#484: Born This Way [Lady Gaga, 2011]

Lady Gaga draws heavily from Madonna on her sophomore album. Born This Way, a revolutionary gay anthem, is her version of Express Yourself. While Madonna sported an English accent during her marriage to Guy Ritchie, Lady Gaga affects a Caribbean accent on Judas and mutters Def Leppard-style fake German on the house-inspired Scheiße. They both struggle to come to terms with their Catholic upbringing. Madonna was denounced by the Pope for Like a Prayer; Born This Way was banned in Lebanon for Lady Gaga's provocative use of Catholic imagery. Maximalist pop, techno and house are everywhere on this album but this aspect has not aged particularly well. The synths are unrelenting and loud but at the same time repetitive and boring. Born this way also incorporated rock and metal on Electric Chapel and You and I, and there is some nice saxophone work on Hair and closer The Edge of Glory. Lady Gaga's vocals are good throughout, moving from spoken word to Pat Benatar-style growling with ease. Overall, Born This Way showcases the best and worst of Lady Gaga at this time. It is loud, provocative, uncompromised and surprisingly eclectic. 3.2/5.