Lady Gaga: The Fame – FULL Review

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By: Chris Newsom, Chic Mom Music Guru

Gwen Stefani decided to be a cheerleader and landed at #1 with “Hollaback Girl”. Katy Perry “Kissed A Girl” and landed at #1. Britney Spears’ comeback single “Womanizer” placed her at the penthouse. Pop-tarts seem to come and go, but always score a couple of hit singles, with at least one of those landing at the penthouse. For Lady Gaga, she’s had two #1 singles and third single that has landed in the top 5 that should probably have ended up at #1. Who is this “lady” who one of my friends called an “alien”, particularly after that bright pink, bubbly, nude Rolling Stone cover. Who is the real Stefani Germanotta that goes by this Lady Gaga persona and why do people care so much? Well, people care because Gaga seeks to change the face of pop music, as all pop starlets hope to do and it’s a feat that she has easily conquered.

Gaga’s first single, also the first track off of her platinum THE FAME “Just Dance” features a virtually unknown R&B singer (Colby O’) and should be a doomed single. Past all the pundits, “Just Dance” lands at #1, and it turns out that it isn’t even her very best single! Lady Gaga seems to one-up herself and makes for a competent, though not completely perfect debut album, THE FAME. Following “Just Dance”, third single (her steamiest yet) “Love Game” is undeniably catchy, despite its explicit undertones. It’s scary when middle school kids across the nation are singing, just as Gaga sings “let’s have some fun/this beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”. What is even scarier is one liners like “Had my a** squeezed by sexy Cupid”. The ends is that Gaga writes one hit pop song and “Love Game” is certainly a hit and one of the most ingenious pop songs in sometime.

“Paparazzi” isn’t quite as catchy as the “cream of the crop” of THE FAME, but it is one of the better selections. Solid as anything else, I could see this being yet another ornately shot, Lady Gaga video. This is more of pop at its most creative and finest. The signature song of THE FAME is perhaps Gaga’s most creative single of all, “Poker Face”, a song misunderstood by the masses as far as content is concerned, yet still beloved. I’m sure that the brilliantly constructed “Poker Face” will be played across clubs and “discos” (if they still exist) for years and years to come. “Poker Face” is one of those classic dance songs that may very well stand the test of time, something that seems very rare these days is popular music.

“Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” has a hard act to follow after the brilliant poker face. It stands up to the test, if a shade or two less alluring than the intimidating “Poker Face”. The production is brilliant, tropically flavored pop, perfect for any sunny day. The follow-up track, “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich” brings back edge to Gaga with a hard drum groove and cutting-edge lyrics. The production is solid and Gaga successfully engages the listener with this straight-edge pop ditty. No, it isn’t “Poker Face” either, but it comes closer than “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”.

“The Fame” is another solid selection, showing Gaga in good voice with nice pop production and grooves. This would be another worthwhile track for a single – but then wouldn’t anything appearing on THE FAME lay well as a single? (The answers yes!) “Money Honey” features more desirable production work and more great dance music from Lady Gaga. “Money Honey” isn’t necessarily as distinct or as special as the singles from THE FAME, but again it is above average by all means. “Starstruck” featuring Space Cowboy and Flo Rida is easily a production standout, sounding as if it would be at home on Mars as opposed to Earth. It is in the league of the best of THE FAME in my eyes. It is yet another outstanding candidate for a single. As always Gaga is on her game, and even Flo Rida’s appearance is worthwhile (no disrespect intended). The production by Space Cowboy and Martin Kierszbaum is phenomenal.

“Boys Boys Boys” is as solid as anything else, and the production work by RedOne is as great as his work on “Just Dance”, “LoveGame”, and “Poker Face”. It is just as fun too, if a slight downgrade from the best. “Paper Gangster” opens up with piano and then adds a distorted 808-sounding drum to the mix. Again very solid, particularly where production is concerned, it the best of the best of THE FAME. “Brown Eyes” slows down things and does so convincingly. The chord progression utilized here is strong as is the production work. Gaga also sounds very good here.

“I Like It Rough” is average in comparison to the best material while “Summerboy” is a nice pop-rocker to end an overall strong debut. “Summerboy” features one thumping bass line, always a plus in my eyes.

In essence, Lady Gaga’s debut is a strong affair. It isn’t perfect mind you, but it is easily one of the best dance-pop affairs we have seen for sometime that is actually captivating. Lady Gaga gives other pop starlets like Katy Perry or Britney Spears a clear cut run for her money.