Lady Gaga is back in her fun, unfiltered, and unpredictable era with the release of "MAYHEM" - but does it live up to the hype? In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole go track-by-track through Gaga’s latest album, giving their brutally honest thoughts on the production, lyrics, vocals, and all the glorious (and maybe not-so-glorious) chaos in between.We also dig into her headline-making Coachella 2025 set (aka #GAGACHELLA) and how it ties into the MAYHEM era. Is Gaga reclaiming her crown with this glitter-drenched comeback, or is it just a hot pop mess? Let’s get into the mayhem.
Join us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/CCTVPOPSFollow us on social media: https://linktr.ee/cctvpops
- 0:00 - Intro
- 1:13 - Album Info
- 2:17 - Album Cover
- 4:10 - "Disease"
- 12:36 - "Abracadabra"
- 21:13 - "Garden of Eden"
- 24:45 - "Perfect Celebrity"
- 29:43 - "Vanish Into You"
- 34:15 - "Killah" feat. Gesaffelstein
- 39:39 - "Zombieboy"
- 44:30 - "LoveDrug"
- 48:24 - "How Bad Do U Want Me"
- 53:45 - "Don't Call Tonight"
- 57:21 - "Shadow of a Man"
- 1:01:42 - "The Beast"
- 1:05:57 - "Blade of Grass"
- 1:25:33 - "Die With A Smile" with Bruno Mars
- 1:18:00 - Cut or Keep
- 1:20:08 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
- “Disease” MV https://youtu.be/fmC6b6_ovZY?si=a9TFwvt9WH0mjiB1
- “Abracadabra” MV https://youtu.be/vBynw9Isr28?si=XPDbrE6LNYOIlN66
- “Abracadabra” Live at SNL https://youtu.be/NLviy39Q1A8?si=37ibvOeP2eicYsZc
- “Killah” Live at SNL https://youtu.be/SrPN_eK8RKc?si=PVtAD2cVMwySgI1L
- “Die With A Smile” MV (with Bruno Mars) https://youtu.be/kPa7bsKwL-c?si=L0R9JBs3W5jJgL7C
- “Die With A Smile” Live in Las Vegas (with Bruno Mars) https://youtu.be/fnPxkuFIA48?si=QPO6RcnG_xqxV2kL
- GAGACHELLA 2025
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Welcome to the CCTV Pop Ball. The category is Mayhem.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:31 So today we're going track by track through Lady Gaga's Mayhem album. I'm so excited to talk about it. And we have reached over 4 subscribers on YouTube. So thank you so much for joining the CCTV crew. And if you're on a podcast platform, please make sure to give us that rating and follow and share our episodes. Because it really helps us grow and get into the algorithm.
00:00:31 --> 00:01:01 Yes, algorithm. We like to dance with the algorithm. All right, y'all. I want to give a special shout out to our Patreon crew members. Emily, George, Lily, Louis, Julianne, Janelle, Jonathan, Jasmine, Darius, Ren, Jesse, and Hillary. And you all can join our Patreon at patreon.com slash cctvpops. We do have a free tier, so no pressure there, honey. You can come watch our reviews. Come listen to us talk more about music. And you also get to help us choose episode topics. A very, very, very exclusive kind of perk.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:28 Love that. Yes. Okay, so this is going to be our second Lady Gaga episode because we have previously reviewed Art Pop. Yes, we have. So we're very excited to do another track by track. So Mayhem was released in March 2025 and it is an eclectic album that explores a variety of genres and was inspired by her partner, Michael Polanski, to make an album that leaned into her joy and love of music.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:39 Gaga has noted that the creative process for the album was like reassembling a shattered mirror because she had a fear of returning to the type of pop music that she had become known for towards the beginning of her career.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:59 Wow, that's crazy, because like, hello, you patented it, girl. And every song represents an aspect of her own internal chaos. The visual representation of the project has dark gothic influences, and Gaga's goal was to make it a bit anxiety-inducing because she feels anxiety when she makes the music.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:28 And the album hit number one in countries all over the world, including the US and UK. So now we will go track by track and discuss the production, vocal and lyrics and give our ratings for each song. But beware, viewer discretion is advised. Your fave will be criticized. But first, let's discuss the album cover. So the standard edition features a black and white Lady Gaga behind shattered glass with messy black hair. It is a striking image. What do you think of the cover?
00:02:28 --> 00:02:53 I think it is like really dark. I mean, if you think about all the other album covers she's had, I mean, obviously she's either like facing the camera down or like with Joanne, you have her profile, the chromatica, she's literally laid out, body sprawled, you know, but this one is just dark. It's great. You don't know what to expect. You don't know how the glass is broken. You don't know why she looks so disheveled. And I think the album title itself is really stinking cool.
00:02:53 --> 00:03:20 Perfect. Like, when you type in mayhem, a number of things pop up, and now it's going to be Lady Gaga. So she's ubiquitous with the word now. Brilliant. Wasn't the original title supposed to be, like, Perfect Celebrity? That was one of the working titles. One of the working ones, right? I think there were a few, yeah. Yes, yes, yes. I think this one's cool. What do you think about it? I mean, you've been, like, a fan. I even... You've been a fan and an employee of Gaga. Yeah, I know, right? Yeah, I really like it. I mean, it kind of reminds me of...
00:03:20 --> 00:03:48 like born this way in a way where it's just like a close up on her face. I mean, that one is a little creepier, I would say. This one feels a little more mature, a little more timeless, I would say, especially compared to Chromatica that is so, I don't know, it's not dated, but it does put itself at a very specific, I think, time. Yeah. So yeah, I enjoy, and I think it represents the album well. It has this kind of,
00:03:48 --> 00:04:08 grungy kind of attitude to it which kind of underlies the whole album so it works right yeah i think i think it's dope and then the reflection is kind of spooky too so there's a lot of like i thought this out which i love yes definitely all right so let's get into it
00:04:09 --> 00:04:35 The first song on the album is Disease, and this was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, Watt, and Michael Polanski. And this was released as a single from the album in October 2024. The song is inspired by Gaga facing her fears and inner darkness. And the song peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. All right, so we have Disease. I remember when this one was released, it was like...
00:04:35 --> 00:04:58 Ooh, what's going on? Because I think a lot of people were, I don't know what they were expecting, but I don't know what I was expecting either. But I do remember hearing like, oh, yeah, I'm going to get back to almost like go back to my earlier days. And I was like, what do you mean, girl? What do you mean? And this one kind of feels like it. It's very stabby, bouncy, kind of half industrial, half.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:14 half nine-inch nails, a little bit of bad romance going on. Like, in terms of the production, not the melody, it feels very 80s. Not very, but a little 80s-ish. There's a lot of tensions, atmospheric. I think...
00:05:14 --> 00:05:33 With her, what I think sets her apart from a lot of pop artists that do use elements like this in their music, is that she has screaming and yelping and gasping throughout this track that I think serves as even its own level of production. And I love it, because you can especially hear it in the second verse.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:55 But yeah, I think it just makes everything seem so haunting and it reveals the anguish of the person she's singing to or singing about. Like the lyrics do seem to focus on like a toxic relationship, like destructive effects. And she could purify the person with her love. Like it could be like at face value, you know, on the surface level, an exploration of unhealthy attachment or like being able to save something.
00:05:55 --> 00:06:15 I can save you. Like, I can totally hear that. But with the idea of her, like, kind of just talking about herself in her own inner darkness, like, she's the cause and the cure of her own fame and misfortune and fortune. So I think in that sense, it's like you being afraid to go back to what made you famous, but coming back to it to reclaim everything.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:30 yourself is interesting. Reclaim your love for yourself or the love for the music that you used to make or whatever. But still, it kind of brings up a conversation and I appreciate that about her. It's very art pop-ish, Born This Way sounding. And I would say overall it's not too like...
00:06:31 --> 00:07:00 pop, like conventional pop, and it's not super anthemic, even though there is a great deal of belting and wailing. I think because it's Gaga, like I said, she makes the song big because of her vocals. Aside from that, though, like the lyrics, I wouldn't go as far as to say, like, oh my God, they're so innovative. Like they've, you know, they're not like, she was reinventing the wheel here or even like plating the wheel in platinum, you know, as I like to say, you can't reinvent it. So yeah, I think in terms of like lyricism, not really like her best. Yeah.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:14 But vocally, I enjoyed what she was doing for sure. Yeah. I would not choose this as the first single from this album. I'm going to be honest. It's one of my least favorites on this album. It just doesn't really grab me. And it...
00:07:14 --> 00:07:41 I think maybe they were like, oh, it kind of sounds like some of her old stuff. Like it fits in with Judas and kind of the more born this way sound. But I think like what you were saying with the lyrics kind of feeling just kind of very similar to stuff she's sung about before. And melodically, it just doesn't really grab me at all. Yeah. So honestly, when this came out, I was quite underwhelmed.
00:07:42 --> 00:08:05 And that's valid. And honestly, I think the reaction from the general public was that as well. Like, not many people were talking about it when it came out. Yeah. Unless you were a little monster. Like, let's be real here before you guys try to drag us in the comments. Like, come on. Look at the forums. I'm just being honest. I mean, her standard is very high. So I don't think it's a bad song. No. I just think it's not a highlight for me on this album. So I'm...
00:08:05 --> 00:08:29 I'm just surprised at the choice, I guess. But I guess as a statement, maybe, you know, she thought it was a good representation of kind of where she is in her life or something. But, you know, I do appreciate the sound of it. Like all those production elements that you were mentioning are very cool. She did mention that across the entire album, the only live instrument is the electric guitar, pretty much.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:51 And it does result in a really cool blend of like dance, EDM, and synths. Yeah. And then combined with the electric guitar, it just all gets very intense throughout the whole project. And I appreciate that on this song particularly. I do enjoy the pulled back final chorus into the outro. Like that's for sure my favorite part. Yes. Yeah.
00:08:51 --> 00:09:11 But yeah, I think watching the performance that she did at Coachella, plus the music video, like having the visuals helps, but definitely not a fave for me. But yeah, what do you think of the video? Oh, the video? Yo, Lady Mayhem is Gaga's biggest hater. She's such a dang hater. That lady is so mean. Oh my god.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:42 Um, so I think, I'm not sure if her name is actually Lady Mayhem, but that's the name she's getting. I think it's just Mayhem, right? I mean, Lady Gaga, Lady Mayhem. Miss Mayhem? Miss Mayhem! Anyway, fans definitely let us know. But yes, I'm just going to call her Lady Mayhem because Lady Gaga. She's such a hater. Such a freaking hater. I think the video overall has a nice, um, has an interesting juxtaposition of everyday suburban life and then the freakishness that is Gaga. Maybe she's always kind of felt like that with it.
00:09:42 --> 00:10:05 Everyone kind of looking at her. Everyone's so quote unquote normal. And she's the weird, creepy little freak on the street. I think my favorite scene is probably the second verse with the Gaga clone stepping on her. And she's like, and still Lady Mayhem's in the back like, step on that hoe. And I'm like, girl, you were such a hater. What you doing? But I think this is one of those things where I wish we got like...
00:10:05 --> 00:10:32 almost like another little art film from her. I know how draining that all is, but there's a story here, and I'm not sure of the full story because I feel like Lady Mayhem kind of won at the end. She seemed to have won this battle. I can't lie. I mean, she had Gaga dancing in between the walls. She was squishing that girl. She said, dance or die, ho. I mean, dance or die, girl. So she said, you're going to have to...
00:10:32 --> 00:11:01 So she's dancing between the walls, and they were coming in and out and in and out. It was like Tomb Raider. If you guys have ever played, or Crash Bandicoot, this girl was fighting for her life. You know? It's like, conform, Gaga. And then Gaga's like, no, I don't want to. You know? So I think it's very interesting, like, all the visual, like, the imagery that was used throughout. For sure. Yes. Yeah, I loved it. I mean, she does rarely disappoint with her visuals. Yeah. Like, it always feels very...
00:11:01 --> 00:11:24 Just fully formed and every scene is considered as important. And she really thinks about all that. Yeah. So I appreciate that. I do like how all the different Gagas have very distinctive looks. And each scene really stands out on its own. I do enjoy the fact that it's all taking place during the daytime too. Yeah. Yeah. Because it almost makes it more...
00:11:24 --> 00:11:42 I don't know if it was at night. I feel like it wouldn't be as interesting, actually. So I just like that as the choice. Yeah, I really like it. I think it was great. But it was interesting because I do think when it came out again, I don't think the song. I don't know. I don't think it really did anything, which is interesting.
00:11:42 --> 00:12:02 I don't think it really caught people. You're going to get some people saying, well, you should have seen it. It was on the charts. And then I was streaming it. Like, yes, it went. It may have gone triple, triple wood in your house, triple platinum in your house. But like a lot of people were not thinking that this was the standout. As we go through this album, I would love to know what you would have selected as your first single.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:23 I think there are so many options, but yes. I know, but I would love to know. Because you have really good taste, and I think it would be interesting to kind of hear what other fans have to say, too. Because I don't think this is like a first single kind of thing. But also, when you have the next song that we're going to talk about as like the next single, it's like, okay, fine. I'll take this little order that you've been offered, I guess. You know?
00:12:24 --> 00:12:50 So that being said, what score do you give this lovely disease? I will stick to a 7.5. Okay, yes, I will match your score. 7.5. Okay. And the next song is Abracadabra, which was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, Watt, Suzy, John McGauch, Steven, Severn, and Budgie. And a lot of these extra writers are there because it does have an interpolation of Spellbound by Suzy and the Bangees.
00:12:50 --> 00:13:16 So this was released as a single in February 2025 following its music video's premiere during the 67th Grammy Awards. And the single became a viral sensation and one of Gaga's biggest singles in years, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. And the song is about tackling the challenges that the world puts in front of you, exploring the question, what does it feel like to thrive rather than just survive all the time?
00:13:17 --> 00:13:27 Good question, girl. I'm trying to figure it out right now. Yeah. But I'm actually surprised it only got to number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Like, this song should be number one. But anyway...
00:13:29 --> 00:13:50 I, this was the highlight, honestly, of Grammy night. Like, when that music video, I mean, it was a good Grammys, but when that music video came on during the commercial break, I was like, whoa. Because I think I was so underwhelmed by disease that I was extra excited about this. Because this does really feel like...
00:13:50 --> 00:14:15 what we loved about Gaga back during kind of like the fame monster born this way. Yeah. Years, eras, I guess. Yeah. And there is something just genuinely fun and kind of silly about it, which is what I love about those couple of albums. Because I think with Chromatica, she was taking herself a little seriously. And you could tell that. Like nothing was just fun for being fun.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:34 Mm-hmm. There was always, like, a message behind everything. Behind it, yeah. And it was just, like, trying a lot. So I appreciated that we're back to kind of the silliness that I love Gaga for. But yeah, this song is great. I love the acid house and industrial influences and the production. It's just super, super dramatic and...
00:14:34 --> 00:15:01 It really just takes you on a great ride. Like there's a lot of intensity in it, but there's just so many little moments in it that kind of get you in and out of it, which is great. And her vocal execution is perfect. Like the thickness of her tone really, really works here. And she kind of does a more operatic kind of- Oh yes, delivery, yeah. Delivery, yeah, yeah. Which I think really fits this. Sometimes I think it's a little bit much on some of her songs, but for this one, it totally works.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:24 I guess the drama played well. Yeah. That blah, blah, banana on a mata pia Gaga is back. Yeah. It's great. We love her. Yes. If you guys don't know of this comedian named Charlene Kay, she talks about pop artists having like a certain kind of sound. And I think she said that Gaga sounds like a minion. Yeah.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:51 Which is true. The Gaga, Ooh Banana, you know, but it's true. But I think it's good that she kind of went back to that. It definitely plays homage to her earlier dance pop hits. Has like the vibrant choreography. And we're not talking about the video, but I mean, at this point, it's kind of hard not to think about the choreography or even the movement itself when it comes to this song. And it's an aesthetic reminiscent of like the fame monster. So that's, that's great as well. Without seeming redactive. And I think that was great.
00:15:51 --> 00:16:18 key here i mean like you said with chromatica um i think she probably was just trying to course correct a little too hard because joanne people were like girl what you doing go back to what you were doing before and she's like is this what you want and then it was like so angry and serious that it was like girl wait no um i think the lyrics are sick on this like uh pay the tolls to the angels drawing circles in the clouds keep your mind on the distance when the devil turns around like things like that are very specific and a lot of people like oh my god is this
00:16:18 --> 00:16:41 demonic girl no that's not what that's not what it is that's not what it is like you pay a price for whatever it is that you want but if temptation comes around like don't keep your eyes to what the goal is like don't sit there and fall back into whatever habit it is or fall back into whatever is trying to keep you from moving forward but you do have to pay a price to get what you want um there is a good or bad consequence and i think that's like awesome um
00:16:41 --> 00:17:05 kind of sentiment throughout the song um and like boldly proclaiming uh you know the abracadabra line for a lot of people a lot of like the witches on witch talk were going off they said do you know what this means like she was she's teaching us all how to cast like a spell of just like uh affluence and abundance and things like that i think that's that's that's whatever you want to take from it fine whatever but just the fact that everyone can just yell abracadabra it's silly
00:17:06 --> 00:17:27 It's literally just going bibbidi-bobbidi-boo. Whatever you want to attach to it, whatever, fine. But for the sake of superficiality, it doesn't mean anything. It's fun, it fits the rhythm of the song, everything is very powerful in terms of how she's singing, how the instrumentals are. I think the song is good, and I think pop has been missing something like this.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:44 Because it's fun, it's silly, it's dramatic, it's theatrical, it doesn't follow a basic structure. And even still, it's like, it's good. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't too absurd. I mean, Brad took over the summer. I think at this point, it's like...
00:17:44 --> 00:18:02 Y'all, we just want something to dance to, okay? We just want something to dance to and watch and cackle at, like, that video. The video, I didn't mean to laugh at certain points. Like, some parts were, like, really serious. But in certain moments, I was like, y'all are sick in some parts of the video. Like, what did you think of that video? Oh, yeah.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:31 I mean, honestly, as a dancer especially, I think it's hard not to appreciate it. Like, it is so good. I've watched this video so many times. Yeah. And I'm not bored of it at all. I mean, we have to shout out Paris. Mm-hmm. Right. Because she's joining Gaga's team for the first time. Yeah. And, you know, there was all that drama about Gaga's previous creative director slash choreographer. Yeah.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:49 Who was it? Not Lorianne. She even got ousted. No, not Lorianne. She's been gone for a long time. It was one of her protégés. And I don't even remember his name anymore, but all the little monsters will know who we're talking about. But he... Like, his movement...
00:18:50 --> 00:19:16 I mean, look, Gaga's aesthetic has always been kind of weird, right? Like, that's kind of the thing. But his choreography was always a little awkward, I think. A little uncomfortable. Like, things didn't flow together. Or it was just, like, awkward movement that didn't really fit Gaga's abilities. And, like, how she dances. So she would look really stiff sometimes. Like, it was just a little awkward. And Paris has...
00:19:17 --> 00:19:47 has just brought it all to another level. I think she's balanced out kind of Gaga's kind of weird, quote unquote, kind of aesthetic, but then has made it just seem a bit smoother and more polished. Yeah, yeah. And the musicality is really strong as well. I know what you're talking about. Yeah, you know what? Yeah. You're right, Gaga. Paris does have a certain, like, she'll sit there and do a move that might seem awkward, but repeats it so often in a phrase of like an A count, where it's like, that's natural. That's normal.
00:19:47 --> 00:20:14 Yeah, or just the musicality just works as well. Exactly. You're just like, that's fine. I do not mind watching this like thousands of times because it's just so good. Like, I mean, Yummy. She did the Yummy video for people who don't know who Paris is. She did the Yummy video. Like, the pink hair, the white outfits, the repetitive movement, but that actually fits the music. Yeah, I get you. And the old choreographer was Richie. Richie Jackson. I do remember that being like, oof, a thing. Yeah, so...
00:20:14 --> 00:20:36 Yeah, his choreography is amazing. I mean, her choreography, sorry. Paris' choreography is amazing. Excuse me. Her performances have been great, too. You saw, what is it? That Gaga cello. What do they call it? We're calling it Gaga cello. Yes, we are. We are? Okay, good, because this didn't feel like it was falling out the mouth. She called it Mayhem in the Desert, I believe. Okay, we'll take it. Yeah. But yes. But yes, I have watched it, and it's amazing, and I want to watch it again.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:51 Yeah. I mean, you can't. You have to scroll back like for hours, but like I downloaded it and I will be downloading night two as well. And they're filming her big Rio show as well, which is basically going to be this show, but longer.
00:20:51 --> 00:21:11 Oh, wow. That's amazing. Yeah. Love that. But yeah, I think overall, I think the song itself is powerful. The choreography is powerful. The music video, we love Lady Mayhem with her cane. She's a menace. So how do we rate this? A song? I give it a fat 10. Definitely a 10. One of Gaga's best songs in a long time.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:40 All right, guys. Up next is Garden of Eden. And this was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, Watt, and Gestapo Steen. And this hit, number 52, on the build board, Hot 100, and charts all over the world. And this was actually used as an anthem for the ESPN's 2025 F1 coverage. And Gaga has mentioned that the song has a 2000s throwback vibe. And I cannot agree more. Cannot agree more. All right. So this one is one of those little...
00:21:40 --> 00:21:58 Not goofy, but like there is no strong meaning. It does not tie into her life. It does not tie into the lore of her as a human being. It's just a fun little, you know, dance romp in the club. And it intertwines the biblical imagery with themes of temptation and desire. Simple as that. You're hot. You're hot.
00:21:58 --> 00:22:24 I'm hot let's bump ugly it's like nothing crazy you know um I think the poison apple take a bite obviously it's just suggestive it's seduction it's it's a club hookup okay at the end of the day nothing too serious unless someone has found something deep about this um I like the electro grungy and theatrical rock element it creates like this really dynamic and engaging soundscape it
00:22:24 --> 00:22:41 like a club, but like a... Like, you know, in Judas, like, how everything just looked a certain way? Like, it was, like, at this bar, but everyone's kind of, like, biblically dressed and, like, just like that. That's what it feels like. This feels like... Totally. Before she started singing Judas, this was the song that was playing when she met him. Ooh.
00:22:41 --> 00:23:10 you know and it definitely does have that 2000s um throwback vibe so again it's like a return to the pop roots it's sassy and my goodness i love what she did uh what they were doing at the uh gagatella because she that little girl she was hitting that ish on the main stage when the song came on she said to hit her little yeah shoulders and her snaps i said girl you better go off with your little self so i think this is very dramatic and fun and the live version is absolutely amazing
00:23:10 --> 00:23:29 oh yeah yeah this song gives me gwen stefani oh my god okay yeah yeah it's just like the way she's doing it and like yeah totally yeah yeah um yeah this one is definitely a highlight for me definitely feels like it could literally be unborn this way oh my god which i love
00:23:29 --> 00:23:56 Yeah. And yeah, it's cool. There's something kind of warm about the melody of the chorus, the way the background vocals are layered. But then the rest of the song is like super sassy and stuff. So I just like that balance. I love the church choir background vocals. DJ, hit the lights. I love that. It's so fun and campy. And I love that they just use that as the intro for the Gagachella performance too. And it's just so fun to sing along to.
00:23:56 --> 00:24:11 Yeah, yeah And yeah, that outro with the extra synths and stuff that they use for the dance break and the performance swell is so satisfying This one will go off on the tour for sure I love it Yes So I give it a 9, how about you?
00:24:11 --> 00:24:30 Oh, I'm going to give it a 9.5. I think I was going to give it a 9, but that performance, she was eating a little jig. Oh, yeah. Yeah, all the grooves she was doing. Yeah, she was hitting it. And I'm like, this is, again, you're right, the least awkward she's looked in a really long time. That's right. And it matters because she has a hip injury as well and all these other ailments, and she didn't look like she was in pain. That's what's important. Mm-hmm.
00:24:30 --> 00:25:00 I also have to say, they were really smart with the way they did that show because they gave her actually a lot of time to not dance as well. So they balanced that really well. So much to talk about. Oh, my God. Yes. Okay. Moving on to Perfect Celebrity. And this was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, and Gassafelstein. And the song's lyrics focus on Gaga's relationship with fame and the duality between the personal and public sides of a celebrity.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:18 on the album. And it hit number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100. And she did perform it acoustically on Howard Stern, as well as, of course, Gaga-chella. Gaga-chella! I love this one. Oh, yeah. I always thought...
00:25:18 --> 00:25:37 Her first couple projects, when she would talk about fame in such an eloquent way. Yeah. I loved that she, that was kind of just a theme for her. And obviously it's been there throughout her whole career. But I love that this is like a sequel. Just like...
00:25:37 --> 00:25:52 Yeah, way later, you know, just like after years and years of experience, she now has a more kind of well-rounded view, I guess, of fame. And so that's just cool to hear just as a fan, you know, since the beginning. Yeah.
00:25:52 --> 00:26:08 But yeah, I love the song. I think the breathing in the beginning is so perfectly creepy. I love how much tension there is in the verses. And you can tell, you can feel it building, like that anxiety that you were talking about before. This really does induce that, I think. And...
00:26:08 --> 00:26:37 The vocal execution is perfect. Like the grip that she uses and even the way some words transition into each other. It's just really, really smart vocal execution. Right. The bridge is definitely my favorite part. Like the way the snares kind of come in very suddenly and then go away. And it just builds into the final chorus is just so perfectly. You were mentioning for single contenders. I think this is one. Yeah.
00:26:37 --> 00:27:02 Yeah. Okay. Respect. You know what? I think this one would have been interesting to come back to, especially if, you know, as a, if you're a fan, you're like, you've been around since the fame. You're like, oh my gosh, now she's been famous. Like, this is literally kind of, I don't know if it's like a period at the end of the sentence, but it's definitely like, oh, okay. That's what you've, you know, what you've gathered throughout time. And I think about like how young she was when she came out. Like, dude, she was like,
00:27:02 --> 00:27:23 She legit was a kid. Like, when I think about, like, age and people, oh, you're not a kid when you're 20-something. But, like, in terms of, like, being by yourself and on your own and doing your thing and trying to figure stuff out, like, she's almost like a baby adult. She was, like, 20-something. Like, so to kind of have all this, how many years of experience? She's, like, 39 now. It's interesting because she's, she...
00:27:23 --> 00:27:41 She sounds as good as she did when she freaking debuted, if not better. But also, you're right. There is a certain level of grit in her voice that sounds that it came with a little bit of bitterness. So, yeah, her being angry, I can understand. The lyrics, I look so hungry, but I look so good. Tap my vein, suck my diamond blood.
00:27:41 --> 00:28:05 And then the last line being like sit in the front row, watch the princess die. It's so interesting because it's just like, yeah, she's skinny, but she's starving. But like she looks so good. And like, oh my God, like put her on a pedestal. Even her like bleeding at the VMAs. It's like you guys are watching it. You guys are shocked by it. But what are you going to do? Nothing. You're going to sit there. You're going to watch me die. You're going to destroy my career. Even on like the art pop era, like she was going through all that crap that she was going through.
00:28:05 --> 00:28:35 And people kind of just left her there. The energy kind of left her there. She disappeared. She had become a whole other person around a bunch of whole other people just to kind of find herself again. So I think that is really interesting. And for this to kind of been the working title, I think would have been good as well. But I think Mayhem is just great. I think Mayhem. Oh, yeah. Yeah, like she said, Mayhem brings about a more free-form kind of ability to kind of ebb and flow and ear motions. So, yeah, I think this was really like, the synthesizers were heavy.
00:28:35 --> 00:28:43 the guitars feel like they were like lashing at you. So yeah, I think the whole commentary on the fame and identity wrapped in like a,
00:28:43 --> 00:29:06 the cure inspired kind of track is really cool um and honestly honestly this song i didn't like i was like oh my god oh my god oh my god but i started listening to it more and i was like oh my god it's actually really good and then again the coachella performance the chicken bones in the litter box i loved it i love the chicken bones in the litter box her fighting her old self and like fighting lady mayhem i was like wow
00:29:06 --> 00:29:26 Honestly, I'm here for the chicken bones in the litter box that I guys I'm joking, but like I'm going to call it that. But yeah, that performance was like, oof. Yeah. The visual was just so cool. Yeah. It was like a painting almost. Yes. The chicken bones is getting it. Yeah. Okay. So what do you rate it?
00:29:27 --> 00:29:42 Ooh, I'm going to give it, ooh, it's so hard because the last song of these albums is really good, but I don't want to be too biased. So I'm going to give it a nine. I took like 0.5 off. I'm going to give it a nine. I'm going to give it a nine. Okay, I will go 9.5. I love this one. Yeah.
00:29:43 --> 00:30:02 Up next, we have Vanished Into You. This was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit Watt, and Michael Polanski. And this was the first song that was written for the album. Some fans have theorized that the song is a tribute to the singer, Tony Bennett, and their friendship, because the lyrics reference many of his songs and lyrics.
00:30:02 --> 00:30:29 So this song actually hit number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. And there are some references like the sticker of the album that is supposed to be a single. But we'll see if that ends up happening. I don't know. I mean, this would be a nice single. It's still kind of good. Like, it's not summertime. It's not spring, hot spring yet. So she could get away with something kind of being like a little bit more somber. But yeah, this one I like. This one I like. Yeah.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:49 I didn't get it at first. Did you feel like an instant connection? Yeah, this one was a grower. Okay. Okay, I don't feel crazy now. Thank you. I don't feel crazy. Because I was just thinking to myself, hmm, interesting. I don't know how I feel about this. It's very vulnerable, I will say. I think she does vulnerability well. Yeah.
00:30:49 --> 00:31:18 I think the added layer of Tony's story with her intertwined makes it a little bit more emotional. I think it does a good job of blending like the glam rock and experimental pop. It does feel like a Bowie inspired chorus. The lyrics are about surrender and she is really emotive and I did not understand the song at first. But because literally the album came out and I was like going through my own kind of mess. And I was just like kind of sad and I'm like okay I don't get it. I don't know if I want to get it right now.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:36 And then when I was prepping my notes for the episode, I got it. I was like, oh, it's about loss and love and like hoping to relive it in memories and then like eventually be reunited with a friend one day. And I was just like, girl, that is so nice because there are some friendships that we lose or like people that we kind of pass on in our own kind of course of life. And it's like, dang.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:55 I'm either not going to see that person again or like, I don't know if we'll ever be friends again or whatever the case may be, but hopefully maybe one day it'll be okay. Or if you're, if you lost a lover and you're like, I wish we were, we could be together again. It's, it could be used for so many different things. I would say I read on some like forms that people were saying that certain songs were a little too personal, so they couldn't relate to it. I'm like,
00:31:55 --> 00:32:20 Girl, if you lost a dog, you can relate to this. It does not matter. Like, you don't have to make it like, oh, my God, since I know her tea. I don't know if I can sip it. The dance, it might even dance break, but the instrumentation in the bridge toward the last chorus was so dramatic. Oh, yeah. And so sad. I was like, girl, not too, okay, girl, you better go off. You go off. Not a bad, like, semi-ballad.
00:32:21 --> 00:32:43 Yes. Yeah, I'm curious if this will be a single. I think it could work. Because yeah, I agree with you. We've had kind of two kind of more intense songs. So something just a little more emotional, maybe might be good. But I feel like there's another song that we'll get to that I think has been getting a lot of streams, actually. So people are guessing that it'll be that one. Oh, yeah.
00:32:43 --> 00:33:00 But yeah, I enjoy this one now, for sure. I think it was one in the beginning that I didn't really think about or remember. But now I do. I actually love the chorus of it. There is something very anthemic about it. And I enjoy the melancholy of it as well.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:24 and i think it's an interesting composition just because the verses sound just so different you get kind of a more of a funky guitar yeah the darkness with the synths are there uh but then the chorus just really takes you to a different place i think which is great and also the background vocals in this one the stack is so satisfying like the harmonies honestly throughout this entire project um
00:33:25 --> 00:33:44 I love backing vocals and harmonies. Yeah. So many pop stars now don't use them enough. So it is refreshing to have a project where that they're so emphasized and well thought out and created. Right. But yeah, we'll see. I think I think it could be a single. I don't know if I would choose it to be a single, but I wouldn't be mad.
00:33:45 --> 00:34:13 Right. That's the kind of choice. How about mad at it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Ga Ga Chella performance was cute. This was the one where she was near the end of the set, where she just went kind of near the crowd. Yes. And they were like, oh my God, she's out here. Kudos to her. Again, she is so super teeny tiny, and she's moving on that stage, okay? Oh my girl. The mic is on. So this one's going to be my 9.5. This one I'll give my 9.5. Yeah. Okay, I'll switch with you then. I'll give this one a 9. Okay.
00:34:13 --> 00:34:40 Yes. Okay, moving on to Killa, featuring Gassafelstein. This was done by Lady Gaga, Watt, Circuit, and Gassafelstein. She did say that if you think of the album as a full night, this is that moment where you feel on top of the world. Oh, nice. And this has hit number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she did perform this on SNL as well. Yes, she did. Yes. Okay, so... Um...
00:34:41 --> 00:34:59 Yeah, because Saffelstein is cool. Like, he has such a perfect choice for her. She had mentioned in other interviews that she had wanted to work with him for years. Oh, wow. And yeah, his kind of whole kind of electronic grunge industrial thing, it just fits her so perfectly. Yeah.
00:34:59 --> 00:35:20 You know what? You're so right. And I didn't get a chance to mention this, but they dropped the remix, the Gustaflstein remix. Of Abra Kedabra. Yeah. And I was like, you're disgusting. You're so good. Yes. And yeah, you know, you had mentioned Bowie earlier. Like Gaga has always been really inspired by like Bowie and Prince. And this is a great example of that. Like, I think they would both approve of this one.
00:35:20 --> 00:35:48 Yeah, I think Prince would be sitting like this. He'd be looking like... That was actually very good. That was actually very good. Yes. So dry. Very good. Yeah, I love how funky the guitar is. This is something a bit sexier than we've heard so far on the album, which is kind of refreshing. The chorus is so simple, but it's so catchy. And again, her vocal execution is just perfect. Again, with the background vocals and layers and stuff throughout too. There's just so much depth to all of it.
00:35:48 --> 00:35:56 And it is another one that's just meant to be fun. It's meant to be performed. Um...
00:35:56 --> 00:36:19 like the way the beat is, the way the synths come in. It's just so much fun. I do wish there were real drums on this. Oh, yeah. Sometimes it's kind of just like, dang, this would have, a natural instrument would have fit nice. Yeah, and I think it's because I hear the influences of kind of those legends and they, I feel like they would put real drums there. Yeah.
00:36:19 --> 00:36:30 I mean, Prince played a lot of the instruments on his stuff himself. So, yeah, he would have. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Like, I think he could have even upped the intensity a little bit, actually, if you did that. Yeah. But, yeah, what do you think of the track?
00:36:31 --> 00:36:56 you know what, this one does sound a lot like Prince. I remember hearing it and thinking, oh my goodness, it's Prince. It's Princess. So I might have a little bit of a bias. I think the lyricism and vocal delivery is what makes it so her as well. Like, I do hear the Bowie, like, if you think about fame, the way it kind of, you know, comes about, I'm like, okay, okay, I can hear it there. But I think, again, it's because it's also true.
00:36:56 --> 00:37:22 she is so sure in who she is as an artist and in terms of like her songwriting her pen game is undeniably hers but you hear a gaga song okay that's her or like gaga could have sang this or she could have you know um the song is just one of more like another one of those like just fun songs and i appreciate it nothing to delve into like i do enjoy how she talks about how she's going to turn the monster into her victim or whoever it is into her victim yeah
00:37:22 --> 00:37:47 You know, because someone was putting their hands on her in the beginning, grabbing her butt or whatever, apparently. So she was like, I'm gonna grab back. Wait, when? The first lyric. Oh, the very first lyric. Oh, yeah. The first lyric. The first line of the lyric is like someone put her hand on her bum. And I'm like, oh, wow. He thinks he's slick. So she's like, I'm gonna get you. My favorite lyric, though, I have to say is wear you out like my favorite suit. And it's such a fun line because it's like, is she wearing his head as a hat?
00:37:47 --> 00:38:09 like that? Like, you know, she's wearing his head as a hat, like his skin? Or is she wearing him out by giving him the business, like the suit? You don't know. Or you do know. Whatever it is, it can mean both. I think that is so fun. And again, I could just be making that up in my head, but again, I like the line. She's outrageous, and the song has a bit of...
00:38:09 --> 00:38:24 silliness to it that is present in her performance because literally watching the SNL performance oh the feet going up and down it's so hilarious like why are you kicking your feet so silly yes so so silly that performance deserved more attention I think
00:38:24 --> 00:38:40 Ah, yeah. It's so, so good. Like, not many current pop stars could pull that off. Not at all. It was so fun. It was so camp. Yeah. Like, them going through the office corridors, and you could still see some of the security guards and stuff around. Yeah. And then...
00:38:41 --> 00:39:00 You get a reveal as well. Oh, yeah, the dress. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And her little rock star moment on the drums and stuff. It was so much fun. It was. And Gaga-chella, too. Like, it was one of the highlights, actually, I think, of that set. So, yeah, this one, this one's a good one. I just, I'm happy that she is having so much fun.
00:39:00 --> 00:39:28 But you can feel that she's having fun. And that's the thing. I think the highlight that is pretty freaking far in the mix is that she's wailing. Because there's no bridge really in this song. It's just somebody going off on the instrument. But her wail in the latter half of the bridge is crazy. Her vocal prowess is beyond amazing. She knows how to use textures and dynamics to make the song just feel like... It doesn't feel out of place. She's very good at that. She should have a master class on how to vocal produce because she's amazing.
00:39:28 --> 00:39:33 So for this one, I will give it an oink.
00:39:33 --> 00:40:02 Yes, I will match you with a nine. Not bad. All right. So going right along to Zombie Boy. And this was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit Watt, and James Fauntleroy. And it was inspired by Rick Janest, a Canadian model who had appeared in the Born This Way video, who has since passed. And Gaga has said that the song is about the moment in the night when you and your friends all realize that you're going to wake up not feeling well the next day because you're having too much fun.
00:40:02 --> 00:40:27 So it's about being a zombie in the morning. And this one hit number 85 on the billboard. Hot 100. All right. So we have another fun track. It's very fun. The chant in the beginning is very cute. Did not know what to expect after that. I think coming from, you know, APT with Rosé and Bruno, I was like, if I get another cheerleader song, I'm going to scream. Apatou.
00:40:28 --> 00:40:46 You know, chanted me to death. I'm not going to hold you. What I like about this song is that it evokes that fizzy champagne high of that band chic. Like, they knew how to bottle that whole, like, group singing. Oh, freak out. You know, they're singing. Yes. So that's what it kind of reminds me of. And I was like, holy smokes. What a...
00:40:46 --> 00:41:16 What a very clever, funky situation you got going on. The lyric, you're an animal and closing in on me. Gada is now giving herself to the guy to be devoured. In the second verse, there's an animal analogy about the guy being a lion, her being the kitten. And there's like a meow ad lib. So again, like there's such a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere, but also is very sensory heavy. So it's like whatever she's talking about, you're going to hear it in an ad lib or with the production. So it's fun.
00:41:16 --> 00:41:42 The bass line is really groovy. And the synths are shimmery, for lack of a better word. But the sparkle and shimmer that a lot of people are talking about, the song has it for sure. You get a guitar shred moment that comes right before the bridge. Yeah. And that was... It kind of helps build up the bridge in this really fun way. I feel like I was watching Rocky or something. I'm like, why is this getting so triumphant?
00:41:42 --> 00:42:01 What? What's going on? I really do hate that this song is probably only going to be applicable to Halloween by the general public. But like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, totally. Monster zombie boy. Watch is going to have an uptick in streams right around Halloween. It's going to piss me off. But whatever. I'm OK with that. You know, late than ever, you know? Yeah.
00:42:02 --> 00:42:27 This song deserves any moments that it has because I love it. I think it's so much fun. Yeah. I mean, it's very on trend for me because, you know, I love a disco-y moment anyway. Yeah. But it does remind me of some tracks for the first album, like Disco Heaven or Summer Boy. Okay. And those were some of my favorites as well. So it's cool to kind of hear her do that again because she hasn't really in a long time. Mm-hmm.
00:42:27 --> 00:42:43 I wasn't sure about kind of the spoken kind of sing-songy-ness of the verses originally, but it stands out so much in the rest of the album. So it has since become a highlight for me. And just literally every single line almost is a hook.
00:42:44 --> 00:43:13 Yeah. Like every single part of this track is great. And just great pop writing. And yeah, you mentioned the production as well. I love the guitar solo. There's actually a lot going on throughout. Like the bass line is super dynamic. The drums, there's a lot going on. A lot of little elements that kind of pop in and out. So each time I hear this, there's kind of something new to listen to. Yeah. And I love the bridge of it. It almost sounds like ABBA. It turns completely different.
00:43:13 --> 00:43:37 It's completely different. Rather than me saying Rocky. I was like, yeah, let's build it like Rocky. Yes, and I loved the Gagachella performance. The skeleton dance. Oh my god. Yes. It made me love the song more. Oh my gosh. It's so much fun. That's one of those things that you watch another artist do and you're like, I'm so mad. I didn't think of that. Like...
00:43:37 --> 00:44:00 Like, so fabulous. It's so unserious. And it's just like, come on. Like, pop hasn't been this fun in so long. Yes. I mean, obviously, over the summer that we had, like, with, like, Sabrina and, like, the Brat and then Chapel, it was fun. But, like, throughout the year, we don't need a summer anthem. We need, like, the rest of the year as well. Thank you. Like, give us something. And this song, if people actually appreciated zombies outside of Halloween, could be that.
00:44:00 --> 00:44:27 But whatever. Again, I'm okay if it becomes a Halloween moment. Classic, right? Yeah, it deserves some shine. Because I don't think it would be a single, even though I love it. But yeah, it has turned into one of my favorites on this album. So I will give it a 10. Ooh, you know, I gave like a 9.5. But I'll actually match you because like talking about that bridge, as you mentioned, I couldn't. You itched the scratch. Because I was like, why does it sound so familiar in this bridge? Abba. So because of the Abba, I'll bump it up 0.5.
00:44:29 --> 00:44:52 Okay, moving on to Love Drug. This was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, Watt, and Michael Polanski, and it did hit number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100. All right. Yes. Okay, so Love Drug. This song feels kind of like a progression from the Chromatica era, actually. Oh, yeah. Because, you know, that whole era was all about this concept of...
00:44:52 --> 00:45:14 Being in pain, whether that be emotional pain or physical pain or whatever, and just doing anything you can to find relief in something. Something to help you. And this is pretty much that. So it just, I don't know, it just felt very much of that kind of theme, I guess. But I will admit that this is...
00:45:15 --> 00:45:39 one of the more fillery tracks for me yeah like it's one i tend to forget about on this album and it i i can't even sing it back to you right now actually unfortunately same sorry but then when it comes on i can sing along to it you know same okay so there's something i don't know there's something there because i actually do think the nice i do think the melody is quite nice
00:45:40 --> 00:45:57 Right. No complaints, but something about it just does not fit. Yeah, it just doesn't grab me. Yes. Like the others have so far, I guess. I do like the kind of 80s-esque production of it. For sure. But yeah, not one I think about.
00:45:58 --> 00:46:22 You know what? You wouldn't run home to tell mom about that. And that's okay, guys, you know, because music is subjective. You know, and speaking of music being subjective, if you have an opinion about this album, be sure to leave it in the comments. And if you've made it this far, you might as well subscribe, little monsters, because we do need to talk more about Gaga on this. But we want to see if the fans are really out here. We would love to talk more about Gaga. So definitely let us know in the comments below what album we should do next.
00:46:22 --> 00:46:47 um yeah so yes this one like you said does sound like something from like a past age um i don't feel like maybe i could be wrong but it doesn't feel like out of the 50 songs she worked on for this album that this one was like we gotta put this one on here but it fits you know i don't think there was like a burning desire because for some reason uh this track it's okay it's not bad i like the whole
00:46:48 --> 00:47:10 arena rock of it all. It's giving crying in the club. I love crying in the club songs. This is what it's getting for sure. Trying to quit someone cold turkey. Oof. Tough stuff. It definitely blends rock and pop sensibilities pretty well. So it is compelling and it's relatable. We all get it. But like you said, it doesn't feel like a wow moment
00:47:10 --> 00:47:31 For me, it feels like it's signifying a shift into a little bit more of a mid-tempo kind of track, like track listing after. Because this is kind of like that buffer song. You know how every album has that one song that kind of shifts the whole tone. Or not even one. Without an interlude, sometimes you don't know what the track listing is going to give you.
00:47:31 --> 00:47:49 And this song kind of adds that, like, we're slowing it down for this section. You know, not slowing it down, but it's not going to be as stabby, stabby, sin, sin, sin. Not as much energy. Yeah, as Abracadabra or, like, you know, like Zombie Boy, you know? Uh-huh. Hmm. Okay, yes, that's fair. So you think it has a place on this album? Like, you think it's...
00:47:49 --> 00:48:15 It's a buffer. Yeah, it's like a it's it's like, you know, when you give the coin to the guy who in the river sticks, like it takes you from, you know, the underworld to the earth like that. Like, I think in terms of mayhem and following that whole theme, I'm using the Greek mythology of that that legend. But yeah, you give a coin to the little guy on the boat and he takes you to the underworld. Like this is this is that transition song for sure. Yeah. All right. Well, what do you rate it then?
00:48:15 --> 00:48:24 7. It's okay. It's 7. Yeah, I'll go a little higher. I'll go 7.5. Because I don't not like it. It's just not as good as what we've heard so far.
00:48:24 --> 00:48:51 All right. So the next song is How Bad Do You Want Me? And this is done by Lady Gaga, Watt Circuit. And we've been saying his name, her fiancé, Michael Polanski. All right. So Gaga mentioned in an interview that she almost took this song off the album because when she creates super pop songs, she actually gets anxious about them. This song did hit number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100. So not bad, Gaga. It did chart. Yeah.
00:48:51 --> 00:49:18 I mean, it's crazy that all these album tracks actually charted on the Hot One. Exactly, right. And I don't think that's happened to her in a while. Go ahead, little monsters. Go ahead. All right. So this song, you know, this one. I don't know if I like it more or less than Love Drug. I think I would probably like Love Drug a little bit more, I would say. Interesting, yeah. Maybe. Maybe. Because I feel like now that you've mentioned it, the score I've given it probably isn't like...
00:49:18 --> 00:49:48 It's a little bit better, I will say. Mild spoiler. But yeah, this one channels a lot of like that 1980s synth pop and explores the, you know, images of desire and all this other things. I think it's a temptation. So I'm trying to figure it out. I'm not going to lie. It did sound a little basic to me so I can understand her sentiment about it being super pop. Because like, to me, you could have done something pop like Carly Rae Jemsen on Emotive. You could have done that. That's super pop. You know what I'm saying?
00:49:48 --> 00:50:07 this. It's not terrible, but something about it just feels almost too familiar. And I think in the grandiose shadow of the production of the previous tracks, this one is more subdued. And I use the word like very lightly. It's not like subdued, like it's bad. It's just kind of...
00:50:07 --> 00:50:30 more laid back, I would say. So with the lyrics, I was trying to figure out if she's being the other woman or if the one she's with wants the bad girl she used to be or can be. You know, like how couples get when the woman splits up her wig or whatever or like cosplays or something else. You know, it's like, how bad do you want the bad girl? That or she's, she's the other woman and I hope that's not what this song is about. Yeah. Yeah.
00:50:30 --> 00:50:50 If it is, girl, whatever. Do your business, whatever. But yeah, I think I can hear Taylor Swift on this, but I can also hear Katy Perry singing this. But what sets it apart is Lady Gaga has this very grand range where she can sing as delicate as Taylor, can kind of belt like Katy, but even go beyond that and give you something a little bit more than like,
00:50:50 --> 00:51:06 I used to sing Christian rock, you know, like Katy Perry does. So, so I think that again, Gaga's vocal prowess and songwriting, maybe not the songwriting so, so much, but the vocal prowess has saved her from this being basic.
00:51:06 --> 00:51:34 for me interesting yeah so this is actually the song that i think has been doing really well on streaming and people started playing it on radio without her even servicing it officially so i do think this is a single contender so just fyi really let's see if let's see if it happens no offense no offense gal but like really yeah i think lyrically i think it's more i mean maybe it is about like another woman but i think it's more the whole again the duality of stephanie versus lady gaga
00:51:34 --> 00:52:00 and what you think she's actually like like what she's like when she's playing this character as opposed to who she really is is stephanie i think and i think it's more about that yeah that makes sense yes fans if you have other theories let us know but yes i definitely thought taylor swift the second i heard it and that was a very common thought right across kind of everyone i think because it totally sounds like it could be on 1989 and
00:52:00 --> 00:52:24 Like the songwriting style is so reminiscent of a lot of Taylor's songs. Like just that repeat of how bad that like, I don't know. Oh my God. Yes. Yeah. Like me. Yeah. And then even just the way she references her hair and her ripped jeans. Yeah. Like that just sounds like, I mean, yeah. Taylor. Doesn't she talk about her jeans? She got the same. Thank you. Yes.
00:52:24 --> 00:52:49 In the second verse when she kind of almost turns into speaking like the so hot, hot that you can't speak. Oh, yeah. So Taylor. It's so Taylor. Yeah. And the post chorus is a post chorus like, oh, you love a good girl. Oh, that also sounds so Taylor. Yeah. And like, it's almost it's so interesting because it's like, wow, Taylor has like really defined.
00:52:50 --> 00:53:10 how pop is. Yeah. Like how pop songwriting is done. Yeah. It's kind of amazing. Yeah. So I don't think the reference is a bad thing. No. Like obviously Taylor is so successful. So. Yes. I don't think it's a bad thing. The chorus is very catchy. It does have a nice melody. It's easy to sing along to. It has grown on me. I think seeing the performance as well has helped. Yeah.
00:53:10 --> 00:53:24 with that uh i think now i can kind of differentiate it more from being a taylor song as well so i think that's helped as well so this has grown on me i also wouldn't be mad if it was a single i'm gonna be honest
00:53:24 --> 00:53:52 Oh, you know what? I didn't care for it that much. And I still am like, okay. It's not because I don't like Taylor. It's just for me, I was like, okay, whatever. So I gave it a 7.5. It's okay to me. Okay. I like it more than the last song we heard. And also, I like it more than Disease. So I'll go 8.5. Oh, interesting. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Moving on to Don't Call Tonight. This was done by Lady Gaga, Watt, Circuit, and Michael Polanski. So...
00:53:53 --> 00:54:18 Again, this one and Love Drug are the two that I just never remember. I will say I think I like this one more than Love Drug. But it just... It's just a bit fillery. Like, it would never be a single. You know what I mean? Which is how I define a filler, really. In its most basic form. But yeah, there is something so 80s about this track, which I like. Like, the chorus is...
00:54:19 --> 00:54:48 very simple in its composition. And I mean that in a good way. And I like the guitars and stuff, but then you have the synth choices that make it feel a little bit more modern. So the whole balance in the production, I think it's actually quite cool. I do prefer the latter half of the song because the bridges, I like all the bridges on this album. Like it gives it something different. And then there's some nice ad libs in the final choruses as well. And I can sing this one right now back to you.
00:54:48 --> 00:55:18 Let's go. Do it. So I do remember. No, I do remember it. But still fillery for me. You know, that's valid. I actually have the vocoder section of the bridge being a highlight as well in my notes. Okay. The funk and the Euro pop is great. It's about toxic love. Not again, but I feel like it's kind of like a breakup anthem for the album because you don't really have one on this album until this point. It's like, do they make up? Do they break up? What are they going to do?
00:55:18 --> 00:55:37 The I'm so addicted to your lies line. It seems like she likes the drama, but she's a little fed up. So finally, by the time the bridge comes around, one thing I will say, even though the theme itself is kind of like, oh, God, a toxic relationship. One thing that she does do that I appreciate, because even me, when I'm writing a song, I'm like, if the story does not progress, I'm going to literally jump myself off of a cliff.
00:55:37 --> 00:56:04 So I appreciate that in the beginning, it's like the relationship is not great. Second half, she kind of slides back and, you know, she has some crimes, he has some crimes. And then by the bridge, she's like, I am done with this. So I appreciate that because that's how I write my songs. I'm like, I cannot sit here and just keep talking about the sugarcoating of the moment the whole time. So I appreciate the progression. I feel like this is the stronger, quote unquote, super pop song that she mentioned that she's been writing. Like, I feel like out of all of them, this is like...
00:56:04 --> 00:56:32 It's a really pop. It's a really pop. But this one is not bad. Lyrically, it is basic. I don't know. Every time you talk about toxic love, it can either be very basic or be like, oh, cry and think of it like that. That's a great metaphor. This one didn't really have the metaphors or the similes or anything that made me go, ooh, okay, bars. You know, but it's not bad. But yeah, I feel like this is stronger than the other two that we've talked about already. Yeah. I would like to know, fans, what parts.
00:56:32 --> 00:56:48 the theories are, I guess, about what the song is about if she has not spoken or maybe she's spoken about it and she's actually explained it. Because I think when I was reading it I was like, maybe she's also talking about her fans in a way, or kind of the fake fans. Ooh, maybe. You know, because she's like...
00:56:49 --> 00:57:18 I don't know. Like she's talking about how I can hear everything you're saying. Like. Oh yeah. Maybe she did. You pull me close and knock me down. So it's like, you know, I don't know. I don't know. I was trying to equate it to the fame stuff again. Ooh, that's so valid. Oh my. That extra layer. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, I'll give this one an eight. I, I do like it. It's just not my fave. That's valid. And just in following the progression of the seven, 7.5, this one is an eight. I'm going up by 0.5, y'all. Apparently. Yeah.
00:57:19 --> 00:57:40 All right. Now taking it to shadow of a man. And this was done by Lady Gaga circuit and what? Okay. Her husband's not on this one. So no offense to him, but it seems like the ones he's writing have a little bit more of like a, a more of a basic lyricism structure. I don't know what he's been contributing, but every time I see his name, I'm like, I don't know if it's going to be good. No offense to him, but.
00:57:40 --> 00:57:50 Lady Gaga is the artist in this relationship. And also, I think he also had a hand in writing some of the songs for Joker 2 as well, if I'm not mistaken. Weren't those mostly covers? No?
00:57:51 --> 00:58:14 Yeah, then maybe he produced something. I don't know, but his name's on some of them credits, okay? Oh. So, yeah. No tea, no shade. Or dip the shade in the tea. I don't care. So, this song was inspired by Gaga's experience being the only girl in the room a lot of the time throughout her career and standing in the shadow of men. I know that feeling. Thank goodness for She's the Music and other fans.
00:58:14 --> 00:58:44 female-driven things because lord it's so true you're in the room with a bunch of men in the studio they don't think you know what you're doing when you're producing when you're writing um and she also mentioned that she's learned how to dance within their shadow where it's like yeah i may be in your shadow but i'm going to dance and be myself within it um and this was the song that was teased at the end of hbo's chromatical ball special when she hit those michael jackson moves that i thought was a little strange but after finally hearing the full song i think it
00:58:44 --> 00:59:05 this song really does sound like the funk that Quincy and MJ like early Quincy and MJ kind of had like oh my goodness even her vocal delivery it's very like it's Michael at his peak Michael when he was sitting there screaming on the tail end of the song he's like girl you better go off
00:59:05 --> 00:59:21 I love the line, I won't be used for my love and left out to cry. I'm like, preach girl. Oh my goodness. I think she makes a commentary about fame, her life, her experiences. So fabulous. Same thing with Ray. When we were talking about Ray's album,
00:59:21 --> 00:59:51 It's like, how in the heck are you going to sit there and make pain so catchy? Please stop. I don't know how to feel about this. Same thing here. I think the choir effect on the background vocals throughout the song, brilliant. It's not too, like, churchy, but you can tell, like, there's a gang vocal thing going on. Love the way it was produced here. And she has such control over her voice. Second verse into the pre-chorus is so raw. Oh, my goodness. So I don't think she sounds as angry as Perfect Celebrity, but this one, it was more just, like...
00:59:51 --> 01:00:16 I don't want to say she was indignant. I don't know, but there's something very ferocious about the way she has taken control of her circumstance within the song. And to have it sound like another man's, an actual male artist's song and to be able to deliver it so well, almost like, oh, girl, oh, we ate this up, is really cool to me. I think the ending with the guitar is a fire. Yeah.
01:00:16 --> 01:00:45 I love, I love, I love this one for sure. Me too. Yeah, this has quickly become one of my favorites on this album as well. Because, yeah, the instrumental is so cool. Like, you get the kind of classic 70s dance beat. There's some cool kind of echoey synths throughout. And the bass line is super heavy, very prominent, super dynamic. And there is an intensity to it while staying very pop. Yeah. Which is great. And I like the way the chorus is written, too, with the kind of A line, B line.
01:00:46 --> 01:01:16 And the whole just melody of it is just very satisfying. Yeah. And I have to talk about the Coachella performance. Oh, yeah. Because, I mean, you mentioned MJ, obviously. Like, they were clearly, like, literally the whole thing was, like, signature MJ moves. Which was awesome. Like, I had to rewind this one back and watch it a few times. Because it was that good. Yeah, it was so good, man. I think I had heard that this is also a single contender. And I would agree with that one, for sure.
01:01:16 --> 01:01:33 Heck yeah, please. Please. Yeah, imagine the visual for this, right? Oh. Oh, my God. I know, I know. Oh, man. So, yes, I originally, when I was doing this album, right, I gave it a 9.5. But when I listened to it again, I moved it up to a 10. So it's a 10. It's a 10.
01:01:34 --> 01:02:03 Mine's a 10, too, for feminist reasons and also because it's just damn good. It's just good. Yeah. Okay, moving on to The Beast, which was done by Lady Gaga, Circuit, Watt, and Michael Polanski. And when asked about this song, Gaga has noted there are a few different influences saying the beast is me or someone singing to a lover that's a werewolf. Or it's also about herself and Michael. And it's also about her and the Lady Gaga persona as well.
01:02:03 --> 01:02:19 So lots of layers here. Right. I do think the production is cool. Like, I like the kind of tribal-ish percussion with the really dark, heavy synths. Like, you know, Lady Gaga has always been...
01:02:20 --> 01:02:47 She's always had the kind of goth thing going. Yes. And she's always loved the kind of, you know, medieval times kind of vibe as well. So this just fits her persona very well. Again, it's a kind of born this way kind of era as well. I will say I like the verses more than the chorus for this one. Ah, yeah. I enjoy the intensity to it. I like the ethereal background vocals. I like the tick-tock, tick-tock.
01:02:47 --> 01:03:11 kind of repeats in the verses yeah but the chorus for some reason that melody not my fave yeah no i can't think of it i can't think of it right now yeah i do like the electric guitar going crazy and her kind of wailing on the bridge yeah uh and i will say the lyrics do remind me of buffy the vampire slayer a little bit like this would be buffy singing to angel like before they
01:03:12 --> 01:03:41 Oh my god, yeah. Do it for the first time. Oh my god, oh right, when he lost his soul. Oh my god, like I hate that. Not the analogy, but like the reason he lost his soul. Like that's so ridiculous. Oh, I will say, I will say though, the Coachella performance, it did make me, it did make the song grow on me a little bit. Oh yeah. Because I enjoyed the drama of it. Yes. And I liked that they had then,
01:03:41 --> 01:03:49 mayhem singing like the second half of it i thought that was cool yeah with the moon yeah yeah yeah my note too yeah um so
01:03:50 --> 01:04:18 This for me feels like something, like, it reminds me of something in the air by Phil Collins. The way he kind of perked, like... Yes, it's that kind of tribal kind of thing. I'm in tears, yes. Because I'm just like, girl, what is this? I'm not going to hold you. I'm not going to hold you. This one almost felt like it was for the snails. Now, guys, if you are new here, when I say it's for the snails, that means it's a really slow song. Something for the snails to dance to or, like, walk down the aisle to. And that came from our...
01:04:20 --> 01:04:47 This one's not that slow. No, no, no. I thought it was when I first heard it. But it came from us, our review of Forever by Spice Girls. Y'all watch that so you can get the inside joke before you try to come for me. But, you know, at first I was like, girl, what? Girl, come on now. Come on. It felt like it was just bottlenecking a little bit. Like it was slowly creeping. But I think that is the whole point of it. I think delving into that concept of embracing one's inner darkness or slash darkness.
01:04:47 --> 01:05:05 encouraging a partner to release their inner beast is not going to come out like ah it's going to come out a lot slower you know like in the movies they have to transform it takes time you see them shaking and and holding themselves and like oh i'm going to change get away like no let me see you you know it's very traumatic yes
01:05:05 --> 01:05:33 Like, I feel like the storytelling of this song is better than the actual track itself. Like, the full track itself as a concept, love it. Oops, maybe not oops, but honestly, it is giving Werewolf the musical. And right before the first act ends, the lead discovers that her lover is the monster in the town that is murking people, 86ing the girls. And then she performs this. She's like, I don't care. You better give me some of that hairy schlong. She doesn't care. So I think it's like...
01:05:34 --> 01:05:54 I think this is like that song, you know what I'm saying? I think that's like a perfect representation. So yeah, in terms of the storytelling with Coachella performance, adding all of that in together, I too would like a piece of that hairy sausage and I give it a 7.5. I don't need the hairy sausage, but I'll match you with a 7.5. Yes.
01:05:56 --> 01:06:21 Okay. Taking it down to Blade of Grass, we have Lady Gaga, Watt, Gecephelstein, and Michael Polanski as the writers and producers on this track. And this song is about when Michael proposed to Gaga. They had discussed previously about how she would want to be proposed to, and he said, and she said, you can get a blade of grass from the backyard and wrap it around my finger. Which I think is so cute. It's so simple. Like...
01:06:21 --> 01:06:38 Oh, Chris. Yeah. I mean, have you seen the diamond though? Cause. Oh, he can afford it. It's been replaced. The blade of grass has been replaced. Promptly. So she has a blade of grass and a rock, like an actual rock now. But I think that's so cute. Okay. Chris, how would you want to be proposed to? Or would you want to do the proposing?
01:06:40 --> 01:07:07 I have not thought about this. Me either. It's just a random question. I'm trying to say, I don't know. I don't, I don't know. I don't know if I want like a public thing or like, or like private. I don't know. I think it's very. For sure. Private. Right. I think private, like not like family, like family dinner. That's what I'm saying. I don't know. For me, for me, I don't even know if marriage is in the cards or I want to get married to the fame. I'm trying to be like Gaga one day. So yeah. After everything she said about how fame has ruined her life.
01:07:08 --> 01:07:33 You know, you trade one pair of eyes for millions. I'll take it. I'm joking. I'm joking. I'm joking. Your face right now. Actually, I'm not joking, everyone. You've heard it now. So if next year you guys hear my song on the radio, please use this as a reference. I want to have a Grammy and not a ring. Not yet. Maybe when I'm like 50 years old. We'll settle down.
01:07:34 --> 01:07:52 Right? Or like, how old is Gaga? She's 40. Maybe when I'm 40 and I'm all settled down. Yeah? I feel like Gaga. That's right. Okay. So, all right. How do you feel about this song, though? All marriage joke aside. How do you feel about it? I don't like it.
01:07:53 --> 01:08:17 You're so not romantic. What? Yeah. I'm joking. I'm joking. Look, I love some of Gaga's earlier ballads. Yeah. I love You and I. I love Speechless. I love Brown Eyes. Like, I love all those tracks. Yeah. And this one just doesn't hit those highs for me, you know? I like the production. Again, you know, there's something kind of dark and kind of pensive about the whole thing. Like, it's almost like...
01:08:18 --> 01:08:39 It's almost like it's leading towards a situation that could either be amazing or horrible. You know? Like, it has that kind of feeling about it. Like, it's either something foreboding or it's something very hopeful, which I think is just a cool vibe. Yes. But melodically, this just isn't for me. Like, it's just not very interesting. And vocally...
01:08:39 --> 01:09:08 I think I mentioned earlier like how sometimes her operatic kind of vocals styling can be a little much. I think this is an example of that because she kind of starts it off with just a ton of intensity. So it just doesn't really have anywhere to go. So I feel like she should have. I feel like if I was vocally producing this, I would want to start it off a little softer. Tile it back. Yeah. Okay. I don't know. It's just I don't like it.
01:09:13 --> 01:09:31 All right. He doesn't like y'all. Sorry. You know what? Listen, if this is the song that triggers some of the fans to like leaving rude comments and y'all got to pick a better hell to die on. I understand because when I first heard this, again, I was not in the mood to hear. I'm like, a love song? So I...
01:09:32 --> 01:10:00 Oh God. I didn't want to hear it. Even the way it kind of comes in. I was like, girl, how you go from this whole, like the beginning of the album, it feels like I'm on like a hundred and you come to this very slow ending. I think that was my problem. Aside from like the thematic element of the song, I think just going from like the high octane exhilaration of the first, the former half coming into this latter half, it does kind of taper out. And at first I did not appreciate it because it kind of
01:10:00 --> 01:10:17 plods through. The piano just plods a little bit. And the song sounds a lot more melancholic than I was expecting. And maybe sad and melancholic isn't the word. Mayhaps apocalyptic. It sounds like you know...
01:10:17 --> 01:10:33 I think she did it on purpose for sure, where it was like, well, if everything kind of fell away in this world, we would have each other. I don't need all the riches in the world. I've had everything. If you think about her commentary on fame, it's like, I've had everything given to me. I've had everything taken from me. This is all that's left.
01:10:33 --> 01:10:52 So whatever you have, talking about you want to love a woman like me, I am whatever it is that you're seeing right now is who I'm presenting myself in in this moment in time. So if you take me, I take you. She had mentioned in an interview that her friend Sonia, who had gotten married in her backyard, had passed away. So like the lyrics in the second verse, this is the lawn of memories that I mourn.
01:10:52 --> 01:11:14 So it kind of just reminds me of life being short So it's like yes why would I not want to marry you I love you, you love me Pull me until you die and I'll make you brand new It's again I don't have anything else To offer except my love And the song is about two people coming together It feels like two people coming together To make it work despite what comes their way Like all I have is me And I hope that that is enough
01:11:14 --> 01:11:37 And for Gaga and a lot of people, it is. Right. So this is one of the other songs I saw like on forums where people like I feel like it's just too personal. And it's like, babe, it's not too personal. Like, yes, because, you know, the story is personal, but you can relate this to any person in your life and even your dog. That is such a weird thing for people to say. Yeah, because people want to make people want artists to make music for them.
01:11:37 --> 01:12:03 Instead of realizing that when we're making music, it's because I want to express myself. And if you relate to it, oh, my God, thank you. I'm not alone. You're not alone. I'm not alone. The fans, we all have each other. Not, I wrote this specifically for John Jingle, Jingleheimer, Schmidt on Reddit. Like, sir, ma'am, them, whomever you are. No, no, no. It's not about you. So I think the song is not bad. I like what she was trying to do with it. After a couple of listens, it actually did grow on me. So I'm going to give it a...
01:12:04 --> 01:12:30 7.5. Okay. I'm going to hit it. I will go with six. I am. It's not horrible. Still a passing grade. That's the lowest grade on the sheet, no? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, but still passing. It is. Guys, guys, we have given lower. We have given lower. I have. Yeah. Yes, I have given failing grades, yes. And it's so funny because when you say it, I'm like, I'm always shocked every time.
01:12:31 --> 01:12:59 Okay, so moving on to the last track of the album, we have Die With a Smile with Bruno Mars. And this is done by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, James Fauntleroy, D-Mile, and Watt. And this was released in August 2024 and was the result of Bruno inviting Gaga to his studio. And this song was extremely successful, becoming the longest reigning number one song in Spotify history, topping the charts all over the world, and winning for Best Pop Drafts,
01:12:59 --> 01:13:19 duo group performance at the 67th Grammy Awards okay how do you feel about this one this one kind of has the same okay I love this song I will say I love Bruno's ballads a lot actually like I like all his ballads more than his faster ones for the most part and this one's up there for me
01:13:20 --> 01:13:45 Like, I love how timeless a lot of his ballads are. Uh-huh. It has a really organic production, which is refreshing after all the synths that we've been hearing this whole time. Yeah. And I just think at the end of the day, the melody is just beautiful. Uh-huh. There's something very sweet about it. Again, also a little dark as well, which Gaga is just kind of just, it's in all her music. Really? Yeah. Um...
01:13:46 --> 01:13:59 But yeah, I just think it's just a great pop song. Like, it's a really satisfying melody. Yeah. And they sound so good together.
01:14:00 --> 01:14:16 Yeah, yeah. I think it's interesting having both of these 2010s pop. Because they both got pretty big around the same time, right? Yeah, they did, yeah. So it's cool to have them both do it. And I think hearing her on it, I was not surprised. I was like, oh!
01:14:16 --> 01:14:39 Oh my God, wait, wait, wait. Because I heard the song. I saw it on YouTube. I'm like, what is this? I didn't know this was coming out. I don't know why I was so removed. But when it came out, I was like, oh my God, what is this? The song is actually very, very good. And I think it was one of those, I don't know, people were expecting to have those two together. But I do remember everyone being like, oh, I'm sorry.
01:14:39 --> 01:15:01 they're singing together. Because, I mean, Bruno's worked with Rose. He's worked with the rapper Sexy Red. And then now, not now her, but like her at the time, they were all in the same music video toward like the end of the summer as well. So it's one of those things where it's just like, what the heck were you guys cooking up over the summer? That's amazing. But yeah, I like this song because of the messaging. And I think it does convey its...
01:15:01 --> 01:15:29 theme a lot better than Blade of Grass, I would say. Because Blade of Grass sounds really, like, kind of sad. And then this actually sounds hopeful. Or not even hopeful, but it's just like, yo, if the world does implode, then at least I'm with you. It's a great wedding song. It's a great I love you song. It's a great, like, family song. Even if you just have your cats or your dogs or your rabbit or that little lizard that you found on a trip to Bali, you can sing this song and be like, I have this, I'm happy.
01:15:29 --> 01:15:49 So yeah, this is like a great duet, great pop song. I think it's probably one of my favorites. So it definitely deserved the Grammy. And it deserves the Shani. The Shani Award for Best Pop Duo Performance. It deserved, I think it was nominated for a couple. It deserved all of them, honestly. It's such a great track. What did you think of the music video and the performances?
01:15:49 --> 01:16:10 You know what? I love the music video with the whole like, because you know, TV set. Yeah. But also like the what the husband wife or like the sister brother duos, the one was playing the guitar. I was playing the piano like, you know, the turners for all intensive, like all drama removed. Things like that. I like to see or like it was her wig was giving Dolly. I was here for it.
01:16:10 --> 01:16:33 So, yeah, I think that was it was simple. It was cute. I don't know what else they could have done. I think if they would have had any kind of CGI or like people running from like destruction, it would have been very like, girl, we get it. You ain't got to actually end the world. So it's simple. It was effective enough. I'm not going to rewatch it or nothing like that. Right. But yeah. And I think because they both are so vocally talented, the performances have been absolutely sickening.
01:16:33 --> 01:16:59 Yes. Because it's just like you guys can actually they swallow the record or they swallow the CD or whatever kids say. But yeah, like literally because they're both so good and they both aren't like I'm going to show off and embarrass you. They blend really well. Yeah. Because you wouldn't think they have chemistry. But the both of them once is a charismatic like guy and other ones like I'm an awkward theater girl. But I really like music. I really appreciate you as an artist and vice versa. And like that's why it fits. There is no ego.
01:16:59 --> 01:17:21 I think a lot of great artists don't have the ego. It's the ones that are kind of like B, C, D tier. Yes. You know what I'm saying? That is true. And that is true backstage too. Just FYI. Yes. Yeah, I actually listened to the live version more than the studio version because it's that good. Like they add some extra...
01:17:21 --> 01:17:38 vocal flourishes. Uh-huh. And the emotion is even more raw in the live version as well. So I love that one. And yeah, I enjoy the music video. I like how the whole thing is like slow-mo. Oh, yeah. And yeah, the looks are very...
01:17:39 --> 01:17:51 memorable you know but yeah it doesn't really go anywhere though so it's like once you watch it once it's like okay i got it um i've seen it yes i love this one this is my favorite songs of of last year honestly so i i will give this one a 10
01:17:52 --> 01:18:13 Okay, I'll match your score. It is a perfect top song. Yeah, because I really don't have any critique about the song. Like, really? No, nothing bad to say. Yes. Okay, so that is the end of our standard album review of Mayhem. So we're now at our Cut or Keep section. Oof. So if you had to cut a song off this album, what would it be and what?
01:18:13 --> 01:18:41 How bad do you want me? I think it's the biggest song on this album. I mean, it's not my favorite. Like, it's okay. Maybe because it does sound like a current artist. I think the reference is just too fresh, too modern for me to be like, oh, I can separate this and appreciate it. Because it doesn't really sound much of like, oh, yes, I put something into this. And I don't know if this is the song that made her anxious, but if it was, then I'm like...
01:18:44 --> 01:19:12 Okay, so how mad will you be if this really is the next single? I'll listen to it. I don't hate her. You know what I'm saying? It's one of those things where it's like, I can be like, girl, you have better basic. You have better basic. Like, what is it? Sour Candy is not an amazing song, but it was fun. It was kind of cheeky, right? But it was so basic. She can do better. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. I think mine is not a surprise. I would cut Blade of Grass.
01:19:12 --> 01:19:37 I don't plan to listen to that song very often ever again. I'm going to cut the blade of grass. Sorry. This is so funny. Okay. So the song. Ooh, the keep song. Okay. Yes. If you'd only keep one song off this album. Okay. For keeping. Oh, dang. I think I'm going to keep. Zombie boy. I'm going to keep zombie boy. I think that bridge kind of is what I keep singing in my head.
01:19:39 --> 01:20:08 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay, yeah. I mean, I think if I'm ignoring Abracadabra, because I think that's the most obvious keep, then yes. Mine would be between Shadow of a Man and Zombie Boy, but I do love Shadow of a Man. Me too. Okay, I knew you were going to pick the other one. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those two are my highlights, I think, for sure. Same, same. I was like, please pick the other one. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so overall thoughts.
01:20:09 --> 01:20:30 Final rating. Okay. So I'm not going to lie to you. I was expecting disease abracadabra all over this album. I was expecting just something a little bit more like modern in terms of production. After listening to it and getting out of my own way.
01:20:30 --> 01:20:50 and listening to what Gaga wanted, I realized that this album is exactly where she wants it to be, and therefore I appreciate it so much more. Because I sat here thinking it was going to be one thing, I felt like I was let down in a sense, but when I listened to what she actually, like her concept, I was like, oh, so this is actually...
01:20:50 --> 01:21:19 pretty perfect to what you wanted there are some there are some misses not like terrible misses where it's like oh this song is terrible like oh my gosh like why is this on the album it's just more like oh girl whatever those 50 tracks were i think you have something else i think you have something else you know so i am curious to hear more i think there was another song that was like a fan exclusive like you have to be signed up for it on her website yeah there's a there are three songs that were exclusive on her on her deluxe version that was only available on her website yeah
01:21:19 --> 01:21:46 Yeah, so we don't actually have access to that right now, y'all. So maybe we'll do a bonus episode for our Patreon. Yes. But yeah, I think overall the album is solid. I think lyrically it doesn't sound stale, which I appreciate. Because, I mean, she's been writing for so long. And, like, she is so famous. And it's like, what more can you say? And I think that's the biggest challenge with artists. And she's written every single song. So it's like, what more can she say? But, again, she's been through so much that she probably is just scratching the surface on it.
01:21:46 --> 01:22:10 um so i think overall this is a solid album the production was really fun i think she feels galvanized in terms of like what she's singing about how she's singing like just watching chromatica like even the ball like the hbo special she was not giving half of what she's giving with coachella like she was giving don't get me wrong she was giving but something is so different yes
01:22:10 --> 01:22:22 You know? So, yeah, I think overall it's been great. And my final score would be, I didn't average all my scores together. I'm just trying to think as a project. I would probably give it, I want to give it, I want to give it an A.
01:22:23 --> 01:22:51 I'm going to give it an 8.5. Okay. I think I would match you with an 8.5, actually. Bordering on a 9. It depends on how this grows on me through the next year or so. Yeah. But yeah, I really like this album. I'm super excited for the tour because a lot of this does feel like it's just meant to be experienced live. So I think it'll be worth it even though the ticket was so freaking expensive for not the best seat. But whatever. Yeah.
01:22:51 --> 01:22:57 I enjoyed this album just as a project. I think I like that it starts off
01:22:58 --> 01:23:23 at its peak chaos and then by the end it's like calmed down a little bit yeah you know it's like she's dealing with the mayhem in her life and she kind of figures it out by the end or at least a little bit more so i like that and that also as a progression from chromatica when her life was just like kind of a mess um yeah i kind of love that just in terms of just the trajectory of an artist i guess yeah yeah
01:23:23 --> 01:23:38 And yeah, I think as a fan, obviously, since the fame days, like I had seen her in tiny fears for the fame ball when she didn't have a band. It was just her and like three dancers like doing their thing. And so to see her...
01:23:38 --> 01:24:01 Kind of go back to that where she just is doing it for the fun of it and the love of pop music. And just letting herself just enjoy it a bit more. That's just very satisfying to see as a fan. So I think that makes me enjoy the project and appreciate the project more. And I do think some of these songs are the best she's ever done. Like they do stand up. Especially that first half.
01:24:01 --> 01:24:30 really stands up against a lot of her other stuff. So I think this is definitely a contender for one of my most listened to albums this year. Maybe the most listened to album this year. Because I don't see myself getting sick of most of these songs anytime soon. Nice, very nice. So maybe I'll bump it up to a nine then. Respect. Okay. All right, y'all. So, Little Monsters. Oh, young and old. New. All the monsters. We're mostly old now, no? Yeah.
01:24:32 --> 01:24:48 There's some little, there's some baby mosquitoes. People are appreciating Abracadabra. Maybe there's some new ones. Yes. I mean, yeah. I mean, did you see Not Shy Dance Crew's cover of it? Freaking sickening. Oh my God. It was so good. Okay. But yeah, they did a good job. Because their lead girl is playing Gaga. She can dance her behind off. So she was eating it up.
01:24:49 --> 01:25:10 Any hoodle doodle monsters, what do y'all think about this album? Once again, let us know in the comments. Okay, guys, drop a comment, drop your rating. Tell us what song you would keep or cut. Let us know any other fun facts that we probably missed. Let us know. It's fun. But also let us know what other albums you would like to hear us review because you can come hang out with us and the crew, not just here on YouTube, but...
01:25:10 --> 01:25:29 on Patreon. And you can message us at CCTV Pops on social media. And don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for our YouTube channel. And if you are enjoying the show on a podcast platform, please give us a follow, rating, and a review. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Chantelle. And we're tuning into CCTV, the nonstop pop show.