the monday roundup

paws ALL the way up

I am feeling some type of way about the new Lady Gaga album, MAYHEM, that I have not felt about Lady Gaga in roughly fifteen years. I was a huge fan of Gaga’s first album and its deluxe counterpart, The Fame/The Fame Monster, both of which sound tracked my junior and senior years of high school. In the years since, I’ve always liked Gaga, but nothing has ever gotten me the same way her early music did. So I wasn’t entirely sure how MAYHEM would hit me. Well, consider me hit.

This is Lady Gaga getting back to her roots - dance floor anthems that aren’t overwrought - and that is where she shines. I hear traces of some of her excellent early b-sides - especially “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” and “Summerboy” - throughout MAYHEM, but I also hear elevated vocals and production. I also hear her having fun! By the time I got to “How Bad Do U Want Me,” I had tears in my eyes. I love this album (minus “Die With A Smile,” which really doesn’t do anything for me, but I’m happy for her that it’s a hit). This is really a masterclass in embracing and improving upon earlier sounds in a way that feels new and exciting. AHH I just love it.

So, I’ve been listening to MAYHEM a lot. And in all honesty, I’m still listening to the new Tate McRae album a lot… The world is heavy right now, I want to zone out and listen to some dancey pop! I’m also enjoying new albums from Saya Gray, Miya Folick, Lilly Hiatt, and SASAMI and tracks from Samia, Charlotte Lawrence, Jensen McRae, Madison McFerrin, and more!

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