Ever since I was five and my mom played “The Fame Monster” in her car for the first time, I have been a Lady Gaga fan.
Each of her albums notoriously brings a distinct sound to the table, some more edgy, some more experimental and some more down to earth. Her latest album, “MAYHEM,” brings together all the different sounds from her past.
“MAYHEM” is Lady Gaga’s seventh solo studio album and is a marker of her growth across her decade and a half of fame. The album has a sense of maturity that reflects Gaga’s years of being a seasoned artist and combines this with inspiration from some of her early works.
“Disease” is a perfect opening track for this type of album. This song has an eerie sense of power that Gaga fans love, with just the right amount of weirdness in its electronic production. Gaga sings, “Screamin’ for me, baby/Like you’re gonna die/Poison on the inside I could be your antidote tonight” before going into a punky, EDM-style chorus. “Disease” feels like a sister to the iconic “Judas” with backing vocals that open the album with a tone that suits it.
“Disease” is directly followed by the now TikTok famous “Abracadabra.” Listen, I know so many people hate this song, but to me, anytime Lady Gaga is rhyming her own name with nonsense words is a good time. Both of these songs feel so reminiscent of “Born This Way” and “ARTPOP,” immediately reminding Little Monsters everywhere of these fan-favorite albums.
The next few tracks take us even further back in time, with “Garden of Eden” — a personal favorite track of mine — and “Perfect Celebrity” calling back to each version of her debut album “The Fame” and “The Fame Monster,” respectively. “Garden of Eden” is a love letter to Gaga’s earliest sound, showing a more mature edition of the fun, edgy pop tracks of “The Fame.” The song also somehow feels like an adult version of a song Sharpay Evans would sing. Do with that what you will.
“Perfect Celebrity” is a dark, poignant track disguised as a fun, pop-rock song, taking inspiration from one of her earlier albums and her now years of experience in the often exploitative music industry. Gaga sings, “I look so hungry but I look so good/Tap on my vein suck on my diamond blood/Choke on the fame and hope it gets you high/Sit in the front row, watch the princess die,” commenting on how young women are treated in the entertainment industry.
The next few tracks are also great. “Vanish Into You” mixes an almost David Bowie sound with Gaga’s classic edgy pop vibe. “Killah” is what I’m referring to as the “girly-pop version of a song that would be in a heist movie,” and I love every second of it. ZombieBoy brings a disco sound to the album, and is catchy from beginning to end. These highlights, as well as the techno-pop sounds of “How Bad Do U Want Me” and “Don’t Call Tonight,” bring together the middle of the album beautifully.
The album’s penultimate song, “Blade of Grass,” is my favorite of the album’s slower, more personal tracks. This melancholic ballad has Gaga singing, “Come on and wrap that blade of grass/Around my finger like a cast/‘Cause even though the church burned down/I’ll be your queen without a crown.” This is truly a beautiful, intimate song.
The album closes with Gaga and Bruno Mars’ hit “Die with a Smile,” and though it is not my favorite on the album, this is a fitting way to end an album that celebrates Gaga’s journey as a musician.
Overall, “MAYHEM” is absolutely fantastic, with Gaga simultaneously celebrating her past eras as a musician and her growth and maturity as an artist and person. Little Monsters and non-Little Monsters everywhere, please give “MAYHEM” a listen.
