When you first look at Lady Gaga, it's hard not to write her off as a Gwen Stefani wannabe. They share the same passion for fashion, the same hair color, and even the same vocal range. But while Gwen made fame being a ska punk and a Harajuku girl, Gaga became known for her antics as well as her perfect pop confections. Her sexuality and her unwillingness to be subtle are what set her apart from the rest of the pop pack. Now she can hang with the likes of Madonna, who had been doing, well, exactly the same thing back in the 80s. But, with Gaga's higher-pitched voice she could very easily pass herself of as Blondie just as well. In short, Lady Gaga is the definition of fame. She's exactly what the rap-dominated world of 2008 needed, a fresh face who could even fresher pop to the table. It was inevitable, Madonna could only change her game so much before the mainstream demanded more. Lady Gaga not only meets its expectations, she far surpasses them.
While new artists of 2008 sang about to cliches and current trends of the world (Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" is the best example), Gaga not only mocked them, but turned her mockery into fourteen very sellable hits that fit the mold that they are trying to break, and then modify it to make pop wider and more versatile. And while the subject matter of other artists remains firmly on themselves, Gaga takes a page from Shania Twain's book and creates tales that are not about Lady Gaga, the person. Let's face it, has she really ever faced a situation like "Starstruck", where she not only gets close to a celebrity but shares her favorite music with them? No, Gaga's listeners are meant to her themselves in her songs. She has her firm grasp on what the people are in to. She knows that club goers want to "Just Dance", and that girls love "Boys Boys Boys". Her fans don't want a "Paper Gangsta", and we all have that one person with those special "Brown Eyes". She even plays into the not-so good obsessions of the world today such as "The Fame" and especially the "Paparazzi", whose obessions has lead to some unfortunate automobile accidents...
Still, what makes "The Fame" such a great and cohesive album IS the gargantuan glossiness and relatability that bedecks its monster-sized hooks and its perfect production. This album is an entity too big to be dealt with all at once, so its brilliance lies in the fact that you will be on your infinite spin and you still find more to love. "The Fame" is a lean album with not an ounce of fat. Sure, there will always be a couple songs for filler, but even they sound as good as the sleeper-hit "Just Dance" and the very addictive "Poker Face". This is catchy pop, feel good music, and an album that busts the door open to many more artistic and career possibilites. Not just for Gaga, mind you.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Just Dance 2. LoveGame 3. Paparazzi
4. Poker Face 5. Eh, Eh, (Nothing Else I Can Say) 6. Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
7. The Fame 8. Money Honey 9. Starstruck
10. Boys Boys Boys 11. Paper Gangsta 12. Brown Eyes
13. I Like It Rough 14. Summerboy
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