Lady Gaga has returned to her monstrous, forceful self with her new album, “MAYHEM.” This synthetic, dark pop collection features a trippy black-and-white aesthetic meant to evoke the horrors of monsters, killers and celebrities. With 14 songs packed into 53 minutes, it is not Gaga’s most evocative album, but it may be one of her most contemplative and mature ones, perhaps owing to her recent engagement to entrepreneur Michael Polansky, who has become a frequent collaborator in her music.
Gaga is a master at mythmaking, forcing her listener to see the beauty in these cultural folk devils. As Gaga said on the album’s thank you note: “You’ve always reminded me that I can be exactly who I want to be. Because when I looked out into the crowd, you were always exactly who you wanted to be.” It seems that MAYHEM is the avenue in which Lady Gaga finds true acceptance within herself, squaring Gaga and Stephanie, celebrity persona and real personhood.
The second track on the album, “Abracadabra,” speaks to how music liberates the soul. It is a poppy, piano beat whose lyrics literally say that you must “dance or die.” In true Gaga fashion, she evokes Christian imagery through the use of the Biblical magical incantation – abracadabra. Through it, Gaga shows the inherent mysticism in her music, speaking in “tongues” to connect to her little monsters. She shows the true power of her craft within this song: something that can transform its participant into a new being. “MAYHEM” is a rebirth for Gaga, who is always expected to be more shocking. Here, she chooses to fully immerse herself in her love for the art.
“Disease” is Gaga’s other single, switches to a rock vibe with Gaga declaring she “can cure your disease.” It is a testament to her abilities to show true acceptance, as she already knows “all your secrets.” There is no need to hide the darkest parts of ourselves because Gaga will not budge from them and can cure all. This is the song that reminds me most of her past albums, in fact, it could be mistaken as a track from her 2011 album “Born This Way.” A recurring theme of cures and illness are present in the majority of her albums. However, the musical beat could have been more adventurous like some of her past songs, as the melodies have no real climatic points.
One of my favorite songs of the album, “LoveDrug,” shares a similar form to “LoveGame” from her album “The Fame.” Yet, Gaga is much more reflective in her new song. She sings, “I don’t want to feel/ I don’t want to cry/ So I’m going to dance until I feel alright.” Love is an intoxicating drug that placates its recipient versus being a magnetic game between two people. The beat is nothing truly innovative, but like “Abracadabra” suggests, it is truly addictive. Like many of her songs on “MAYHEM,” it just makes you want to dance.
I can’t tell you how happy I was to see another Gaga album. It’s been a hot minute, as the star has forayed into various other artistic ventures. And while this album sets a new version of Lady Gaga, one with more restraint and a focus on artistry, it may be a positive change. While I find the beat and musicality to be one of the weaker parts of the album, you can see Gaga’s enlightened soul shine through her lyrics and symbolism. It seems Gaga has undergone a lot of healing, and that is a journey I will always appreciate.
3.5/5
