Lady Gaga’s latest offering is Mayhem in every sense of the word. It’s about her love for blending genres, and in a sense, that’s what makes Gaga Gaga. However, the pacing and genre choices don’t always make for a cohesive album. We’re taken on a musical journey, but it sometimes feels more like a hostage situation than sonic progression.
The album is all about inner conflict. It's darkness and light in one, her persona as Gaga versus her softer Lady side. This push and pull is what crafts the sense of mayhem, though it doesn’t always succeed since it doesn’t get meaningfully dark and ends with a sigh, not a bang.
With Disease and Abracadabra, we're lulled into a false sense of security for the old Gaga of Born This Way all the way up to Artpop’s deliciousness. But it falls apart immediately after, picking up in the middle with Killah and Zombieboy’s stunning synthy-pop moments, 70s funky licks and catchy hooks. These two, along with the first two tracks, are the standouts.
Confusingly, she ends the album with three slower tracks– talk about a momentum killah– including Die With a Smile, which doesn’t belong on this album. Overall, Mayhem isn’t a bad offering with high highs but not as interesting to listen to as other albums from the Haus of Gaga.
By Nicole McManus
The Department of Entertainment
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