CREDIT: INTERSCOPE RECORDS
This album doesn't need outlandish costumes to make its mark.

Lady Gaga is back once again and she’s come a long way since the disco stick era. Her latest album, Joanne is a far cry from Artpop with a number of softer songs that show Gaga’s sensitive side. Joanne was released on Oct. 21 and spans the course of 14 tracks on the deluxe version.

Although the two leading singles “Perfect Illusion” and “Million Reasons” were at best difficult to digest, Joanne is an all around enjoyable album from her upbeat “A-YO” with its catchy chorus and stomping drums to the soft and somber “Angel Down” which gives a chilling nod to Trayvon Martin and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Lady Gaga has dominated the pop charts in years gone by, but Joanne sees Gaga sauntering towards country and folk influences. Perhaps this is due to the overwhelming popularity of both genres or maybe Gaga is trying to distance herself from her previous works.

Whatever the reason, the stripped down feeling of Joanne is a welcome contrast to the verbose over-produced pop music of today. It’s clear on “Joanne” that the nuances of folk singing don’t always come as easily as powerhouse vocal performances like “Diamond Heart” and “John Wayne” but that doesn’t mean Gaga can’t make it her own. The verses may feel a little too polished, but when she lets go in the chorus her emotion shines through making “Joanne” one of the highlight tracks on this album.

As the song delves into the relationship with her late aunt in a simple and earnest production it becomes the perfect representation of what this album is about. Joanne is full of soul searching, personal exploration and odes to loved ones, with a healthy dose of feel-good pop thrown in the mix to keep the album moving forward.

The country influence really comes through on tracks like “Sinners Prayer” and “John Wayne”, the former with parlor pianos and defining country twang, the latter being a lyrical amalgamation of country tropes. It’s a safe bet that when you devote a song to a western superstar like John Wayne you’re going to see your fair share of clichés but at least Lady Gaga uses them somewhat tactfully. I only say somewhat because the lyrics “too lit tonight” unfortunately make an unforgiveable appearance on the track.

Clichés aside, one thing that I respect Lady Gaga for is nailing the deluxe release of Joanne. I’ve always considered releasing a deluxe album with a few cut-rate tracks to be something of a money grab but the three deluxe tracks on this album are a force to be reckoned with. “Grigio Girls” is a heartfelt message to everyone going through difficult times to come together with friends and find strength, while “Just Another Day” gives us a bouncing sort of playfulness not seen anywhere else on the album. The deluxe release concludes with a reprise of “Angel Down” drawing us back to the importance of human life and leaving listeners feeling rather modest.

The standard edition of Joanne is a solid release on its own but the deluxe version gives a well-rounded sense of completeness that I didn’t realize was missing. It feels weird enough recommending anyone to buy a Lady Gaga album, let alone advocating for the deluxe version, but here I am nonetheless. Joanne is a far cry from today’s shallow pop artists and I recommend it to anyone in need of some soul searching.

Rating: 4 out of 5