Singer-songwriter Lady Gaga’s sixth studio album, “MAYHEM,” was released on March 7, and contains 14 exhilarating songs, a return to Gaga’s dance-pop music style. The songs contain a lot of techno elements as well, adding energy to the music.
After hearing Lady Gaga’s single “Abracadabra” for the first time in a Super Bowl commercial, I was immediately hooked. This single made me very excited for the rest of the album to be released.
Ratings on the Billboard Hot 100 list showcase this album, along with “Die with a Smile,” a single featuring singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, reaching number two, and “Abracadabra” at number 13. These two songs were the previously released singles from the album, and are still currently on the list after 29 and five weeks, respectively.
Along with these upbeat pop songs, “MAYHEM” also includes a few ballads that showcase the diversity in style that Gaga is known for. These include “Blade of Grass” and “Die With a Smile”.
Gaga won a Grammy this year for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her collaboration with Mars on “Die With a Smile”. This is her third time winning this award, making her the artist with the most wins in this category. “Die With a Smile” is one of my personal favorites from the album. I love the contrast between Gaga and Mars’ voices, and the lyricism relating to the theme of never-ending love.
“Blade of Grass,” the other ballad from the album, is also a song I enjoyed listening to because its slower tempo shows her skilled style variation. I did not previously know Gaga for this style of music, but her slower ballads are very good.
Another favorite song of mine on the album is “Garden of Eden.” In the song, there is a lot of variation between smoother sections of music and more staccato, or choppy, fast guitar music, which makes it very interesting to listen to.
I really enjoyed listening to “Perfect Celebrity,” as it sounds similar to some of Gaga’s popular older songs like “Bad Romance” through the synth-pop and techno feel.
I can imagine these exciting songs being played at dance clubs. If this style of music is appealing, I highly recommend listening to the album. Even if it is not, I still recommend listening to it, because it could end up being more enjoyable than expected.
“MAYHEM” is a very good album, and is a good introduction to Gaga’s music for new listeners. When looking for some exciting music to bring up the mood, listen to this album.
