Lady Gaga’s “little monsters” were in for a treat earlier this week when her latest studio album, Born This Way, leaked days before its May 23 release date. After music lovers worldwide were teased with a string of rapid-fire singles after the video for “Judas” was released, including “Edge of Glory,” “Marry the Night,” and “Hair,” fans and critics alike were finally able to listen to the Born This Way LP in its entirety.
I’ve gotta be honest: I wasn’t wild about the first single off the album (also called “Born This Way”). I thought it had a great social message (equality, the importance of being yourself, etc), but didn’t quite live up to tracks like “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” off her fantastice Fame: Monster album. A lot of critics agreed, saying that the song felt cluttered and was derivative of Madonna (specifically “Express Yourself”). While the Lady formerly known as Stefani Germanotta has never been shy about paying homage to her inspirations (it’s almost impossible to listen to Gaga’s “Alejandro” and not make comparisons to Ace of Base’s nineties hit “All That She Wants”), “Born This Way” seemed to step over the invisible line separating inspiration from imitation.
After listening to the full Born This Way album, though, I was relieved. The album is long, totally unique in its computerized homages to monster balladry of the 70s and 80s, and a refreshing diversion from the rest of the Billboard Top 40. Plus it has (multiple!) sax solos by Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Sure, it’s not everybody’s idea of a good time, but for those already gaga over Gaga, as well as those who like huge, bleepy, crypto-religious disco anthems, it’s an hour of good, slightly unclean fun. Take a listen to some of the tracks and decide for yourself:
Lady Gaga – “Hair”
Lady Gaga – “The Edge of Glory”
Have you heard the album yet? What’s your take? Let us know in the comments below.