Having debuted the single's relatively sombre artwork a few weeks ago, along with a knuckle-bitingly pretentious interview, it's a relief that the song's intro is brilliantly camp – all squelchy synths and juddering beats, Gaga singing in an oddly pitched, almost David Bowie-esque vocal style. From there, it launches into a huge chorus about how much she enjoys hearing people applaud her brilliance ("put your hands up make them touch"), which is the sort of narcissism we should cherish in our megastars. There's also a brilliant bit where she plays on the German word for art (some people think she's a bit of a "kunst" now, apparently), and the whole thing breaks down over some rave-y piano lines before some sampled crowd noise appears and the whole thing takes off again, like a ridiculous glam-rock song given a techno makeover.
It's good to have her back.
Applause is out today on iTunes
Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/music/mus...-gaga-applause
She won't have a banner. 
