LADY GAGA - ARTPOP era - restarting April 2014!

[Mack]

Well, I just finished my first run-through of the album, and I'm honestly not sure whether I like or hate it. I'll have to listen to it a few more times before making that decision. I do know that it's trash compared to Born This Way and The Fame Monster, though I prefer it to The Fame, which is just a collection of singles rounded out by horribly dated filler.

I'm convinced that BTW is her magnum opus and nothing she puts out in the future will come close to touching it.

[josh]

Nov 2, 2013 18:39:08 GMT -5 Mack said:

'Jewels 'n Drugs' is so, so bad. Why, Gaga, why? I think it may be my least favorite song of hers, ever.

Listening to the album a 2nd time now. JND I really like. The beat is sick and I seem to like the 3 rappers. However, it just doesn't seem right with Gaga on it. Idk.

[irice22]

She really dropped the ball with "Dope."

These should have been the singles...

01. Applause
02. Gypsy
03. Do What U Want
04. G.U.Y.
05. Manicure

[popbox]

The first verse of Gypsy slays me every time. I kinda wish the whole song was like that, although I do like when the beat comes in too.

[Mack]

Nov 2, 2013 19:22:28 GMT -5 josh said:

Nov 2, 2013 18:39:08 GMT -5 Mack said:

'Jewels 'n Drugs' is so, so bad. Why, Gaga, why? I think it may be my least favorite song of hers, ever.

Listening to the album a 2nd time now. JND I really like. The beat is sick and I seem to like the 3 rappers.

Same here, and I actually kinda liked 'Jewels 'n Drugs' the second time.

Right now my favorite tracks are 'Aura', 'Venus', 'G.U.Y.', 'Do What U Want', 'Sexxx Dreams', 'Swine', and 'Applause'.

[#MusicMan]

Fashion! and Gypsy are definitely the highlights for me at the moment.

[MiniMusic]

I'm liking Swine!

[PMA 2013]

Technically, I'm not permitted to post unless it's pertinent to the PMAs, but we'll just pretend this is a post advertising the Pulse Member Awards and not at all me stanning for 'G.U.Y.' even though the album as a whole is a 5.7/10.

-@touch

[josh]

someone make a mashup of IWBWY vocals and Dope production please.

[ILLUSION]

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

Very underwhelmed by ARTPOP.

lol how am I not surprised

[Dammn Baby]

Jewels & Drugs is so terrible. Like holy fuck, how did this end up escaping the studio?

Highlights from the first half are Venus, Sexxx Dreams, Artpop and Do What U Want. The songs are either really great or really awful.

[MiniMusic]

Venus, Swine & Gypsy are my top 3 right now.

[freeman]

Love the album. Some tracks are definitely growers to me but overall I enjoy it all.
I wish I hadn't heard most of it before it was released though. It'd be more interesting to experience the itunes festival songs for the first time in studio version. They are songs we have known for two months. It's fine though. I love them!
Gypsy is my favorite I think. It's such an anthem! Can't stop playing it.

[Dammn Baby]

Donatella is another flop - no one cares, Gaga.

Fashion borrows melodic elements from Kylie's Love at First Sight.

Re: Dope, I knew she couldn't go a whole album without another goddamned awful Speechless clone.

[die Lotterie]

Nov 2, 2013 20:31:43 GMT -5 Dammn Baby said:

Donatella is another flop - no one cares, Gaga.

Really, no one? I could say the same about your review, but that would be ridiculous.

[ILLUSION]

I say my 2 least favorites are Donatella and Dope

[Mack]

The 1-2-3 punch of 'Venus', 'G.U.Y.', and 'Sexxx Dreams' is so good.

[ILLUSION]

This album gets better and better each listen

[Nicolexo]

Aura - 9/10 (why did you have to change those vocals Gaga, they were so much better in the demo! still great)
Venus - 10/10 (future single please)
G.U.Y. - 100/100 (Zedd is simply amazing. One of her best songs ever imo.)
Sexxx Dreams - 9.5/10
Jewels n' Drugs - 4/10 (such a hot beat too, a shame!)
MANiCURE - 8.5/10 (this was better at the iTunes festival but I still quite like it. Don't know why she moved the "heal me's" to the bridge only because they were so catchy. Also thought the way she sung it at the iTunes festival flowed way better)
Do What U Want - 9/10
ARTPOP - 7/10
Swine - 10/10 (JAM!)
Donatella - 100/10 (As I said before...slays careers.)
Fashion! - 3/10 (the chorus and the SLAYYYYY's are cute but a total filler)
Mary Jane Holland - 8/10 (keeps growing on me. the beat is amazing and the chorus is infectious)
Dope - 0/10 (as others have asked...just why? :/ The lyrics before were a zillion times better. don't like the way she sings this either)
Gypsy - 8/10 (the lyrics are amazing but I actually think this would of worked better with a slower tempo. I'm sure it could be be a hit though!)
Slayplause - 10/10

[jumpb4uthink]

I really love Gypsy and like G.U.Y. I have to give this a few more listens to reach my verdict on the album as a whole. It's an album that doesn't scream instant likability to most of the songs but I really give Gaga one hell of a lot of credit to have the guts to release exactly what she feels is art and not going with the mainstream. In a bizarre way this is an experiment of diversity in musical sound. I'm def going to listen again tomorrow with more of an open mind.

[Keelzit]

I find ARTPOP to be even weirder and experimental than Born This Way but it somehow works because it's not as 'dark' as that album was. That said, there were points where I'd play 3 consecutive tracks but it felt like one long song instead of 3 individual tracks. It's a cohesive record but as I've already said, there are points where the songs blended too much into another. I'm sure I'll end up not caring about that though since I won't be playing the album in track order after the first listen.

Aside from the singles, my favorites are Venus, Gypsy, Donatella and G.U.Y.

Aura shouldn't be changed but it's still a solid track and works great as the album's opener.

I love Manicure too but is it her singing the post-chorus ('Can you feel it' parts)? I find it hard to believe that those vocals belong to Gaga.

Swine is irritating but that scream the second the beat drops is absolutely perfect.

Artpop gives me Bedtime Story teas which means it'll be on constant replay for quite a few weeks.

Jewels & Drugs and Dope (did not even manage to listen to the whole thing) are atrocious and Fashion! went nowhere. Mary Jane Holland drags for too long but it's still fun.

Applause is easily the best and most commercial song on the album. Do What U Want was the perfect follow-up but aside from those 2 I don't hear anything that screams mainstream pop radio smash hit aside from Gypsy but even that could end up underperforming if Do What U Want doesn't become the big hit it deserves to be. Gypsy is essentially The Edge of Glory 2 but it's even more 80s movie soundtrack sounding and I love that! The lyrics are relatable, her vocals are amazing and the chorus is pure gold.

Singles:

03. Gypsy
04. Venus

if they do more then

05. G.U.Y.
06. Sexxx Dreams

Donatella will be huge at the gay clubs even without an official release so it'll be a hit where it's supposed to be so I don't consider that as a potential single eventhough I'd love for it to become one.

[poplife]

I really love Donatella and Fashion. Donatella gives me Icona Pop teas on the chorus. I can't believe the will.u.not track actually turned out that fabulous. Although it's not like Gaga would allow his left-over projects trash on the album, he had to bring the quality. I am so in love with the album. Nice progression from Born This Way.

My only minor complaint is the changing up on the "HEAAAAL ME!" parts of MANiCURE. That part should not have been demoted to a 1-off bridge. That's the worse part of hearing a live version of songs before they are released, it can set up a wrong expectation, especially in this case since some songs weren't totally finished. Although, very very very happy with ARTPOP, JND, and Sexxx Dreams in their studio form.

[When I Ruled the World]

I love Dope.

She said it was a confessional song. I don't think it's about glorifying drug use at all. I think she is being honest in the lyrics. She is truly asking for forgiveness from someone in her life (whether it be one specifc person or many people around her - I don't know).

I do know that people at the listening party in Germany said she was crying during this song. I think it is a beautiful song. It is raw, emotional, and heart wrenching. Anyone who is an addict or loves an addict should understand. An addict can give up everything in their life for their addiction. For her to say she loves someone more than her addiction is very powerful. She's had her moment where she realizes she has to choose her "drug" or her loved one. I don't think this is a song about marijuana. I think she is using dope as a metaphor for whatever addiction she faced (or the listener faces).

[Gray.]

This album is incredible, especially the first half. Idk where y'all found this haterade, but it's a fantastic album on the whole. "Donatella" and "Fashion!" are the lowest points (and I don't dislike them), but the first 4 tracks absolutely slay.

Also, "Applause" is definitely one of the weaker, more forgettable tracks so I'm surprised it was chosen as a single. "G.U.Y" >>>>> everything your fav has ever done.

[die Lotterie]

I can't really rate this yet, I feel like Tamar Braxton when she had her baby and couldn't love it right away. Born This Way is still my little baby boy and I'm scared this will steal my baby ostrich style. They're are tracks that undoubtedly slay, but I need a few days of new Gaga before I can even attempt to rate my newborn child.

[SoMuchToSay]

Gypsy is pretty much the best one on the album! I can really see that doing really well! And can especially see this being a great single to perform at many big award shows, and as a good closer for her tour. It's so good overall, that I'm even able to get passed the lyrics on this part:

Cuz I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm a gypsy, gypsy, gypsy I'm
I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm a gypsy, gypsy, gypsy I'm
I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm a gypsy, gypsy, gypsy I'm
I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm a gypsy, gypsy, gypsy I'm

[When I Ruled the World]

Nov 2, 2013 22:52:36 GMT -5 Gray. said:

This album is incredible, especially the first half. Idk where y'all found this haterade, but it's a fantastic album on the whole.

I honestly think it's because the album isn't an easy first listen (just like Born This Way). Most songs are overwhelming on first listen for a pop album (when taken as a whole). I'm sure that's why Gaga leaked so many snippets over the past several months.... she wanted us to appreciate each individual song so that when we got them all we weren't too overwhelmed. I think this bodes well for repeat listens and low burn rate. I can't say where I rank this album with Gaga's other albums (it's too soon). All I know is that I'm happy with what she gave us.

[josh]

Yeah, I have to say songs I was meh on I'm already liking a lot more after a couple listens. Was disappointed the first time around, now it's improved. Still not my favorite album, but I'm not surprised.

[lugus15]

This album is ¨very GaGa¨, and very different from what it is in vogue right now. And for that I applaud (pun intended) her for being true to herself.

That being said, is just not true that the album is full of singles.

Applause is/was a rather weak first single, DWYW is a great choice for a 2nd single (should have been first, but I have the suspicion that it was very recently recorded after the rather tepid reception of Applause in hopes in getting a workable hit out of this album) and should become a big hit.

After those two singles, they should release Gypsy and end the era with Venus (which has a great chorus, in spite of the weirdness of the song).

PS: Regarding her enunciation problems that were present in BTW, she corrected them here, and it's such a relief.

[die Lotterie]

Her vocals on "Fashion!" are everything. Thank you GodGa.