Born to Earworm
Lady Gaga, Born This Way, 2011
I've been wondering for a while when the first Big Summer Album of 2011 was going to land. Well, this is it. It's going to be hard to find a better pop album this year. It's exhilarating as watching Flash Dance for the first time; or seeing Cher live during her "If I Could Turn Back Time" period. Sometimes you hear Madonna in the background, screaming for help from the Berlin sex club Gaga keeps her prisoner, but it doesn't last long - Lady Gaga thumps her shut with vocals that Madge could only dream of hitting. Plus, she has infinitely more self-deprecation and humor than good ol' Madge, though she's just as obsessed with Catholic imagery. ("Bloody Mary", "Black Jesus", "Electric Chapel", H.I.M...) On Twitter, there's this absurd rivalry between her fans and Britney's, which is silly because dead-behind-the-eyes Britney is now completely out of her league: everything about Gaga in this album screams hard work.
My favourite tracks: "Born This Way" (which I still maintain is nothing like "Express Yourself" - just listen to them side-by-side), "Marry The Night", "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)" and "Heavy Metal Lover". I detested "Judas" when I first heard it but it's one of those annoyingly catchy songs that just grow and grow in your head.
My neighbours are going to hate me in no time.