Music News: First "Applause" review: "It is far more experimental"

Concept & Theory

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Lady Gaga’s Gamey Sounding New Single "Applause"

It’s hard to follow up a power anthem like Katy Perry’s new single “Roar.” Luckily, Lady Gaga has some wickedly theatrical vocals and a dream production team behind her.

“Applause” is not quite the followup you’d expect after the massive success of her previous first singles, “Bad Romance” and “Born This Way.” This song is actually rather mute in comparison. Still, this song says a lot about what could be coming from ARTPOP. This song is far more experimental, lyrically and instrumentally, than anything else on the radio. It almost sounds like a song you’d hear from Roisin Murphy or Kelis, but would never gain the popularity it deserves. Of course, since it’s Gaga that won’t be a problem.

Back to Gaga’s theatrical vocals, the verses are rather beautiful. Instead of typical polished pop princess vocals, Gaga kicks up the dramatics and delivers in a way you’d expect an actor to during a musical. At first it was kind of unnerving, but the way her voice wobbles as she sings “I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong,” grew to be one of my favorite parts of the song. She mimics this during the second verse also. Of course, the dramatic wobble effect isn’t nearly as much as Gaga shouting, “Put your hands up, make em touch! Make it real now!” or “Give me that thing that I love, turn the lights on!”

Musically, the song actually has a rather retro feel. If I could relate it to anything, it’d be an old school Nintendo or Sega Genesis game, but sprinkled with today’s production tricks. The clubs will eat this song alive. The way the beat robotically thuds under her vocals the earworm that will get this song stuck in your brain.

Radio? That’s a tricky one. Radio will either embrace is, or drop it as soon as the radio deal fizzles like Madonna’s “Give Me All Your Lovin.”

PS: She mentions something about being a coonce (sp?). I don’t know what that is, so if someone could let me know… it’ll help me better make sense of the verse, “One second I’m the coonce then suddenly the coonce is me.”

http://martiantv.com/?p=3402

Forevermore

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This song is far more experimental, lyrically and instrumentally, than anything else on the radio.

Exactly what I wanted. Not here for generic pop songs.

Space Renegade

ugh, idc I WANT GAGA TO SMAHS AND SUCCEED AND FOR PEOPLE TO SING THE SONG!!!!

MrPeanut

Mister Martian you have this ****??

omrimayo

So a flop..

Mister Martian

She's saying "Kunst" which is ART in German. Clever.

Butters

https://twitter.com/MartianTV/status/366792779071893504

So 3:33 long
Her shortest single to date, iirc

Concept & Theory

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Originally posted by Butters

Somebody dm'ed him and he told them that the song is 3:33 long

Her shortest single to date, iirc

IsidoraMarí

They better Praise Queen Kelis!!

Butters

They won't have to cut it short for the radio

Mister Martian

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Originally posted by Butters

They won't have to cut it short for the radio

The version i have it listed as "Single Version." I don't know if that means it's already shortened for radio.

slobro

Hopefully the video will be 3:33 as well

MrPeanut

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Originally posted by Mister Martian

The version i have it listed as "Single Version." I don't know if that means it's already shortened for radio.

How do you like it compared to her previous stuff?

Mister Martian

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Originally posted by MrPeanut

How do you like it compared to her previous stuff?

Different. I was kinda disappointed in Aura... not because it's bad, but because it sounds like something from Born This Way.

I can't say this sounds like anything from her previous albums, but it does border a kind of Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy kind of vibe. Definitely going to be either a flop or smash kind of record.

MrPeanut

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Originally posted by Mister Martian

Different. I was kinda disappointed in Aura... not because it's bad, but because it sounds like something from Born This Way.

I can't say this sounds like anything from her previous albums, but it does border a kind of Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy kind of vibe. Definitely going to be either a flop or smash kind of record.

Sounds promising. Thanks!

Concept & Theory

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Originally posted by Mister Martian

Different. I was kinda disappointed in Aura... not because it's bad, but because it sounds like something from Born This Way.

I can't say this sounds like anything from her previous albums, but it does border a kind of Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy kind of vibe. Definitely going to be either a flop or smash kind of record.

I just need to know if there's a powerful breakdown/beat at least.

Mister Martian

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Originally posted by Concept & Theory

I just need to know if there's a powerful breakdown/beat at least.

It sounds great, but it's not a BIG build up. The music stops. There's some light instrumentation, drumming then the beat drops."

Space Renegade

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Originally posted by Mister Martian

Different. I was kinda disappointed in Aura... not because it's bad, but because it sounds like something from Born This Way.

I can't say this sounds like anything from her previous albums, but it does border a kind of Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy kind of vibe. Definitely going to be either a flop or smash kind of record.

the queen

jayyyxtee

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Radio? That’s a tricky one. Radio will either embrace is, or drop it as soon as the radio deal fizzles like Madonna’s “Give Me All Your Lovin.”

Demise

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Originally posted by Mister Martian

It sounds great, but it's not a BIG build up. The music stops. There's some light instrumentation, drumming then the beat drops."

Is the I live for the applause part the chorus?