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The Fame Monster (CD) Lady Gaga

Jocelyn Wong

Lady Gaga is one of the most talked-about artists having emerged on the pop scene with a fanfare in 2008. With her dramatic performance at the American Music Awards in November and over-the-top wardrobe, the American singer, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, never fails to surprise.

The Fame Monster - her second album after her hit 2008 debut The Fame - contains elements of the electronic-dance beats of her earlier music, such as Poker Face, but has a darker edge. Her voice - coarser and rawer than before - softly echoes her contemporaries, Duffy and Amy Winehouse, yet still retains her own 'Gaga' style.

She has also tried to add softer elements to the heavy beats in some of her new songs with differing levels of success; Alejandro, particularly, mixes the classical sound of a violin and her 'electronic' voice, but it all sounds forced and too dramatic.

Yet the catchy lyrics and pulsating beat of the first track, Bad Romance - a relationship she had to escape - and Dance in the Dark - a song about insecurities - are sure to get you dancing. These underlying dark elements to her songs are a refreshing change to the usual cheesy pop songs and dance-floor anthems, and make this album a must-have.

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