★ ★ ★ ★ out of 5
It's been a rollercoaster career for pop chameleon Lady Gaga. Ever since her double #1 punch of "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", each artistic project has been scrutinized and unfairly compared to a meteoric debut era.
While The Fame Monster was met with critical acclaim -- one of the shortest projects to receive an Album of the Year GRAMMY nomination -- proper sophomore album Born This Way was criticized for supposed chart corruption and the religious tone of the "Judas" single. ARTPOP left folks scratching their heads, they were supposedly bored with the GRAMMY-winning Cheek to Cheek collaboration with Tony Bennett, and weren't too fond of the stripped back Joanne era.
An Academy Award-nominated A Star is Born lead acting performance and snagging a separate Oscar for "Shallow" still couldn't satisfy the naysayers. So when Gaga finally announced Chromatica, her sixth studio album, was in the works, there was judgment even prior to its official release.
Lead single "Stupid Love" brought the artist back to the technicolor dance floor, her "roots". Her first collaboration with Max Martin became another Top 5 hit for Gaga, yet the skeptics still were not impressed. Following a release date delay due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, money-hungry claims spread like wildfire. Turns out, the wait was purposeful.
Following the release of collaborations with both Ariana Grande and BLACKPINK, we finally blast off to the queer planet of Chromatica. A safe space for healing and mental recovery, Lady Gaga coats herself in 90s dance and disco influence for a collection of tracks where she sounds relaxed, does not take herself too seriously.
While not as "smart" as previous albums, the new project might just be Gaga's most cohesive, fun, and straightforward effort to date.
Following the first of three cinematic interludes which act as the glue of three album segments, listeners fall down the rabbit hole with Gaga on "Alice", a rave-influenced juggernaut, as the artist struggles with finding the inner peace necessary to survive. It sets the tone for what is to come, a journey of overcoming hardships and becoming satisfied with one's own reflection.
With pulsating dance beats at the forefront, the kaleidoscope production of lead single "Stupid Love" elevates the message of unconditional love and relentless commitment. An intriguing blend of Born This Way and ARTPOP aesthetic, Gaga pushes through the fame and uncertainty in hopes of creating an honest connection. That uncertainty sometimes clouds the road to solace. Ariana Grande joins Gaga on second single "Rain On Me" to help lift each other up from the depths of their darkness. BURNS and Bloodpop bottle up their recent trials and tribulations, shake it all up in house beats, and expose the pain as an anthem of perseverance.
"Free Woman" highlights where most of Gaga's bottled up pain stems from, a sexual assault at the hands of a music producer. Over tinkering house beats, the artist reclaims her power, without the need for a man by her side. "This is my dancefloor I fought for, a heart, that's what I'm livin' for," she defiantly belts, reclaiming her strength.
That strength is usually drowned by Gaga's own disappointment in herself, as she details on the juxtaposed "Fun Tonight". As she forces a smile when glazing in the mirror, the artist ensures she will not remain her own worst enemy. To do so, she pops some medication to calm her nerves on "911", an energetic, techno self-evaluation. With a robotic vocal performance at the forefront, she weaves through Daft Punk-like production, until she hits the prescription "reset" button for comfort.
Perhaps the need to self-medicate her fits of mental psychosis are triggered by the constant need to remain the perfect pop star. "Plastic Doll", with production credits from Skrillex, touches on Gaga feeling objectified by all around her -- her lovers, her managers, her fans. "Don't play with me, it just hurts me, I'm bouncin' off the walls, no, no, no, I'm not your plastic doll," the artist sings in angst.
South Korean pop girl group BLACKPINK join for "Sour Candy", an aggressive yet honest relationship admission. While the girls might appear tough and hard on the outside, time will allow potential suitors to reach their sweet center. As on the preceding tracks, Gaga exposes her flaws, learns to accept them, and demands her partner do the same. It's rambunctious and the most playful moment on the album.
Incorporating brass horns, Gaga gives said lover a taste of what their relationship could look like on "Enigma", a groovy ode to mystery. Though nervous at its beginning stages, unsure if it is all real, the artist remains open-minded and excited by the many different forms love and partnership can take. Why do we have to fit everything into a certain box? Maybe because we are afraid of being hurt most by the one we love? On "Replay", Gaga revisits past relationship turmoil and hurt and sings of how it's drastically affected her growth. "I'm completely numb, why you acting dumb?, I won't blame myself 'cause we both know you were the one," she sings over infectious disco beats.
Nobody would have expected what Gaga and Elton John would create when the opportunity to collaborate arose again. Their last joint effort was released back in 2011. "Sine From Above" is a crowning jewel on the album, a dramatic, narrative piece where the artists pray to their God: the music. It's the origin of inspiration for two of the most innovative artists on the scene. The avant garde duet is over-the-top, cinematic, tear-jerking, dance-worthy, all leading to a crazed breakdown in the final half-minute.
"1000 Doves" suffers from a lack of restraint. However, the inspiration and encouragement that pours from the dance ballad is intoxicating, it's the end of a grueling journey for Gaga. Perfect for the Eurovision Song Contest stage, the artist is seeking support, a shoulder to lean on. If that's not you, then just leave. "Lift me up, give me a start, 'cause I've been flying with some broken arms, lift me up, just a small nudge, and I'll be flying like a thousand doves," she sings on the chorus.
The album closes out with "Babylon", a "Vogue" spiritual successor where Gaga sings of the destructive consequences something as trivial as gossip can have on one's life, including hers. Victim of harsh rumors about her sexual orientation and gender, the artist boldly sings to ignore the cruelty and wear it proudly as you strut down the street. It's a cleansing closure.
Chromatica was weighed down by expectations even before its birth was announced. To be fair, nothing she creates will please certain individuals. While the lyrical innovation we've come to expect may be missing from a few tracks, tracks that barely hit the three-minute mark, Lady Gaga sounds to have created the album for her own betterment. The artist has never shied away from mental obstacles that get the best of her. Instead of cowering in the corner, scared to get back up from defeat, she has created infectious dance numbers to get the blood pumping and dissipate her fears. In the midst of one of the worst, politically-dividing pandemics to hit the world, inspiring and upbeat cuts appear to be just what Dr. Fauci ordered. For a moment, Gaga wants to transport listeners to a colorful utopia, to let go of their anger and worry.
So dance, motherf*ckers!
Tracks to Hear: "Alice", "Rain On Me", "911", "Plastic Doll" and "Sine From Above"
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