The Daily Spin, May 5
Lady Gaga | Chromatica
Welcome back to the Daily Spin, the series in which I review 365 albums during 2023.
Each album will be given a rating on a scale from 0 to 10. You can look at the entire set here. Additionally, you can check out a list of my favorite song from each album right here.
If you want to suggest an album, good news! You can do so right here!
This is my second review of a Lady Gaga album. You can find the first here:
Album: Chromatica (2020)
Artist: Lady Gaga
Link:
Back in March, we looked at The Fame Monster - for a long time, I thought, a nearly insurmountable favorite album. It was everything I wanted for a pop album like this, and as Gaga has developed her career, her willingness to try new sounds left mixed results, regardless of my respect for her comfort with stepping outside of the box.
Chromatica just might have outdone The Fame Monster, though. While it doesn’t, in my opinion, have those same iconic songs, I think it builds upon the foundation built all those years ago, turning the clock back to give us the essence of classic Gaga with a modern twist that serves as a wonderful foil for her vocals.
If nothing else, this is a remarkable demonstration of growth - as much as this is the same sound that she first grew popular with, it’s also refined. There’s clear differences, more dimension and stronger backing to her electronic elements, while her vocals sail overtop with the power that you’d expect from someone who has come into her status as somewhat of a cult icon.
Rating: 8.5/10
Best Tracks: Babylon; Rain On Me
Worst Tracks: Sour Candy; Sine From Above