Lady Gaga is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, and her continued work proves why. As a concept album to coincide with the release of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” this album is quite a bit different from her previous work.
The biggest thing tying the album to her role in “Joker: Folie à Deux” is that Gaga said in an interview that she tries to sing like her character, Lee Quinzel, in the film. This creates a unique feeling to the album. The style makes it so that the album is quite successful on some songs and not on others. What makes the style work for me on some songs is how Gaga makes them her own and how she changes them to fit the album. Whereas with others, they seem to be straight remakes of older songs.
Another thing to note is that Gaga’s newest album has a jazz style to it, like that of her more recent work with jazz legend Tony Bennett. This style can be hit or miss for some, but I quite like it. Not only do I enjoy this style of music, but Gaga has selected songs that each have a different tempo or flow to the jazz to help keep it fresh.
The jazz aspect is heard throughout the entirety of the album, but most recognizably in the first half of the album. The first few tracks are Gaga remaking older jazz songs like “Good Morning” from “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Get Happy.” A lot of these songs are from the 1930s and 1950s, and Gaga’s take on these songs is unique and wholly original, making them stand out. As the album goes on, the repetition of remakes starts to wear thin.
The second half of the album has the standout songs from this album for me. This is due to the two songs that move on from the remakes of other beloved jazz songs to more original music from Gaga. The songs that I like the most are the ones that helped keep the album feeling more original, as they offered something new.
One of the two tracks that stand out is titled “The Joker.” This is the most rock-oriented song in the entire album, and while it feels a bit too upbeat and fast-paced for the album, it is quite catchy. I think Gaga rightly placed this song in between two jazz songs, as it breathes a new sort of life into the album.
The standout track of the album is easily “Happy Mistake.” Gaga’s vocals are top-notch in this song, and the lyrics are undeniably moving. It is the track that most will come back to the most because of the vocal work, it is simply exceptional.
As much as I enjoyed the album, I do not think that it will be one that I will regularly replay. This is due to the overall concept of the album. As I have mentioned, Gaga’s unique take on these jazz songs does not always work. While I appreciate the chances Gaga takes on this album, it does not all land for me. However, it is still very much worth a listen to if you are a fan of her music, specifically the more unique songs on the latter half of the album.
Rating: 7/10
