Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Before the pop diva's new album came out, an unusual expectation had arisen. What kind of innovative material could she come up with when she's got us used to constant look changes from crazy-colored-and-shaped wigs and hats to meat dresses? Will she be able to confirm she is the big star all the media and event organizers promote or will she be just another shooting star in the music business which brings idols down as easily as it launches them to stardom? Will this album be at the same level as her very good first LP and succeeding EP? All these questions and uncertainties were wiped off with the first listen. Born This Way is not only the best record Gaga has delivered so far; it is undoubtedly the best pop album of the year, an album that is destined to become a classic of pop music.
To tell the truth, restricting this record to just pop would be a mistake too big, because electropop, house, new wave, rock, opera, heavy metal, disco, Gregorian chant, country and mariachi coexist peacefully weaving a musical net that, although heterogeneous, becomes a uniform body as songs go by. Gaga made sure she incorporated the perfect dose of each of these styles so that her songs do not lose their essence and style, but, at the same time, so that they can transcend musical barriers and, why not, reach a wider audience. As she herself stated: "And I realized I wanted to create a hybrid album, an avant-garde techno-rock record that is really really heavy and industrial on one end and really joyful and pop on the other."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_This_Way).
Musically, the whole album is influenced by the 80s. The first single "Born This Way" automatically evokes Madonna's "Express Yourself", the sax that can be heard on "Hair" and on "The Edge Of Glory", reminds of Bruce Springsteen (a thought acquiring an even larger dimension if one considers that the musician playing that instrument on those songs is not other but Clarence Clemons, member of Springsteen's E Street Band who unfortunately passed away shortly after the album came out), Gaga says she things of Whitney Houston when she hears "Marry The Night", and the song "Hair" contains melodies inspired by Kiss and Iron Maiden, according to its author. One of the tracks that stands out for being different in style to what we are used to is "You and I", offering a strong rock and country component reminiscent of Shania Twain. "Surprisingly" this song was produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange, Shania's former husband. There is also a mariachi touch on "Americano", sung both in English and Spanish, house on "Scheiße", sung in an inexistent language sounding similar to German, hardrock on the riffs to "Electric Chapel" and "Highway Unicorn" and, in case this were not enough, there is even Gregorian Chant on "Government Hooker".

Another important element of the record are the references that the lyrics contain. In general, the message of freedom pervades all the songs. Gaga has always said that the two things she cares for the most are freedom and music. After listening to this record, we know this is true. "Hair", for instance, is about the restrictions parents impose on their children, which end up undermining their freedom and their identity. As concerns identity, this is another main subject of this piece of work. The clearest example can be found on "Born This Way", the lyrics of which say it does not matter the sexual inclination or race, we all should be sure and content with who we are, despite what others think. No wonder this is the reason why Gaga's followers around the world increase by the day. The singer is not afraid of saying what she things and she acts in the same way. Moreover, defending relegated groups in the United States (and in the world) has been one of her banners she raises high with her music. Concerning minority groups, the song "Americano" was written due to the passing of a new immigration law in Arizona, which proved controversial in the States at the moment it was passed.
The references to Christianity play an important role in the record. "Judas" is about falling in love with the wrong person. On the video, Gaga plays Magdalene. She leaves Jesus because she falls for Judas, even though she knows he will betray Jesus. "Bloody Mary" is a ballad sung from Mary Magdalene's point of view. According to Lady Gaga, Mary Magdalene is divine and human at the same time: divine because she had to be strong when Jesus died crucified in order to save humanity and human because she must have felt angry because she let him go to fulfill his destiny. On 27 May, 2011, Gaga wrote on Twitter that the song had been inspired by her car and by Mary Magdalene the "ultimate rockstar". One of the bonus tracks featured on the extended version of the album, "Black Jesus" is about seeing reality from another point of view. It is a reference to the times when Lady Gaga moved to New York city to pursue her musical career and when she met new people, having other perspectives, conceptions, ideas and so on. (There is a kind of pledge of allegiance to New York City on the song "Marry The Night", perhaps against Hollywood's glamor, specially when the lyrics say "New York is not just a tan that you'll never lose".)
Lady Gaga, true to her controversial, provoking and innovative style, brings us an album that surpasses all the expectations that arose before it came out. Of course, many will say that everything was already said and done, that Gaga is simply copying others. That these musical influences were already heard in the 80s. That the religious references and a black Jesus were on Madonna's Like A Prayer. But just so, in the world of pop, where everything seems to repeat over and over, breathing new air into old elements so that they sound new is a gift. Not only does Gaga have this gift, but it looks like she has enough ideas to lead the pop music avant-garde for a long time.

Rating: 10/10

First single: Born This Way

Unmissable song: The Edge Of Glory (featuring Clarence Clemons).

Sources: Wikipedia and Gagapedia.