I was surprised to see the mixed reception for this one... and then I wasn't.

 

Further proof of a deep generational chasm that divides ATRL into two camps; the twentysomething pop sophisticates with 15 to 20 years of top-shelf pop consumption to their name, and an unruly kid crew with RuPaul avatars and tributes to Chappell Roan in their signatures. It's not that the latter generation is a lost cause entirely, but they've clearly never heard a "Gaga" — that is, they've never encountered a voice quite as distinctive as Gaga's. "But I know Gaga! Joanne was the first album I bought!" First off, ask for a refund. And no, you don't know Gaga, you know a very stilted and subdued version of the iconic performer.

 

The Gaga of "Harlequin" is Gaga as Gaga is intended to sound. She very skillfully vacillates between a range of tones; she nasally, then guttural, then grainy, then nasally again, then delicate. (And yes, that's how she's supposed to do it.) She's sultry. She's goofy. She's sounds slightly absurd. She's fully engaged. She's expressive in ways that "technically superior" vocalists just aren't. She is brilliant. You have no idea how brilliant she is.

 

This is the probably purest attempt Gaga has made to harness some of that ineffable charm that made her early work so irresistible. I adore it.

I just read a few pages of this thread from today and wow, some of you really don't listen to anything but pop dance music

 

Like I get we're on Atrl but... Still kinda surprising to me how Gaga expressed her willingness to explore new genres outside of pop literally a decade ago and you're still here PARKED thinking everything she's gonna put out is gonna be commercial pop. Just give up lol.

OK my review after first listen 

 

Her vocals are amazing. This is really well done overall. I do have some criticisms. I wish she'd been a bit more experimental on this. The Joker is amazing, I wish more of the album took risks like that song did where it seems like a different genre to the original. I also think starting the album with Good Morning, Get Happy and Oh When the Saints was a mistake. Those covers are kinda boring compared to most of the rest of the album. Like there's nothing wrong with them but they just don't do anything interesting and they aren't among the stronger songs on the album either. The second half is also just much stronger in general. 

 

Standouts: The Joker, World On A String, Smile, Close To You, Happy Mistakes, That's Life. 

This album is just across the board better than both her albums with Tony. Those albums had their moments but ultimately they were quite middle of the road and boring where as this album has way more personality. 

The Joker is an instant career highlight I fear. 

 

The last minute, starting with when she sort of GROWLS, going through to the last second of the song, ugh orgasmic vocals. 

"The Joker" is literally how I thought this album would be 

Yeah rest of the album is whatever but "The Joker" is amazing 

it's a cute jazz album, i'm not feeling the 2 original songs as of now but her Close To You cover >>>>  also love Smile and That's Entertainment 

Mixed feelings

Edited September 26, 20242 yr by BlueBlue

streets sayin this is a boring album

5 minutes ago, rickycabello123 said:

streets sayin this is a boring album

streets are lying (:

18 minutes ago, Vespertine said:

The Joker is an instant career highlight I fear. 

 

The last minute, starting with when she sort of GROWLS, going through to the last second of the song, ugh orgasmic vocals. 

@perfectillusion204 liking this post, oh the taste jumped out. Perfect Illusion stans rise up! 

it must really suck to not like jazz because this album is great & the vibe fits the joker very well. 

oh this is not... 

Happy Mistakes starts off really strong but it needed to build to something bigger/better than it did. It's still a cute song but it's no ARUTW. Folie á Deux is cute but it sounds like a lot of other things. I think perhaps it's in the movie and is their shot at best original song as she said only Happy Mistakes was exclusive to this album. I don't think it's gonna win that though.  

9 hours ago, Supervillain said:

Let me just say, I am fuming that the visuals don't match the music at ALL.

 

Where are the unhinged punk rock anthems?

 

I haven't heard the album yet but the visuals feel very late 60s early 70s glam meets late mod era Biba fashion 

1 hour ago, Shimenawa said:

So i'm listening to it for the first time and i hate it. This jazz **** is unlistenable. Cheek to Cheek was nice because of the novelty factor but we didn't need a 2nd and even less a 3rd one. She should have done an entire album with Bruno instead of this crap

 

well this was never happening anyways just say you don't like jazz & move on lol. it's a movie soundtrack calm down. 

Edited September 27, 20242 yr by Fanta

Now i'm obsessed with That's Entertainment it's a different one each hour

 

 

She's about to EAT

 

46 minutes ago, AndThenTheCocaine said:

I was surprised to see the mixed reception for this one... and then I wasn't.

 

Further proof of a deep generational chasm that divides ATRL into two camps; the twentysomething pop sophisticates with 15 to 20 years of top-shelf pop consumption to their name, and an unruly kid crew with RuPaul avatars and tributes to Chappell Roan in their signatures. It's not that the latter generation is a lost cause entirely, but they've clearly never heard a "Gaga" — that is, they've never encountered a voice quite as distinctive as Gaga's. "But I know Gaga! Joanne was the first album I bought!" First off, ask for a refund. And no, you don't know Gaga, you know a very stilted and subdued version of the iconic performer.

 

The Gaga of "Harlequin" is Gaga as Gaga is intended to sound. She very skillfully vacillates between a range of tones; she nasally, then guttural, then grainy, then nasally again, then delicate. (And yes, that's how she's supposed to do it.) She's sultry. She's goofy. She's sounds slightly absurd. She's fully engaged. She's expressive in ways that "technically superior" vocalists just aren't. She is brilliant. You have no idea how brilliant she is.

 

This is the probably purest attempt Gaga has made to harness some of that ineffable charm that made her early work so irresistible. I adore it.

the way this post makes more sense when it's about this album than the original about that britney song  

3 hours ago, AndThenTheCocaine said:

I was surprised to see the mixed reception for this one... and then I wasn't.

 

Further proof of a deep generational chasm that divides ATRL into two camps; the twentysomething pop sophisticates with 15 to 20 years of top-shelf pop consumption to their name, and an unruly kid crew with RuPaul avatars and tributes to Chappell Roan in their signatures. It's not that the latter generation is a lost cause entirely, but they've clearly never heard a "Gaga" — that is, they've never encountered a voice quite as distinctive as Gaga's. "But I know Gaga! Joanne was the first album I bought!" First off, ask for a refund. And no, you don't know Gaga, you know a very stilted and subdued version of the iconic performer.

 

The Gaga of "Harlequin" is Gaga as Gaga is intended to sound. She very skillfully vacillates between a range of tones; she nasally, then guttural, then grainy, then nasally again, then delicate. (And yes, that's how she's supposed to do it.) She's sultry. She's goofy. She's sounds slightly absurd. She's fully engaged. She's expressive in ways that "technically superior" vocalists just aren't. She is brilliant. You have no idea how brilliant she is.

 

This is the probably purest attempt Gaga has made to harness some of that ineffable charm that made her early work so irresistible. I adore it.

Spot on assessment. Anyone who thinks this is a misstep has not been paying attention to Gaga or her creative output at all.

 

Harlequin is a love letter to Stefani. The second I saw the album artwork for this it all clicked - people complaining that the "subversive imagery" doesn't match the music are so laughably wrong it's almost sad, because it's both sonically and visually a portrait of a young artist trying to harness her creativity while clinging to her sanity after a traumatic experience.

 

If you don't like it, cool - but to write it off as simply bad just tells us all you have zero taste or musicality lol

 

EDIT: wait is this a copypasta 

 

Edited September 27, 20242 yr by Vegvisir

I only use Happy Mistake and appreciate her raw vocals, the rest I expect to never listen again any time soon

 

i'm mad we're on the 3rd jazz album and a 6th electropop album is coming but still no sign of a full rock album  it's long overdue 

I suprisingly love this

Oh I love this album

 

okay second listen makes it much better

The Joker and Happy Mistake are really good  
 

The Joker reminds me of We Don't Talk About Bruno  Hope it pulls a WDTAB as well