Let me rate the album quick, for the first and last time in this thread;
Aura
10/10
Venus 09/10 - The "Goddess of Love" cry is one of the most glorious things she's ever done, and the song itself (along with the one-two punch of Aura) is one of her most evocative, and encapsulated the ARTPOP theme well for me.
G.U.Y. 08/10 - Great with a knock-out middle 8, but the chorus doesn't take off quite enough for me. "I want to be the grave underneath you" is one of my favourite lines.
Sexxx Dreams
10/10 - Best pop song of the year
Jewels N' Drugs
10/10 - As pastiche as it is, I don't think many people appreciate just how well produced this song is. It's ferocious, and is going to sound insane live.
"Jewels & drugs bb / hustle, smother em' / if you wanna be bad / it ain't nothing if it ain't family / we know how to make that money" *Twista breakdown*
MANiCURE
10/10 - Glittering, pink, 3D pop spectacular bliss.
Do What U Want
10/10 - Perfect pop alchemy, too much
ARTPOP 08/10 - Those vocals are a bit too electronic and cold for me. Like how broody and psychedelic it is tho.
Swine 09/10 - The production is INSANE, I pop OFF to this song, and what fabulous lyrical insults.
Donatella 07/10 - Throwaway verses, adore the intro tho.
Fashion! 08/10 - Such a groove
Mary Jane Holland 06/10 - Transcendent middle 8, the rest descends into avoidable noise.
Dope 08/10 - When it hits me, it hits me. Love the way the production seems to crack when she launches into the chorus for the second time.
Gypsy
10/10 - The way she scorches through piano ballad, stadium rock, europop and Springsteenian lyrics in an even more delirious ride of a song than The Edge of Glory before knocking it out of the park with that final outro - that reminds me a bit of Waka Waka for some reason - makes this one of Gaga's finest ever songs.
Applause
10/10 - Just a fantastically well made pop song (even if it feels a little
too neat), love the concept, and I still adore the video.
