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You go, Gaga

Written by Chava Thomas - Argonaut

Monday, 08 February 2010

On the surface, Lady Gaga is the essence of what is wrong with pop music - she is all about her image and seems to be just another manufactured icon. Dig a little deeper, and she reveals herself to be a talented woman with a lot of heart. Her new album, The Fame Monster, is a sequel to her first album and explores the dark sides of her personality. Each song is inspired by a "monster" of her personality. "Bad Romance," the lead single off The Fame Monster, is bombastic and danceable. The song is similar to "Poker Face," off her first album, in that both use a call-and-response form and employ nonsense syllables in their hooks. However, "Bad Romance" is different because it shows her talent. It doesn't have a rap portion, one of the biggest flaws of "Poker Face," and it allows Lady Gaga to show her vocal range. The song is a hit for a reason. "Monster" begs for a drag queen lip-sync routine, with robotic auto-tuned vocals and lyrics about a "monster in my bed." The song is catchy and rhythmic, with an upbeat chorus and silky vocals. "Dance in the Dark" is a techno anthem that would sound at home at any rave. It has a dark side, including lyrics inspired by tragic deaths. "Speechless" is a 1970s torch song inspired by Queen, written about Lady Gaga's father and his heart condition. The song is cheesy, but it inspires shower singing, and Lady Gaga belts out the song like a pro. "Telephone" starts slow, but picks up with guest vocals from Beyonce and turns into a dance epidemic with processed vocals and electronic beats. "Alejandro" is the one low point on The Fame Monster. The song feels forced, and its Latin beat does not mesh well with Lady Gaga's style. Lady Gaga is all about the image, but behind the no-pants and extravagant hair lurks a talented performer with songwriting chops. She is a true talent, and behind the image a down-to-earth woman afraid of certain aspects of her self shows through.  Add as favorites (11) | Views: 715 Be first to comment this article Write Comment Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code. Name: Title: Comment: