Lady Gaga-"The Fame Monster" Review

 

 

 

"The Fame" introduced Lady Gaga to the music scene in 2008, but in 2009, "The Fame Monster" is what solidifies Gaga's position as a pop icon. What makes this EP far more superior than its already outstanding musical parent is its key differences from "The Fame". The first: personality. Of course "The Fame" already had loads of it to go around, but it wasn't Gaga's personality, it was that of the mainstream. "The Fame Monster" now explores Gaga herself, her experiences, and her sentiments. But even though, she reminds us of her humanity by weaving her knowledge of life into tracks based on dance-beats rather than guitars and drums, the only exception being the moving power ballad "Speechless". The second key difference: she lets in a darkness and a vulnerability not at all present on "The Fame", and it makes this counterpart all the more compelling because of it. Whether its the gritty, club-ready "Monster" or the hypnotic "So Happy I Could Die", there's not a single track that is shuffled aside as filler. Gaga makes sure every single note goes noticed and every single beat makes its way into your mind until you are out of your seat, especially in her best-ever single "Bad Romance". If the Beyonce assisted "Telephone" won't get you moving, then the tribute to the great women of our time ("Dance in the Dark") surely will. In only 8 tracks and 34 minutes, "The Fame Monster" not only overshadows its predecessor, but defines the gargantuan size of pop in the late 2000s, as well as the entity that is Lady Gaga, far better than "The Fame" ever could have. Lady Gaga is here to stay, and she is determined to be like the monster she sings of and completely dominate the mainstream. If "The Fame Monster" proves anything, she will.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Bad Romance              2. Alejandro                        3. Monster
4. Speechless                    5. Dance in the Dark           6. Telephone
7. So Happy I Could Die8. Teeth