It feels like we’ve been waiting for Lady Gaga to release ARTPOP, her new album, for a very long time. She first started teasing the record in 2012 with the album originally due out earlier this year. Following tour cancellations due to hip surgery and various other setbacks, ARTPOP is now due to debut in November. Following the leak of lead single Applause, Gaga has rush-released the track across the world a week early.
All eyes, as always, are on Gaga with the release of Applause. The master of her own hype, Gaga has been telling fans how amazing and possibly life-changing her new music is. On first listen the thing that strikes you about Applause is that it’s a pretty straightforward pop track. This isn’t a bad thing of course but with all the bizarre imagery and ARTPOP art-pieces that are being released you’d be forgiven for expecting something a bit more off-the-wall.
Musically the song marries the sound from The Fame/The Fame Monster era with Born This Way injecting some serious 80s New Wave into the mix before exploding into an EDM chorus. Lyrically the song is about craving the applause and adoration of the fans, something that Gaga is no stranger to. As she sings, ‘I live for the applause’ you know she means every word.
Is Applause worthy of Gaga’s pre-hype? Well actually we think she was fairly spot on. Whilst it’s not the best Gaga track we’ve ever heard, it trumps most of the over-rated Born This Way album. It doesn’t sound like anthing else out there and it’s the kind of ballsy pop we expect from our current pop Queen. Roll on ARTPOP.
