The Fame Monster

Suppose I'll start this review off the same way as the last one. I've been a fan of Lady Gaga ever since Poker Face came out, and had a huge crush on her ever since. Though this is technically an EP as it only contains 8 songs, most fans including myself consider it her second album. As described, this also comes with a second disc containing every song from The Fame, which was what this album was originally meant to be, a "DLC addon" of sorts to her first album. Here, I'll review each of the 8 songs individually as I did for The Fame. Bad Romance: This was the lead single, released to promote this album a few months before it came out. It's very fast paced, and lyrically it's about sharing even the darkest facets of love. It's best summed up by a quote from her that states, "I want the deepest, darkest, sickest parts of you that you are afraid to share with anyone because I love you that much." It does a great job as a lead single and reminds me of my days of playing Halo 3: ODST, as both were released the same month. Alejandro: In my opinion, this is the album's weakest point, but it's far from bad. It has a very dance-able beat that starts off slow and picks up during the chorus. Supposedly the lyrics reference gays in the military, though I wasn't able to tell right off. This song sorta grew on me after a while, and hearing her sing it live at the Born This Way Ball sounded loads better than the studio version. It was the album's third and final single. Monster: The album's title track, and my favorite song out of the eight. The beat is fantastic, and combined with the vocals, it makes for an unforgettable earworm. The lyrics describe the desire to get out of a bad or abusive relationship versus the inability to do so as the person takes over your life. It's one of those "club songs" that still has meaning to it. Speechless: Easily one of my favorites on the album. Another rock/piano ballad that feels like something of a spiritual successor to The Fame's "Brown Eyes". Get ready to go on a feels trip, because this songs lyrics are about Lady Gaga pleading with her ill father to undergo life-saving open heart surgery. Needless to say, it's some moving stuff. Dance in the Dark: As the title might suggest, it has a very dark, ethereal feel to it. This song is about the realization of one's insecurities, as well as overcoming them. It references many famous people who died tragically. Though there is no official music video, the fan-made one is definitely something I recommend checking out. Telephone: My favorite out of the three singles from this album, and this one had the most hype built up around it, as it features Beyonce, who I'm also a fan of. This song and its accompanying music video serve as a sequel to "Paparazzi", with the video taking place where that one last left off. The video had a ton of production put into it and contains a ton of reference to Quentin Tarantino movies. It's a rather humorous plot, with Beyonce breaking Gaga out of jail and killing everyone there. I definitely recommend watching it. So Happy I Could Die: Possibly the "sexiest" song on the album, with a bouncy, dark beat and plenty of references to...well, y'know...jerkin'. It's about using things such as alcohol as an escape to a happier place during tough times, or just to escape reality itself. It's a rather depressing concept that makes for a song with deep meaning to it. Another high point to the album. Teeth: Ending things off is a song with a gothic, almost horror feeling to it. Seriously, the first thing the beat brings to my mind is the "Hang Castle" stage from Sonic Heroes. Lyrically, it's about the idea that there's nothing wrong with telling the truth, she wants you to show her all you've got. It has a bit of an old-school feel to it, and it's very enjoyable. In conclusion, this is yet another incredibly solid album from my favorite pop artist, and much like The Fame, it does a great job at standing out from most mainstream radio pop. If I had to complain about one thing, it'd be the choice of what songs to release as singles, as the best ones on the album are in fact the non-singles IMO. Either way, I highly suggest The Fame Monster if you like Lady Gaga's other two albums.

Every few years or so some stunning new songstress appears on the pop music scene and commands the spotlight. This past year I note a Lady Gaga seems to have been everywhere. The cover of Rolling Stone. Little snips on TV. Videos on YouTube. In the pop press. Who is Lady Gaga? And how did she gain such sudden fame? Well, I first heard her music the XM Radio dance music channel. It really stood out from the general background of selections they play! With only one listen on one song, I knew I had to have her CD album. Why? It's beat heavy, melodic, energetic, catchy and fun; it's my kinda music and it's fun listening! Now, she has another CD out, "The Fame Monster." Well, I had to have it too. How could I resist? I ordered the 8-song version. I received the Deluxe edition of twenty-two songs. The first CD has the eight new songs and the second CD is a repeat of "The Fame" CD. Tough break. I suppose it was a mistake in the Christmas rush. "The Fame" (CD-2 of "The Fame Monster" album) proved out as a wonderful album. There's a lot of brains behind the release of this original CD. It's supposedly a debut album, but it really seems like a Greatest Hits album released after a long and successful career. Every song was a winner and the production was marvelous! And the music stood out and away from all other pop music! Catchy? Jeez Louise! What an assortment of songs! I can't stop listening. This album was a stunning introduction to a sparking new personality. The recording sounds like a crazy concoction mixing electronica, ABBA and Madonna, but it worked big time, plus Lady Gaga has her own very distinct voice and persona. I bought the "Fame" CD, and I'm very satisfied with the entire package. There's not a song I'd delete. If you like to buy individual songs and want to capture the very best tracks, in my opinion you might get MP3s of "Just Dance," "Love Game," "Poker Face," "The Fame," "Starstruck," "Boys Boys Boys," Paper Gangsta" and "I like it Rough." If pressed for a ranking of the songs, I gave "Paper Gangsta" the top nod and "Brown Eyes" the bottom, but all of the songs were excellent. The lyrics were humorous and almost frivolous, but that's the way I like this kind of beat-heavy dance music. It's not made for deep thinking; It's just fun, fun, fun! Relax and enjoy! Now there's another 8 songs to enjoy on CD-1 of "The Fame Monster." All of the songs are quite excellent and in the same beat-heavy electronica fashion as "The Fame" CD. Good listening. Fun Music. The Lady is a wonderful singer/song writer and has attracted immense notice. Where is this going to go? It's one of the greatest starts for a pop star within my recent memory great. What could she possibly do for an encore in 2010? I suspect Lady Gaga going to be another Madonna with a long and lustrous career. Let's hope so for she is certainly an entertaining person so far. Alas, I also recall a number of one-CD wonders. Will Lady Gaga have imitators? Of course, but she's going to be a hard act to follow. Well, in any case, the "Fame" album and "the Fame Monster" followup has to be one of the highlights of the year and a fresh new turn in contemporary pop music. Gary Peterson

One of the best Lady Gaga Album ever. I’m glad I was able to have a copy of this album. It took me a while to get one.

It has been a very, very, VERY long time since a musician has come along and had this type of impact on me. In my lifetime, there have been exactly four artists who have impacted me in terms of their music and/or artistic expression: 1) Michael Jackson (There will never be another. I am beyond words to express his impact on my life) 2) Madonna 3) Britney Spears 4) Lady Gaga Gaga comes along at a time when she is needed most desperately. For the most part, music has lost its individuality, it's ability to tell stories and transport you to another place and time. To allow you to be yourself and engage your imagination. Gaga is such a true artist in every sense of the word. She's not only a beautifully classically trained singer, she's also a song-writer, a composer, an entertainer, a performance artist, a fashionista, a visionary. She has that je ne sais quois that everyone wants but very few are gifted with. For those of you who aren't familiar with her, her sound is not tied down by the constraints of one particular genre which is very rare and entirely refreshing. Sure, you are probably most acquainted with her entrancing dance tracks. "Just Dance" was her first big hit. She followed that up with "Poker Face", which was THE anthem for 2009. But she is more than those songs; so much more. Just pop in disc 1 (The Fame Monster) to get a sampling of what this incredible musician has to offer. There's a little something on here for everyone. There's of course the wonderful Chart-topper "Bad Romance" (my favorite of the radio releases). There is "Alejandro", which has a bit of a smooth latin groove to it. There are her hypnotic dance tracks ("Monster", "Dance in the Dark", "Telephone" featuring Beyonce, "So Happy I could Die"). Then, there are my two hands-down favorites: "Speechless" (this song is so classic and beautiful I can't stop listening to it) and "Teeth", beyond unique and I can't get that beat out of my head (the rhythmic drum entrances me). Of course, Disc 2 (The Fame) is her first CD re-released with the 8 new tracks to create The Fame Monster. On here you will find all of her biggest hits: "Poker Face", "Love Game", "Just Dance", and "Papparazzi". But don't discount some of the other gems here. There's a bit of vintage disco-feel in the title song "The Fame". There's even an in-the-rough ballad in "Brown Eyes". To summarize, this is one of the best albums in the last decade. Not since Michael Jackson's "Invincible" and Britney's "In The Zone" and "Circus" has any one CD shown so much creativity and individuality, in my opinion. Censored or not, I don't care. This is a CD for the ages. This is one Lady who is, I pray, here to stay for a very long time.

Lady GaGa took the charts by storm nearly a year after her first single came out, hitting #1 in 2009 and breaking digital records with `Just Dance' and the following single `Poker Face', both holding the top and second spot simultaneously, a pretty impressive feat. GaGa streamed the same success with `Paparazzi' and `LoveGame' being released as further singles, which were close to hitting #1 as well, but settling for a Top 5 charting instead. What started out as The Fame re-release, turned out to be GaGa's sophomore serving with The Fame Monster, centered on the concepts of loneliness, love, death, fear, sex and alcohol, omitting her obvious themes of fame and money; hence the title of her first album. GaGa partners with RedOne again for Monster, also adding Darkchild, to bring the uptempos in the same vein as her previous singles (the aforementioned) and despite the songs being great and indulging, they do not bring anything new to the table from GaGa but catchy hooks, partly unchanged electro beats at different tempos and of course, different lyrics. The EP reaffirms a pattern in GaGa's writing style of stuttering the first syllable or letter from words or the title itself in the tracks choruses, manifested in `Just Dance', `Poker Face', `Eh Eh (Nothing Else I can Say)' and `Paparazzi', which is also major in most of the new 8 track album, such as `Monster', `Alejandro', `Telephone', `So Happy I Could Die' and `Bad Romance' (pretty much the whole track listing); the latter being extremely reminiscent of `Poker Face', even in the opening chant. Beyoncé's feature is needless, and the persistent dashes of sex and fashion are okay to a point but then become overestimated. The production is intense and gigantic, but yet again do not contribute to anything new, which was what The Fame originally did when it was released in mid 2008. Standouts are the vicious and boisterous first single `Bad Romance' for its frolic connotations, `Monster', the apparent ode to masturbation and club pulsating `So Happy I Could Die' and `Alejandro' for its tint of Ace of Base. It also has its hidden gems in `Speechless' and `Teeth'. `Speechless' is a piano rock-a-fied ballad dedicated to her father. It features great songwriting and in fact showcases GaGa's vocal talent at its best. She sounds raw and pours all her frustrated emotion over her piano and the listener, while `Teeth' finds GaGa trying out a pounding aggressive edgy sound, which is a breath of fresh air after the rampant re-do of The Fame. GaGa's continual talent is unquestionable, her vocals are flawless and her piano playing exquisite, but The Fame Monster aside from being pleasant and addictive, shows no sign of growth. Putting `Teeth' aside, there is nothing which sets The Fame apart from the EP, which allegedly stands as a second album; it is too formulaic. The eight tracks could have easily been part of the first record or bonus tracks as a re-release instead of labeling it as her next piece of work. The only thing which obstructs people from noticing is the visual treatment given to both the singles and the artist itself, which involve a lot of input and `ceiling-less' budgets. Without doubt the album is fun, catchy with a slight alternate perception and GaGa's delivery is superb, but it emphasizes style more than substance. C.Perez

She's clearly saying freak b**ch where she's supposed to. And, this superstar has earned a new fan. I didn't even know who she was two weeks ago (I fall behind so easily) and I now find out she's been the most successful artist in the world for the last two years. And, I can see why. She doesn't create bad songs...another factor in having earned my fandom. I don't care what style of music someone plays or makes. If it's great I'll listen, and buy. I will neither pay nor download crap from anyone. Most pop stars cannot make three songs that are good on any given album, let alone 8 or 10. She hasn't hit a low point with me with any of her songs. They are ALL gold. She's got some of the most aggressive pop music I've ever heard, both in lyrical content and in the sheer force of what's coming off those instruments. From what I understand she's also playing most of the songs herself as well has having written them. She's stepped into a new world now and I think she'll be around for a long time. If she will take care of herself she could end up as big as the Beatles, Elvis, and Michael Jackson were. Based on what I've heard so far there's no doubt she's got talent to match them. There are elements of all sorts of musical forms in her stuff. I even hear some shades of Led Zeppelin in her stuff. And, from this double album I've learned that she is very diverse. How she expands her work in the future will be interesting to observe. She's a bit on the strange side, but she plays up the glam b**chy role very well and with attitude not seen since the early years of Madonna. She's hot on the charts for good reason. She's breaking records left and right. Perhaps she will be able to generate album sales like once happened before the internet took off. I love this album double and consider it now one of my most prized CDs in the collection. I'm sold. She's great. She's one of those who you'll never understand but always breathlessly await. I've played her music constantly for the last several days. I am mesmerized. Very few artists ever do that to me, especially now that I'm on the backside of my life time. There's not a bad song on either of the records in this double, and I've seen that she's already planning a 3rd. Get in line behind me because I'm buying when it hits. I'd just like to hear her do one metal song. Just one. Also, I'd like to add here as an edit that "Teeth" is the finest pop song I've ever heard. It's better than "Billie Jean." It's better than "Hey Jude." It's the best, period.

Disclaimer: I'm not a special music critic, so I take this album by my taste by all means. In spite of being a re-release of one of the decade's most tremendously successful albums "The Fame", "The Fame Monster" was initially regarded as "another" stupid compilation from the label records when they expect the fans and customers to spend another $15 on something they've practically already had, with a few more songs and a different cover. To prove the point of seeing through the ruse and "everything for my fans", Lady GaGa doesn't disappoint her little monsters at all. To an extent, this is totally a whole new album with new 8 songs. Lady GaGa added nearly an entire album's worth of new material to her already existing "The Fame" and skipped the filmsy term "bonus track", which made the whole album look/sound like a perfect companion to her original "The Fame". This album is completely worth the wait, and in my own opinion, this is one of the best albums I've heard in years. About Lady Gaga's music style, she does dance-pop, which isn't new or revolutionary. Lady GaGa had her own way to spice her style up. Aside from the crazy outfits she usually shows up to the public with, whatever GaGa has devoted to music is fire. If "The Fame" was to set a new level of dance pop music in 2008, keep the same thought for "The Fame Monster", but in a darker way. Lady GaGa's music this time is much more mature. She spent a lot more time in the studio working with 6 notorious hitmakers (Fernando Garibay, RedOne, Space Cowboy, Darkchild, Teddy Riley, Ron Fair) which will assure her album to be just another success. Every song in this album is a masterpiece, and it's really premature for anyone to underestimate it. I love all of the songs, and I found it impossible to pick a favorite one. I'd pick Alejandro or Monster to be the best tracks off the album; Telephone with Beyonce will be smash hit on the radio for sure, Speechless is in a completely different league, and Dance in The Dark's chorus will haunt you for days. In my opinion, Lady GaGa has done it again. The counterpoint to "The Fame" contains no songs about money or fame. Each song shows a different point of views from GaGa, or should I say fear: alcohol, drugs, sex, loneliness, death... And she does her job in an extremely fantastic way. I just lost my words for it. * Added: By the time I write this review, "Bad Romance" has already reached #1 on iTunes chart. And "The Fame Monster" is also at #1 for albums. Amazing! * Added: On 11/23/2009, she'll sign CDs for her fans in Los Angeles at night. There were 3000 people in front of the store 10AM already, and Gaga bought the fans pizza so they didn't have to starve. She wrote on her Twitter page "Little monsters, eat up! I love you." Classy.

I absolutely love this ep by Gaga; if you’re considering buying this do it, but something you should keep in mind is that this record comes in a pvc sleeve like most of the picture disc