“This chicks kinda weird.” That was my take after the “Just Dance” video ended. Boy did myself and the two people I was with have no clue what was to come. The term “meat dress” didn’t exist in the world. Ah…a simpler time.
Nobody has or will most likely ever describe me as a pop aficionado. But this is one of a few albums I can put my full weight behind. While I’ve always respected the hell out of Lady Gaga‘s insane level of musicianship, she played in a genre I don’t often connect with. I’ve in that time since I heard “Just Dance” wished she’d come out with an acoustic album. The versions of her songs where it’s just her and her piano I could listen to endlessly. It wasn’t until 2016 when Gaga released this weeks highlight, her album Joanne, that I went from youtube videos of the aforementioned acoustic versions of her songs to her actual album. It wasn’t right away. I remember hearing “Million Reasons” and enjoying it. But it took a while…I honestly can’t remember what brought me to the album itself, or exactly when. Though when I did it was a whole other world of Gaga, the one I’d been waiting for but not (for the most part) acoustified. It is almost a perfect album, though I’m not going to lie, I skip right over “Dancing in Circles.” Lady Gaga isn’t hidden behind anything, she gets to show her full range, whether it be high intensity songs like “John Wayne” and “Perfect Illusion” or stripped down like “Joanne” or “Angel Down.” She hits all the notes in one package. It’s an album that felt like an evolution. While I’m still waiting on the acoustic album, I will gladly continue to turn this one up, and bide my time.
If you’ve liked my previous Turn It Up Tuesday suggestions, and too, don’t generally wade in the pop waters, take a chance on this one. With her unmistakable talent she’s an easy choice to give the benefit of the doubt to.