Lady GaGa "Born This Way" by Hendrik Koger

Anyone in search of a good melody need only put on "Poker Face" or "Paparazzi or... Is there any more? A load of choices presents itself on Lady GaGa's 2011 Born This Way.

What is unnerving, however, is the feeling that she is viciously copying every classic pop song ever recorded and this suspicion is only fortified by the mastery of their concealment. Fortunately, the nifty tunes on the album soon make the prejudice and criticism vanish in the sheer beauty of the music. The lyrics are still quite banal and don't leave much for imagination but serve their purpose well to function as vessels for vocal delivery. But hey, Gaga is a socially-conscious pop star and probably understands what people want. Nearly all the songs on the album would sound good on the radio and on the dance floor as well as blasting from an aging rocker's stereo. "Electric Chapel" makes an evident nod towards guitar rock with its driving riff and "The Edge of Glory" effectively manages to fuse club music and classic rock with its anthemic chorus and a sax solo that almost seems to be the perfect extension of "Born to Run". Come to think of it, Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist of Springsteen's The E Street Band performed solos in both songs. The bizarre form of sincerity that GaGa has adopted elevates the album to the status of a statement, which couldn't be reached by her previous releases. A statement that nevertheless remains obscure aside from its obvious message: enjoy.

The heart-warming charm of the album comes from GaGa's soulful performance, leaving an indelible impression that she actually might mean what she is singing. Lady Gaga is a clear sign that pop's glory days are not over but poses a dilemma: what will the other girlies who'll follow suit and start imitating her eventually bring pop to? No worries. Gaga is still young and still very much here.