SO I suppose there’s no harm in adding to the flood of rubbish that will no doubt be written about this.
First, the song: It’s been around a while now, so a few thoughts. I didn’t like it much at all at first. It’s now grown on me as a pop song, but still feels like a step backward. Obviously you have to acknowledge that its message is brave (probably more so in a US context than it feels over here), if simplistic and heavy-handed. In fact, the point I guess is that to work it has to be blunt and straightforward. The problem that leaves is with its merits as a pop song – it feels too much like a one-dimensional statement. There’s no statement being made with the music, unless of course it’s something vaguely postmodern about recycling as many obvious influences as possible. That wouldn’t necessarily be a terrible thing, but when you set your standards so high on a record like The Fame Monster, you expect a step up. I think it’s probably for the greater good that Gaga’s chosen to go down the ‘statement’ route, but on a personal level I’d rather she was doing something more interesting with the music.
ANYWAY. The video. It starts BRILLIANTLY. Brilliant because it’s so daft – 3 minutes of meandering ramble about the origins of Gaga. All entirely stupid and so much the better for it. “The main event”, though, is a little underwhelming. I’m not going to delve too deeply into the politics of parading around in your pants while trying to make a big statement about stuff (I guess for what it’s worth that is who she is, and her point is about laying yourself bare…) but it’s all just a bit dull. OK so there’s a bit where she puts on some silly zombie makeup and a suit, which is mildly diverting, but really it’s just all a bit blah.
Overall, there’s nothing particularly wrong with any of this – it’s just that it all seems like 4th single off an album stuff. I’ve no doubt there’s more exciting and ridiculous stuff to come from Lady Gaga, but this isn’t it. For all its schlock and mildly silly window-dressing, this is Lady Gaga going “serious” (in as much as she’s capable of it). And that’s fine, but I’m mainly hoping that this is her (very worthwhile) message communicated, and we’ll soon be back to more ludicrous larking around.