“MAYHEM”
Album Cover // Streamline, Interscope
By: Jordan Sarver-Bontrager
Media Writer
Lady Gaga is back with her sixth solo studio album, “MAYHEM”. Lady Gaga has always been a hero of the pop world who put out some of the best pop albums of the 2010s. Her sound defined that era in pop, and her new release doesn’t disappoint.
“MAYHEM” starts with “Disease”, a very strong track with powerful vocals from Gaga. It sets the tone for the album’s gothic, dark aesthetic. Then there’s the single “Abracadabra” that she released after the Grammys, which I think is one of her best songs to date. The chorus is my favorite part of the song – I love her soaring vocals, as well as the post-chorus, where she breaks down the syllables of abracadabra with a staccato flare.
Up next is “Garden of Eden”, which is a signature Gaga dance synth pop song with a beautiful melodic chorus. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and is a solid addition to the album. It’s followed up by “Perfect Celebrity” , a song that directs a lot of anger towards the industry and how it has treated her over the years. Her screaming vocals and voice cracks are absolutely perfect on this song. It’s definitely one of her heavier songs instrumentally.
“Vanish Into You” follows this heavy track. It reminds me a lot of a Beach House song, and I mean that in the best way possible. The drum machines, the synths and the guitar that occasionally comes in to fill the space all blend together for a gorgeous pop ballad. Everything on this album is really coming together perfectly.
The next song is “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein)”, a very funky pop song with a delicious melody that reminds me a lot of a Red Hot Chili Peppers song from “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. The breakdown on this song is phenomenal, with a heavy drum beat and synth wall, and Gaga’s fry vocals coming in a little bit later with a screeching, droning synth.
“Zombieboy” keeps up the trend of funky sensibilities with a TASTY bassline. This album has a lot of 70s funk influence on it with some gothic influence as well, and feels like a Prince album in a lot of ways.
The energy reduces a little bit on the mid-tempo ballad “LoveDrug”. This track is very strong, but it doesn’t particularly stand out, unlike its follow up “How Bad Do U Want Me”. The melody here is driving as is the instrumental, and the outro is just incredible as everything crescendos to a stunning finish. I absolutely love the pop production on this track.
“Don’t Call Tonight” is another poppy ballad. I’m a big fan of the guitar production on this track, particularly the chord stabs on the chorus.
“Shadow of a Man” might be the weakest track on the album. It’s good, but given how high quality every other song has been, this just doesn’t measure up. While I like what I’m hearing on this track, it doesn’t feel remarkable; it just blends into the noise, and it’s signifying that the album is winding down. I like the bridge quite a lot, though, and the guitar solo is great.
“The Beast” is a fantastic gothic pop ballad. I love the drum machine that chimes throughout the song, which reminds me of the iconic drum machine beat in “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. The screeching guitar solo in the bridge that blends with Gaga’s voice is so damn good.
“Blade of Grass” is a piano ballad, and it’s just a beautiful, simple love song. I am fond of the softer instrumentation on this song with the piano and acoustic guitar. The key change in the bridge was excellent – it felt earned and cathartic.
The final track, “Die with a Smile” with Bruno Mars, is my favorite song on the album. It was the only song from the album I heard before its release. Bruno Mars is a master of pop, and so is Lady Gaga, so this collab was a match made in heaven. I love the chorus melody, I love the guitars and the vocals from both singers are just beautiful. It was one of the best singles released last year, probably one of the best I’ve ever heard, and I’m glad it made its way onto the album.
Overall, this album was just amazing. There’s something to like with every track, and this project has some of Gaga’s best work in her entire career. I’m feeling a very strong 9 or even a 10 on this album.
