.

I don't think this is better than Born This Way at all. The melodies are lacking, the music is loud, and I don't think it has mass appeal. They better milk DWYW till there is no tomorrow.

[Glove Slap]

Just finished it. Not really impressed on first listen. The songwriting is weak, her gift for strong hooks is obscured by the production, even moreso than on Born This Way. Swine was a good surprise and when her more outlandish approach actually worked, but by the time you get to it the sound is already tired. Jewels 'n Drugs surprisingly works too I think and stands out. I agree that the production is too similar on a lot of songs. I felt like I was listening to some bootleg mashup at times.

Aside from a few tracks, she's done pretty much everything here before, and done it better too. The quartet that follows Swine is the low point of the album.

Do What U Want, Artpop, Swine & Applause are the best tracks imo. Gypsy and Aura are good too, even though the former is a much lesser EOG. Singles wise, I can only hear potential in Gypsy. Aside from that, maybe the title track, but I could see that going either way. I don't see this really dominating radio or having a long shelf life. Some of her stans will gobble this up like stoned turkeys, but most people will take a pass.

I'll listen to this on and off for a few days and see if my opinion changes.

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

I find this to be enjoyable and fun, but I also agree with the previous assessments of the productions overshadowing the vocals and hooks. This is far more catchy and instant than Born This Way which took longer for me to get into completely, though I do love that.

"Sexxx Dreams", "Gypsy", "Swine", and "Artpop" are my favorites in addition to "Do What U Want". Other than the re-recorded "Aura", there aren't any songs that I had a strong dislike for. I am unhappy with the re-recorded vocals on that.

This is how I rank her albums. This is a solid album, but it's not the cohesive masterpiece that TFM was nor was it the envelope-pushing BTW.

01. The Fame Monster
02. Born This Way
03. ARTPOP
04. The Fame

Nov 2, 2013 14:01:17 GMT -5 @jazzysoul47 said:

Nov 2, 2013 13:59:36 GMT -5 Glove Slap said:

I'm only about 5 tracks in, but am I the only one who is finding the production to be REALLY loud?

I have to concentrate just to understand what the vocals are saying.

No. I have the same complaint.

Myself and many others had the same issues with the mastering of Born This Way. It was mastered too high, basically making it sound distorted in some parts. I looked at some of the tracks from BTW in an audio analysis program and instead of lots of peaks and valleys in the songs' waveforms, it was basically all up all the time. This is an unfortunate issue with many albums these days. We're not the only ones noticing this issue. This article sums it up nicely.

[grandelf]

Nov 2, 2013 14:39:06 GMT -5 SPRΞΞ said:

Her fanbase will eat this up, no doubt

It really is a "for the fans" album, isn't it? I just don't think she's at that point of her career when she could afford that. But of course she will have a big tour on the back of this anyway.

[SPRΞΞ]

Nov 2, 2013 14:48:34 GMT -5 grandelf said:

Nov 2, 2013 14:39:06 GMT -5 SPRΞΞ said:

Her fanbase will eat this up, no doubt

It really is a "for the fans" album, isn't it? I just don't think she's at that point of her career when she could afford that. But of course she will have a big tour on the back of this anyway.

Yes, of course. I just don't see an onslaught of new fans because of this album. She'll be fine tho in the long run. It's just a bummer, cuz the replay value is very low in some parts.

[SPRΞΞ]

Born This Way
The Fame Monster
ARTPOP
The Fame

[Love Plastic Love]

Ok I decided I couldn't wait and I am about to listen to it. MY BODY IS READY.

[getonthebus]

I'm really impressed by this, and I was maybe too hyped for it. The second half turns into kind of a slog the Donatella-Fashion! duo is too much, and one should have been cut (Fashion!). There's some BTW industrial moodiness, some Fame throwbacks, and some new stuff (Jewels n' Drugs, Do What U Want), which is all I wanted from this.

G.U.Y. is awesome. Sexxx Dreams is giving me Kylie vibes. Manicure is good but I liked the way it was arranged at the iTunes Fest better and think that version sold the hooks better than this one Why did she bury that "HEAAALLL ME" in the bridge?!

Gypsy is close to perfect, but loses the plot and loses the melody after the first chorus.

[Caution]

Can't wait for Gypsy to smash. #1 hit for sure

[Safado]

I really like Artpop, Venus and Sexx Dreams. I think I need liquor in me to get through the whole thing. We'll see tonight if my mind changes.

I am still waiting for something along the lines of Heavy Metal Lover...that is pop perfection.

[Myeahhh.]

Nov 2, 2013 14:57:26 GMT -5 getonthebus said:

Why did she bury that "HEAAALLL ME" in the bridge?!

That kinda pissed me off tb. It was the best part of the song.

[getonthebus]

Nov 2, 2013 15:10:22 GMT -5 Myeahhh. said:

Nov 2, 2013 14:57:26 GMT -5 getonthebus said:

Why did she bury that "HEAAALLL ME" in the bridge?!

That kinda pissed me off tb. It was the best part of the song.

I had my drag queen pose set for that part, and now it's USELESS.

[Love Plastic Love]

I am obviously still listening, but I am happy someone made just a loud fun cd. I feel like since Adele (who I do love) pop stars are veering more toward Hot Ac/Ballad/midtempo heavy cds. Like, even Bangerz which I like is surprisingly downtempo and Prism feels like one big long ballad/midtempo and Rihanna's two big singles from her last cd were serious midtempo and a ballad. I like that, but I kind of also like that Gaga just dug her heels in and was like, nope, still gonna make a loud dance party cd don't give a shit what the industry wants right now. It will hurt how much she sells, though.

[Hashtag Pow]

This is a lot better than "Born This Way." But if I had to simply listen to Gaga's music, I probably wouldn't like her at all. She is really more of an experience--a package deal--than a recording artist. The music alone really isn't enough to keep her interesting and/or entertaining.

[spoonabdul3]

Nov 2, 2013 13:59:37 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

The resident Queen Gaga Stan (myself) will be listening to this later. Have to wait for my other-half to wake up but then I work this evening until midnight. I need the time to build up my body to be ready for this once in a two-year-period experience.

My thoughts and opinions will follow.

one of the ALL time funniest post I have ever read

[Love Plastic Love]

Ok I like Dope, but it sounds really out of place on this cd and the I need you more than dope sounds stupid. That should have been another lyric. Did they just make it that because a piano didn't sound edgy enough on the cd otherwise?

[Deleted]

This was more instant than "Born This Way" for me as well. "Swine" has really grown on me.

[Myeahhh.]

1. ARTPOP
2. BTW
3. TFM
4. TF

(If you were to combine TF/TFM, then it would be no. 2)

[getonthebus]

Nov 2, 2013 15:15:54 GMT -5 Love Plastic Love said:

I am obviously still listening, but I am happy someone made just a loud fun cd. I feel like since Adele (who I do love) pop stars are veering more toward Hot Ac/Ballad/midtempo heavy cds. Like, even Bangerz which I like is surprisingly downtempo and Prism feels like one big long ballad/midtempo and Rihanna's two big singles from her last cd were serious midtempo and a ballad. I like that, but I kind of also like that Gaga just dug her heels in and was like, nope, still gonna make a loud dance party cd don't give a s**t what the industry wants right now. It will hurt how much she sells, though.

Yes. She went for it and after a listen and a half, she's successful. It's not watered down, but it's approachable (which was BTW's main problem IMO). They played Venus at the gay clerrrrb last night and the gays loved it. Wait until they hear Donatella. My God those lyrics...I'm never going to be able to handle them.

Also, people are bemoaning the number of singles they're hearing (or not hearing) on the album. I think there are enough potential singles for a normal album run, which is fine by me. Judging an album based off of the number of potential singles is kind of a shallow way to gauge quality.

[Myeahhh.]

My Complaints:

-The "HEAL ME" line in "ManiCure" is almost non existent.
-The "hee hees" in "ARTPOP" and wayyy too low
-The vocals on the verses in "Aura" still suck. Demo vocals ftw.
-The guitar in "ManiCure" is way too thin and fake sounding.
-The beat to "Venus" could've sounded a little more professional, but the top line more than makes up for it.

[popbox]

This "review" brings the major lolz:

www.examiner.com/review/review-lady-gaga-artpop-tries-way-too-hard

I love how desperately pressed Gaga has made the reviewer. Only the Queen can inspire such passion, positive or negative. #bowdown

[Love Plastic Love]

Nov 2, 2013 15:30:33 GMT -5 getonthebus said:

Also, people are bemoaning the number of singles they're hearing (or not hearing) on the album. I think there are enough potential singles for a normal album run, which is fine by me. Judging an album based off of the number of potential singles is kind of a shallow way to gauge quality.

I think it just depends on personal taste or even how or even why you listen to music. Potential single talk to me is code for how accessible and catchy and...comforting something is. So, if one of your main concerns about a cd is how radio friendly it is that is fine. Sometimes I will even admit it is "hard" to listen to Gaga and it would be "easier" if she just worked with Dr. Luke and made some catchy, standard pop music.
I don't personally give a shit about radio friendly or single potential except in the practical sense though (you do need 3-5 singles to show off the cd and get people to buy it and then make more cds). A lot of my favorites are music that would never even approach the top 40 of pop radio lol. I think this cd has those practical 3-5 singles though. Applause-Do What U Want-Gypsy seems like a good set of three singles to sell the cd. After that, it gets murkier, but I do hope Venus is eventually released as a single just because I still love it and I want the most over-the-top video imaginable for it. Like, imagine the most flamboyant, crazy video possible and then make it even more over-the-top. It would be ideal if there were another radio friendly song to stick in the fourth spot and then just do Venus last to get it out there, but with the idea that it will probably flop in the traditional sense. The traditional sense and not the fabulous sense, of course.

[Deleted]

That attempt to rationalize why people don't like the album doesn't really work. Someone can think an album is bad and doesn't have a bunch of his singles, and it doesn't mean they think the album is bad because it lacks hit singles.

[popbox]

Nov 2, 2013 15:49:45 GMT -5 @jazzysoul47 said:

That attempt to rationalize why people don't like the album doesn't really work. Someone can think an album is bad and doesn't have a bunch of his singles, and it doesn't mean they think the album is bad because it lacks hit singles.

The point LPL was making though is some people just want commercially easy to swallow, radio friendly unit shifters. And Artpop definitely won't be for you if that's all you're after, and that is all some people want from pop music especially.

[Soldado de Juguete]

Just heard it, not an album I would buy, so thanks God for Spotify

I didn't like the first half of the album that much, only "Aura" "Manicure" & "Do What You Want" were fantastic! Venus isn't bad, I kinda like it.
Then, I loved the second half! "Swine" and "Donatella" are amazing! ♥-♥ "Artpop"'s good too, same with "Fashion!". "Mary Jane Holland" is an interesting song, I think it'll grow on me a lot with time. Didn't like "Dope" that much. And finally "Gypsy"'s incredibly amazing!!!! And I always loved Applause lol

I want Swine, Aura, & Gypsy as future singles! PLEASE! Maybe Manicure and Artpop too

In general, I think I prefer Born This Way, but ARTPOP isn't a bad album. It has really strong moments!

[Love Plastic Love]

Nov 2, 2013 15:49:45 GMT -5 @jazzysoul47 said:

That attempt to rationalize why people don't like the album doesn't really work. Someone can think an album is bad and doesn't have a bunch of his singles, and it doesn't mean they think the album is bad because it lacks hit singles.

I was mostly talking about the reviews that seemed really obsessed with talking about every song through the lens of being a single or not. That, to me, seems weird because I give a cursory oh that might be a good single, but would never talk about an entire cd and each individual song about whether it could be a single or not. But, as I said, we all look for different things in music and some people are more concerned with stuff being radio friendly which is perfectly fine. The world would be boring if we all liked the same music or the same type of music or if every artist did the same exact stuff with every cd. I personally need some Selena Gomezes in my life (NO SHAME) at the same time as some Gagas.

[popbox]

Nov 2, 2013 15:56:56 GMT -5 Soldado de Juguete said:

Just heard it, not an album I would buy, so thanks God for Spotify

I didn't like the first half of the album that much, only "Aura" "Manicure" & "Do What You Want" were fantastic! Venus isn't bad, I kinda like it.
Then, I loved the second half! "Swine" and "Donatella" are amazing! ♥-♥ "Artpop"'s good too, same with "Fashion!". "Mary Jane Holland" is an interesting song, I think it'll grow on me a lot with time. Didn't like "Dope" that much. And finally "Gypsy"'s incredibly amazing!!!! And I always loved Applause lol

I want Swine, Aura, & Gypsy as future singles! PLEASE! Maybe Manicure and Artpop too

In general, I think I prefer Born This Way, but ARTPOP isn't a bad album. It has really strong moments!

Yeah I definitely prefer BTW overall as well, always have loved that album. And of course this doesn't touch the holy grail of TFM for me. I think it's significantly better than The Fame though, so not her weakest effort for me. I wish stuff like Dope and Jewels n Drugs would have been relegated to bonus tracks. Those songs just aren't that good and they make the album a bit too long.