Index Wrote:We're all entitled to our opinions. I just think that too many tracks on BTW sound unnecessarily busy because of the electronic crap in the background.
Welcome to Pop music of the second decade of the 21st century. You're from France - don't you hear a TON of electronic technopop in your dance clubs? I know in the discotecas of Spain and clubs of Germany tracks like Americano and ScheiBe, respectively, are the norm.
Bribery and I sent partial track by track comments to one another over the course of Tuesday/Wednesday, so I'm just going to copypasta my responses here. The second set is in response to his breakdown, so if anything seems confusing, it's because I'm not going to post his responses without his permission.
Partial Track by Track Comments Part I
For starts, I'm in LOVE with Americano. I think it's a phenomenal Spanish electropop drama, and being of Puerto Rican descent I especially love Latin music (not to say anyone can't, but I was raised on it), so it's really cool for me. I think it'll be a great summer dance track.
I like Government Hooker a lot, but think it's one I'll need to listen to a few more times to really fall in love with. Definitely a fun dance track, and I must say when I heard her mention John F. Kennedy I had to pause the track and laugh.
I like Scheiße a lot too, again as a great dance track, but I'm worried it'll be too German technopop for America. I think the chorus is great melodically, but I almost feel as if the track gets drowned out by the club sounds every now and then. Excellent bridge.
I really like Heavy Metal Lover too. Super industrial and fierce, really good to rave to in the sense that it almost feels like it's playing in the gray area between normal rhythms and dubstep at times. The chorus isn't that exciting. However, the descending half-step melody of the bridge leading into the "underwater" club sounds is AWESOME. I absolutely love it (I'm a huge fan of that "underwater" sound technique in techno).
And finally, I'm beyond in love with You & I as a testament to her vocal and piano abilities. My only, personal issues are that I don't like the beat every now and then because I feel it's too heavy for track, being a ballad. When she starts belting, however, it all doesn't matter because she sounds amazing. I also wish, however, that she incorporated some of the gospel aspects from some of her performances into this final version. But then the ending is just simple, wonderfully warm, summery vocals.
Track by Track Comments Part II
Marry The Night - Agree about the abrupt ending, but my other big problem with the song (something echoed by a good friend irl, too) is that it feels like the same thing throughout the entire track. The verses are not different enough from the chorus, while the bridge is just more of the same. Same, same, same. One I'll have to listen to more of.
Born This Way - The best song lyrically on the album, which is ironic since she herself said the lyrics have no deep meaning, but are "pineappleing literal." I think that's why they're so good, however, because she found the eloquence in the literal that fits perfectly with the mood and beat of the song. This is probably my favorite Gaga track to date.
Government Hooker - Eerie feeling to the beginning reminds me in parts of Metroid Prime, which I thought was wicked cool for a techno pop song. JFK line is EXACTLY what you said with regards to the sex affair, as one of my friends said when I played it for them a few hours ago. Also I like the idea of the song if you relate it to governments in general; I think the lyrics combined with the feel of the song perfectly characterize the cynicism towards shady, behind the scenes politicking and private lives of politicians.
Judas - Completely agree with your thoughts. I don't like monotone of the verses, but then again it probably works better for the song than something more melodic, so I don't really care. And like I said, I think her choreo is awesome, and thus all together the track as a composite performance is sweet. Can't wait to see it live.
Americano - I thought the same thing too about the lyrics, but when you really look at them and think of the kind of depth they can convey, it's definitely more than one might initially think. Her opening verse lines, translated into English, are "My songs are of the revolution / my heart beats for my generation / if you love me we can marry on the west coast / on a Wednesday in the summer in August." Definitely more poetic than 90% of Britney's lyrics by comparison, though I agree I'd rather hear more specifics towards immigration. But I think in general, again, the idea behind "I don't speak your language" is to convey just that, along with the chorus of "America" followed by "Americanos." All together one of my favorite tracks off the album. Plus, when I played it for my Spanish friend a few hours ago, she said Gaga did a phenomenal job keeping it very Spanish.
Hair - I love this track because of the beat breaks that occur twice (even though some hate them), the overall message of the lyrics (cheesy at parts but, thinking about it as a rebellious teen growing up song, are appropriately immature in depicting the adolescent), and LOVE the anthemic section right before the final chorus where the beat drops and everything is blaring in sync. Another favorite.
Scheiße - Definitely agree. I want to love it more, but some of the German technopop is a little edgy for me with, like I said earlier, how it can drown out the foundational beats here and there.
Bad Kids - TOTALLY agree on the dual song mash up. I loved it with the beginning, then was confused by the ending. If you play the first 30 seconds then skip to the last 45, it does sound drastically different. Probably one of the lesser tracks on the album for that reason.
Highway Unicorn (Road to Love) - WAYY too intense at the beginning for the beat that starts about 20 seconds in. Love it starting 20 seconds in, and love the beginning if it just wasn't so insane.
You and I - Agree with you on the ending 100%. I was pleasantly surprised to hear it soft and with her landing on different parts of the chord vocally than expected, and feel it's a great transition into Edge of Glory. Still wish it had gospel ladies singing in the bridge!
The Edge of Glory - Love this song, but I think I need to listen to it like 60 more times to really commit my love. Sax solo is phenomenal, and her ability to weave it into a techno pop track so seamlessly is impressive (and I've played sax for 10 years, so I'm really impressed). And, like you said, EXCELLENT choice to end the album (even the ending of the track is very total sounding for an end that wraps up something more than the track itself). I think You and I and Edge of Glory were excellent choices to end with.
I didn't bother commenting on the bonus tracks because I strongly dislike them. While some of the lyrics are decent, I feel like they're true filler songs, sounding very much like a mash-up of Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Gaga's own "The Fame."
Ultimately, after listening for a week now, favorite tracks: Born This Way, Judas, The Edge of Glory, Hair, Marry The Night, Government Hooker, Americano, ScheiBe, Heavy Metal Lover, You and I. Favorite Gaga track of all time is definitely Born This Way, as I feel it really encapsulates her as an artist. I could say a lot more, but that would be another paragraph in this already massive post.
Final thoughts: still need to listen to the album more, this next week in between listens of The Fame Monster, as I agree with Miek: Born This Way is definitely better than The Fame, in my opinion, but whether or not it's better than The Fame Monster is a tough question. With regards to all other albums out there: I feel it's definitely a strong contender for Pop Album of the Year, and while it could win Album of the Year, I doubt it, with another 7 months to go and some massive albums on the way (Beyonce's "4," Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch the Throne," to name just TWO). But Album of the Decade, as Gaga pretentiously self-proclaimed? Hell the pineapple no. No worries, though, as she still has plenty of time to outdo herself, if that's what she wants.
