Lady Gaga - "Perfect Illusion" and new album 2016

A lot of the country comparisons are overstated imo, but it's definitely present in her voice this time around. If Lex is right and this is her authenticity play, it fails. It feels less authentic than any other point in her career, including the Tony Bennett collaboration.

i think "a yo" is pretty sick but this album felt weirdly lifeless to me too...

she sorta missed the pop/country/edm thing by a good year or so didn't she? when avicii and pitbull are beating you to a concept..

This is as much a country album as Young Americans is an R&B album.

i don't read this as an edm or country thing as much as an extension of the americana fetish she explored on "edge of glory" but without the fun kitsch that has defined her career and thus inferior

Yeah, this isn't genre tourism on her part. It's just a mess of her wanting to evolve in some direction away from the Just Dance/Bad Romance years and from what made Artpop a misstep and not really committing to the result. I have no doubt she could've made a good album in the hinterland where roots and 21st century pop meet, but every impulse she has in that regard seems like the wrong one.

Both young NY Times writer Joe Coscarelli and older blog/email guy Lefsetz are fixated on this new album's songs not doing well on Billboard Hot 100 so far

my lady gaga loving friend:

"I think someone found a bunch of unreleased really upbeat Lana Del Rey songs and Lady Gaga bought them and this is the album"

I've softened.

I like half of it.