CD Review – Lady Gaga displays growth, maturity

By Jamil Oakford/ editor-in-chief

Lady Gaga, Joanne
Lady Gaga, Joanne

The 21st century queen of dance is back with her new album Joanne, and it’s definitely a pleasant departure from previous work and a masterclass on musical evolution.

It’s been a few years since Lady Gaga released a full album. It’s good to have her back creating music that will likely fuel many playlists for years to come.

Joanne starts with “Diamond Heart,” which begins soft and reminiscent of a girl who grew up too soon. But it doesn’t take long for the song to rev up. It’s a rallying cry of sorts with a catchy but powerful proclamation that she has a “diamond heart” and, therefore, can endure any kind of heartbreak.

The first noticeable difference on this album is the sound. While nearly excessive use of synths and electronic baselines have defined the distinctive sound in Lady Gaga’s past hits, this album seems to leave that behind. Previous albums have all featured a big and grand sound. Here, Lady Gaga has produced an album still large in scope but far more intimate.

Some of the best work is done through “Million Reasons.” The piano is a beautiful but sorrowful tone, and Gaga’s rich voice only adds to the heightened emotion as she tells of a person who’s waiting for her lover to give her a reason to stay in a non-working relationship.

Album highlights include “A-YO,” a funky number that’s nearly impossible not to dance to; “Sinner’s Prayer,” a heartfelt song about not wanting to break someone’s heart but the narrator is a sinner and it’s only natural, and “Come to Mama,” a bouncy number about taking refuge in someone from a mad world.

This album, especially the deluxe version, is worth every penny spent just to hear how much Lady Gaga has grown as a songwriter, musician and vocalist.