November 2013

The presence of Christina Aguilera on this gorgously stripped-down pop ballad threatens to drown out brainy NYC duo A Great Big World, much in the same way that not many people noticed Mikky Ekko on his similarly fantastic Rihanna collaboration.

That said, Christina has already invited them to perform with her on The Voice, while also providing the name recognition that will open many mainstream radio and pop radio doors. And, unsuprisingly, she hits all the notes perfectly.

Enough with the thinkpieces about why Lady Gaga Artpop is a commercial disappointment: It debuted at #1 with over 200k sold, which is pretty damn good for an album which hasn't yet spawned a true hit single. And that's a key clause there: "Applause" got a golf clap, at best, and it remains to be seen if any of the other tracks thrown at the virtual wall will stick (I'd bet on the R. Kelly collabo "Do What U Want," especially if the video lives up to the single art). 

The other issue is that Lady Gaga has proven able to be an iconoclast, it feels like she's now trying awfully hard without any real focus. This brand new ARTPOP film feels like a demo reel of various guises she's trying out, from some Marilyn Manson mugging, monster mashing and other looks that veer heavily on the edge of wackiness.