By Matt Scotto
Glamorous pop music newcomer Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Gabriella Germanotta) released her new album, “The Fame,” on Tuesday, and it’s clear that she’s making a statement.
The album is fueled by heavy dance tracks and strong electronic beats. Her first single, “Just Dance,” was released on April 8, 2008 and slowly became a smash hit on the dance floor. The track is a dance/pop festival, with an infectious chorus and a cameo by Colby O’Donis. “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich,” sums up Gaga’s self-discovery and her obsession with the party scene. The track was released as a promotion to coincide with the similarly titled ABC show “Dirty Sexy Money.”
Her newest single, “Poker Face,” is undoubtedly pop, but there is something very original about the way she brings it to the table. The song is another addicting one, with deliciously snappy lyrics and a dance-inducing chorus. This electronic roller coaster has its breaks, but really never stops.
“Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” is a catchy, reggae-infused tune, and “Starstruck” only continues the dance fever by infusing some hip-hop with a cameo by Flo Rida. In “Paparazzi,” Gaga turns the infamous picture-taking phenomenon into a love song. She sings “I’m your biggest fan/I’ll follow you until you love me/Papa-paparazzi.” “The Fame” isn’t without a little spice. In “Love Game,” she sings “Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick.” There’s even a song ironically named “I Like it Rough,” which speaks for itself.
“The Fame” has a recurring theme of living the high life and the perks of being famous. In the title track, Gaga sings “All we care about is runway models/Cadillacs and liquor bottles/give me something/I wanna be retro-glamour Hollywood/yes, we live for the fame.” Sure, it’s a little impractical, but there’s gritty overtone in which Gaga sings that makes her so unique. All of the songs on the album stay true to the theme, which is everything the singer personifies.
Some believe that pop music is what’s destroying the music industry today, but Lady Gaga turns the tables and makes the future of music something to look forward to.
If Madonna and Gwen Stefani had a love-child, Lady Gaga would be it. With original and witty lyrics and her fame-injected persona, “The Fame” is clearly expressing that pop music is the future. Gaga is a piece of tasty pop pie and, with a solid album under her belt and an already big fan-base, it looks like she’s here to stay. She is currently on tour, opening for New Kids on the Block. Make sure you get your tickets, because her performances are a futuristic, space-age spectacle. Pick up “The Fame” and get ready to dance.
3 Stars