Ah, Lady Gaga, what would we do without you and your faintly deranged, dirty dance music? Fortunately, with The Fame Monster: Deluxe Version having just been released on Nov. 23, fans will not have to find out the answer to that question.
This sophomore album from the peculiar pop princess possesses all the pulsating beats and provocative lyrics for which she is known and loved. Unlike her debut, though, The Fame Monster is not simply a collection of tempos and tones; it has meaning.
A double release of eight new tracks paired with the 17 tunes from The Fame, her first record, The Fame Monster takes a darker look at the glittering world of fame and celebrity that her first album immortalized.
With only eight new songs to its name, however, each song has to be strong, fierce and unforgettable. And while two out of three would have been enough for a hit, Lady Gaga accomplishes all three effortlessly.
Opening with her new single, "Bad Romance," the album begins on an intense note that continues to resonate throughout the record from the salacious, pseudo-Spanish serenade, "Alejandro," to the hard-hitting, head-bobbing bass of "Teeth."
Yet, while dance-ready, each new song has a deeper message of exorcizing fears (which she nicknames her "monsters") that leads to a cohesiveness and wholeness within the Deluxe Version, easing the joining and transition from fame to monster once the new material ends and her first album begins.
The Fame Monster is an intense foray that shows off both Lady Gaga's singing prowess and musicality. Her second record is more than enough to satisfy all Gaga-heads out there, and its sexy charm can seduce its way into every listener's mind. If only there were more tracks, Lady Gaga may have had a modern masterpiece on her hands.