★★★★★
Stefani Germanotta disarmed us with what was the disappointment of Harlequin, only to come out of the blue (only a year after) and drop a back to back, euphoric album calling back to who Lady Gaga is. This is perfectly timed for the start of spring and we want to celebrate it.
The beats that kick in after the initial seconds is down right addictive, with a call back to “JUDAS, JUDA-AH” from the singer’s Born This Way era. A perfect opening track to the set the stage: Gaga’s back to her pop icon 2011 days?
2. Abracadabra
It’s not until I heard it within the album that my love for this song kicked in. The beat is sickening. Gaga even goads us “feel the beat beneath your feet, the floor’s on fire”.
This one *begins* with the third insatiable beat. What a trio of tracks – this is always one of the better indicators that the whole LP is going to be a hit. Gaga’s own vocals over the reverberations in the verses of this track have a call to the Riot Grrl and Gwen Stefani era of songs. Club classic brilliance.
The opening rhythm and strum of the electric guitar is perfectly haunting and fitting for this song, it wouldn’t be out of place on a Twilight soundtrack.
The guitar, synths and bass combo is very akin to an ’80’s track here, all while perfectly leaning to modernity.
6. Killah feat. Gesaffelstein
Arguably one of the best tracks on MAYHEM, which is a difficult pick. This track gives you a new lease on life – it’s got funk, an addictive and repetitive guitar piece with high vocals like a true rockstar, Gaga’s nailed it.
7. Zombieboy
Pure euphoria carries on smoothly from ‘Killah’ into ‘Zombieboy’. This is truly Kevin Parker of Tame Impala inspired, with a hint of Blondie. The bass is electric and Gaga’s vocals are flawless, she’s urging people to get up and dance!
8. LoveDrug
This (along with ‘Perfect Celebrity’) were the only unliked tracks I had to warm up to on second listen – which is still a good indicator of a great album when everything strikes you immediately. She’s covering pop to rock and funk.
The backdrop is so old school Grimes, it brings that element of teen nostalgia. “Because you like my hair, my ripped-up jeans / Because you hate the crash, but you love the rush” – the chorus is even giving coming of age movie in the best way, the utter yearning, we’ll never be too grown for this category of culture. And yes there’s a strong corrolation to T Swift on the emobodiment of this one!
The first “Don’t call tonight, don’t call tonight” sounds like it would end in “Fernando”, so akin to Alejandro from Gaga’s Fame Monster era too.
11. Shadow Of A Man
The bass is back as a key instrument, making this song insatiable from when you first hit play. “Never got this feeling” – Gaga sings in a quick-paced Michael Jackson fashion, and dare I say Britney Spears on Complicated? Fans are already making AI memes of Gaga as Michael Jackson for this song on X – she’s definitely got the talent for it.
12. The Beast
The backdrop throughout is both haunting and sultry. Mixed with the chorus, this track leaves you feeling magnetic.
13. Blade Of Grass
Gaga’s vocals for the natural ballad ending of album’s are perfect here. It’s reminding me of the You and I days, she’s crooning and feeling those lyrics like a true performer. The context to this title is oh the more special: “Michael asked me how I would want him to propose to me one day,” Gaga explained in an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe. “We were in our backyard, and I said, ‘Take a blade of grass and wrap it around my finger.’ And then I wrote ‘Blade of Grass’ because I remembered the way his face looked and I remembered the grass in the backyard and I remember thinking, He should use that really long grass that’s in the center of the backyard.”
14. Die With A Smile, with Bruno Mars
I didn’t initially feel this ballad as a single, but after Blades Of Grass and at the tail end of this pop return, it makes perfect sense. I’ll be waiting to see more Gaga accolades for 2025.
My Goddess Complex 
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