Song of The Year-Sinner’s Prayer by Lady Gaga

by Dan-O

I have a lot of important mixtapes to listen to from very important up and coming artists but I would be lying if I pretended to knowing anything musically but Joanne right now.  I’ve had the new Lady Gaga album on repeat for days just soaking it in.

I am in the exact opposite position of your average critic. At peak Gaga meat dress time-frame I couldn’t care less. Pop music generates big voiced divas who boom over the same electro-pop , for me at that time, she was just one of that group.

Joanne is the first time I’ve felt close to her music. You can attribute the adventurousness of it to Ronson or Bloodpop or any number of the important collaborators who do great work. Joanne says a lot about Gaga and how intelligent she is.

That classic country sound has incredible malleable warmth to it and smart people get it. Springsteen talks about its influence on The River, Bob Dylan fell in love with it and produced my favorite albums (Nashville Skyline, The Basement Tapes). Joanne is part experimentation part the Gaga you expect. Some critics mourn the loss of their ‘classic’ Gaga while I am listening on a loop enthused by the new path. The big voice, the gorgeous melodies, the well written songs(Sinner’s Prayer is my absolute favorite) and many influences (some great classic soul on Joanne) are evidence of an artist with interesting wings to expand.

This song just hits everything right. It has no fat on it while never coming off as anything but honest and organic.

In a year of dense albums that ache to say everything Joanne feels very self-assured and sleek.  Maybe she was always this good and I just sucked at figuring it out? Oh well, anyone who goes around saying she doesn’t pull off what she tries to accomplish on Joanne is wrong and the fact that I’m so protective says a lot about the vivid personality of the album. I’m glad she wore the pink hate on Saturday Night Live. It’s the album; a simple but enduring image that will stick in your mind while not obscuring your path to her.