“Mayhem” album cover (Courtesy of Lady Gaga and Wikipedia)
Rhett Kaya: From TikTok trends to the latest Taylor Swift album, there is always something CU Boulder students are obsessing over, opinionated about or adding to their vernacular. The Culture Critic will keep you up to date with the latest in entertainment and popular culture through content reviews, analysis and my self-proclaimed professional opinion.
As the pop music landscape continues to evolve, it becomes increasingly clear that purpose transcends. Audiences want a tightly packaged and clear reason to subscribe – or rather -to stream, evident by the commodification of artists online through the phenomenon of “stan culture.” Audiences are prompted to choose their favorites, categorize them and post them in a ranked order every year through Spotify Wrapped. Artists must sell not only their music but also their brand. This is something that Lady Gaga is, arguably, the antithesis of.
Throughout her career, Gaga has consistently pivoted in unpredictable directions; she’s attempted Americana with “Joanne,” house-inspired dance-pop through “Chromatica” and tried her hand at acting, delivering strong performances in less strong films. Gaga’s newest record, “Mayhem,” is a clear attempt at establishing a brand and sound that extend beyond the individual project. What does the title, “Mayhem,” even mean if not an attempt to consolidate the signature Gaga weirdness that has come before? If “Chromatica” was a blast-off into another solar system, “Mayhem” is a full-speed descent back to what fans initially subscribed to. Gaga has successfully pieced together some of the best elements of her discography to create a fun and dance-ready collection of songs. Unfortunately, this makes “Mayhem” her least ambitious record yet.
This is evident through occasional references to mythological or Halloween-esque creatures. There’s quite literally a song called “Zombieboy,” which works as a standalone concept, but the beast-like references throughout the record lack direction and feel like an inorganic attempt at conjuring the weird referential lyricism she’s been praised for in the past.
That said, Gaga often hits the chord just right. “Abracadabra” and “Garden of Eden” are perfect pop songs, reminiscent of her most popular records, “The Fame Monster” and “Born This Way.” “Perfect Celebrity” is a thrashy pop-rock song that jumpstarts the listener, preparing them for what’s to come. While sonically exciting, “Perfect Celebrity” says little more than Gaga’s slew of existing fame-centric songs. Tracks like “Blade of Grass” and “The Beast” are sonically and lyrically devoid of anything intriguing, and the album’s closer, “Die With A Smile,” feels like a tacked-on attempt at maximizing stream potential.
Full of hazy synths, up-octave echoes, and slightly cringeworthy lyrics, “How Bad Do U Want Me” is, in almost all forms, a Taylor Swift song. Swift would never write lyrics this corny or ambiguous, but where Gaga flounders lyrically, she excels vocally. She uses her powerful and emotive voice to add heart to a lyrically confusing narrative. That said, “How Bad Do U Want Me” is one of the best, if not the best, tracks on “Mayhem.” Yes, a little overt in its Swiftism, but a calculated risk that showcases both the genius of Swift’s formula and Gaga’s ability to restructure existing ones.
The inclusion of a Swift-esque track alludes to “Mayhem’s” central theme and perhaps thesis: Gaga is in love; maybe even saved by love. Gaga has been very vocal about the impact of her fiancé, Michael Polansky, who is also credited as a producer and writer on “Mayhem.” In “Vanish Into You,” she asks her lover, “Can I vanish into you?” As an artist, Gaga has consistently explored the psyche of a celebrity and how lustrous, uplifting, but also defeating it can be. In “Mayhem,” Gaga paints love as a cure to fame and the struggles that accompany it.
This dichotomy between fame and love is reflected in the construction of the record. Gaga never really commits to a direction on “Mayhem.” This pull towards a quieter life is muddled by an attempt and maybe pressure to recreate the magic of her earlier work, particularly a sonic return to albums like “Born This Way” and “The Fame.” One of the last tracks, “Blade of Grass,” tells the story of Polansky proposing to Gaga with a blade of grass after she claimed it was all she needed. Unfortunately, the rest of the record does little to build up to this romantic climax, and the song comes across as confusing and stagnant.
Gaga’s weirdness is at its best when disguising a message or making a point. The mostly positive reaction to “Mayhem” proves that Gaga’s signature sound can still be fresh, but at times, it wears its nostalgia too heavily. Gaga has not made a perfect record yet, a result of her commitment to her vision. “ARTPOP” received immediate backlash. While the consensus on this record has shifted in a more positive direction, there are undeniable misses. Gaga only reaches her best when she isn’t afraid to swing big.
“Mayhem,” like most Gaga records, has high highs and low lows. To Gaga’s credit, her sounds work, and her songs translate, but a lack of clear direction and creative risk, other than “How Bad Do U Want Me,” makes the record feel safe. Many have made jokes about a recession or time turmoil signaling new Gaga music and vice versa. Gaga’s ability to craft catchy, dance-ready hits, reminiscent of the songs that got so many through past struggles, poses the question of whether this album will be able to maintain relevance. Pop music is a performance, and overall, “Mayhem” is a successful attempt at reminding audiences just how good Gaga can get.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Rhett Kaya at rhett.kaya@colorado.edu
